United Airlines is upgrading its seating for its high-end fliers.
The company just announced that it will take delivery of over 250 aircraft by April 2028, the most by any airline in a two-year period, it says. And its new fleet will include the debut of its Coastliner planes, based on the Airbus A321neo, that offer up an elevated interior with new lie-flat premium seating courtesy of its next-gen Polaris suites—all with aisle access.
As the name suggests, the Coastliner will fly from San Francisco and L.A. to New Jersey’s Newark, touting a custom livery. The new aircraft give domestic fliers the chance to try out the Polaris experience, with more room at the elbow and shoulders along with a semi-translucent suite divider sectioning off each seat. And in addition to scoring access to the Polaris lounge, the new top-of-the-line option offers up Saks Fifth Ave. bedding, Perricone MD skincare, and premium headphones. The Coastliner will be home to 20 of those lie-flat seats, as well as 12 Premium Plus and 129 Economy options.
To make room for the Polaris suites, United replaced three seats from the plane’s usual configuration to make space for a snack bar that’s always up for grabs for Economy fliers. The airline says about 100 of these aircraft are set to join its fleet, replacing 40 older Boeing 757s, with the first preparing for takeoff this summer.
The Coastliner planes will be joined by United’s new A321XLR, which is also home to the upgraded Polaris seats. For this part of the fleet, which the airline says will be its most perineum offering, the aircraft will have 32 luxe seat options; here, the Polaris will have a privacy door and a 19-inch 4K OLED screen with Bluetooth connectivity. And for those heading aboard, you can hop aboard United’s Boeing 787-9 planes, a trio of which have just been delivered. These aircraft offer up a Polaris Studio seat—25 percent larger than the classic Polaris option that offers up caviar and wine pairings, an extra ottoman for your fellow travelers, a massive 27-inch 4K OLED screen (the largest among the U.S. airlines, according to United), and wireless charging for your devices.
United is also unveiling a new CRJ450, a smaller regional jet that will connect cities to its Denver and Chicago hubs starting this fall. That plane will carry a large United First cabin that swaps the classic overhead bins for a large luggage closet, which makes for an even roomier interior, according to the airline.
“These new planes and products not only complement our fleet and network plans, but they also give our customers more premium amenity and seat choices – whether they bought a basic economy ticket to fly from Chicago to Ft. Wayne or are flying Polaris between San Francisco and Singapore,” United EVP and COO Andrew Nocella said in a press statement. “United is setting the pace and innovating for our customers at a scope and scale unheard of in aviation history—and we’re not taking our foot off the gas.”
These latest upgrades to United’s fleet are right in line with the recent trend of airlines making business class even more comfortable for your next trip—and that includes newly unveiled spots to unwind before you even board the plane, like JetBlue’s BlueHouse, its first airport lounge.
Authors
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Nicole Hoey
Digital Editor
Nicole Hoey is Robb Report’s digital editor. While studying at Boston University, she read, wrote and read some more as an English and journalism major. A class taught by a Boston Globe copy editor…


