In creating its Polaris Business Class, United Airlines has tapped into the demands of today’s savvy world traveller. Nick Walton checks in to see the future of premium air travel to and from the US. 

Background

After over 12,000 hours of research, United Airlines launched the Polaris business class product in 2016, with the focus of offering the market’s best sleep experience on long-haul routes. The cutting edge service is now available on all long-haul intercontinental flights and combines a great pre-departure experience with a host of in-flight amenities and services that help business travellers get the most out of their time at 38,000ft. The airline’s efforts saw it named 2017 Airline of the Year by the International Flight Services Association (IFSA) for its lounge-to-landing Polaris product.

Check-In

The first step these days is to download an airline app, and United’s is fast loading and user-friendly, allowing me to select my seat and check-in with ease.

The Polaris Lounge at San Francisco

The Lounge

A big part of the United Polaris experience is a reinvention of the airline lounge. While it would compete with many lounges in Asia, the two-story, 28,120sqft Polaris Lounge at San Francisco International Airport is truly pioneering for the US air travel scene. With sweeping views of the apron, the expansive lounge combines a quiet lounge of signature United Polaris lounge seats (one of 19 seat styles), and shower suites with Soho House & Co’s Cowshed Spa products downstairs, with a sophisticated cocktail bar, self-service snack area, and restaurant-style dining room upstairs.

Be sure to leave time for a hand-crafted cocktail designed by mixologist Adam Seger at the long bar, where regional-inspired cocktails like the Mai Tai, invented in nearby Oakland in 1944, are on offer, before taking a table in the private dining space, where menus by Chef Tritia Gestuvo include a signature Polaris Burger. There is a custom scent, a curated music list, day beds dressed with Saks Fifth Avenue blankets, a valet for those last minute steam presses, and mood-enhancing lighting, offering a compelling reason to be at the airport hours before your flight.

Boarding

Our boarding process at gate 98 was slightly delayed and I was surprised that Polaris guests weren’t the first invited on board but instead waited for approximately 30 gold status travellers to make their way through the gates. Once on board a cheerful crew member called Mae took lunch orders (including a second option in case the first was out of stock) and offered glasses of champagne, one of a revolving selection curated by master sommelier Doug Frost.

The Seat

United opted to create its own seat for the Polaris business class cabin and the results are certainly impressive. Designed in partnership with Acumen Design Associates and PriestmanGoode, and manufactured by Zodiac, the pod-styled seat not only offers direct aisle access and a 180-degree recline but converts into a six-foot-six-inch bed in the skies, promising a great night’s sleep on Trans-Pacific routes. There’s one-touch lumbar support, mood lighting, a Do Not Disturb feature, electronic dividers, and a 16-inch personal monitor. There are also multiple storage areas, including under-ottoman storage available during taxi, takeoff and landing.

In addition to the cutting-edge seat, United teamed up with Saks Fifth Avenue to create luxurious bedding, duvets and day blankets, while slippers, gel-cooled pillows and comprehensive amenity kits packed with ergonomically designed eye shades, calming lavender pillow mist and other products from Soho House & Co’s Cowshed Spa, are also on offer. Sadly, the signature Polaris pyjamas never made an appearance.

Dining

The United Polaris business class features regionally-influenced menus created in partnership with The Trotter Project, a non-profit organization committed to continuing the legacy of celebrity chef Charlie Trotter, and paired with some great wines.

On our west-bound flight we stared with smoked duck with farro salad, dried cranberries and pumpkin seeds; followed by a choice of seared beef short rib with five-spice sauce and wasabi grits; stir-fried beef with steamed dim sum, noodles and garlic green beans; spicy chicken in a coconut-ginger broth; and deep-fried shrimp with sweet mayo, egg fried rice and honey-glazed walnuts.

The duck was delicate and perfectly proportioned while the spicy chicken with udon noodles was the epitome of comfort food, especially when matched with a Gunderloch Red Stone Riesling. The bespoke sundaes are worth breaking the diet for, and an express option allowed a few travellers some additional sleep time. A range of snacks was available throughout the 14-hour flight, and breakfast, served two hours out from Hong Kong, included the choice of a Provence-style omelette; or Chinese congee with chicken sausage.

Service

American carriers often get a bad rap for their service but that’s certainly changing on competitive routes to Asia. The United Polaris business class product has been geared to allow for more efficient and intuitive service, so passengers can get to sleep faster, and I found the United crew to be proactive, friendly and engaging, although self-service counters on the Boeing 777 aircraft and a great in-flight entertainment system probably takes some of the load off.

Summary

United created the Polaris business class to be a ground-breaking product that allows travellers to use their time in the air to their advantage, and the result is a thoroughly modern and sophisticated experience that draws the hemispheres together with style and luxury.

United Polaris business class Hong Kong-San Francisco return from US$4,300; 

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