UNITED POLARIS Flight Review (Business Class Switzerland - USA)
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- Äas pĆidĂĄn 17. 06. 2024
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đł Paid: Approx. $1200 roundtrip CGK-EWR via Swiss. Booked in March 2022.
FAQ:
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Airline: United Airlines, UA
Aircraft: Boeing 767-300
Aircraft registration: N675UA
Flight date: September 1, 2022
Route: Zurich Airport - Newark Liberty International Airport
Flight numbers: UA135
Seat: 5L
Contact for general questions and business inquiries:
hi@nonstopdan.com
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Music:
share.epidemicsound.com/nqD7H
This video is sponsored by Masterworks.
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Timestamps:
00:00 Intro
00:38 Who is Nonstop Dan?
01:07 How much I paid (great deal)
01:24 Why was I taking this flight?
02:15 United Boeing 767-300 Seat Map (Premium Config)
03:13 What I love most about United
04:14 United Polaris Business Class Cabin
05:05 United Polaris Business Class Seat
06:46 United Polaris Business Class Pre-Departure Service
06:55 United Polaris Business Class Menu
07:22 Departure from Zurich
08:34 GIVEAWAY ANNOUNCEMENT
09:16 United United Polaris Business Class Drinks
09:50 United Polaris Business Class Entertainment + Wifi
10:56 United Polaris Business Class Meal (lunch)
11:40 United Polaris Business Class Bed
12:34 United Polaris Business Class Away Amenity Kit
13:25 United Polaris Business Class Lavatory + Pre-Arrival Meal Service
14:11 Conclusion
This video and its sound are protected by CZcams copyright, âand any unapproved use in other videos will be reported.
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Yeah. Not skipping the waitlist at all.
Banksy is way overrated. If I owned a wall and Banksy sprayed a graffiti on it Iâd hire a cleaning crew to remove it. Heâs the mediaâs darling and that drives up the price of his pieces. Once he loses their attention they will drop in price faster than a brick.
I really wish you wouldn't promote "investments" like Masterworks, Dan. While it is a step above promoting Crypto, it's still not great, and isn't a good look for your channel, in my personal opinion.
@@greggmacdonald9644 ITS A SCAM COMPANY!!!
Please tell me you're offsetting your emissions...
I fly United nearly exclusively. They get a lot of hate, some of it justified, but in general they're consistent. They've never left me stranded. I've had horrible experiences with Delta and American. Are their meals 5 star? No. But they'll get you from point a to b, fairly comfortably, and usually without fuss. They're not trying to be a Singapore or Emirates, but they don't need to be. They need to be the best option in the US.
Emirates is the signature representative of Emirati airlines thatâs why they are the top on everything. United, an American airline (same with AA) should be like Emirates. The top.
@@christianbonilla2768 that would not be profitable
@@christianbonilla2768 Emirates is not profitable my guy. They're completely government owned. United doesnt have the luxury of spending more money than they earn
@@christianbonilla2768 government-funded carrier vs one that's responsible to shareholders are two very different things
I live in Denver, one of United's larges hubs (I think they have over 100 gates at DIA). I exclusively fly United simply for the availability of flights from Denver. I've never had a single issue with them and prefer them over all other US carriers. Internationally, however, I lean more towards Air Canada.
I flew United's 787-8 basic economy roundtrip Dulles-Athens this summer, and I was blown away. It probably helped that I had zero expectations going into the flight (I wasn't even expecting meals), but I was shocked by how comfortable the seats were, how good the food was, and how impressive the entertainment options were. United is really stepping up.
Pretty sure not serving meals in an intercontinental flight and starving passengers is against the rules. Not sure why your expectations are so low.
All international flights definitely give meals no matter what.
Agree 100%. Flew to Europe earlier this year, United going and Lufthansa on the return, and was shocked that UA was the better flight experience. Times sure have changed!
