• Home
  • Reviews
    • Flight Reviews
    • Hotel Reviews
    • Lounge Reviews
    • Trip Reports
  • About
    • Press
  • Contact
  • Privacy
  • Award Expert
Live and Let's Fly
  • Home
  • Reviews
    • Flight Reviews
    • Hotel Reviews
    • Lounge Reviews
    • Trip Reports
  • About
    • Press
  • Contact
  • Privacy
  • Award Expert
Home » Reviews » Flight Reviews » Review: United Airlines 767-300ER Business Class
Flight ReviewsUnited Airlines

Review: United Airlines 767-300ER Business Class

Matthew Klint Posted onMay 12, 2021November 14, 2023 9 Comments

I recently flew from Los Angeles (LAX) and New York (JFK) and back onboard United’s recently-retrofitted “High-J” Boeing 767-300, featuring a whopping 46 business class seats onboard. This review covers both legs of the journey.

United Airlines 767-300 Business Class Review

This was a spur-of-the-moment “study trip” for me, something I got quite accustomed to doing during the pandemic. Even since my trip, however, flight prices have risen so much that I find it virtually impossible to justify these sorts of leisure trips any longer. Expect to pay $200+ each way for transcontinental travel on United if you buy in advance.

But I could not turn down a chance to try United’s new service to New York JFK after a five year hiatus. I have such fond memories of flying to/from JFK on United and I wanted to see if the magic was back.

a screen shot of a computer

a group of people in a terminal

an airplane at an airport

Boarding began for our 7:30am departure began promptly at 6:45am. Even though this was over a week since the inaugural flight, Captain Brian Jackson, the Chief Pilot at LAX, was waiting outside the boarding door to greet every passenger and hand them a special postcard to commemorate the launch of this new service. It was a nice touch and shows how dedicated Captain Jackson is to his position.

a close up of a watch and a bag on a table

a magnifying glass on a postcard

United 514
Los Angeles (LAX) — New York (JFK)
Thursday, April 8
Depart: 7:30AM
Arrive: 04:00PM
Duration: 5hr, 30min
Aircraft: B767-300 (76L)
Seat: 16A (“Polaris” Business Class)

Onboard, I was welcomed with a greeting and a hand wipe from a flight attendant stationed at the door.

Seat

This is a huge business class cabin. Huge. There’s no partition or galley to divide it. For perspective, look at this picture:

an airplane with seats and a person standing in the background

It’s a comfortable seat in a 1-1-1 configuration. Every passenger not only has aisle access, but privacy. These lie-flat seats are six feet, six inches when reclined.

an airplane with seats and a person standing in the middle

an airplane with seats and seats

a row of seats on an airplane

an airplane with rows of seats

a plane with seats and windows

a seat in an airplane
Polaris seats onboard United 767-300ER

a seat on an airplane

a seat in a plane

a seat and a tv in the middle of an airplane

an airplane with rows of monitors

an airplane with rows of monitors
United Polaris Cabin onboard 767-300ER

a seat in a plane

a man wearing a face mask standing in an airplane

While all seats are comfortable, I recommend odd-numbered window seats (A or L), as these provide the most privacy and give you 2-3 windows instead of just one.

Each seat has two USB rapid charging ports, a power plug, and cabinet for personal storage (not big enough for a laptop computer).

an open door on an airplane

a close up of a power outlet a close up of a seat control panel

a close up of a charger

Underseat foot room (with storage for shoes or a laptop underneath):

a corner of a room with a seat

Waiting at each seat was a:

  • Saks Fifth Avenue Throw (day blanket)
  • Pillow
  • Cooling Gel Pillow

a screen on a bed

a blue pillow and a blanket on a white surface

I do miss the large duvets on premium transcontinental routes, but the current throw blankets are still comfortable to curl up in. I did not utilize any of these, however, on the outbound flight and spent the entire time working on my laptop.

I also snapped some pictures of the Premium Plus (premium economy) and economy class cabins:

a row of seats in an airplane
United PremiumPlus on Boeing 767-300 – no middle seats!

a row of seats in an airplane

a row of seats in an airplane

an airplane with seats and windows

a row of seats with monitors on the side

an airplane with rows of seats
Economy seats onboard United 767-300ER

an airplane with blue seats

an airplane with rows of seats and monitors

Amenity Kit

A small amenity kit was waiting at each seat which included:

  • Eyeshades
  • Earplugs
  • Dental kit
  • Sunday Riley lip balm

I did not even open the kit so as not to waste it.

