United Polaris is United Airlines’ answer to business class and is available on many international routes. But how much does it cost to fly Polaris? 
United Airlines does not allow passengers to purchase a lower class and then bid for the higher class, unlike Hawaiian Airlines’ Bid Up program. Passengers can upgrade to Polaris using points or purchase it at the stated amount.
The cost of upgrading to United Polaris varies widely, depending on the route, demand, season, and the class from which one is upgrading, being important factors. Costs are sometimes significantly impacted by things like seemingly minor connecting flights, even when they are operated by the same airline. Here are some things to know about United’s business class and upgrading to it.
What To Expect In United Polaris
United says United Polaris “brings a new level of quality premium cabin travel” and that it “provides the best sleep in the sky.” As United does not offer first class, Polaris is the highest class type that United has. At the airport, passengers enjoy Premier Access that grants them access to the priority check-in line, priority bag handling, and more. Those flying on long-haul international flights can experience the airlines’ exclusive United Polaris lounges.
Polaris lounges are found at United’s hubs like Chicago O’Hare, Houston Intercontinental, Los Angeles, New York-Newark, San Francisco, and Wasington-Dulles. When there is no Polaris lounge at the departure airport, passengers can access another United Club or partner lounge. Business class passengers can also check in two bags.
Once in the air, passengers have fully lie-flat beds with mattress cushions and pajamas available on request on some routes. The beds are six feet and six inches long. Polaris seats are based on the Safran Optima platform, with each being arranged to have direct access to the aisle. They are 20 inches wide and come with 16-inch HD touchscreens. When it comes to dining, it is the best United has to offer and includes a range of complementary beer, wine, and liquor.
Example Costs Of Long-Distance United Polaris Fares
As of the time of writing, looking at the popular New York-Newark to London-Heathrow transatlantic route for January, United’s basic economy class fares start at $234 or $284 for most days of the month. The costs of Polaris range from $8,168 for the 1st of January to a low of $2,258. Most days, United’s business class costs between $2,258 and $2,958 in January. United Flight UA 934 (a Boeing 767-300ER) is scheduled for an 08:25 flight to Heathrow and has a duration of seven hours and 10 minutes.
Its fares are $284 for Basic Economy, $384 for Economy, $584 for Fully Refundable Economy, $599 for Premium Economy, and $2,958 for Business (United Polaris). All else equal, this means business class is $2,359 more expensive than premium economy.
|
United Polaris starting prices in January, as of time of writing (one way) |
|||
|---|---|---|---|
|
Route |
Lowest price |
Highest price |
Typical range |
|
New York-Newark to London Heathrow |
$2,258 |
$8,168 |
$2,258 to $2,958 |
|
San Francisco to Auckland, New Zealand |
$7,063 |
$8,181 |
$7,063 to $8,181 |
|
New York-Newark to Johannesburg |
$6,308 |
$7,933 |
$6,308 to $7,059 |
Polaris fares start at $7,063 one way from San Francisco to Auckland on the first, but are generally $7,063 to $8,181 for most days. Searching in another direction, United’s Polaris flights from Newark to Johannesburg in South Africa for the month of January start at $6,308. All days in January are priced at $6,308 to $7,059, except for the first day of January, which costs $7,933.
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Price Difference Between Economy, Premium, And Business
For the New York to Johannesburg flight, the difference in price on the 15th January between premium economy ($2,963) and business ($7,008) is $4,045. For the same day, the difference in premium ($4,160) and business ($7,826) fares on the SFO to Auckland flight is $3,696. As stated, the difference in cost for the London flight is $2,359. The New Zealand flight is with a Boeing 777-200ER.
This suggests that on medium-haul Atlantic crossings, the business class fare can be four to five times the amount compared with premium economy. On long-haul flights, such as those to New Zealand and South Africa, the difference in fare is a little less than double that of premium economy. Just changing the flight a little can change the outcome significantly.