13:08 BRO FACTS. It's always surprising to me how every flight I'm on, everyone around me keeps their windows closed for pretty much the entirety of the flight - even for take off and landing!
Like, bruh, don't be taking up window seats when YOU DON'T EVEN LOOK OUT THE WINDOW
As good as the in-air product is, an absolute gem for United Polaris is their airport lounges. Absolutely beautiful, incredible variety of food, including a sit down restaurant, and a terrific bar. And wonderful varied seating. They also have lovely shower facilities. The Polaris Lounge at SFO makes you want to get to the airport early to enjoy it.
I guess Iâm just jaded, because on a recent visit to the OâHare Polaris lounge before a flight in ANA Biz, I found it quite meh. Beautiful, I guess, but not better than a Centurion Lounge or any of the better priority pass lounges in Asia.
But not available to Priority card holders such as me.
Lol you must be a United bot, their lounges are very average
@@Starrynova You obviously haven't been in one of the Polaris lounges. When you travel Polaris Class then you have access to them. They are outstanding (SFO's is simply phenom). ORD's is a little small. EWR is nice but gets very crowded in the late afternoon early evening for all the flights to Europe / South America.
@@robertschrader You're right... ORD is actually the least impressive. Nice mind you, but not as great as the others. If you get a chance to check out SFO you'll be very impressed.
I have just returned from flying with United in economy Sydney to London via stopover in San Francisco. It was a pretty good experience- the crew were efficient, helpful & very kind to my 8 year old grandson. The seats were fairly comfortable & most of the food was OK. I found it easy to keep track of flight details, any gate changes etc via the United App. I would definitely fly with them again trans Pacific & Atlantic
I was a bit nervous to watch this one but happy to see a positive review of United from you, I'm 2/3 of the way to million miler status and not starting over with Delta or AA! I was Continental Platinum when they merged with United and flew 92 segments during the merger year when customer service and computer problems were at its worst. The food used to be much better, it hasn't been the same since covid. Amanda and I took the inaugural Polaris flight about 5 years ago and they were offering actual appetizers and even wine tastings on board, but they've improved in other ways you mentioned. In my experience Polaris service is much friendlier than their reputations suggests and you're usually greeted by name but you've typically got to use that call button if you need anything after the meal service is over. I prefer the window shade open, let that beautiful natural light in please!â
it is weird when you look at the crap he eat...
Hello fellow Continental refugee!
Heh! Myself and my family have flown United since before they even merged with Continental! Weâve been collecting miles basically since Star Alliance was established, and now we have well over 1.2 million đ
Just flew ZRH - ORD on a B767 and was in the same seat as you. It was a very enjoyable flight with good service, decent food, and extremely comfortable seat/bed. I sleep like a baby in Polaris almost every time.
5:36 I like that "bar" configuration for the seat controls. It's sleeker than the "schematic" kind
Iâm pleased to hear some good reviews of our USA-based airlines. United is one the main airlines from Houstonâs hub so Iâm pleased to see this video review! Thank you!
Fantastic review Nonstop Dan! You are my favourite flight reviewer! Keep up the amazing work!
We flew Polaris business class in December 2019 from Houston to Frankfurt. It was brilliant. Even better, our flight was initially booked on the old United business class, and there was a plane change the night before.
Glad to see it improving
Happy informative, entertaining video, as always! AndâŠwhat a turnaround! Great to see US carriers making a comeback. Very funny when you said, âCheck out the beautiful viewsâ and your view featured the plane engine!
United is still the worlds worst airline
@@maxsaviation9512 I hear yaâ! Sometimes one awful experience can create bad feeling for life. Iâm still angry at KLM for a thoughtless incident in 1994.
I flew with United from Amsterdam to Newark in May and I had a great time on board. We even had a Dutch speaking steward on board (he works and lives in the US).
First time watching your videos, I love your commentary. I laughed and smiled thru it. Great review, look forward to seeing more!
