United Polaris 767 London to New York
Over the past few years, I’ve flown United Polaris Business Class multiple times—but every single time, I made a conscious effort to avoid their ageing Boeing 767s.
My logic was simple: even if the seat was technically the same, these airframes are 25–30 years old. Surely, they couldn’t offer the same comfort and quietness as a 787 or even a 777.
But last month, I finally gave in. I had a trip where avoiding the 767 meant adding too much time to my journey. So I chose convenience over preference and decided to find out if the aircraft’s age really made a difference.
And you know what? I wasn’t working on the flight—and ended up having a genuinely enjoyable ride to New York. Dare I say it: I came away with a whole new appreciation for United’s consistency.
Flight Details
Route: London (LHR) to New York (EWR)
Date: March 2025
Flight No:
Departure: 12:05 PM
Duration: 8h30 (scheduled)
Aircraft: Boeing 767-300ER
Seat: 5L
With just 90 minutes before departure, I arrived at Heathrow Terminal 2.
The check-in zone was nearly empty—I dropped my bag in under two minutes and breezed through Gold Track security.
I made a beeline for the recently renovated Lufthansa Lounge to sneak in a quick visit.
United’s own lounge at LHR remains one of their best globally, but honestly, a Polaris-branded lounge in London feels long overdue given it’s their highest-profile international route.
I cut it close getting to the gate—a solid 15-minute trek from the Terminal A concourse.
But I still paused to snap a photo of our 767.
I’ve never had much attachment to these aircraft, despite them being part of the early twin-engine wide-body era alongside the A300. Most of my 767 memories are forgettable—especially a brutal American Airlines flight to Rio in 2014.
United uses their high-J 767s on the London route, packing in 46 Polaris seats in a 1-1-1 configuration and 22 United Premium Plus seats.
That means over half the plane is dedicated to premium cabins!
After a warm greeting, I made my way to my seat near the front. I was the last to board—and to my surprise, the cabin was half-empty. The United app had shown 18 unsold Polaris seats at check-in, so there were clearly several no-shows.
For a moment, I wondered: could I have booked Premium and snagged a cheap upgrade?
Despite the cavernous cabin, it felt more polished than expected—even under the gloom of London skies that day.
While the 1-1-1 setup might not feel exclusive, it’s far superior to what Virgin or Air New Zealand offer. Delta’s 767 layout feels far more cramped with its 1-2-1 config.
During boarding, I interacted with two of the four Polaris crew.
Kelsey, who mainly looked after me, confirmed my pre-ordered meal selection.
Interestingly, only water was served pre-departure—likely due to tax regulations, as United typically offers bubbly at boarding.
We pushed back on time, but as usual at Heathrow, there was a queue to take off. We were number seven in line.
Still, we had a nice moment to admire one of BA’s Concordes on display..
Waiting at my seat: two blankets, a large pillow, a cooling gel memory foam pillow, a mattress pad, and the uniquely triangular Therabody amenity kit
It does feel like there are some items missing compared to my previous Polaris flights but I could not tell what !
On flights over 14 hours, United also provides Pyjamas and slippers on request.
Overall, United still maintains and impressive edge on that front.
Post take-off, hot towels were handed out—a classic touch—before drinks were served (oddly, the crew started with the opposite aisle first).
On this flight, United did not forget their menu, which was as follows:
United still serves real Champagne—an LP at that—and they’ve even upgraded the flutes.
I started with a prawn salad, which was plated with space on the tray for the main dish that followed a few minutes later.
I remembered having a decent meal on a Polaris flight to San Francisco in 2023—and I’m happy to report that the catering remains a notch above most U.S. departures. My spinach ravioli was solid—not groundbreaking, but enjoyable.
A prawn curry passed me by and looked quite tempting too.
To finish off lunch, the trusted Sundae hit the spot..
The lunch service was quick, leaving ample time to relax and enjoy the rest of the flight.
United’s IFE has a solid library of films, shows, and docs. The screen may not be cutting-edge, but it’s clear and crisp.
AvGeeks will appreciate the inflight map… when it works. Sadly, on this flight, it didn’t—at all.
Same with the WiFi. Despite being available for purchase at reasonable prices (and free for messaging), I couldn’t get it working, even after several attempts.
About 90 minutes after lunch, I made up the bed and tried to grab some rest. Honestly, I couldn’t tell the difference between this and United’s 787 or 777 beds.
The Saks Fifth Avenue bedding was plush, and I managed an unusually deep 2-hour nap—something I rarely do on daytime flights.
The crew set out snacks in the forward galley, though I barely had time to check them out before the pre-landing service kicked in.
United’s second meal is meant to be lighter—but you definitely won’t go hungry.
Unfortunately, there was only two choices here. I opted for the Chilli bean
It was a little more substantial than what you get on Air France, BA, or Virgin in this market. Quality-wise, it was pretty basic, but satisfying nonetheless.
As we descended into New York – with spectacular views to boot, I was struck by how enjoyable the flight had been.
Sure, the Polaris seat isn’t ground-breaking anymore—there are easily half a dozen better options out there.
And the food? Decent, but nothing show-stopping.
What stood out was the consistency. United delivered exactly what I expected—and then some. Friendly crew, a comfortable bed, and a well-paced flight.
With so many top international carriers provided such inconsistent levels of experience in business class depending on their feel. That kind of reliability, especially on an older aircraft like the 767, deserves real credit.
While on the subject of 767s, I have also flown one of the world’s youngest 767 with Air Astana – which goes to show you can have a decent product on this bird, if the airline cared enough !
Faze, founder of Wander Up Front and Elevate Your Stay, is a London-based travel specialist with a deep passion for aviation. With over 2 million miles flown, he has spent the last 7 years focusing on First and Business class experiences.
Faze provides straightforward, no-frills insights into premium airline products and services, sharing what matters to help travellers make informed choices.
Follow him on his adventures and behind the scene stories on Instagram !
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