Singapore will be among the first cities to see a brand new United Airlines long-haul Business Class product from early 2026, the Star Alliance carrier has announced, as it unveiled its latest seats at a recent event in New York.

The United ‘Elevated’ interior will see the airline install closing privacy doors to its Polaris Business Class seats for the first time, in addition to ‘Studio Suites’ rows at the front of each Business Class cabin section, offering 25% more space, the option for companion dining, and even caviar service – for an additional fee.

‘Polaris 2.0’ will also offer improvements to the soft product throughout Business Class, including better bedding and amenities, plus high-speed Wi-Fi connectivity from Starlink.

Polaris 2.0: What’s new

Described by United as a “multi-year, multi-billion dollar investment”, the new cabin will debut on its upcoming Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners from late 2025, with the Singapore route set to welcome the product in Q1 2026.

The carrier has branded this refreshed experience as an evolution of its Polaris concept, first introduced nearly a decade ago in 2016.

The most notable upgrade is the new Business Class suite, featuring:

• Sliding privacy doors
• Direct aisle access for all passengers
• Wireless charging pads
• 4K 19-inch seat-back entertainment screens
• Bluetooth audio pairing
• Custom mood lighting and personalised do-not-disturb indicators

Each seat also includes enhanced storage, larger tray tables and ergonomic seat controls.

The 1-2-1 configuration provides direct aisle access as expected, but features an interesting mixed layout: forward cabin centre seats face each other (reverse herringbone), while rear cabin centre seats face the aisles (herringbone). Window seats consistently face outward towards the windows in both cabin sections.

United says this configuration offers ideal options for different travellers: solo passengers can choose the forward section where centre seats face each other, as the console positioning and greater physical distance between each passenger means they’re effectively separated from their neighbour, despite the inward orientation.

Meanwhile, couples will likely prefer the rear section where the aisle-facing centre seats are positioned closer together, creating a more intimate space when the privacy partition is lowered that even allows for a double bed-like option.

The seats are still angled away from each other, but a mattress pad in the middle section creates more sleeping space.

The seat is a customised version of the Adient Aerospace Ascent model, first launched by Qatar Airways on its Boeing 787-9s, and now also in service with Hawaiian Airlines on the same aircraft type.

There will also be an in-flight snack bar between the two Business Class cabin sections.

Here passengers will be able to grab-and-go a variety of items from brands like Garretts, Community, and Joe & Seph’s.

Studio Suites: A first for United

The first row of each Business Class cabin will house United’s new Studio Suites.

These feature a 25% larger footprint than standard suites and allow for companion dining with an ottoman seat for a guest.

There are also huge 27-inch 4K OLED in-flight entertainment screens with Bluetooth connectivity, and quartzite tables with wood grain trim and wool-blend seats. Other features include:

• An Ossetra caviar amuse-bouche service paired with Laurent-Perrier Cuvée Rosé Champagne
• Wireless charging, USB-C and other electrical outlets
• Hoodie pyjamas and slippers on all flights
• Noise-cancelling headphones powered by Meridian technology
• Amenity kits featuring clinically formulated Perricone MD Cold Plasma Plus+ luxury skincare products
• United-branded playing cards
• A velvet throw pillow on the ottoman and Saks Fifth Avenue bedding that includes a duvet, day blanket, large pillow and cooling gel pillow

To our knowledge, caviar service in Business Class is currently limited to selected Qatar Airways and Thai Airways flights – here we see United serving it in what is essentially a ‘Business+’ cabin.

Additional storage and enhanced privacy will make these seats the most coveted onboard, but of course that will come at a price – yet to be confirmed but potentially upwards of US$600 extra on a Singapore – San Francisco flight, compared to a regular Polaris ticket.

Upgraded soft product

In addition to the seat enhancements, United is rolling out:

• Enhanced bedding and amenity kits in partnership with Therabody and Saks Fifth Avenue
• Free Starlink Wi-Fi for fast, low-latency internet connectivity across all classes, including coverage over “polar and oceanic routes – previously black holes of connectivity”

The new cabins also include larger overhead bins, dynamic mood lighting and advanced air purification systems.

Starlink Wi-Fi in particular is rapidly emerging as a sought-after upgrade to the passenger experience worldwide, with airlines like Qatar Airways, Air France and SAS already offering it or preparing to roll out this new benchmark for in-flight connectivity.

Singapore – San Francisco: Among the first routes

United has confirmed that Singapore will be among the very first cities to receive the new ‘Polaris 2.0’ Business Class suite. The upgraded product will debut on the Singapore – San Francisco route in early 2026, operating on one of the airline’s new 787-9 Dreamliners.

That’s welcome news for premium travellers flying one of the world’s longest non-stop flights, spanning nearly 8,500 miles and currently scheduled at up to 17 hours 40 minutes.

