It’s a woefully uncompetitive product and one of the tightest business class seats on the market, but there’s still something endearing to me about the so-called “high density” or “HD” United Airlines 777-200, and I enjoyed a very comfortable journey from Chicago to Los Angeles.
United Airlines 777-200 Business Class HD (High Density) Review (ORD-LAX)
While United does not run many widebodies on domestic routes these days, other than its Premium Transcontinental services between Newark and San Francisco/Los Angeles, it still runs a Boeing 777-200 on most days between Los Angeles and Chicago. The flight operates from ORD-LAX in the afternoon and returns on a redeye to ORD. All other flights are operated by Airbus A321s, Boeing 737s, or Boeing 757s, which are single-aisle and have only recliner seats in business class (or “first class” as United brands its forward cabins on U.S. domestic flights).
After spending some time in the Polaris Lounge, I made my way through the iconic neon tunnel connecting the C and B gates to my gate at B16. Boarding began 50 minutes prior to departure.
United Airlines 609
Chicago (ORD) – Los Angeles (LAX)
Tuesday, April 9
Depart: 01:01 PM
Arrive: 03:29 PM
Duration: 04hr, 28min
Aircraft: Boeing 777-200
Distance: 1,744 miles
Seat: 1L (Business Class)
Onboard, I found my seats in a very dense cabin…
Seats
These 777-200s have 28 seats (some have 32 seats with an extra row in the middle) in the forward cabin, arranged in a 2-4-2 configuration. Not only do the window seats not have direct aisle access, but there are four seats in the center section, meaning if you sit in either of those two middle seats, you are really wedged in.
Furthermore, these are called “coffin” seats because they are extremely narrow…only 19 inches wide!
Additionally, the odd-numbered rows are rear-facing and the even-numbered rows are forward-facing, so you look right at your seatmates as you sit.
And last but not least, these seats have no personal storage…
So yeah, not the best seats. Even so, I flew around the world in these seats when this was the best United had and I find them well-padded. I remember I once flew in a middle seat all the way from Los Angeles to Sydney, Australia and slept for 12 hours. The fully flat bed is 6′-4″, which is enough for me.
All seats are equipped with universal power outlets and USB-A ports (these were added later, as these seats predated USB-A). There are cutting-edge S-video ports…remember those?
I chose seat 1L, a rear-facing window seat. Yes, I had to climb over my seatmate, but it was tolerable.
IFE + Wi-FI
Monitors are 15.4 inches and include United’s full library of TV shows, movies, and games, plus limited audio and podcasts. Wi-Fi internet was available at a cost of $8 for MileagePlus members and $10 for others.
After being away for 10 days, it was great to see the familiar sights of the concrete jungle I love called Los Angeles.
Food + Drink
Lunch was served after takeoff, with four options available onboard (and two additional options for passengers who took advantage of United’s pre-order system). I had pre-ordered a Cobb salad.
Service began with a warm towel, beverage, and mixed nuts.
My Cobb salad with grilled chicken was served with a packet of bleu cheese dressing…one of my least favorite dressings. Thankfully, sevearl people turned down lunch and a flight attendant was able to offer me a tub of balsamic vinaigrette that was served with other meal choices.
This was a very good meal: simple and relatively healthy. I should order this more often…
Lavatories
The cabin has two lavatories in the front of the aircraft and two in the rear.
Service
Service was decent onboard. The flight attendant who worked my side of the cabin did not address passengers by name, but at least was friendly and she checked with me to ensure I had ordered the salad for my lunch before plopping it down on my tray. Sometimes, FAs do not even check. Flight attendants disappeared after the lunch service, reappearing before landing to collect trash.
Polaris Lounge Before And After
One of the great benefits of flying intercontinentally with United Airlines in Polaris Business Class is Polaris lounge access throughout the journey.
After landing from Frankfurt in Chicago, I had a shower and lunch in the ORD Polaris Lounge before my flight to LA (yes, I didn’t even need that salad…):
Creamy Asparagus Soup
Mascarpone, Artichoke, Spring Pea CremaCrab Stuffed Shrimp
Risotto Cake, Roasted Red Pepper Calabrian Chili Beurre BlancChocolate Chip Skillet Cookie
Vanilla Ice Cream
Upon arrival in LA, I stopped by the LAX Polaris Lounge for a cortado and green juice before heading home:
When choosing, for example, between Lufthansa or United on a trip from FRA to ORD to LAX, keep in mind that flying United gives you Polaris Lounge access in both ORD and LAX while flying Lufthansa gives you access only to the United Clubs at ORD and only if you have Star Alliance Gold status.
CONCLUSION
While the HD 777-200 business class seat on United is no longer competitive to other longhaul products, I compare it to domestic alternatives and would take it any day over a standard recliner seat, even on a new A321neo. In that sense, I very much enjoyed my flight to LAX.
