UPDATE: The FAA has now certified the privacy doors on United Airlines’ new Boeing 787-9 Polaris suites for use in flight.
Until now, the doors on United’s new Polaris and Polaris Studio suites had been locked in the open position while the airline awaited final certification. That has finally changed.
At least one of United’s new “Elevated” 787-9s is now flying with the doors unlocked and available for passengers to use. Don’t expect every aircraft to have functional doors immediately, however. United still needs to activate the doors on the other aircraft in the fleet, so the rollout will take some time.
Once activated, the doors can be closed during cruise but must remain open for taxi, takeoff, and landing.
Note that your door will not close “completely.” This is by a design. A memo to flight attendants explains:
When a Polaris Suite door is closed, a gap of approximately ¼ to ½ inch between the door and the seat in front is expected. This is normal and part of the certified design. The door is considered fully closed even though it does not sit completely flush. Do not write up or report the door solely because this gap is present.
This closes one of the few remaining gaps in United’s otherwise impressive new Polaris product. The seats were introduced with privacy doors as a major selling point, so it was always a bit awkward to have them physically installed but unusable. Thankfully, that temporary limitation is now coming to an end (not that I’m a huge fan of doors in the first place).
My original story published on March 21, 2026 is below.
If you were hoping for extra privacy onboard United Airlines’ new 787-9 by sliding your suite door shut in Polaris Business Class, you’ll have to wait a bit longer. Until these doors are certified, you will not be able close them.
United Polaris Suite Doors Will Be Locked Open At Launch
Last year, United Airlines unveiled its next-generation 787-9 cabins it calls United Elevated. The upgrade includes a brand new Polaris business class seat with closing doors. Those cabins will begin flying this spring from San Francisco (SFO) to London (LHR) and Singapore (SIN), but the privacy doors will not be functional, at least early on.
A short memo to flight attendants shared with Live And Let’s Fly notes that as the new 787-9 cabins enter service, doors will not be operational:
What you should know: We’re excited that the new United Polaris Studio and United Polaris suites offer privacy doors; however, these doors will be locked open until certification is received from the FAA.
No operational or safety procedures related to locking or unlocking suite doors apply at this time. Any suite door-related responsibilities listed for your position can be disregarded.
What’s next: We’ll communicate once the certification is complete and the suite doors are approved for in-flight use.
As American Airlines also experienced with its new Dreamliners, U.S. regulators must approve doors for use, evaluating its impact on egress during an emergency, and that lags certification of the aircraft and seat itself.
Thus, these doors will be locked in an open position throughout the flight. Once certified, the doors will still need to remain locked in an open position during takeoff and landing, but can be used throughout the remainder of the flight.
American Airlines offered its business class passengers automatic compensation in the form of AAdvantage miles during the period in which these doors were not certified. It is not clear if United will do the same, though it strikes me as amenity that is neither guaranteed nor specially marketed for existing tickets, therefore not something that mandates compensation.
I tend to view doors as more a gimmick than a value-add, but that is the direction the industry is going and it’s not surprising United is also introducing these doors as part of its cabin refresh.
> Read More: Business Class Doors Are Just An Unnecessary Gimmick
> Read More: Sliding Into Polaris Studio, My First Impressions Of United’s Newest Seat
CONCLUSION
United’s new Polaris suites will enter service with doors that look the part, but won’t actually function at first. That’s not unusual. American Airlines went through the same certification delay, and regulators are understandably cautious when it comes to anything that could impact emergency evacuations.
Personally, I don’t view doors as a game-changer in business class, so this delay does not bother me. But for those who see privacy doors as a meaningful upgrade, it may be a minor disappointment.
Either way, the doors will come. You’ll just have to wait a bit longer to close them.
Patience is a virtue.
But, pa-paa, I want it now! Gimmie!
Yay… ‘now’ has come!
And meanwhile, be informed that UA just opened bookings for its ‘most premium’ plane ever: ↓
https://parade.com/news/united-airlines-elevated-dreamliner-polaris-studio-bookings-open
Are the seats wider than the narrow bus. class seats on a 787 ? seat width and personal space is so important to luxury and a true experience, that might compare to SQ or Thai Air (who have seat width around 26″).
Par for the norm. At least they can sell the seats unlike Allegra’s had to deal with. Hopefully the FAA can get the doors fully certified within a few months. Since they are similar to what AA uses, shouldn’t be too difficult. It’s part of the pain of launch. I view the doors as a game changer because you have the privacy especially when sleeping on Polaris. On the current Polaris, sitting on the outside seat, it is not the best feeling when people are walking through.
I’m looking forward to these being installed on all Polaris seats!
I’d be curious as to the weight penalty these doors impose on UA’s operating/fuel costs, especially in these times of exorbitant fuel prices…… Talk about a ‘gimmick’ !
A logical step that most cabins with doors have gone through. Of course, there will be complainers, but that’s what you get for being on the first flights, not everything will work perfectly.
I actually learned of this several days ago when Jason Rabinowitz posted a screengrab on BlueSky of what it cost to upgrade to a Polaris Suite cabin and under that were listed some of the features of the seat. At the bottom of that list it said that the doors were temporarily unavailable and I figured it had to be a certification issue.
At this point, the issue is with the FAA.
Korean Air, American, Air India, Riyadh Air, Lufthansa (though more likely self-induced), now united.
Air New Zealand, Etihad also experienced slight FAA related delays.
You barely see any European built plane delivered with a locked door or partially certified seat.
The privacy doors definitely are highlighted and marketed by United as a benefit/amenity. I just received a United email which once again highlights the privacy doors contrary to your statement that “amenity that is neither guaranteed nor specially marketed for existing tickets,”. It is in writing currently on the website under type of seating in specific words used and shown and referenced in the “knock knock” video currently on the same page.
I would not knowingly select a Polaris seat angled toward the aisle without out the privacy door since people look right at you while sleeping. The doors solve this issue. To me it is not worth the same money to consider that angle seat without it.
How do you know people are watching you if you are sleeping?
People already refer to the Polaris seat as a coffin. Might as well complete the coffin with a door.
I agree a gimmick. I always choose the bulkhead seats, I’m sad that I’ll need to pay extra if I want that in the future. Therefore this whole change is pretty much a sight downgrade for me.
I upgrade with PP and with the up coming changes, the cost is likely to go way up too. Since I personally earn 1K with trips to redeem PP, it probably spells the end of 1K and any future loyalty to UA for me.
What would fun, once they work, is to be able to close other people’s doors if they are clipping their nails, cooking food, doing laundry and other fun things to do in business class when you are an entitled pri-k. Maybe we could have a voting system on the inflight screens – Passenger in 6A took off socks, FA passed out. We need 4 votes to lock and seal his seat?
BA seem to leave their suite doors locked open permanently
The wait will be worth it!
“Waiting, waiting, waiting, waiting
Waiting, waiting, waiting, waiting
Waiting for you to come along
Waiting for you to hear my song
Waiting for you to come along
Waiting for you to tell me what went wrong
This is the strangest life I’ve ever known”
– The Doors (Jim Morrison, John Paul Densmore, Raymond Manzarek, Robert Krieger) –