Flying Business Class - What To Expect?

United Polaris is very nice. Lie flat bed, better drink options, and airline food being what it is, better meals. Dress comfortably as there is not a dress code. And for any layovers you can go to the United Polaris lounge.

You can also access the business class lounge in the airport where you start from. This is the one I use the most because of arriving early at the airport.

You will be treated by the flight crew like valued customers, rather than self-loading freight like those folks in the back of the plane.

You lucky duck! You will love business class and dream of it for future trips. We were upgraded last year on BA from Tel Aviv to London. Much better food, real dishes and silverwear, wine, and snacks galore.
We’re still debating upgrading to business class for our March trip to Japan.

It’s the only way to fly over water! You’ll have trouble adjusting to the back of the plane after this trip. Enjoy!

As far as dressing, and the lay flat beds, perhaps practice at home comfortable sleeping outfits. Perhaps a comfortable sports bra, ( or just take it off in the larger business bathrooms) . I find looser clothes are most comfortable for sleeping, definitely not jeans. In fact, I've found a maxi skirt or maxi dress- to be my choices. The lay flat beds aren't the same as your bed at home, but still quite an upgrade from coach.
You'll also get an amenities kit with a toothbrush , lip gloss, socks, etc.
Enjoy!

It’s a good thing my husband isn’t going or I would be in big trouble knowing he would probably always want to upgrade after that. We are not tall and being the frugal traveler that I am, I would rather spend the money at the destination as opposed to just getting there and back. I don’t sleep on planes typically, but maybe lying down will help. We are flying to Europe on United next month, so I’ll pay more attention to the front of the plane as I make my way to the back. I’m happy to hear about the included (?) business class lounge because we are flying from Portland and have a 5.5 hour layover in San Francisco before flying to Melbourne. I get 2 United club passes a year, but had never used one until last December when I had a long layover in Chicago when I was flying to Brussels. It was much nicer than sitting at the gate and the food was decent, plus a glass of wine made the wait not too bad.

I forgot to mention that I was thinking about wearing a decent looking pair of joggers. I don’t think a long skirt or dress would be something I would wear otherwise, though I will probably bring a shorter dress or skirt to have a nicer option in case we go to the Opera or whatever.

Hi Andrea,

You will enjoy the Polaris Business Class. When you have your layover in San Francisco, there are two lounges. When you fly business class you are entitled to the Polaris lounge, which is larger and better than the regular lounge.

A couple of things about the lounge, it is really large, but always crowded. When you go upstairs, you can turn left rather than right and you will find a quieter area and more seating. Also, since you have a 5 hour layover, when you get in, you may want to put your name in for the restaurant in the lounge (usually and hour wait), the food is better than the buffet food.

Also, on the plane, make sure you order your meal in advance. United will send you a notification a few days in advance. if you don't order, you may not get your first choice. Also, United has resumed the ice cream cart, one of my favorite treats where they make you a sundae.

Finally, you will receive, in addition to bedding a very nice amenity kit. On flights longer than 14 hours, United still provides Pajamas. They are super comfy. They can run out, so ask when you get on board. They also have noise cancelling headphones, so when I travel business class, I don't bring my own (saves on space/weight).

Enjoy the trip.

Wear comfortable clothes. The days of dressing up for flying are over. You don't need to impress anyone and there is no dress code. Even in first class.

You've already experienced the lounge. On board, your seat will be much bigger. No fighting over armrests as no one will be that close. Much more legroom.

Amenity kits, noise cancelling headphones, free food and alcohol. Your entertainment screen will be bigger.

You will board first but notice that there will be plenty of room in the overheads. I usually get an entire bin to myself. You will also be one of the first to deplane.

As mentioned earlier, the hardest part will be returning to coach for the longer flights.

Your joggers will be fine. No one dresses up; the goal is to be comfortable sleeping, but still presentable when you land. Australia is very casual and practical, similar to California.

There are several things to note about the flight schedule. The flights from the west coast tend to leave late at night—- like 10 pm or later. I do not care to eat dinner that late, so we prefer to have a light meal in the lounge before boarding, and then pass on dinner on board, in favor of getting to sleep. But of course you might be excited and want to sample the meal.

Also note the date change. For direct flights which take around 15 hours, a late evening departure from SFO means a mid-morning arrival in Oz. But the date will be 2 days later. When we flew on Qantas from LAX to Sydney a few years back, we departed on Dec. 30 late at night, and arrived on Jan 1. We totally missed New Year’s!

