United on Tuesday announced a large-scale fleet and cabin upgrade strategy that will put new jets on certain foreign and domestic routes and bring its Polaris business-class product to narrowbody aircraft.
The airline plans to take delivery of more than 250 new aircraft by April 2028, including 47 Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners, 119 737 MAX jets, 58 Airbus A321neos, and 28 A321XLRs.
In probably the most significant consumer-facing development made public this week, United said it will install “Elevated” interiors with lie-flat Polaris seats on certain A321neos, dubbed “Coastliners,” and new -XLRs. The Polaris product was initially intended only for widebody international operations.
Coastliners will operate transcontinental routes between Newark, New Jersey, and San Francisco and Los Angeles. Each will have 20 Polaris seats, 12 Premium Plus seats, and 129 Economy seats.
The subfleet is also getting a special livery, with bright shades of blue wrapping the back third of the aircraft and United’s name spelled out on its belly.
A321XLRs with Polaris seats will replace 757s on existing routes to smaller cities in Europe and South America starting this summer.
United also unveiled what it called the “CRJ-450,” a modified, luxury version of Bombardier’s CRJ-200 meant to evoke a “private jet experience.” The 41-seat regional aircraft will include a United First cabin with a large luggage closet instead of overhead bins, opening up more space for passengers. SkyWest will operate the CRJ-450 between smaller U.S. cities and United’s hubs in Denver and Chicago, officials said.
By 2028, the carrier expects to have more than 50 CRJ450s flying.
United previously announced that its Elevated Dreamliners were nearly ready to enter service. The widebody aircraft feature Polaris Studio suites, which come with fully lie-flat seats, privacy doors, an ottoman with a seatbelt for a visiting companion, a 27-inch 4K screen, Saks Fifth Avenue bedding and pillows, hoodie pajamas, slippers, and other amenities.
The upgraded 787s will start flying internationally on April 22.
“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 Executive Vice President and Chief Commercial Officer Andrew Nocella said in a news release.
Premium has become a major profit engine for United over the last several years. Last week, executives said that, while main cabin performance is improving, premium continues to lead in profitability.