For example, changing the flight from LAX to Auckland, and the Polaris fare jumps from $8,181 to $8,745, but eye-catchingly, the premium economy fare leaps from $4,160 to $7,649. The only difference with flying from LAX is that it requires a connecting flight with an Embraer E175 to San Francisco operated by SkyWest. So flying from SFO to Auckland, Polaris costs $3,696 more than premium, but flying from LAX, the flight costs $1,096 more, even though it’s taking the same 777-200ER across the Pacific.
Price Fluctuations Can Seem Random
Passengers can book lower-class flights and then wait for offers and discounts to upgrade to Polaris. However, this is risky as the price of upgrading could go in either direction, or the class could just sell out. Generally, the system will automatically start offering discounts if it assesses that the flight will not sell out.
To some degree, the changing upgrade costs appear random, and they are difficult to predict. Sometimes it’s better to book early, while at other times it’s better to wait for discounts as the aircraft fails to sell out. There are other ways to look for a cheaper fare, one of which is to see what the costs of booking a segment independently are. For example, on that New Zealand route from LAX, a premium economy passenger could save $2,646 by booking the two segments individually ($4,160 + $393).
While the 1st January is by far the most expensive day to fly Polaris from New York EWR to London, the opposite is true when flying from Los Angeles to Auckland in New Zealand. It seems that the 1st is a day that many people want to fly in one part of the world, and a day that few people want to fly in another. For the routes searched above, the 1st of January was both the cheapest and most expensive day to fly Polaris.
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Costs Of Other United Upgrades
Not all upgrades need to be straight to business class. There are plenty of other upgrades United offers for which the prices are more predictable. Adding United Economy benefits starts at $74.50 for domestic flights and $149.50 for international flights per traveler and direction. Earbuds for in-flight entertainment cost up to $6.99. When it comes to purchasing food and drink on the flight, if alcohol is not complimentary, then it costs $6.99 to $15.99, while in-flight dining costs $3.29 to $9.99 when not complimentary.
United offers in-flight Wi-Fi on its flights. Domestic flights and short-haul international flights (e.g., to Canada and Mexico) are not enabled by Starlink. The price for connection is $8 for MileagePlus members and $10 for all others. As the mainline carrier airline industry is rolling out free in-flight Wi-Fi (often SpaceX’s Starlink), United is forced to follow suit. It has plans to roll out Starlink for its entire fleet over the next few years, making it free for MileagePlus loyalty program members.
United Club access costs up to $59 per person for a one-time pass and up to $750 per person per year for a membership. Pets cost $150 per line of flight. Preferred seating starts at $24 per flight for standard economy tickets and $136 per flight for basic economy tickets. For a full United Airlines price list, refer to the company’s website.
A Very Wide Range In Upgrade Fees
Passengers can choose to book Polaris directly or upgrade later. Paid Cabin Upgrades are open to all travelers flying with United when there’s space available. United says, “Use this type of upgrade to buy United Premium Plus, United First, or United Polaris business class seats, from the time you get your ticket until check-in.” Passengers can pay with miles or with money.
The upgrade from premium economy to business class is likely to cost at least $1,000, but likely considerably more. The price varies so much from so many factors that it is difficult to be much more precise than that when speaking in generalized terms. On the New York to London route, it is typical to expect $1,400 to $2,800+ to upgrade from economy to business class, although some passengers have reported upgrading for under $1,000.
Some people have managed to upgrade to Polaris for $600 to $1,800 for long-haul flights. For a long-haul flight, such as the 10-hour and 50-minute flight from San Francisco to Paris-CDG, an upgrade fee of $1,000 is considered a bargain. During peak travel seasons, the price of the upgrade can range from $5,000 to $8,000. So, how much does it cost to upgrade? Rather unhelpfully, a truthful answer is “anywhere from $800 to over $8,000.” A similarly unhelpful but honest answer would be simply, “It depends.”
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