We Got On Board United’s Brand-New Boeing 787-9 Elevated — Here’s What To Expect

The future of United Airlines takes off soon, headlined by the arrival of its brand-new flagship aircraft, the Boeing 787-9 Elevated.

As its name would imply, this is no ordinary United 787 aircraft. It’s the first plane in the airline’s fleet with the new Elevated interior, which is the name the carrier’s given its initiative to raise its game across the board — from its aircraft cabins to the food you’ll eat on board to the service you can expect during a flight.

At a large event in Los Angeles this week, the Chicago-based carrier had one of its brand-new aircraft on display, and we got on board for a first look before it begins flying paying customers next month.

Here’s a look inside this exciting new aircraft!

What Is United Elevated?

It may be an arguably overused buzzword, but “Elevated” carries significant weight at United, as it’s the plan that the carrier is following to upgrade the flying experience across the board.

It encompasses everything from entirely new aircraft interiors to upgraded blankets for economy passengers, free Starlink inflight Wi-Fi for MileagePlus members, and caviar service and branded playing cards for the carrier’s most premium passengers.

At its United Elevated event in Los Angeles, attendees got to see for the first time in person the vision coming to life. While we got to explore all elements of the United Elevated initiative, undoubtedly the most exciting (and arguably the most important) aspect was touring the brand-new Boeing 787-9 Elevated.

This aircraft, scheduled to fly its first long-haul flight April 22, 2026, debuts the carrier’s new-and-improved Polaris business class product and a new, “business class plus” concept, Polaris Studio.

Of course, the new Polaris product is the highlight of the new aircraft, but United didn’t neglect the rest of the passengers, with the Premium Plus and economy cabins getting significant upgrades, too.

The All-New Polaris Suite and Polaris Studio

The Boeing 787-9 Elevated is the most premium-heavy United aircraft to date, with a whopping 99 premium seats on board. Of these, 56 are standard Polaris suites and 8 are Polaris Studio suites.

That many business class seats require a significant amount of space, which is exactly why the Polaris suites are split into 2 separate cabins.

The first row of each cabin has 4 Polaris Studio suites, and the rest are standard Polaris suites. Each cabin is arranged in a 1-2-1 configuration, giving every passenger direct access to the aisle.

As soon as you board the aircraft, you’ll see a Polaris snack bar, which will be stocked with a variety of nibbles along with canned beverages that Polaris passengers can visit during the flight.

During boarding, takeoff, and landing, the snack bar will be closed.

Every Polaris suite now features a sliding privacy door, a feature Delta has been offering for several years on select Delta One products and that American Airlines began rolling out with the introduction of its new Flagship Suite.

Of course, every Polaris seat reclines to a fully flat position, and passengers are provided with United’s Saks Fifth Avenue-branded bedding.

The suites themselves look modern and luxurious, with rich-looking wood trim, and smart, gray-fabric seats set off by blue accents and sleek-looking quartzite surfaces.

Each suite features a 19-inch 4K OLED inflight entertainment screen with Bluetooth connectivity.

There’s a decent amount of storage at each seat, and you’ll be able to charge your phone wirelessly while you fly. There’s also USB-C and AC power at each suite.

A unique feature of the new Polaris product is that the center seats have 2 different configurations. In the front cabin, the center seats are angled such that they face outward, allowing you to be closer to a traveling companion if you choose to lower the privacy divider.

In the rear cabin, the center seats are angled to face inward, providing passengers with a bit more privacy should they be traveling alone.

Polaris Studio

The Elevated interior features a new concept for United: the Polaris Studio. Think of this product as a half-step above business class, but not quite first class.

On these aircraft, Polaris Studios are 25% larger than a standard Polaris suite and boast upgraded amenities, such as a larger 27-inch 4K OLED entertainment monitor, quartzite storage tables, upgraded pajamas, noise-canceling headphones from Meridian, unique amenity kits, Polaris-branded playing cards, an additional Saks Fifth Avenue pillow, and even exclusive food-and-beverage options, including Ossetra caviar and Laurent-Perrier Champagne.

One of the more unique selling features of the Polaris Studio, however, is that most will feature an ottoman with a seatbelt, which opens up the possibility of dining (or playing games with those special Polaris playing cards) with a companion.

I tried sharing a Polaris Studio with another event attendee, and while it was fun, it was admittedly a tight squeeze — I don’t know how long I’d want to share the space with another passenger.

The New Premium Plus Cabin

Directly behind the rear Polaris cabin is where you’ll find the premium economy — Premium Plus in Unitedspeak — cabin.

This cabin features 35 seats arranged in a 2-3-2 configuration across 5 rows.

United clearly invested time and effort in improving the Premium Plus experience, with each seat featuring privacy dividers, small quartzite tables, dedicated in-seat reading lights, leg rests, and foot rests.

Each seat also boasts a crisp, 16-inch 4K OLED display, which also features Bluetooth connectivity.

Economy Gets an Upgrade, Too

United didn’t forget about economy passengers with the new 787-9 Elevated.

Each of the 123 (33 of which are Economy Plus) seats gets a smart new look and in-seat AC and USB-C power.

The standout feature, which passengers will certainly love, is the gigantic-looking 13-inch 4K OLED IFE screens with Bluetooth connectivity.

United says these screens are the world’s largest for economy class.

With just 15 rows of economy seats in the standard 3-3-3 configuration, it’s clear United thinks there’s substantial demand for a premium-heavy configuration such as this one.

Where To Fly and How To Book the 797-9 Elevated

This brand-new aircraft will begin its long-haul journey on April 22, with its first flight being UA1 from San Francisco (SFO) to Singapore (SIN).

Then, it will begin operating another prestigious route: San Francisco to London (LHR) on April 30. While we don’t yet know where United will send the aircraft next, expect more route announcements very soon, as the carrier says it expects to welcome 20 of these aircraft into its fleet this year.

Flights operated by the 787-9 Elevated are on sale now. However, expect a pricing premium for flights on the new aircraft, whether you pay in cash or redeem United MileagePlus miles.

Hot Tip:

If you’re interested in trying United’s new Polaris Studio, you’ll pay an additional $499 each way on top of your cash fare or mileage redemption. That’s a pretty reasonable upcharge, considering the significant differentiation in the onboard experience, not to mention the fact that you receive elevated treatment before your flight, including the Global Services ground experience and even a possible tarmac car transfer.

Final Thoughts

United is on a clear mission to establish itself as the nation’s leading carrier. Its Elevated initiative is meant to be its road map for getting there.

After spending time on board the new 787-9 Elevated, it’s clear United means business. In addition to the latest Polaris product, and its new Polaris Studio concept, the carrier is upping the ante when it comes to the passenger experience. In the past, United had a reputation for delivering on the hard product, but falling short when it came to the experiential aspects of flying, such as service and food.

Now, not only does it look to have promising hard products across all cabin classes, but it looks like it may be ready to deliver on the parts that let it down in the past.

Your move, Delta.