Thanks for a great review. I love the premium heavy layout of this 767-300, and in particular I think your seat by the window with a lovely view of the Pratt and Whitney PW4000 was a great choice!
What a great flight experience and yet another amazing video.
I enjoy watching your videos...thank you and keep making them!
Keep promoting Oskar and Dan through this channel. It's an awesome channel and it's worth more!
I've been watching your reviews for years and I have to say, this one really surprised me. I'll take a closer look at using UA Polaris for my next TATL. Thanks, Dan.
I loved the positivity of this review đ
United started a new route from my home city, Cape Town to Washington with the 787. First direct flight from Cape Town to the US. Hoping to fly this one day.
You make our choices in booking new trips easier. Thank you đ
Avoid united at all costs! They are the worlds worst airline!!
Iâm glad to see United is striving to be a bit more compatible with other carriers in higher tier seats. I must say, I do not understand why everyone on American flights immediately lowers their shades for the entire flightâŠ.even on daytime flights. I feel extremely intimidated to open my shade. Also, a lovely give away. As always, you are extremely thoughtful and generous. Thank you đ
I flew from Rio to Houston couple weeks ago on Polaris (first time on this product) and had a very pleasant flight. Sure UA business doesn't compare to say EVA, Cathay, or Singapore, but it's a very decent product. I would not hesitate to fly Polaris again.
Totally enjoyed my Polaris flight last week from IAD-BRU. The dessert cart was amazing! And the main courses were surprisingly good! Just hoping they bring back the separate appetizer course soon...
The separate appetiser is back!
Im taking my first business class flight on United in April to London. I was a bit skeptical at first since Ive heard some not so great things about it. But this recent review makes me now excited rather than skeptical. Thanks for the review
Im also taking my first business class flight on united to london, in early may. Have fun!
@@mrcrazyvid1 I think United is a good introduction to flying business class. Im excited to try it. Have fun as well!
Flying Polaris from Houston to Sydney in May. Haven't seen a bad review of it yet. Thanks for the information
Props to you Dan for helping someone get back together with their family with the giveaway!
Thanks for the review, just got a status match to my Qantas membership and will be making a number of flights with United in FebruaryâŠ.am quite looking forward to it now.
Good points! I really have enjoyed United Polaris compared to Lufthansa, American, and Iberia. I think there's still a lot of room to improve the food, but if you order a special meal it's usually quite good. I hear the full service ice cream cart is coming back, which I have dearly missed.
Can confirm ice cream cart is back. Flew Polaris round trip to Europe in March
Flew Polaris on the 767-300 London yo Chicago and back this week, landing back at Heathrow this morning. Thoroughly impressive product. I'm a big guy and even managed some sleep on the red-eye last night. Food was great. Entertainment was great. Staff were attentive. Couldn't really fault it.
Very good! I love the way you balance the negative and positives. Some of these «flight review channels» tend to lean towards eitherâŠ
This was a great review! United has become my favorite US carrier to the world!
Great vid!!!
This past summer I flew from DEN-ATL-PNS (A321 and 737-900ER) with Delta . Before we had only flown Frontier and United. The service on these flights were amazing. The flights went by quick because we watched movies the entire time. We decided that Delta being more expensive than Frontier is worth our money for many reasons.
Awesome job dan
As always I love your videos
Planning a trip to Europe sometime this spring... I'm fixing to give United's Polaris a shot on the transatlantic leg between Denver & Frankfurt. The only thing more awesome would be to get seated near a CZcams flight reviewer like yourself!
Flew polaris for the first time last night and instantly took pics of the little death star salt and pepper shakers. Flee EWR to Dublk
In and loved it. Qualified for silver and got upgraded same day. My meals definitely looked a step above yours in the video so maybe things have improved. Ans there was a wine list on the back of the menu.
Another good one !
