United Airlines Business Class

Cabin guide

• a lie-flat Polaris seat in a 1-2-1 layout with direct aisle access, and sliding-door Polaris and Polaris Studio suites on the Elevated 787-9
• United Polaris lounges at Chicago O'Hare, Houston (IAH), Los Angeles, Newark, San Francisco and Washington Dulles (Standard and Flexible Polaris fares)
• 2 x 32kg (70 lb) checked on Standard and Flexible fares · 1 carry-on + 1 personal item

Baggage policy

Business class passengers receive 2 x 32kg (70 lb) checked on Standard and Flexible fares · 1 carry-on + 1 personal item. Excess pieces are charged per-piece at check-in; sports and instrument equipment can be pre-declared free of charge on most long-haul sectors.

Allowances, seats and lounge access vary by aircraft, route and fare, and airlines change them without notice. Treat this as a guide and confirm the allowance on your ticket with United Airlines or our travel desk before you fly. Way4Fly is an independent agent and is not affiliated with United Airlines.

Quick answer: United Airlines is a Star Alliance member based in Chicago, with hubs at Newark, Chicago O'Hare, Washington Dulles, Houston, Denver, San Francisco, Los Angeles and Guam. Its long-haul business cabin is Polaris: a lie-flat seat with direct aisle access, and on the new Elevated 787-9, suites with sliding doors.

Hubs and international network from the US

As of November 2026, Newark is United's largest gateway to Europe, followed by Washington Dulles and Chicago O'Hare. San Francisco and Los Angeles carry most of the Pacific flying to Japan, Singapore, Australia and other Asian cities, Houston anchors Latin America, and Denver adds a few summer and year-round long-haul routes. Guam connects Micronesia and Asia.

Frequencies change by season. Newark to Frankfurt, for example, runs once a day on a 777-300ER in the 2026 schedule after running more often in 2025. Check the airline's timetable for your dates.

Polaris business class and the newest seat

Every United widebody on long-haul routes has Polaris seats that recline fully flat, arranged so each passenger reaches the aisle without climbing over anyone. The older seat has no door.

The newest product is on the Elevated 787-9, which entered service on San Francisco to Singapore in April 2026 and San Francisco to London soon after. It carries 56 Polaris suites and 8 larger Polaris Studio suites, both with sliding privacy doors, and more are being delivered through 2028. Retrofitted 787s and 777s are still being converted, so the aircraft on your date decides which seat you get.

The same aircraft has 35 Premium Plus seats, so it carries 99 premium seats in all. United has been adding it to more routes, including San Francisco to Seoul from September 2026 and Houston to Sao Paulo, Tokyo Narita and Sydney from late October 2026. Check the aircraft on your flight before you book.

Premium Plus, Basic Economy and the new Base fares

Premium Plus is United's premium economy: a wider recliner with more legroom in a separate cabin, sold on most long-haul widebodies.

Basic Economy on transatlantic routes gives up the free checked bag, changes and upgrades, though it keeps a full-size carry-on. Since April 2026 United also sells Base fares in Polaris and Premium Plus. A Base Polaris ticket gets the same seat but earns fewer miles, has stricter change rules and gives United Club access instead of a Polaris lounge, so compare the fare rules before you pick the lowest business fare.

Bags and lounges in plain terms

Polaris passengers on international flights normally check two bags of up to 70 lb (32 kg) each, plus one carry-on and one personal item. Economy passengers on transatlantic routes usually get one checked bag of up to 50 lb (23 kg), except on Basic Economy. Allowances differ by route and elite status, so check your booking.

There are six Polaris lounges in the US: Chicago O'Hare, Houston, Los Angeles, Newark, San Francisco and Washington Dulles. Since mid-April 2026, Star Alliance business passengers on most partner airlines no longer get in; access is limited to United and a short list of close partners.

Standard and Flexible Polaris fares include the Polaris lounge on the day of an international departure. At a hub without one, you use the United Club instead.