@ Andrea

Here is a recent YouTube video made by my mate Dennis. Sydney to Los Angeles United 777. While it will be indicative of your return trip, it shows such things as the bus class suites, bedding, pyjamas, and menu to expect on a 777. Notice how calm Dennis is when the flight is delayed because of aircraft issues. One way to tell a frequent flyer.

https://www.bing.com/videos/riverview/relatedvideo?q=dennis+bunnik+youtube+united+airlines&mid=CEFC86B1D32616C48EFBCEFC86B1D32616C48EFB&FORM=VIRE

Also, this one by his brother Sacha and his wife Inger: https://www.bing.com/videos/riverview/relatedvideo?&q=united+airlines+polaris+class+international&&mid=E32DFD068B2B8DE2FD66E32DFD068B2B8DE2FD66&&FORM=VRDGAR

These should lead to others where the jargon/accent should be more familiar to you.

Note the different pyjama styles. Do not know why. Prefer the ones Dennis modelled.

Observe their clothes and the others in business class.

My family is One World aligned. In June just flew home with American 777. (I wanted to try the Qantas New York to Auckland 787, but my sons wanted a report with pictures on American and I had delegated to them the airline and route selection.) The bus suites are comparable, look the same to me. The wine/spirit’s offering was a whole lot larger on American. The pyjamas were like the ones modelled by Inger. Hint: Take them even if you do not wear them on the plane.

I sleep well. Always do. My wife not so much. Maybe psychological, or she only has a glass of champagne. In comparison I have at least two, port with my cheese and a whisky or two to send me off.

When the announcement says that the flight crew is there to look after you, in business class they mean it.

Regards Ron

Is the food the same as economy? It’s not the same and I know people on here are telling you it’s so good but I was just warn you it’s still airline food

depending on the time my flight leaves (and I do fly business often on business) I may not eat on the plane if it’s a late flight, I would rather just go to bed That’s up to you.

Do they give you goodies or better things than the people at the back? you will get an kit that has things like toothpaste, toothbrushes, etc. you usually get noise cancelling headphones. I do not like them as well as my own so I bring my own, but I do know the other people who fly business think that that’s a waste of space

Is one expected to dress better? No. My current travel outfit is actually a pair of “workout” type pants that have big pockets on either side so that when I go to the bathroom, I can put my phone whatever I want in the pockets. It just makes me feel more secure.

I’m not sure what your connections etc. are, but if you have time to go to the lounge go, it’s generally very nice. In some airports United has a Polaris lounge which I understand is very nice. I have not actually had the Polaris lounge experience

Someone earlier said the crew will treat you like a valued customer. With any airline on any flight It’s a role of the dice as to your crew. One of the worst crew experiences I ever had was on business class on Air France. It was actually funny people in the business class cabin were laughing about it.

Here one small tip for sleeping in the lie-flat beds in business class I learned from a flight attendant. Because the plane flies slightly nose up, if you put your bed at a complete 180 degrees you will actually have your head lower than your feet which is not as comfortable. Instead put your bed at about 160 degrees then your body is actually flat. Also I don't know the United configuration but on many airlines in business class there isn't as much room on the floor at your seat to keep your personal item, especially if you also take your shoes off and need a place to keep them. And the overhead bins are typically very high so it is a bit awkward to have to get in and out of them. So I keep the little things I need during the flight (like my kindle, glasses, kleenex, lip balm etc.) all in a smaller zip pouch that I can stick in one of the pockets at the seat and have handy. Then my personal item goes up in the overhead bin as I don't need it again until deplaning. Enjoy the flight!

Polaris on United has a small tray under the TV where you can place your phone or tablet. Except during takeoff when they'll slide out. There is a USB port there.

There is a small cabinet next to your seat, which will have a water bottle and large headphones. There is also space to put a few of your own small things.

Near that cabinet is an outlet that will take US plugs and round Europe plugs, as well as USB. You could easily plug in 3 things in the various outlets.

At your feet, there is an ottoman and a shelf under that. The ottoman is for your feet and blankets. The low shelf is big enough for my Baggalini purse or a small backpack, but wouldn't fit a typical upright tote, perhaps laying sideways.

ETA:
ottoman space: perhaps 2' x 2'
under ottoman: perhaps 2' x 1' high

There is a small coat hook near the TV. I hang a lightweight travel bag of essentials with a cord from that hook.

If you get to choose your seats, the Polaris configuration is 1-2-1. If you want to sit right next to each other, choose the center-2 section.

On the left and right side of the plane, the odd numbered Polaris seats (rows 3,5,etc) run parallel and directly next to the windows, with your small cabinet and its table surface near the aisle. The even numbered seats are closer to the aisle, with your cabinet near the windows. The odd numbered seats offer a bit more privacy when you're sleeping, tucked in against the windows.

Other benefits: Use the "business class" line at security. Your luggage will be among the first to come off the belt at baggage claim.

Here's a good guide to the Polaris seating recommendations:

https://upgradedpoints.com/travel/airlines/united-polaris/

SFO Polaris business class lounge is wonderful!. As soon as you exit SFO security, make a right hand turn and you will see the Polaris lounge entrance. Be prepared to show your boarding pass and passport for entry into the lounge.

