United Airlines Polaris Business Class: IAD-SFO B777-200

Flying at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic treated me well by being upgraded on United with just Premier Silver status. United was operating their international configured planes for domestic routes and I got lucky to fly their 777-200 (Layout 5) from IAD to SFO featuring their new Polaris Business Class seats. This was my first time trying their new Polaris seat. Washington Dulles airport was eerily quiet at the end of March 2020 with just a few flyers. There were a total of 28 passengers on this flight which seats 278 passengers. I was able to select a window seat, 11L, in the mini Business cabin and I was the only passenger in the 18 seats. Ultimate physical distancing at a time where so much was unknown.

The service onboard was extremely limited due to COVID-19 with just snacks and water. No alcohol was served. I decided to relax, watch a movie and sleep. The seat was very comfortable with lie flat capability and plenty of space. I’d highly recommend a window seat in the odd numbered rows.

We landed in SFO with no delays and it was a breeze deplaning due to such a light passenger load.

Conclusion: The hard product (the seat) was excellent for a domestic flight and could fly it internationally without any issues. The service wasn’t great onboard and I would prefer to fly other airlines while traveling internationally. United seems to still be flying 777 and 787’s between hubs this Winter, so try to snag a seat while you can domestically.