Another great video and Dan is spot-on about the technology and apps from AA, United and Delta. It's shocking how far behind other airlines are compared to US carriers. I do wish the US legacy carriers understood how flight attendants impact the in-flight experience. Maybe next time they renegotiate their union contracts they prohibit the most tenured and laziest flight attendants from working international business/first class. These US carriers have greatly improved their international business class product but their service from the flight attendants is hit or miss depending on who you get to work your side of the aisle. I really hope airline executives view Dan's videos because they are so darn accurate and truthful.
Polaris really has seemed geared towards business travelers, in my opinion. This is not a bad thing. As you said, itâs not GREAT, itâs definitely not Emirates but it doesnât try to be- itâs a very comfortable seat, with (usually) good food (now even in shorter haul domestic routes) and very good IFE. I think itâs good value for your miles and for a very long haul trip, all I want is NOT to be in economy- so Polaris more than fits the bill!
The tech aspect is true. With the new free Wifi upgrade on Delta and the possibility of viewing on board entertainment on our own device like an iPad or the phone on United was pretty spectacular to see. Plus the wifi speeds are amazing
Nice flight review.
Love it!
Your description of the actual SERVICE on United business class is what I remember the last time I flew the same....8 years ago.
I enjoy your informative videos about flying. When planning travel for the next year, I will reduce the number of trips just so I can fly up front. At 6â4â, a ride over a couple hours is guaranteed to throw my back out if I ride in economy class. If a destination is commanding a cost premium in business class, I either change my destination or add a stop so I can arrive feeling my best. Generally, I prefer United over the other US airlines. There was a time when I was intrigued by British Airwaysâ business class, so I flew them to Istanbul from Houston via London. Sure was awful. United is my tried and true favorite.
United is gradually growing on me after seeing so many positive reviews from various CZcamsrs.
I've never tried their longhaul flights yet and have been equally avoiding them due to the reputation. I'll be pleased to try them myself next year.
I flew United Polaris from Houston to London last month. Was pleasantly surprised by the seat and amenities. Food and service were fine, but lacked refinement, and I was surprised that dinner was served on a single tray. May have to try them more, even though in the past I have found them inconsistent.
United is doing a good job. The 787 and 767 all now have the newer seating. Most of the 777 do also except the high density. 2023 will be a big year for United. I believe all labor contracts will get done and a re-fresh of the food is underway. The United app hands down is the best of any airline in the world. I love the Polaris lounges also, very relaxing!
another thing that United needs is luck, namely with supply chain. In 2021, they announced plans to retrofit their 737s. That hasnât started yet, and according to a PaxEx Aero, itâs because of supply chain issues from Panasonic (IFE manufacturer), which United has no reasonable control over. in their long-haul portfolio, the slowness of Unitedâs Polaris retrofits was also caused by factors that no airline could reasonably foresee, such as supply chain issues from Safran (seat manufacturer), Covid, PW engine issues, and the halt of Boeing 787 deliveries. for their long-haul portfolio, United is starting to get lucky. PW engine issues resolved, Boeing resumes 787 deliveries, and Safran can competently manufacture seats. United wants to see faster retrofits as much as their customers do, but the things that slow them down are beyond their reasonable control.
They've really upped their game!
Great video as always Dan. I flew on Unitedâs 777-200 from Milan to EWR in economy and the aircraft unfortunately didnât have individual air vents in any cabin. They also made everyone shut their window shades for 80% of the flight. I felt like I was going to go crazy cause I need the window open on a day flight.
I think you will find that all the larger Boeing wide bodies do not have air vents. That design is not unique to United. The reason is that the ceiling is too high to reach vents if they were installed.
