Review: United Boeing 777 Polaris Business Class, London

Yesterday, I shared my experience at the United Club at London Heathrow. Following my visit to the comfortable lounge, I was on my way to Washington D.C. for Thanksgiving. I flew in the United Airlines Polaris business class and it was an experience that I'll never forget.

United B777-200 — I was extremely excited to fly in United's Polaris cabin on the Boeing 777. Photo: United Airlines

Spacious setting

I will share my thoughts on both the outward and return journeys. Both legs were conducted by a United Airlines Boeing 777-222(ER). However, the designs on the seats that I had were slightly different from each other. Heading there on flight UA919, I was placed at the inner aisle seat, 2C.

Polaris 777 seating — I was excited to get cushioned into the seat. Photo: Sumit Rehal / Simple Flying

Polaris 777 seating top — There were plenty of supportive items to ensure a comfortable journey. Photo: Sumit Rehal / Simple Flying

This seat had the most leg space that I've ever witnessed on an aircraft. The IFE screens were evidently far away compared with similar business class setups, but I didn't mind as the extra space meant that I could lie back and relax.

Polaris 777 seating side — The design of this seating unit enabled plenty of room for movement. Photo: Sumit Rehal / Simple Flying

Polaris 777 IFE — For me, there's nothing better than laying back with a nice drink and watching a marathon of Bob's Burgers. Photo: Sumit Rehal / Simple Flying

Attentive service

I was offered a choice of champagne, juice or water while we waited for the plane to take off. I opted for some orange juice and took a look at the menu.

Polaris 777 Juice — United is ending poured beverage service. Photo: Sumit Rehal / Simple Flying

Polaris 777 Options — Plenty of ports and buttons to change the positioning of the seat. Photo: Sumit Rehal / Simple Flying

United Polaris 777 storage — There is a hidden compartment to store your things away to have less clutter around. Photo: Sumit Rehal / Simple Flying

A chicken, pork and apricot terrine was offered as a starter, while I opted for a lentil chili for the main.

United Polaris 777 tray stowed — The tray on the outward trip was stowed on the side. Photo: Sumit Rehal / Simple Flying

United Polaris 777 tray — The tray pulls out and gives plenty of space for dining. Photo: Sumit Rehal / Simple Flying

Following the dinner, the flight attendants were continuing to be helpful and engaging, making sure I was always topped up with a drink.

United Polaris 777 starter — Polaris service will include packaged meals for passengers to uncover. Photo: Sumit Rehal / Simple Flying

Extra comfort

I got wrapped up in the duvet and blanket before putting on the Star Wars-themed eye mask.

United Polaris 777 Star Wars — The carrier understands how amenities can go a long way for passengers. Photo: Sumit Rehal / Simple Flying

The white cushion and blue gel pillow were incredibly comfy and before I knew it, I was out cold. I woke up after five hours and started to feel a little peckish again. I took a walk to the front of the cabin and helped myself to the cheese and fruit plates that were on display.

United Polaris 777 light — This sidelight was handy to help me see my food when the main lights were dimmed. Photo: Sumit Rehal / Simple Flying

Quick journey

After listening to some music on my phone via the inflight WiFi, we were informed that the flight would soon be landing. The plane landed at 2:45 pm, which was 45 minutes early. This meant I was definitely on time for Thanksgiving dinner with my fiancé and her family in the United States capital.

Washington D.C. — The Washington Monument is quite a sight. Photo: Sumit Rehal / Simple Flying

Welcome return

After a few days of touring around the district, I was ready for the return flight of UA918. My seat was 7A, which was next to the left window.

United Polaris 777 Window Seat — My unit on the return flight was somewhat different and I welcomed the variance. Photo: Sumit Rehal / Simple Flying

The construction of this seat differed to the previous flight as it felt more isolated.

United Polaris 777 Bottle Storage — These headphones on the left were placed in front of a handy mirror. Photo: Sumit Rehal / Simple Flying

United Polaris 777 Position Options — The seat positioning interface was easy to navigate. Photo: Sumit Rehal / Simple Flying

United Polaris 777 Lights — These two lights on my right offered great support. Photo: Sumit Rehal / Simple Flying

The way the unit is designed made me feel that I had more privacy. Additionally, the IFE was positioned much closer to my face.

United Polaris IFE — There was a cozy feel to this return trip. Photo: Sumit Rehal / Simple Flying

United Polaris IFE Screen — Here are some of the inflight movie options on the service. Photo: Sumit Rehal / Simple Flying

Classy cuisine

Furthermore, the cuisine on this trip had a true premium feel to it. For the appetizer, I had smoked duck with farro salad and dried cranberries.

United Polaris Cuisine — The starter tasted fresh and the duck was so tender. Photo: Sumit Rehal / Simple Flying

This was followed by a delicious beef short rib with hoisin barbecue sauce. This is a dish that I'd happily hand over my money for in a five-star restaurant.

United cuisine — The beef short rib was pleasantly sticky and combined well with the rice. Photo: Sumit Rehal / Simple Flying

Drifting away

I put on some Bob's Burgers on the IFE and placed the seat back into bed mode. As it was an overnight flight, I spent most of the remainder of the time in the air asleep. I was politely woken by a flight attendant who informed me that we will soon be getting ready to land. This was by far the best sleep that I've had while flying.

United Polaris 777 Snacks — This assortment of snacks was addictive Photo: Sumit Rehal / Simple Flying

All good things come to an end

I was reluctant to get up from my seat once we landed. However, it was 6:40 am, which meant time to get back to reality.

Altogether, this was a fantastic experience and one that I'd love to have again. The friendly crew members, thoughtful amenities, comfortable seats and delicious food combined together for a true premium feel.

I'd like to thank United Airlines for the honor of being a guest in its Polaris business class cabin.

Have you had a chance to fly on a Polaris seat with United? Let us know your thoughts in the comment section