United Airlines has officially retired its international first class product, most recently known as United Polaris First. This post serves as a eulogy for first class on United.
When I first started flying United in 2004, the carrier offered “United First Suites” pictured above. These were very competitive at the time, offering plenty of room to stretch out and a lie-flat bed. As I was just learning the tricks of the trade back then, I only ended up in this first class seat once, on a flight from Washington Dulles to Los Angeles. All I have are three meal pictures:
To give you an idea of how long ago this was, FAs came around the cabin with a basket of video cassette tapes for in-flight-entertainment. It was an early version of AVOD…
But United introduced its next generation first class seat in 2008 and over the last decade I had many opportunities to sample it.
I’m sad that United never really actually competed in first class. Former CFO John Rainey even trashed it publicly in 2014. I think United could have competed. In one first class trip report from Frankfurt to San Francisco, I noted that the service I received met or exceeded the service on any five-star airline. That flight will go down as one of the best of my life.
> Read More: United Airlines’ CFO Disses His Company’s Global First Class Product
But I’m not going to lie. I’ve had several mediocre flights in United Global First as well. Service was often hit or miss. Furthermore, United failed to invest in the soft product and the result was clear: few people paid for first class. Unfortunately, United justified its removal of first class by starving first class of what makes an airline product first class, then citing poor yields as the reason for its demise.
Even so, that will not rob me of the many happy memories over the years. Although there are many to choose from, tomorrow I’ll share my favorite United international first class experience…a trip to Kuwait in 2015.
CONCLUSION
I will certainly miss international first class on United. Even as the new Polaris Business Class offers an excellent product with more privacy than the old first class, the first class seats were extremely spacious and comfortable. For now, 1K and Global Services members can reserve the old first class seats at no extra charge. Looks for seat maps like this when you reserve your seat:
The first two rows are the old first class, resembling the seat in the video above.
Check out the Wayback Machine for some great pictures and descriptions of United’s old first class product.
Do you have fond memories of international first class on United Airlines?
An unfortunate situation earlier this year had me flying this F product instead of LH F, looking back at it now I’m glad I had the opportunity to fly it (IAD-MUC), I’d say the service on the flight was just plane rude, however (not sure if they do this in regular Biz) one thing that stood out was that they had an ice cream kart and OMG was it good. Thanks for the memories United.
Yup! It was my only international first class flight ever, with my Dad, from ORD-MUC. The food was actually good and the seat really, really comfortable. I was so spoiled after that flight, that the next time I flew to Europe (in economy class that is) I was so, so incredibly shocked to find that the seat did not recline further than a domestic economy class seat. This was when I was 16 and very niece to the world around me. I was even more shocked when the meal carts came around and the food was very, very awful and unappetizing, as I remember my previous international flight when I had a steak and an ice cream sundae. (side note, I have had many international economy trips since then and am never shocked about the lack of recline anymore) I did know that there was no flat bed, but I at least thought we might get a few more inches of recline, so yeah, United first class really was a spoiler for any coach experiences. If we want first class, we better get LH, LX, NH or SQ nowadays for star alliance. I hope that someday I can try the real united polaris seat (and the 777X first class Singapore is rumoring).
Alan, did you have the old first class seat or the most recent one?
The only reason you had an exceptionally good experience flying between Frankfurt & San Francisco is because the crew most likely was legacy United. CO crews just have the IST International service training that Legacy UA had.
I guess you should check to see how many JD Powers awards CO crews won. IST is an acronym that United flight attendants use. 🙂
I wonder if you are able to book these special seats because of your status. I tried to change an award ticket and the seats were still grayed out. Although when I hovered over them, they did list them as J class now.
You are correct. I’ll update the post– was not aware of this, but another reader brought it to my attention.
United’s first class resembles British Air’s business class. Best flight I have ever taken was on BA from Chicago to Barcelona and back. Recently took AA business. Uncomfortable and ridiculous tablets instead of movie screens which they took from us 40 minutes before landing. BA and Lufthansa from now on for my European adventures.
Wait?!? AA still uses those oversized tablets? When will they finally adapt to the needs of the current market.