Food + Drink

Breakfast was served after takeoff, with a choice between an egg white sandwich (“Egg Piadini” but I think they meant Piadina) or French Toast. I ordered the sandwich. While United will win no points for presentation, it was fairly tasty. I left the bread behind (too much) but the egg whites mixed with cheese (including a bit of bleu cheese) really tasted better than it looked.

food on a tray with a paper towel and a cup of coffee

food in a tray on a tray a plate of food with cheese

That said, with only a fruit cup (too much sugar, I skipped it), blended yogurt (too much sugar, I skipped it), and biscuit (too much sugar, so I took it home for my son), I asked if I could have some sugar in the form of French Toast with vanilla glaze. As usual, I was happily obliged and found the French Toast tastier than the sandwich.

a plate of food on a table

food on a tray on a table

Coffee is hit or miss on airplanes and today it was strong…and greatly appreciated. I usually like to get a cup of Intelligentsia Coffee at LAX before my flight, but the lines were outrageous.

Later on in the flight, a snack basket was offered. First, it was simply placed in the front of the cabin. Later, a flight attendant made a round through the cabin offer selections individually to passengers.

a bowl of chips and condiments

a group of snacks on a table

The full bar is available on these premium transcontinental flights and I ordered an Old Fashioned before landing, through I ended up not drinking it (too much sugar, I reasoned…I’m weird. I know).

a hand holding a small bottle of liquid

Lavatory

On the 767 in business class, there are two lavatories in the front of the cabin and one in the rear. The rear lavatory is technically dedicated to business class, but I noticed PreimumPlus passengers also using it.

a toilet in a bathroom

a sink with a soap dispenser and a bottle

a group of bottles in a shelf 

The lavatory included Sunday Riley skin products as well as a stain remover. 

IFE + Wi-Fi

Wi-Fi was available for purchase and very reasonable on this flight at $14.99 for a flight pass.

a screenshot of a phone

In-flight-entertainment included a library of movies, TV shows, games, and streaming audio. Noise cancelling headphones were provided.

a screen on a plane

a screen on a plane

a screen on a plane

a screen on a plane

a screen with a map on it

Oh yes, and one other thing: Channel 9 (at least in theory).

a screen on a plane

Longtime United flyers will remember that Channel 9 used to be the home of Air Traffic Control communications. I loved listening to pilots speak to other pilots and the tower. Sadly, this channel is offered at the discretion of the captain and was turned off for this flight.

As always, some of the best view from the flight are out the window:

an airplane wing and engine of an airplane near a beach

an airplane wing and a body of water

an airplane wing over a body of water

Service

I was a bit concerned that with a business class cabin so large (and nearly full) service would really drag on. It didn’t. Breakfast was served about 30 minutes after takeoff, preceded by beverages. 

LAX-based flight attendants were friendly, though not overly-proactive with offering beverage top-ups. That said, when I requested a second cup of coffee it was delivered almost instantly.

an airplane with rows of seats and monitors

*    *.    *

We landed in New York and pulled up to Terminal 7 (my first time there since the last day of UA service five years earlier). It was so nice to see the British Airways and ANA jets. Other than perhaps Cape Town, this is the only UA station where these aircraft are parked next to each other…and it again brought back many happy memories.

airplanes parked at an airport

a large airplane on the tarmac

a large airplane on the tarmac

The Flight Home

During my layover I visited the TWA Hotel, then headed back for my flight home. United has lost its large sign on the terminal building (Alaska got it), but there was a United sign outside the terminal entrance on the curb.

a building with signs on the front

a sign on the roof of a building

Inside, United is not using its former check-in area (Alaska is using it). Instead, United is on the opposite side in an area that (if I recall correctly) used to be used by British Airways.

a large airport terminal with a few check in counters

an empty airport terminal

Security screening is still annoying at JFK, with everyone hollering at each other and mixed messages conveyed to passengers. For example, there was a not a dedicated TSA PreCheck line. Instead, I received a card noting my PreCheck status. I was told by the ID checker to keep my laptop and shoes in the bag and simply hand the card over to the screening agent. However, I was yelled at for not removing my laptop from the bag.