Only the EX Continental 777s do not have air vents (GE 90 Engines). The pre merger United 777s (all P&W engines), have air vents. This was legacy of the Continental penny pinch mentality - They saved $200k per plane to suppress the optional air vents,
@@tuolumne9 oh interesting. Thatâs definitely something good to know and look for. You were correct my aircraft had the glorious GE90s
Tofuti! Love the 767. Have had good experiences flying United
I flew that aircraft type from iad-ams in premium, was noticeably tiny but super nice
that is the United "High-J" configuration. A treat for sure
This is the nicest review Iâve ever seen from you and it had my super skeptical about whether Iâm missing some sarcasm? đ€Łđ€Łđ€Ł
Love your vlogs đđ«¶đ»â€ïžâ€ïžâ€ïžâ€ïž
Thank youuuâ€ïž
I flew on the same type of plane as you did - the premium-heavy 767-300 - in Economy, from Geneva (GVA) to Washington (IAD). That flight was very enjoyable with comfortable economy seats and friendly service.
The lavatory of the 767 was extremely spacious - actually designed to fit humans!
11:35 Those give off golf ball vibes
Youâve been obsessed with airplanes for as long as I can remember! đâ€đ
I recently took a flight where I made a last minute change from a United 767 to a Swiss A340 and you're making me regret my choice! Swiss was more direct though and I was able to snag a bulkhead seat, so was worth it. Good to know Polaris lie flat is more comfortable though.
I flew united polaris last year from london to chicago and it was pretty nice.
Compared to my usual BA old club world, the seat was better, food was about the same, drink was worse, service was about the same or worse. The polaris lounge in chicago is fantastic if you're connecting onwards, but if you're ending your trip in chicago you can't access it as it's airside.
When BA finishes upgrading to new club world, I'll probably stick with BA full time.
With numerous trips to Europe, I fly united for the star alliance lounges. Gold member. My biggest complaint is the Polaris lounges Newark and Dulles are insanely overcrowded. Most recent in Newark, may 5, came into an empty lounge, went to the bathroom and came back to a fully loaded lounge. I ate standing up. Not the only time. Iâll be at Dulles in sept so maybe Iâll get lucky
I canât wait to try out Polaris cross country, sometime soon
just flew them...great hard product...swiss needs to up its game in particular Airbus 330
This is so cool! Iâve never heard of this general, but I want to check out more. How is it his full-time job though, if he says all of it has been fully funded by him đ€ may be writing reviews or some thing?
great flight last week from tokyo to ord
UA 1K here- the drink menu is in the magazine!!! Also, you missed out on the Polaris lounge which completes the experience
My parents just flew ORD-HND in Premium Plus, and they were pleasantly surprised.
The eyemask is the best i've ever had!
United is the de facto US flag carrier with much more international service than Delta or American, has a great frequent flyer program and offers frequent departures from my local airport, so I want to love them. Last time I flew Polaris from ZĂŒrich to JFK the seat was filthy and the tenured staff scoffed at me when I asked for a wet rag to clean it up. Consistency matters. Glad you had a better experience!
do you have a video on united economy plus? i'm interested in that for my trip to london next year.
Dan I hate ads but THANK YOU for Masterworks! I signed up!đ
6:32 if you are flying on the larger widebodys like the 777 and 787 on the middle seats they do have a window unlike on the 767
I'm a recently retired United 787 Captain and I was curious about your comment that "95% of United's staff is unhappy with management". Could you reply where you found that statistic because I've never seen or heard it. In fact, I would say that United's management team for the last 5 years has been pretty top notch. Otherwise, keep up the good work. Your airline service videos are really informative.
My guess is a culture that doesnât allow or encourage or listen to the workerâs concerns. And you were a captain. Quite a different POV than the rest of the staff.
Please do a review on La Compagnie!! I wanna hear your thoughts about it
Beautiful scene of the Caribbean Airline 737
You've really got the accent and attitude down for the EWR-based UA FAs!
I use united / star alliance forever. I agree has its ups and downs. International flights seems way different with service and flight crew. Lastly..Last week I got a signed card on my seat welcoming me to the million miler club. Honestly havenât noticed anything different lol. That day 3 777âs -200 from DEN to IAD were broke. I must say the staff did bring out water and snacks for everyone and gave meal vouchers I think for $15.00. The morel of the story is I couldnât leave the gate and sit /relax in the lounge because they made us feel that each plane could board any min. 8 hours later ..we did. I should of trusted my gut and found another united flight. A triple 7 first class I guess was more important đą
Very true.