Partners and MileagePlus

United sells most transatlantic trips together with Lufthansa, Swiss, Austrian, Brussels Airlines and Air Canada in the Atlantic joint venture, and works with ANA in a transpacific joint venture to Japan. Its loyalty program is MileagePlus. You can earn MileagePlus miles on Star Alliance flights, at a rate set by the partner's fare class, and spend them on partner seats as well as United's own.

In October 2026 United and Air Canada also signed a deal to renew and widen their joint venture on flights between Canada and the US, which still needs government approval.

United Airlines: frequently asked questions

Who United Airlines business class suits

This cabin is the strongest choice when your United Airlines flight is a long overnight and you need to arrive rested — a lie-flat Polaris seat in a 1-2-1 layout with direct aisle access, and sliding-door Polaris and Polaris Studio suites on the Elevated 787-9 gives you a genuine bed, not just a deep recline. It also rewards travellers with heavy bags, since the 2 x 32kg (70 lb) checked on Standard and Flexible fares · 1 carry-on + 1 personal item allowance sits well above economy, and anyone who values a calm, unhurried start to the trip in the United Polaris lounges at Chicago O'Hare, Houston (IAH), Los Angeles, Newark, San Francisco and Washington Dulles (Standard and Flexible Polaris fares). For a short daytime hop where you will not sleep, a lower cabin can be the better value — these guides exist to help you make exactly that call.

Getting the best United Airlines fare

• Search United Airlines business fares roughly eight to twelve weeks ahead, when premium availability is widest.
• Midweek departures (Tuesday and Wednesday) usually price below the Friday and Sunday peaks.
• Check the aircraft for your date — the flagship a lie-flat Polaris seat in a 1-2-1 layout with direct aisle access, and sliding-door Polaris and Polaris Studio suites on the Elevated 787-9 is not flown on every route.
• Booking three or more seats? Call our desk — group premium fares are often unpublished.

Where United Airlines flies

Popular United Airlines routes we quote from the US. Each opens a live search in business class.

• EWR → FRASearch fares
• SFO → SINSearch fares

On board United Airlines business class

A long-haul United Airlines service is built for sleep and productivity in equal measure: a flat bed with proper bedding, a large personal screen with on-demand entertainment, and power at the seat so you can work or watch on your own schedule. On most premium sectors meals are served when you want them rather than to a fixed trolley run, with a menu that leans toward the route, and the higher crew-to-passenger ratio in business means requests are answered quickly. Pack an eye mask and noise-cancelling headphones and most travellers sleep six hours or more on an overnight.

Fare types & flexibility

Business class is sold in fare families that trade price for flexibility. The lowest “saver” or “light” business fares are the cheapest way into the cabin but carry the strictest change and refund rules and earn fewer miles; flexible fares cost more but let you move dates — sometimes free — and refund with a smaller penalty. If your plans are firm, the saver fare is usually the best value; if they might change, price the flexible fare first, because a single change fee can wipe out the saving. Call our desk and we will compare the United Airlines fare families for your route and flag which rules actually matter for your trip.

United Airlines business class — questions

Does United Airlines business class have a lie-flat bed?

On its long-haul aircraft, yes — United Airlines business class features a lie-flat Polaris seat in a 1-2-1 layout with direct aisle access, and sliding-door Polaris and Polaris Studio suites on the Elevated 787-9, which reclines fully flat for sleeping. Shorter regional sectors can use a different seat, so check the aircraft type for your specific date.

How much baggage is included in United Airlines business class?

Business class includes 2 x 32kg (70 lb) checked on Standard and Flexible fares · 1 carry-on + 1 personal item. Additional pieces are charged per bag at check-in; declaring sports or musical equipment in advance avoids excess fees on most long-haul routes.

Which lounge can I use before a United Airlines flight?

Business class passengers can use the United Polaris lounges at Chicago O'Hare, Houston (IAH), Los Angeles, Newark, San Francisco and Washington Dulles (Standard and Flexible Polaris fares) before departure, plus partner lounges on many connecting itineraries.