Cashed in miles last year for a SEA-SFO-ICN-HKG. Got to experience the now defunct SFO Global First lounge for breakfast – and lunch as the ICN flight was delayed.Was a nice lounge. Food was good, views, size OK. Wrote to UAL for mileage compensation for the long delay, so that brought the 80K award down to 72K. Also had a two for one 747 ride as ICN-HKG segment was a OZ jumbo. The UA F food and service wasn’t bad, but not anything to cheer about; the seat in 1A was well worn. But I got to fly the UA F Intl. at least once, just for the sentimental value and fun of flying in the nose of the Queen. Hope they bring F service back someday. Still, doesn’t beat LH F for 60K UA miles e.g. FRA-BOM or DEL.
I didn’t mind the old United first. My wife flew it with our one year old (at the time) and the service was actually really helpful.
I flew it once to Amsterdam (was cheaper than business?!) and the service was downright rude. I was on the one seat side of the plane and was ignored for most of the flight. They couldn’t serve me champagne as “the bottle was dry”. On the ground. But didn’t offer an alternative for an hour lol
I have flown it a few times, including last June with a GPU. Even as GF I never thought the service and food was any different than J, just the wines and the seat much better. But I did like the LHR GF lounge a lot, and though the IAD GF lounge was not much, at least I saw a royal personage in there once. And I just selected 1K for free on an upcoming FRA-IAD flight because I am a 1K. It is definitely more comfortable.
I was fortunate enough to enjoy the old first class seat (with the tape deck) several times as a non rev to and from Europe when I was working for a United Express Carrier. I have many happy memories of those flights. Believe it or not I also have quite good memories of flying the old 2-3-2 recliner business class seat that United had at the same time.
I very much wish that United would consider a proper international First Class but then again business class today is so good I’m not surprised. You really have to almost go over the top (Like LH with it’s dedicated Terminal) to offer a product with enough difference to get people to buy up.
I always fly first class. On a few flights from DCA to ELP I had the Polaris seating. I loved it! It quickly became my only choice.
UA First was always an uneven experience. A couple of years back my wife and I were flying 1st from FCO to IAD on a 777 and they ran out of snacks with nearly 3 hours left to the flight. That always struck me as odd. The attention from the flight crew was also very spotty.
What are your expectations for AA First? The last airline in the Americas to still offer an international first class service?
To be fair, AA First is a mediocre business class.
Unfortunately, my only United First flight was SFO-TPE in 1989. Well before the “Suite” era. I do remember that I had one of the best meals EVER, airline or not. It was Abalone and they also had an ice cream and dessert cart. I had a first row seat on was a 747 with nothing in front of me except the large screen for the projection TV in a “coffee table” console the center of the deck.
How can they call that first class ? Seriously. even meal are not on top and seat is more a business class type. Glad it’s over…no regret. American carriers need to understand what is SERVICE as well. I flew a 2-3 times…never again. But of course, they know it’s people travelling on ticket paid by companies and they want their little miles….
My only UA First flight was FRA-IAD maybe two years ago as a LH code share. I would have preferred J on an AA 773 over that “F” product. Pre-flight drinks in a plastic cup, Business Class Menus (literally, a business class menu) with food that was not worthy of J – the seat was decent – but everything else was like a joke – even more so compared to the LH flight in the opposite direction 2 days earlier.
A quick comment on Willam’s AA F comment – I came to like AA First Dining on flights to Europe – it’s a decent dinner – then a sleeping pill and I wake up on approach to LHR – the hard product is reasonable – and recently the food on the return flights has been decent enough.
Time to start looking for alternatives. BA, Qatar, Singapore and a myriad of non-US airlines offer first class service covering the entire world. AA stopped offering FC service as well, a terrible move for frequent flyers. Once I complete the 100,000 required to maintain my status, I fly with other airlines that offer a much better service.
They haven’t retired it at all. It’s just got a new name now – Business Class. If you compare premium products today with those of 20 years today, even the best first class of then doesn’t come close to business class today in terms of seat comfort, on international flights with flat beds.
And now these suckers even cancel first class flights and put you in their crappy business class seats – of course with no compensation as they conveniently doubled the price for the business class.
I had enough of the United scams and will fly other airlines in the future – and really hope that United will go belly up during the pandemic. They really deserve it.