I made a critical mistake on this flight. Can you spot it in one of the pictures above? Stay tuned!
Blue cheese dressing is not Ranch, but mayonnaise- ish they both are. However I doubt that’s the mistake.
You’re right, a typo. I don’t like it either and even as a proud Kraft stockholder for more than 20 years, I don’t like anything they make! 😉
It’s a bit of a flying museum and enjoyed it while it was running on IAD-SAN
UA used to have a high density 747-100 that filled a similar purpose on domestic
https://frequentlyflying.boardingarea.com/vintage-airline-seat-map-united-airlines-boeing-747-100-1998/
In 2001, I got upgraded to business on a UA 747 LAX-AKL. I think it was 2-4-2 with no flat-bed feature. I’m guessing modern UA PE beats it. Want to watch the movie? Watch the one being projected on the screen.
“bAcK iN mY dAy…”
Oof. Nostalgia is one helluva drug, huh?
I, too, like me a 747, but, 2-4-2 ain’t an improvement. Gladly take 1-2-1 Polaris on 787 or 773 over it.
“I compare it to domestic alternatives and would take it any day over a standard recliner seat, even on a new A321neo. ”
And that is exactly how UA uses it, and as you say it compares favorably to almost all the alternatives especially temporary A321neo, non lie-flat FC seats. 😉 UA is hitting on all cylinders.
People make a big stink about the old “coffin-style” business class, but at the end of the day, it’s still a lie flat product at a reasonable price, even when it was the primary international business class product for United before Polaris.
The idea of rest on the flight is much more valuable than all the fancy bells and whistles of today like direct aisle access and doors. I think we the people who read the airline blogs sometimes get a little narrow minded
I happily agree that some things, like doors, get way too much press. But direct aisle access, especially when flying alone or with colleagues, is super important, especially with lay flat seats that completely eliminate the floor space in front of the seat.
I don’t want to climb over someone I’m not very familiar with, nor do I want them climbing over me. It’s why Lufthansa is the only carrier where I regularly choose the middle seat pair, despite my preference for windows.
This 772 configuration is fine for me, but only because I encounter it so rarely and almost exclusively DEN-IAH.
A pleasant flight aboard one of the 74 veteran B777-200s in UA’s fleet…
But 51 of them (all 777-200ERs) have 1-2-1 Polaris J. And the PE is the same 2-4-2 the domestic configuration has in F, albeit not flat beds.
Committed UA loves to “fly the friendly skies” and “leads the way.”
I think what was served to you on this flight was a case of balsamic vinaigrette, not a tube…
Critical mistake? Living in Los Angeles? Haha. Too much traffic and not enough public transport for me.
I flew as a family of four in business class in 2016ish from Syd to lax. Was a superb flight. Used the old waitlisted biz class option which allowed you to jump to the front of the queue ahead of elites. Took a bit of time walking the agent through it but worked a dream. Think it was only 25k to upgrade the paid economy ticket.
Not that, though I think my wife would agree with you!
Only thing I can think of is skipping frontera at ohare.
It’s my understanding that if United were to update the cabin on these planes, the “coffin class” flat beds would be replaced with the same recliners that are installed on the rest of the fleet. Those seats are nearly identical to the ones sold as premium plus in a 2-4-2 configuration on the 777 for long haul flights. Many people love to hate these old seats but I figure that if you’re going to be stuck in a middle seat anyway, you might as well be able to lay down and have a nap.
The rear-facing seats are unusual but that’s how many military personnel transport aircraft are configured because it’s safer in the event of a crash.
That is my understanding as well, so I’m happy to keep them in the fleet exactly as it.
I was under the impression, please, anyone, correct me if I’m wrong, that UA’s plan for the domestically configured 777-200s is to leave them as configured and slowly replace them. Their average age is 26.5 years, I’ve read.
Oof. 2-4-2 rear-facing lie-flat is better than a recliner, but yikes, for lie-flat, it’s the worst around in the USA. Even Delta’s ancient 763 is better than this.
Time capsule.
After such a long time away from home, I wouldn’t have stopped y another lounge. I’d be dying to get home.
I need my afternoon coffee fix! Was only there for 10 minutes.
I’ve always thought that these ‘dorm’ style business seats should have been repurposed as UA premium economy seats when they switched to Polaris….
That would have been great, but they still take up a decent amount of real estate.
I appreciate the review, but I do not need pictures of the warm towel in your hand or your plate after consumption.
Plate after consumption was to show I liked the salad!
“it still runs a Boeing 777-200 on most days between Los Angeles and Chicago”
They still run it also for flights between SFO and ORD, no?
I believe there is one 787 on the route each day.
I’m confused, why would you not be able to use the Polaris lounge if you flew Business class on Lufthansa from FRA to ORD and then on to LAX?
Polaris Lounge on arrival is only for UA Polaris passengers, not Star Alliance business class (or even first class) passengers.