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Home » United Airlines » What Is A Premium Transcontinental Flight Like On United Airlines In Business Class?
United Airlines

What Is A Premium Transcontinental Flight Like On United Airlines In Business Class?

Matthew Klint Posted onOctober 7, 2022November 13, 2023 30 Comments

a plane parked at an airport

Rather than provide a specific flight review, I want to give you an idea of what to expect right now if you are flying United Airlines in business class on a premium transcontinental flight.

In This Post:

Toggle
  • Premium Transcontinental Flight Review – United Airlines Business Class
    • Aircraft
    • Bedding
    • IFE + Wi-Fi
    • Amenity Kit
    • Food + Drink
    • CONCLUSION

Premium Transcontinental Flight Review – United Airlines Business Class

United operates premium transcontinental flights between Los Angeles (LAX) / San Francisco (SFO) and Newark (EWR) / New York (JFK). These specially-marketed flights guarantee flat-bed seats in business class, elevated catering, and extra perks like a duvet, pillow, and amenity kit.

Aircraft

A mix of aircraft from the Boeing family are used for these flights, including 757s, 767s, 777s, and 787s. The 757-200 features United’s older B/E Diamond seat in business class in a 2-2 configuration:

United Airlines 757-200 Business Class Review

The 767 most often used is a 767-300 with a 44-seat business class cabin in a 1-1-1 configuration:

an airplane with rows of seats

The 777 most often used is the 777-200. Most aircraft have a 1-2-1 Polaris configuration:

a room with rows of monitors

But you will run into a more dense 777-200 with eight-across 2-4-2 seating business class (yes, quite the difference…).

the inside of an airplane with seats and windows

Finally, a mix of Dreamliner 787-8, 787-9, and 787-10 aircraft are used, though mostly the 787-10. All 787-8 and 787-10 aircraft have the latest Polaris seats in a 1-2-1 configuration:

an airplane with rows of seats and monitors

A handful of 787-9 aircraft still have the old B/E Diamond seats, like the 757-200, in a 2-2-2 configuration:

an airplane with many seats

Thus, my advice is to book the 767, 787-8, or 787-10 to guarantee a Polaris lie-flat seat.

Bedding

This month, United has re-introduced duvets and larger pillows on premium transcontinental flights. These Saks Fifth Avenue-branded duvets are light and cool to the touch but keep you warm. You can also expect a fluffy pillow and a cooling foam gel pillow.

a seat in a plane

a bed in an airplane

IFE + Wi-Fi

In-flight entertainment is available on seatback screens (movies, TV shows, games, music on-demand) and via streaming wi-fi on your devices. If you do plan to use your own device, make sure you have the latest version of the United app installed.

a screen on a television

Wi-Fi is available for purchase on all flights at a flat cost of $8 for MileagePlus members and $10 for non-members.

Amenity Kit

A small amenity kit is offered, featuring an eye shade, dental kit, and ear plugs.

a blue bag with a black label on it

Food + Drink

United offers a three-course meal after takeoff followed by a snack before landing in business class on premium transcontinental flights.

Service begins with a choice of beverage and warmed mixed nuts on flights departing after 10:00 am (no nuts on breakfast flights), followed by a one-tray meal service.

a can of water and a bowl of nuts

Current choices vary based on the route, but have not changed in over a year. On breakfast flights, you can expect an egg dish like kale egg white bites or tomato and kale baked egg white with red pepper sauce or cinnamon French Toast. Meals are served with fruit, yogurt, and a croissant.

a tray of food on a tray

a plate of food on a table

a plate of food with white sauce

On lunch and dinner flights, you can expect a pasta dish (Cacio e Pepe ravioli or butternut squash ravioli) or a chicken-based dish (Thai chicken with coconut ginger sauce or grilled chicken with morel sauce). Each is served with a side salad, bread, and a packaged cheesecake.

food in a tray on a table

food in a bowl on a blue place mat

a plate of food on a table

food on a tray on a table

Before landing on daytime flights, a light snack is served, currently a mezze with olives, hummus, tabouli, and grapes or a deli platter with strawberries, grapes, Swiss cheese, Cheddar cheese, sliced roasted turkey breast, and Genoa salami.

two plates of food on a tray

Before landing on redeye flights you can expect a warm croissant with preserves and yogurt.

a bowl of food on a table

Special meals can be ordered (Kosher, Asian vegetarian, gluten-free, and vegan).

CONCLUSION

This is the state of United’s premium transcontinental product these days in business class. In terms of sleep, the most important thing is to choose your aircraft wisely. Bedding, IFE, and internet will be the same on all aircraft. Food will not be fancy but will be filling. I’ve flown this product numerous times this year and find it, for better or for worse, remarkably consistent.

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About Author

Matthew Klint

Matthew is an avid traveler who calls Los Angeles home. Each year he travels more than 200,000 miles by air and has visited more than 135 countries. Working both in the aviation industry and as a travel consultant, Matthew has been featured in major media outlets around the world and uses his Live and Let's Fly blog to share the latest news in the airline industry, commentary on frequent flyer programs, and detailed reports of his worldwide travel.

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30 Comments

  1. Derek Reply
    October 7, 2022 at 1:28 pm

    Does the Thai chicken include any peanut products? I have a peanut allergy and would need to avoid that dish

    • Matthew Klint Reply
      October 7, 2022 at 1:32 pm

      No peanut product that I could taste.

