Flight Review: United Airlines Boeing 767-300ER Polaris® – EWR-LHR

We are on our way to Copenhagen to check out the Christmas market at Tivoli Gardens. I found a really cheap fare to London Heathrow Airport (LHR) from Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR) where we were visiting family for Thanksgiving. We’re connecting on British Airways in Club Europe (Business Class) and those tickets cost more than the transatlantic segment. I was able to upgrade the flights at booking with PlusPoints so that we could fly Polaris® for a fraction of the cost.

Anthony’s Take: The flight from Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR) to London Heathrow Airport (LHR) was uneventful. The food was poor, but the seat and bedding were comfortable. The crew were friendly throughout the flight and we arrived in under six hours of flying. I’ve been enjoying the meals on United’s domestic flights in First Class, but Polaris® is still pretty bad. I checked in using United’s excellent app without any issues.

Booking

This flight was booked as a one-way ticket for $384 each. We flew EWR-LHR on United Airlines in Polaris® thanks to an upgrade. I booked the tickets in Economy (S class) and used 80 PlusPoints to upgrade each of us to Polaris®. PZ space was available with the upgrades clearing at booking.

United Polaris Lounge

We visited the United Polaris Lounge briefly before the flight to grab a quick drink and relax before boarding. We were still full from Thanksgiving dinner and did not dine on this visit. My review from another trip can be found here. I’ve visited this lounge many times and still enjoy going, overall.

Boarding

We boarded on time and in the correct order. We were among the first on the plane when we pre-boarded as United 1K® members were called.

On-Board

We selected seats 1F and 1L as the bulkhead seats provide larger footwells. Both my husband and I have large feet (US 13) and this space is appreciated.

At the seat was a large pillow, cooling gel pillow, duvet, and day blanket as well as a Brooks Brothers. Polaris® bedding by Saks Fifth Avenue is some of the best and United continues to dominate in this category of amenities.

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 USB port is located near the screen.

The seats are great for stretching out. I watched Jurassic World Rebirth and took a nap.

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

Another light was on the wall.

Each Polaris® seat also has a small compartment. I use this space to store my phone, wallet, and passport during the flight. It also held a bottle of water.

Headphones were found here.

Each seat also has a coat hanger.

Individual air vents and lights were overhead.

The amenity kit contained the usuals: socks, eye mask, toothbrush and toothpaste, a pen, and various lotions. I liked the design of the Brooks Brothers bag.

Food

Menus were already at each seat when we boarded. Pre-departure beverages were offered with a choice of water, orange juice, or champagne.

It’s no secret that Polaris® made significant cuts before and during the pandemic. The food got so bad that I started bringing my own or eating before I boarded since it was to the point of being inedible. It was getting better, but it has slid backwards and is currently pretty poor. The menus are odd. Things are thrown together and none of it really tastes good.

I started with a ginger ale and snack mix.

I pre-ordered the “Frenched Bone-In Chicken Breast.” It was served with incredibly bland gnocchi, cold bread, and an assortment of random things on the tray like olives and tuna fish. I took one bite and was done. Nothing tasted good and it was as if United just cleaned out the refrigerator on this tray. I did not want dessert, so I cannot comment there.

Snack baskets were set up above me after dinner.

Breakfast consisted of a choice between Cream Cheese Scrambled Eggs, Creamy Greek Yogurt Bowl, or Lemon Ricotta Pancakes. I ordered the eggs and that was a mistake. They were dry. The rest of the tray (minus the fruit salad) was also pretty meh.

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 continue to have flights where it was inoperable. This flight was a good one with speedy service.

The cost for the full flight was $12.99. This is reasonable for a ten-hour flight as most short domestic routes are a flat $8 fee.

Lavatory

The lavatory was on the smaller side but got the job done with a sink and toilet.

Lotion and hand wash were in the lavatory.

Service

The flight attendants were in a good mood and quite friendly. Throughout the flight they checked on drink refills and genuinely seemed to care.

Overall Impression:

We departed late, but arrived on time, the service was good, and the food (as mentioned) was quite poor. This coupled with comfortable bedding, working Wi-Fi, and a selection of movies and TV shows that I wanted to watch on the entertainment system made the flight pass by pretty quickly.