While the exact start date and flight details have not yet been announced, here’s how United’s schedule between Singapore and San Francisco currently looks in the first quarter of 2026, with 14 weekly services on offer in each direction.

United Airlines Singapore – San Francisco Schedule
(Q1 2026)

			Days
			M	T	W	T	F	S	S
	UA2 787-9
SIN 10:10		SFO 09:00
Duration: 14:50
	UA28 787-9
SIN 22:20		SFO 21:15
Duration: 14:55
	UA29 787-9
SFO 11:35		SIN 20:15*
Duration: 17:40
	UA1 787-9
SFO 23:40		SIN 08:00**
Duration: 17:20

* Next day
** Two days later

United’s 11-hour London to San Francisco route will also see the new cabins from early next year, with at least one of the carrier’s two daily flights transitioning from a Boeing 777 to the Boeing 787-9, at a date yet to be confirmed.

New Premium Economy and Economy Class cabins

It’s not just Business Class getting a revamp. United is also introducing refreshed Premium Plus (Premium Economy) and Economy cabins:

• Premium Plus: More privacy with fixed-wing headrests, upgraded footrests and leg rests, 16-inch 4K OLED seat back screens, Bluetooth connectivity, wireless charging, privacy dividers and upgraded soft goods

• Economy: 13-inch 4K OLED seat back screens – among the largest in Economy Class – with Bluetooth pairing, shared power at each row, plus more spacious, contoured seating, and expanded dining options with three entrée choices, new desserts, and an appetiser course

The trend for larger in-flight entertainment screens in these cabins continues, with United actually matching the 13-inch versions now seen in Economy Class with Emirates and JAL on their latest Airbus A350s, as well as Malaysia Airlines on its new Airbus A330neos.

Singapore Airlines lags behind here – it’s Economy Class IFE screens max out at 11.6 inches.

Which aircraft will feature the new product?

United’s new Polaris suite and updated cabins will first appear on its new Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners from late 2025. Here’s how the jets will be configured, compared to the carrier’s existing 787-9 aircraft.

United Boeing 787-9 Configurations
Cabin	Existing Boeing 787-9	New Boeing 787-9
Polaris Studio	—	8
Polaris Suites	48	56
Premium Plus	21	35
Economy Plus	39	33
Economy	149	90
Total	257	222

As you can see these new aircraft will feature a much more premium-heavy configuration than current 257-seat layout of the carrier’s Boeing 787-9 aircraft, with 33% more seats in Polaris Business Class and 67% more in Premium Plus, which naturally comes at the expense of the Economy cabin where there’s a 40% capacity reduction.

These aircraft will be among the lowest-capacity Boeing 787-9s in the world once they enter service – though ANA will hold the title with its 206 total seat count, including 48 of the incredible-looking ‘THE Room FX’ Business Class, on upcoming deliveries also due next year.

Eventually, United plans to retrofit its existing wide-body fleet with the new cabins, though specific aircraft types and retrofit timelines have not yet been confirmed.

Redemption rates

Here are the award redemption rates using Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer miles to redeem on United flights (Star Award) compared to SIA flights on the Singapore – San Francisco route.

KrisFlyer Saver Redemption Rates SIN to/from SFO (one-way)
		Saver	Advantage
Economy	60,500	42,000	70,000
Premium Economy	n/a	75,000	n/a
Business	119,000	107,000	128,500

You might even want to splash out an extra 12,000 miles vs. an SIA Saver award to try out the “Polaris 2.0” experience, once it’s deployed on the route.

Whether you redeem KrisFlyer miles for United or SIA flights on this route, taxes and fees of S$88.30 are payable in the Singapore – San Francisco direction and only around S$7 in the opposite direction, in addition to the miles outlay.

Singapore Airlines currently deploys its Airbus A350 Long Haul (SQ32/31) and Airbus A350 ULR (SQ33/34) aircraft on the San Francisco route, both of which have the carrier’s 2013 Business Class seats, but are due to be upgraded with the latest upcoming closed-door product from 2026 onwards.

United’s Polaris 2.0 suite is a nice looking upgrade for the carrier’s long-haul Business Class product, well in line with the latest industry standards. With sliding doors, companion dining and even caviar in Studio Suites, plus fast in-flight Wi-Fi, the airline is clearly aiming to deliver a more competitive experience in this market.

Singapore-based travellers will be among the first to experience the new product when it debuts on the San Francisco route in early 2026. With 64 Business Class seats on each flight – 896 per week in each direction, up from the current 672 – once both daily services feature the new cabin, there’s every chance award space will be more generous too.

Stay tuned for further updates on ‘Polaris 2.0’ cabin rollout timelines and retrofit plans across the fleet, including the all-important launch date on the Singapore – San Francisco route.

(Cover Photo: United Airlines)