Hello everyone — I’m a terminal procrastinator. This time, I’m bringing you a review of United’s “new” Polaris business class on the Tokyo Narita (NRT) to San Francisco (SFO) route. By the time I flew it, United had switched this route from the Queen of the Skies 747-400 to the new 777-300ER business class for less than a month, which tells you just how serious my procrastination problem is.
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Itinerary and Booking
This trip was for a vacation to Japan, and I booked a round-trip award ticket from Los Angeles to Japan using ANA Mileage Club miles. ANA allows open-jaw itineraries, so on the outbound I flew from Los Angeles to Osaka (KIX) via Seoul Incheon (ICN), while on the return I flew from Tokyo Narita (NRT) to Los Angeles via San Francisco — which is the flight covered in this review. The outbound was almost identical to my other Asiana A380 trip report.
Because this was a last-minute trip, award availability was not especially plentiful, and there were not many better options. The miles came from transferring AMEX Membership Rewards points, and the total cost was 95,000mi plus $338.10 in taxes and surcharges.
Boarding
It was not a particularly busy time when I arrived at Narita Airport. Thanks to Japan’s punctual trains, I made it to the counter exactly 5 minutes before checked baggage cutoff. United’s ground staff also got my boarding pass issued fairly quickly.
Boarding pass in hand, I headed over to the Star Alliance Gold Track fast security entrance. After clearing security and Japanese exit immigration, I was in the terminal. Since time was tight, I grabbed a little sushi in the United Club and then hurried to the gate.
Everything was running normally, so onto the plane we went. This 777-300ER was built in 2017, and everything still felt new.
Cabin
The moment you walk into the cabin, you can see Polaris blue everywhere. I was seated in 11A. Odd-numbered seats are closer to the window, while even-numbered seats are closer to the aisle, so if you have a choice, I strongly recommend choosing an odd-numbered seat. It offers better privacy and less disturbance from people walking by.
First, let’s look at the table. There is a small door on it that opens into a storage compartment tall enough to hold something about the size of a bottle of water. There is even a thoughtfully placed mirror inside. A Saks Fifth Avenue blanket was waiting on the seat.
Next to the power outlet there is also a USB port, which makes charging your phone very convenient.
On the left side are the seat controls.
Channel 9
This flight had United’s unique Channel 9 feature. Just plug in the headphones provided onboard and select the "From The Flight Deck" channel, and you can listen live to cockpit and air traffic control communications.
The captain even proactively invited passengers to try this feature during the boarding announcement. If you are on a United 757, 767, or 777, there is a good chance the aircraft supports it, but whether the system is turned on is controlled by the pilots. If you switch to the channel and hear music instead, you can ask a flight attendant to check with the cockpit about turning it on. Some captains do not like enabling it for various reasons, and in that case there is not much you can do.
On this flight, Channel 9 was already on from the moment I boarded. But after we left the Tokyo flight information region and entered the Pacific route system, all I could hear was noise in the headphones. It never came back before landing, so perhaps the pilots forgot to switch the radio back to Channel 9. The controllers throughout were all Japanese women; their English had a Japanese accent, but not an especially heavy one.
If you ever get the chance, thank the captains who are willing to turn on Channel 9 and help keep this unique United feature alive.
Main Meal
A little over an hour after takeoff, it was finally time for the meal everyone looks forward to. The tray table is stored under the screen; push it inward and it releases. Since I had already been in Japan for nearly a week, I chose the Western meal.
The first appetizer was salmon, and it was very fresh. A very good first impression.
I am not a big salad person, so I do not have much to say about it.
Finally came the main course. The portion of roast chicken was not especially large, but it tasted very good and was well seasoned.
I also had some chocolate for dessert.
Sleep
Once I had eaten and drunk my fill, it was time to make the most of the precious opportunity to sleep.
The footwell is not especially large, but it is absolutely sufficient, and I did not feel any discomfort while sleeping.
The Saks Fifth Avenue duvet and mattress pad were both very good quality. Pro tip: if you want to buy them for home use, you can click here to purchase them from the United Shop. The United Shop also sells various Polaris onboard products. The prices are not exactly cheap, but they are not outrageous either: a blanket goes for $59.99, while the amenity kit is only $14.99.
Breakfast
After waking up, it was time to eat again.
Personally, I thought this fish was even a little better than the roast chicken from the main meal.
There was also fruit, yogurt, and some bread.
Arrival
The 9 hours went by quickly, and soon we landed at San Francisco International Airport.
The CBP immigration line was still fairly long, and it took a full hour to clear immigration, which was a bit rough. Apparently the arrival time was not ideal.
Final Thoughts
Overall, United’s new Polaris business class product was quite good. The catering was on par with ANA and Japan Airlines. I honestly have to wonder whether United and ANA use the same catering supplier in Tokyo. Service onboard was also very good. The flight attendants were warm and happy to help with any requests. That said, they did not come by every so often to check whether I needed anything. I also really liked the Channel 9 ATC audio feed — yes, you heard me — and listening to air traffic control is actually a pretty entertaining way to pass the time onboard.
With this product, United business class can finally shake off its reputation as the best premium economy in the sky and move into the top tier. Whether in service or hard product, it does not lose out to Asian carriers at all. I would strongly recommend it.
Menu
Below is the menu from this flight.
See you next time!