“But your colleague told me to keep it in the bag”

“Which colleague?”

“The one who checked my ID.” (Pointing)

“What do he know?” [sic]

Some things at JFK never change…

Upstairs, I found our gate right outside the (shuttered) British Airways Concorde Room. Manhattan traffic delayed the crew, so boarding began late. However, the flight back to LA was not nearly as crowded and we boarded quickly and left pretty much on time.

a screen with a sign and information

people sitting in an airport waiting area

a glass doors in a building

a screen on a wall

a plane on the runway

United 517
New York (JFK) — Los Angeles (LAX)
Thursday, April 8
Depart: 7:00PM
Arrive: 10:26PM
Duration: 6hr, 36min
Aircraft: B767-300 (76L)
Seat: 10A (“Polaris” Business Class)

That big block time is not just United padding its schedule, but the to account for the congestion at JFK. We had to wait about 45 minutes to takeoff. Actually flight time was closer to 5.5. hours.

This time I still did not score an odd-numbered window seat, but it did not matter: this flight would be all about sleeping.

a seat in a plane

a seat in a plane
Even-numbered seats in United Polaris 767-300 cabin have only one and sometimes zero windows.

a plane with seats and people in it

By this point, I had been up all since 3:00AM and was quite tired. Dinner was offered after takeoff, a choice of butternut squash ravioli or lobster mac & cheese. I ordered the mac & cheese and found it quite creamy, fatty, but delicious. I love lobster and there were several nice chunks, not just a few. It was served with mixed nuts, a salad with fennel and mandarin oranges, and a bread roll. 

two bottles of liquid next to a cup
Old Fashioned cocktails on United Airlines

food on a tray on a table

food on a tray on a table

a plate of food on a table

a bowl of salad and a bun

a plate of food on a table

a plate of food on a tray

a close up of food

After dinner, mango sorbet was offered, though I skipped it (too much sugar…). 

a cup of coffee and a spoon on a table

The crew was really sweet. There was a DYKWIA (do you know who I am?) 1K passenger seated in front of me and he berated them for the limited menu (no appetizers, no ice cream) as if they could snap their fingers and fix it. He wanted a snack and drink prior to takeoff and the flight attendant serving our side of the graciously obliged him (she grabbed him a bag of pretzels and a water bottle). He was not pleasant, making me more impressed by the way the FA handled him.

After dinner I reclined my seat, curled up in a fetal position, and fell asleep…waking up just before landing. I suppose that is as good a testament as any of the product: I enjoyed a good rest.

We landed at LAX on-time, another trip in the bag.

a group of people standing on a sidewalk with luggage

CONCLUSION

I sincerely hope that United’s new service to JFK does well. I find the United 767-300 much better than Delta’s 767-300s on the same route, though I do prefer the American Airlines 777-200 or JetBlue A321 seats. More competition is good for customers and domestic travel is rapidly resuming.

You can expect a comfortable seat, hot meal, and friendly service onboard….welcome back to JFK United!

Get Daily Updates

Join our mailing list for a daily summary of posts! We never sell your info.

You have Successfully Subscribed!

Previous Article Is JetBlue A Trojan Horse For American Airlines?
Next Article As Turkish Airlines Brings Back Onboard Chefs, Is A Real Glass Too Much To Ask For On U.S. Carriers?

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.

Related Posts

  • JetBlue Madrid

    United-JetBlue Tie Up Leaves American Airlines Bloodied

    June 1, 2025
  • Delta orlando

    Delta’s Play In Orlando—New Focus City Strategy Emerging?

    June 1, 2025
  • Thompson Miami Beach courtesy of Hyatt Hotels-Two-Queen-Beds-With-Balcony

    Sneak Peek At The Thompson Miami Beach (Opens Fall 2025)

    May 25, 2025

9 Comments

  1. Jason Reply
    May 12, 2021 at 2:22 pm

    Very nice review – thanks for sharing. Though I never flew United before from JFK to California, I did fly their flights from JFK to EZE and GRU many times back in the day (1999-2001) so have fond memories of the old operation there. Completely understand how current pricing might not enable these types of day trips anymore, but, having worked in network planning at several airlines, I certainly hope that they can consistently get more than $200 each way for a transcon flight! Gotta pay for it somehow. Thanks for sharing as always.

