Flight Review: United Airlines Boeing 787-9 First – IAD-LAX

Last week, I had to attend a conference in Long Beach, CA. Routing from Tampa offered me lots of one-stop options. I noticed that United was flying a Boeing 787-9 from Washington Dulles International Airport (IAD) to Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) and jumped at the chance for a Polaris® seat cross country. While the seats were the same, the service was what should be expected on any other domestic First Class flight without the Business Class bedding or Polaris® meal service. I didn’t mind and was quite content to have the space and got to try United’s delicious crab cakes.

Anthony’s Take: Whenever I find a widebody aircraft flying a domestic route, I opt for that flight. I loved having space to stretch out and work while flying across the United States. The Polaris® seats are comfortable and being in the bulkhead gave me a nice, large footwell. The service and meal were also good on this flight.

Booking

This flight was booked as part of roundtrip ticket. I flew Tampa International Airport (TPA) to Washington Dulles International Airport (IAD) to Los Angeles International Airport (LAX). On the way home, I flew from LAX to Chicago O’Hare International Airport (ORD) stayed the night at home and then continued onto Tampa International Airport (TPA) the next morning. The ticket was not cheap, but the flight times worked perfectly and I did not have to take a redeye.

Washington Dulles International Airport (IAD)

Washington Dulles International Airport (IAD) is one of my least favorite United hubs. The airport feels dated and I’m looking forward to the new terminal being built. I briefly stopped by a United Club℠, but did not have time to review it. There are several lounges operated by United here as well as a Capital One Lounge (that I will review in the near future on another trip) and multiple lounges operated by foreign carriers. United operates out of Concourses C and D. I checked in on my phone and love the United app.

Boarding

We boarded on time and in the correct order. Boarding was fairly subdued and I was one of the first people on board after Premier 1K® members were invited. The Polaris® cabin is split into two sections on the Boeing 787-9. I chose a bulkhead seat and turned left upon boarding.

On-Board

I selected seat 1L as the bulkhead seats provide larger footwells. I have large feet (US 13) and this space is appreciated even on a daytime flight where I was not planning to sleep. Since this was marketed as a First Class flight, the Polaris® bedding and other amenities were not provided as they are on transatlantic flights out of Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR) or on flights to Europe, Asia, Australia, and some of South America.

Seat Features

The Polaris® seats are comfortable but a bit restrictive as the high walls keep you firmly in your own space. This is great when traveling alone, but if you are with someone you will not be able to talk easily while flying.

A wheel along the side controls the seat and lets you move it to a completely flat bed.

Each seat has a power outlet, headphone jack, and remote control for the entertainment system.

The monitors operate as touchscreens, but when reclined it’s easier to use the remote.

A reading light pops out for personal illumination when the cabin lights are dimmed.

Each Polaris® seat also has a small compartment. Headphones were found here.

The windows can be dimmed with a button below them.

A hook is available for jackets.

Another light is also available along with a decent sized table.

The touchscreens are a good size and responsive. I love the number of movies and TV shows that United provides.

Individual air vents and more lights are overhead.

Food

The food on United flights is improving. I really enjoyed my in-flight meal. Pre-departure beverages were offered with a choice of water or champagne.

I was actually excited about the meal I pre-ordered: Dulles Signature Dish – Maryland Blue Crab Cakes, which is only served when flying through Washington Dulles International Airport (IAD).

I was looking forward to preselecting a meal for this flight as I hoped I would be given the crab cakes as an option. United and I have had a long history around the food that it serves on its flights. It can get it right or be downright awful (Polaris seems to be the biggest culprit here with dishes that really make you scratch your head). The picture on the menu looked delicious and crab cakes are one of my all-time favorites.

While the main dish did not exactly look like the picture above, it was surprisingly good. I am not a fan of succotash and did not eat that, but the crab cakes were almost entirely lump crab meat. There was next to no breading and the amount of crab in these two big cakes was most impressive. The remoulade was not as creamy as pictured, but added some good flavor. The tray also included a nice green salad and a semolina roll (that was warmed).

Another reason why I was looking forward to this meal was the dessert. I have long been a huge fan of Magnolia Bakery’s Banana Pudding. I first had it years ago in New York City and have since gone to the Chicago location for it many times. It’s creamy, it’s a taste of home, and it’s better than any dessert that United (or possibly any airline with the exception of a molten lava cake I had on Austrian Airlines years ago) has ever served. I wrote about this partnership last week and am so happy to have been able to try it.

The service started with warmed nuts and a beverage of choice. I had a mix of Cranapple juice and club soda.

Wi-Fi

I find United’s Wi-Fi to be relatively fast when it works. Through the years it has gotten much more reliable, but I have had several flights this year where it was inoperable. The cost for the full flight was $8, which is the cost domestically regardless of flight length. This flight worked well and I was able to accomplish a lot.

Entertainment

As mentioned, United provides lots of TV shows and movies (including new releases). I watched some episodes of Bob’s Burgers while I worked.

Service

There was good on this flight. Flight attendants were attentive at times and stayed in the galley when they were not serving meals or beverages. I could hear them chatting from seat 1L, but it was not distracting.

Lavatory

The lavatory is standard for what you can expect on a Boeing 787-9.

There were some amenities in here from Polaris® flights.

It was kept pretty clean throughout the flight.

Overall Impression:

We departed and arrived pretty much on time, the service was good, and the food was great as I had hoped. This coupled with a comfortable seatg, working Wi-Fi, and a good selection of movies and TV shows on the entertainment system made the flight pass by pretty quickly.

Anthony’s Credit Card Pick: I love the lounges where The Platinum Card® from American Express grants me access. It has had a prominent place in my wallet for many years now. While it does have an annual fee of $695, it provides many travel benefits and will always be my go-to for lounge access (both Delta Sky Clubs® and Centurion® Lounges) and booking airfare from the airlines to earn 5x points (up to $500,000 per calendar year booked directly with passenger airlines or through American Express Travel). Learn more. Rates & Fees. Terms apply.

Terms apply to American Express benefits and offers. Enrollment may be required for select American Express benefits and offers. Visit americanexpress.com to learn more. Opinions, reviews, analyses & recommendations are the author’s alone, and have not been reviewed, endorsed or approved by any of these entities.

(Dulles Image Credit: Joe Ravi via iStock.)