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United Airlines is gearing up to introduce its most premium plane yet.
The Chicago-based carrier will debut a new variant of the Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner next year, dubbed the “Elevated 787.” (The delivery timeline has been delayed, but more on that below.)
Furthermore, United has now officially published the seat map for the aircraft, first flagged by xJonNYC. While I’ve already seen the planned configuration at several media events, seeing the finalized seat map drives home just how unconventional this plane really is. It features nearly as many premium seats as economy seats.
Even more interesting: United quietly published a new detail that hasn’t been reported elsewhere.
Here’s what you need to know.
Related: Stop booking United flights the usual way. Here’s a better option.
United Elevated 787-9 delivery delay
To start, United’s first Elevated 787-9 delivery has been delayed.
Initially, the carrier had expected delivery of the first jet before the end of the year, with an inaugural flight scheduled for sometime in early 2026.
This timeline has now slipped, according to United, due to the recent government shutdown and other external factors. Deliveries will now commence early next year, and the inaugural flight is likely to be scheduled slightly later than initially planned.
64 Polaris seats on the Boeing 787-9
As for the plane itself, well, the seat map is pretty wild. The Polaris business-class cabin takes up more than half of the aircraft.
There are 16 rows of Polaris seats in a 1-2-1 configuration, giving every passenger direct aisle access. This jet will be the first to feature United’s next-generation Polaris product, which — based on the mockups I’ve experienced — represents a meaningful upgrade over today’s seats.
The seats feature new wood-grain finishes, customizable mood lighting, small storage closets with mirrors, entertainment remotes with trackpads, an AC outlet, two USB-C ports, and a Qi wireless charging pad.
The jet will also be the first aircraft to feature the Polaris Studio, United’s new extra-spacious bulkhead seats located in rows 1 and 9. In total, there are eight Polaris Studio seats, though two of them (1D and 1F) won’t include proper buddy seats with seatbelts.
The remaining Studios do include companion seating, allowing passengers to dine with a travel partner.
Another standout feature is the layout of the center seats. In the forward Polaris cabin (rows 1 through 8), the center seats angle toward each other. In the rear cabin (rows 9 through 17), the center seats angle away from each other — a configuration that enables the first-ever double bed in Polaris.
According to the airline, the beds will measure 78 inches long.
There are four lavatories dedicated to Polaris passengers — two at the front of the aircraft and two between the two business-class cabins.
As a new dad, my biggest disappointment with this configuration is the elimination of bassinets from the business-class cabin.
35 Premium Plus seats on the Boeing 787-9
Behind Polaris is a 35-seat Premium Plus cabin.
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Seats are arranged in a standard 2-3-2 configuration across five rows. Each seat is 19 inches wide, with 38 inches of pitch and six inches of recline.
This aircraft will also debut United’s newest Premium Plus recliner, which adds features like privacy dividers, wireless charging, and other design upgrades.
There’s no galley separating Polaris and Premium Plus, though a galley is located just behind the premium economy cabin.
Premium Plus passengers will share four lavatories with economy, which likely means lines before landing and during meal services.
123 economy seats on the Boeing 787-9
There’s just one economy cabin on the Elevated 787, spanning rows 30 through 44.
The first five rows are Economy Plus seats with 34 inches of pitch and 17.6 inches of width. The remaining economy seats offer a tighter 31-inch pitch.
Every seat on the aircraft is equipped with a 4K OLED screen that supports Bluetooth headphone pairing.
There are also two universal power outlets for every three seats.
Introducing: a walk-up bar
United first introduced a walk-up snack bar on the CRJ-550 in 2019, expanded the concept to the Airbus A321neo in 2023, and is now bringing it to its widebody fleet.
The Elevated 787-9 will feature a self-serve snack bar located between the two Polaris cabins, according to a newly published rendering on United’s website.
This amenity will almost certainly be reserved for business-class passengers. That said, I wouldn’t be shocked to see United also add a second walk-up bar near the rear galley, similar to what it offers on the A321neo.
Either way, self-serve snack areas are a welcome addition on long-haul flights, especially when you’re feeling peckish overnight. This way, you won’t need to flag down a flight attendant or, heaven forbid, press the call button.
Is this configuration sustainable?
If there’s one takeaway from this LOPA (layout of passenger accommodations), it’s that United is betting big on premium demand sticking around.
With more than 50% of the aircraft cabin dedicated to Polaris and Premium Plus, the airline is clearly expecting travelers (and their employers) to keep paying up for premium cabins.
That’s not entirely surprising, given that United plans to deploy this jet on some of its most premium-heavy routes, including the two launch markets from San Francisco to London and Singapore.
Premium demand has been strong for years, but economic uncertainty still looms.
If the trend continues, this aircraft could be a major win for United.
If it doesn’t — or even during off-peak travel periods — I wouldn’t be surprised to see increased upgrade space and more saver award availability on this jet.
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