Private showers are located on the first floor which might be nice since you are changing planes and have a long layover. Upstairs is the bar, various seating options, private bathrooms, buffet and restaurant. I agree with SandyO to go put your name on the restaurant list upon arrival and then head to the bar for that glass of wine! (All food and drinks including alcohol are free!)
Enjoy!

Two other things to make your trip more comfortable on United

1) Inflight slippers are available but you must ask for them (these are different from the socks that are in the amenity kit)
2) Sleeping pad to put under the duvet etc. to make the bed more comfortable. Again, you have to ask for this just like the pajamas

your luggage (if checking) should get tagged "priority" which should help with any connections (i think you said you have a long one, but if there's any delays...!) as previously mentioned, if you prefer to carry on, you'll usually get a whole bin to yourself!
if you miss dinner on board or are peckish overnight, there's usually a basket of snacks put out in the galley area.
among first to deboard means getting to immigration faster!

If you log into United's website you can read this: https://www.united.com/en/us/fly/travel/inflight/united-first-and-united-business.html.

I don't know about United, but American had special lines for passport control when I landed in Madrid and another time in Paris when using business class. Not sure about Australia.

Your luggage will come out first or it will be the very last bag off the plane. I’ve had both happen

What to expect
Not being able to ever return to coach when flying across the pond ( wink emoji.)

You will be able to go back to Economy:) We had to for a few years after we unexpectedly scored BC seats on a BA Airbus 380 flight back to Vancouver. The new plane had just been put into service for the summer and a computer glitch meant two people were in our seats (same seats on their boarding passes). While we waited in the galley for the Service Manager to find us new seats, she ran out of time. With the doors closing and imminent takeoff, she motioned to us to take the 2 empty seats ahead in BC. Sometimes it works in your favour to patiently wait….

@ Andrea

A recent YouTube entry on Polaris at SFO international which may be a useful introduction.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wofEB_M3RGk

I found the music accompaniment annoying. Should lead you with other Youtubers efforts for balance.

A recent opinion/survey on business class lounges around the world.

https://upgradedpoints.com/travel/airports/best-business-class-lounges-in-the-world/

First Class lounges are another story and have limited locations. Middle east and southeast Asia have the best.

My comments on dress.

The lounge waiting staff and airline pilots, and flight crew present as consummate professionals. You can dress any way you like. Remember you are broadcasting to the world how you view yourself and your country and how you live and what your own home looks like.

Dress like a professional if you think you are one or like a slob, if you think you are one. The former get looked after better than the latter. Your choice.

Regards Ron

Thanks to all for the great information and advice. I checked out CWsocial’s link to a guide for Polaris seating, and read additional information. It said that if the flight is not labeled Polaris you aren’t allowed in the Polaris lounge, even if you have a business class ticket.

And don't forget, you'll arrive before everyone else!

if the flight is not labeled Polaris you aren’t allowed in the Polaris lounge

I've never had that happen, but I've only ever flown Polaris to Europe.

The article is accurate that, assuming you get lounge access, it will be at the airport your Polaris leg departs from, not arrives at. So, if you have a connection after your Polaris leg, you won't necessarily have access during that connection. But it sounds like your Polaris flight may be taking you to your destination airport.

There are some exceptions, but not relevant to your situation.

The Polaris(?) flight is taking us from SFO-Melbourne and Sydney-SFO. We will be flying from Portland-SFO, then SFO-Portland. I will be in Washington before we depart from Portland, so that worked out well. I tried to get my return ticket to SFO, and my friend could continue on to Portland. By not taking that SFO-PDX flight my ticket would have be $12,000 more. Seriously. That’s just ridiculous. I’ll fly to PDX and take a flight later in the day home to Sacramento. It’s worth it to hang around the airport for a while to save that much money. At least hubby won’t have to drive to SFO to pick me up.

@CWsocial, after looking at the seat configuration we changed from the center seats in row 2 to the same seats in row 3. We were already in row 3 for the trip back. Thanks for the tip.

Glad it helped you make a seat choice that suits you!

Hey Andrea, that switch may have been good for another reason. I was snooping around Polaris on my flight to Denver today. The center bins above rows 1 and 2 were all marked "no stowage." I don't know if that's a regular thing, but it meant those Polaris passengers had to put their bags in the window side bins or back at rows 3+.

There are still plenty of bins, so it's not really an issue unless you have to go backwards to retrieve your bags before deplaning. And even that depends on whether they use the forward doors to deplane.

CWsocial, thanks for that information. We have our flights and seat assignments, so we will figure out the rest at the airport and on the plane. In the meantime hubby and I leave in just over 2 weeks for a 6 week trip to Europe and will be sitting in economy, which is how we always fly. I’ll have to pay more attention to the seats up front as I’m walking past them.

Just to update, I did some more checking and our international flights are Polaris.

Yes, Polaris is United's branding for their international business class.