  2. Willem Reply
    May 12, 2021 at 2:57 pm

    Matthew, I believe it’s 46, not 48, Biz seats on these 767-300s. Wonderful review as always, tho!

    • Matthew Klint Reply
      May 12, 2021 at 2:58 pm

      Oh wow, I had corrected that earlier. I need to go back and see if I published the wrong version. Thanks!

  3. David Reply
    May 12, 2021 at 4:11 pm

    Jesus Christ that sandwich looks disgusting. You really ate part of it? I’ve flown that aircraft on international trips. Polaris seats are very nice. If you have to fly Y on a long trip, this is the aircraft to do it on. 10 across Y on the 777 is the absolute worst.

  4. Jared H Reply
    May 12, 2021 at 5:04 pm

    Traffic also delayed the crew for my mid April JFK-LAX flight as well, is this an unfortunate pattern…

  5. GSNick Reply
    May 12, 2021 at 7:59 pm

    Interesting BA has two departures to LHR 1h 20m apart.
    Nice review as always. UA needs to up their catering, they clearly ordered too many of those domestic FC sandwiches that will probably be around all summer – maybe if we all try to order 2 sandwiches, we’ll deplete their backstock lol 😉

  6. UA-NYC Reply
    May 12, 2021 at 9:40 pm

    Most shocking is that wifi was only $14.99 for a TCON on the outbound…feel like to or from EWR it’s $10-$15 more.

  7. Lori JL Reply
    May 14, 2021 at 12:12 am

    I flew the final JFK-SFO flight in 2015. I have yet to fly to JFK. However I hope to do it soon. I know that British Airways Terminal 7 quite well.
    Ever since 1985, I have always chatted with the pilot of my flight and through the years I have gained a lot of admiration from both pilots and flight attendants I love Channel 9 of course and sometimes you just have to ask the pilot for it. In fact I have had some pilots who don’t usually put it on, who will do so for me.
    Glad you liked your flight.

  8. Mike Miller Reply
    July 18, 2021 at 7:09 pm

    I missed what color lipstick you put on this pig…

Leave a Reply

Cancel reply

Search

Hot Deals for June

Note: Please see my Advertiser Disclosure

Capital One Venture X Business Card
Earn 150,000 Miles Sign Up Bonus
Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card
Earn 100,000 Points
Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card
Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card
Earn 75,000 Miles!
Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card
Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card
Earn 75,000 Miles
Chase Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card
Earn $750 Cash Back
The Business Platinum Card® from American Express
The Business Platinum Card® from American Express
Earn 120,000 Membership Reward® Points

Recent Posts

  • United New Flight Attendant Contract
    6 Clauses That Could Derail United’s New Flight Attendant Contract June 10, 2025
  • Delta Crying Baby
    Delta Passenger Melts Down Over Crying Baby, But Who Was Really The Brat? June 10, 2025
  • Singapore Airport Shoplifters
    Singapore Doesn’t Play: Airport Shoplifters Busted Within The Hour June 10, 2025
  • Cathay Pacific The Wing Business Class Lounge Review
    Review: Cathay Pacific The Wing Business Class Lounge Hong Kong (HKG) June 9, 2025

Categories

Popular Posts

  • Qatar Airways Economy Class Breakfast
    Economy Class Breakfast On Qatar Airways June 7, 2025
  • Aegean Airlines Feast
    A Feast Fit For A King On Aegean Airlines May 23, 2025
  • Israel Flight Cancellations
    Major Carriers Extend Flight Cancellations To Israel: Here’s The List June 6, 2025
  • a group of people in blue uniforms
    United Airlines’ Uniforms Get A Facelift—And A Political Filter May 28, 2025

Archives

June 2025
M T W T F S S
 1
2345678
9101112131415
16171819202122
23242526272829
30  
« May    

As seen on:

facebook twitter instagram rss
Privacy Policy © Live and Let's Fly All Rights Reserved. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this site’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Live and Let's Fly with appropriate and specific directions to the original content.