      • Derek Reply
        October 7, 2022 at 5:31 pm

        Could you check with your United contacts, please?

        I’d hate to have only one choice for a meal, which may not be appealing

        • E Don Reply
          October 8, 2022 at 12:11 am

          Lol if it’s that big of a concern for you, YOU do your own research.

        • Matthew Klint Reply
          October 8, 2022 at 8:35 am

          I checked. Just coconut, ginger, milk. No peanuts.

          • Derek
            October 9, 2022 at 8:17 am

            Thanks, Matthew!

  2. JC Reply
    October 7, 2022 at 1:50 pm

    Hey Matthew – just one point of clarity, the last -9 with the old seats is N27958, and it will likely be pulled by the end of the month.

    • Matthew Klint Reply
      October 7, 2022 at 3:35 pm

      Good to hear that.

  3. paul o'brien Reply
    October 7, 2022 at 2:08 pm

    Mediocre service is the only consistent aspect to this service. Overpriced as well

  4. iv Reply
    October 7, 2022 at 2:29 pm

    UA needs to upgrade their B737 aircraft on routes like SFO-YYZ. Their “First Class” seats are awful and are not competitive with Air Canada’s B787 business class lie-flat seats especially on the red eye.

  5. Greg Reply
    October 7, 2022 at 2:35 pm

    Lousy that’s the state of it – with the sub standard food and wine front and center.

  6. Mark Reply
    October 7, 2022 at 3:17 pm

    Not impressed with any of those configurations and the in flight meals look nothing more than average

  7. Jared Houser Reply
    October 7, 2022 at 3:35 pm

    Unless this is meant to cover what it been over the past 2 years, the 767 is not used on these routes anymore, and all the 777s on these routes feature Polaris, they are not using the high density 777s on these routes.

    So the aircraft really comes down to a 757 or a 787/777 with Polaris seats. There is only one 787-9 still flying around with the old seats, and it’ll be going into the factory in about 2 weeks, so you are basically guaranteed Polaris on any wide body.

    • Matthew Klint Reply
      October 7, 2022 at 3:37 pm

      I just flew the 767 from LAX-EWR in July. It comes and goes. Furthermore, I expect we will see the 777HD creep back in, especially after the JFK departure.

  8. Chris Reply
    October 7, 2022 at 4:26 pm

    Well, goodbye JFK again…

  9. SINJim Reply
    October 7, 2022 at 6:21 pm

    When will PMS (post meal sundae) return?

    • Jared Houser Reply
      October 7, 2022 at 11:22 pm

      Kirby hates ice cream carts

      • Gravelly Point Guy Reply
        October 8, 2022 at 3:34 am

        For real?? Hi Jared, I just hope he realizes sooner rather than later that this is an issue larger and more important than himself!!!

  10. morgan Reply
    October 7, 2022 at 10:44 pm

    don’t know if your data applies to all of United’s fleet or just the planes on these routes, but I flew SFO > Tahiti on sept. 22 and there was a last minute swap from a 787-9 to a 787-8, which ended up having the 2-2-2 seating and no premium economy.

    • Jared Houser Reply
      October 7, 2022 at 11:21 pm

      You must be mistaken for the type of plane, all of the 787-8s have Polaris in a 1-2-1 configuration with presidium economy. These have been completed since May 2021.

      You likely were swapped to a 787-9, as there were a few of them still flying with the old seats in September, and they often put the few with the old seats on Tahiti.

  11. Uri Reply
    October 8, 2022 at 9:08 am

    How about lounge access?
    AFAIK it’s a simple no, but anyway with a mention in this post.

  12. CK Reply
    October 8, 2022 at 10:53 am

    No one like anything ever. Enough said.

  13. VS777 Reply
    October 8, 2022 at 11:43 am

    It’s insanely expensive and not just business class. I used United to fly overseas and to Caribbean, but they raised the prices more than 100% in some cases.

  14. Dominic Reply
    October 9, 2022 at 10:44 am

    I’m flying on a 757-200 from ORD to MCO this Wednesday in “first” which features what appears to be the old B/E Diamond seats in a 2-2 config. Should be interesting to see what amenities they provide on this 3 hour hop.

    • Jared Houser Reply
      October 9, 2022 at 1:55 pm

      No amenities other than the standard meal service any domestic first class flight would get. Just happens to be a plane with lie flat seats, but that doesn’t mean you get any of the Polaris amenities.

      • Dominic Reply
        October 9, 2022 at 7:01 pm

        Thanks and not surprised to hear. For a $100 up charge from PE I still can’t complain. 🙂

  15. michael wayne mattingly Reply
    October 9, 2022 at 12:16 pm

    I fly United business all the time. The food is the worst I’ve tried to eat. One I was served something that already been eaten.

    • Jared Houser Reply
      October 9, 2022 at 1:57 pm

      Haha, it has been a little better recently. I flew DEN-LHR and BRU-EWR last week and it was decent.

      • Mark S Reply
        October 9, 2022 at 10:39 pm

        Just flew LHR to ORD. Flight crew was UK based and delightful, however the Beef Cheek was the absolute worst meal I’ve ever had in business OR economy! And I’ll tolerate just about any slab of beef!

  16. Michael Reply
    December 3, 2022 at 10:52 am

    How rare are IN business saver awards on 787-10 EWR to SFO?

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