I love flying to ZĂŒrich on United. I live in Basel and am from Chicago so I fly from zĂŒrich to ohare so muchđ
Hi Dan, which site do you use for searching flights?
i love this when i move the the US next year i will try united out
Avoid united at all costs! United is the worlds worst airline!
Wow! a complete surprise. The world is changing...our memories of United are like nightmares...
I have to agree, United has come a long way. I live in northern Vermont; closest major airport is Montreal, so I flew out of there to Amsterdam a couple of months ago. Lufthansa on the way over (to Frankfurt, then back to Amsterdam). Return flight was on United, via Newark. In both cases I had seats at the front of the economy cabin, but the Lufthansa A340 still felt cramped, the seat was uncomfortable, the food was poor (and there was only one choice), and the entertainment system was terrible, with earbuds that only worked on the left channel and sounded like they were wrapped in a towel. By contrast, my United flight back was surprisingly pleasant. My similar seat on the 777 was much more comfortable and roomy, the food was actually quite tasty for economy class, and the entertainment system was great. I did actually stream the movie through my iPhone, because that meant I could use my AirPods Pro so sound quality was very good.
My only complaint with the return flight was not Unitedâs fault: upon arrival in Newark, I had to go through US customs even though I wasnât stopping in the US at that point but just connecting through to Canada. Then of course I had to go through Canadian customs upon arriving there⊠and then once Iâd retrieved my car, I had to go through US customs again when crossing the border on my drive home. Going through customs three times is a bit tiresome.
Of the American carriers I tend to fly on (but I have poor taste cause I actually really like Lufthansa but last time I flew them was MUC-BOS in Feb. 2020) I far prefer United over Delta or American.
I'm almost always on transatlantic flights based out of Boston, JFK or EWR, with mostly flying from Boston since the before times. I had a fantastic flight in Premium Economy on a recent BOS-LHR/LHR-BOS on United's 767-300ER at the end of Oct. 2022 - it was great for what it was - glad I didn't pay up for Polaris, and had a subpar seat on my way to London (21A) that I was scheduled to also be on for the return flight. I was fortunately able to change my seat for my return trip (22G) on the United app before we even started our descent into Heathrow.
Delta is better, but the BA of American carriers imo when it comes to price (ie overpriced af)
Can't wait to try Turkish normal economy on a trip in March to Vienna from BOS via the new Istanbul Airport. May even get to try Qatar or Emirates from PHL to NBO either for Christmas in a few weeks or next fall, with my Dad for our Heritage trip back to where he grew up and when the last time I visited I was 4 & 1 month old.
Are you going to check out FlyNorse/Norse Atlantic once? That wouldâve been great, Iâm so curious haha
Iâm such a huge fan and been following for over 2,5 years now!! Love your great work and fantastic vibeâ€ïž
Can you do another Qantas review?
I flew to the US with Lufthansa Business in January and back to Belgium in February with Polaris and Polaris was just so much better!
very nice
Nice journey
Yes
I am an United global services⊠while they are not as good as the likes of SQ, I love United because they have consistent service (in a good way) and they take care of the GS customers.
Love the video dan.never flown United yet.just might do,for some reason virgin airways does not do it for me.fly safe.đ
Something I think about a lot is as more airlines are building this little suite style seating in business and first, the entrance into these suites are often quite narrow. Whatâs the point in having a 22-26 in comfortable seat is the entryway into the seat is only 16 inches? I know itâs not a big deal for thin folks but it seems counter intuitive & acts as a barrier for anyone with wide hips.
Hey, Dan! What's that stylish backpack that you wear on this video? On 3:15 for example.
I flew on United buisness class 787 and, it was something else. It was great and the food they offered was great in my opinion