This week I’m “liveblogging” my trip to Ukraine. Unlike traditional reports, these posts will be shorter and more frequent.
My trip to Chicago was smooth and productive onboard a United 787-10 in Polaris Business Class, a great ride for a domestic flight.
United Airlines 787-10 Polaris Business Class Review
Since I was enjoying breakfast in the Polaris Lounge, I was among the last passengers to board, moments before the doors closed. We pushed back on time and were soon on our way to Chicago, with a flight time of 3.5 hours.
United Airlines 2039
Los Angeles (LAX) – Chicago (ORD)
Depart: 08:50 AM
Arrive: 02:51 PM
Duration: 04hr, 01min
Distance: 1,744 miles
Aircraft: Boeing 787-10
Seat: 6D (“Polaris” Business Class)
I only booked my trip two days before departure and there were no more window seats available at the time of booking, nor did any open up prior to departure. I find United’s Polaris seats perfectly suitable for working, lounging, and sleeping. Center section seats alternate between “honeymoon” seats in which you are seated in close proximity to your neighbor (odd-numbered rows) and seats facing the aisle in which you do not see your seatmate, even if the privacy divider is lowered (even-numbered rows).
These even-numbered center-section seats have less privacy because your legs are partially exposed to the aisle, but they are not bad seats.
Flight attendants were on the junior side and quite friendly. Breakfast orders were prior to takeoff with a choice between the egg frittata (which I reviewed here) and a “croissant with eggs and bacon” which I ordered.
Turns out this was just the pandemic-era breakfast sandwich that has also occasionally appeared for sale in economy class. I was glad I ate breakfast in the Polaris Lounge.
Good thing my poor seatmate was able to take her “psychiatric service animal” onboard to keep her calm.
As this was marketed as a domestic first class flight rather than a “Polaris” flight, there was no Polaris bedding onboard (pillows, duvets) nor amenity kits. However, the lavatories did feature the longhaul Sunday Riley products.
Wi-Fi worked well, though this aircraft did not offer complimentary access to T-Mobile customers. A flight pass costs $8 for MileagePlus members and $10 for non-members. I spent the flight working ahead of our touchdown in Chicago, where I would have only a short layover which I wanted to use to review two lounges.
Next stop: New Concourse C United Club
Polaris cabins are very easy on the eyes but ruined by the 1970’s plateware and that extra well-done egg
Polaris cabin is extremely good looking at a glance, from the similar pmUA 2-4-2 layout in essence if you look closely. Also, the egg is from the powder.
Is the yolk powder, too? Yellow dye? We need Undercover Boss to investigate.
Oh the continued genius of Polaris catering, concocted by a 16 year old whose favorite dinner is a 7-11 microwave burrito.
Who, in the actual world, serves a croissant sandwich with a side of….another croissant. LMAO!
Just noticed the double croissants after you mentioned it. Wow..another win.
So I’ll bite. Was the psychiatric support dog well behaved?
Yes, in this case it remained silent!
Those connection boards at ORD (and I think some other airports like DEN and EWR have a few now too?) are nifty and very helpful. Also cool to see where people on your flight are going.
That food looks absolutely disgusting. Seriously, other than maybe that fruit, nothing else is healthy. What a disgraceful airline.
Not sure it makes UA a disgraceful airline, but after my lounge breakfast you are correct I only ate the fruit.
@Matthew: it is disgraceful because of its CEO. How can that egocentric bragger say UA is the best airline in the world if they serve that junk in their first class. He should have the dignity to say his airline is horrible and really show how he plans to make it a but better. Best in the world? Not even in 100 years.
With the law of attraction and manifestation you’re supposed to say it and believe it before it happens, so that it does happen. Apparently Kirby is practicing this.
Polaris lounge access is not available for domestic flights. You were in the united club.
Wrong. I was connecting in Chicago to Zurich in Polaris, therefore I had access at both LAX and ORD.
Great to know – I thought you had to be boarding the international leg at an airport with the Polaris lounge.
Hi – I am one of those dimwits mentioned below. I’m not following. If you are United first on leg one but Polaris business on leg two, you get Polaris Club access on both legs?
Yes. And on arrival.
LOL. Where do you dimwits come from? Does that look like a UC?
Interesting there are multiple people on your LAX flight connecting to multiple different DCA flight. Is a layover to DCA really better than a nonstop to IAD?
Perhaps it was cheaper to book a connecting flight to DCA over the nonstop to IAD.
If you live or are headed into the district than yes, DCA is worth the connection. I’d call it a wash time wise if the connection is around an hour…but for an arrival into DCA to the city it’s so much calmer. If you are going to the west end you can be from baggage claim to your house or hotel in 14 minutes.
Man, that Polaris breakfast would make me long for the days of middle school cafeteria meals…what garbage.
Good info! Usuallly I eat the food on flights, but on an upcoming UA flight, I’ll take a closer look.
I thought UA had banned “emotional support animals?’ I’ve encountered way too many on the transcontinental flights to LAX. Seems like an absolute farce and basically an excuse for the “entitled” mentality to travel with their larger dogs in the cabin.
This is the loophole:
https://liveandletsfly.com/psychiatric-service-animals/
If I am traveling with my 6 year old and hisband would you recommend 2 odd middle seats like 9d and 9f with one window 9L or all aisle seats like 8l, 9l, 10l?
I would do 8/9/10L
I just did that for my family on the 787-9.