United Airlines Polaris - any good?

[Screenwash]

Anyone flown long haul with United recently in their Polaris Business class?

Reviews seem very mediocre, and it appears that their catering is rubbish?!

I don’t often fly Business, but it sounds like I shouldn’t get my expectations too high..?!

[Royal Jelly]

It’s fine, there’s much better out there.

The bigger issue with it, is that it means you have to cope with United’s service & catering - which like all US carriers, is leagues below where a long haul business product should be.

[Stu R]

It depends what you're used to I suppose, but I find it middle of the road at best.
Compared to the Middle-East carriers it's mediocre, compared to American carriers it's amongst the best, which I appreciate is damning by faint praise

Service is hit or miss but I generally don't care about that since I don't generally need or want anything from flight crew, food is consistently mediocre in flight, the rest is largely fine, seats are decent enough. Airport side is fine.

[Matt Harper]

US carrier long haul cabin crew tends to be staffed due to seniority - so you end up with the poisonous, bitter old crones and harridans, who think they're doing you a favor by throwing bags of peanuts at you. I cannot express how relieved I am not to have to deal with that st anymore.

[SpagBog]

TBF, I’ve flown UA Polaris a dozen+ times over the last few years (LHR to EWR/SFO/LAX/IAD/ORD/DEN) and found them quite ok. I enjoyed the food, and the service was friendly- they recognised me on the return leg. The lounges were well staffed and food quite ok with good bar service

Conversely, I did Aer Língus to ORD and returned from IAD yesterday by BA. For both, I felt they were a notch or two down on everything especially the BA lounge at IAD which felt pokey.

I’ve never flown ME airlines but did ANA a couple of years ago which was a few step ups in experience.

[gotoPzero]

For me 70% of the benefit of business is the seat. The food isnt high on my list.
We are all different though.

Its not all roses on Emirates either - I had some very mediocre food on more than one occasion.
ANA is another one who isnt all that any more. I flew them a few weeks ago and whilst it was alright - it wasnt what it has been in the past.

I personally think that most airlines have slowly dialled back the quality since Covid. I have noticed this on board but also in the lounges.

The only airline I have flown since Covid that really shocked with how good it was food wise was Cathay. They were very good, what Emirates and Virgin etal used to be like.

[parabolica]

Worth noting the current gen Polaris cabins are being replaced by a brand new product which was launched earlier this month; depends what flight you're on of course but chances are you're likely to get the older cabin if travelling in the next few months. The Polaris lounge at O'Hare was very nice.

I've only flown Polaris once; it was alright - an overnight flight and I didn't think much of their food offerings so skipped straight to sleeping. What was annoying was the air vent for the passenger in front emitting a high-pitched whine for the whole flight; thank god for NC headphones. Much preferred my Lufthansa flight on the outbound flight, but then I was on the upper deck of a 747 which was a life-long dream.