Flight Review: United Airlines Boeing 787-8 Polaris® – AMS-ORD

After our time in Italy, we went back home to Chicago O’Hare International Airport (ORD) through Amsterdam Airport Schiphol (AMS). I reviewed the flight to Amsterdam here. United offered a great award ticket price and I was able to snag two seats a few weeks before the trip. I’m finding that United has been offering some great deals for redemptions in Polaris® lately.

Anthony’s Take: The flight from Amsterdam Airport Schiphol (AMS) to Chicago O’Hare International Airport (ORD) was pleasant. The crew was much nicer and worked harder than the Delta crew on my outbound. The seats are not my favorite, but I was happy to be together in the bulkhead of the Polaris® cabin. The meal was better than most United has served lately (even if it was nothing that great). Check-in with the United app was as easy as it always is (love that app).

Booking

This flight was booked as a one-way ticket for 68,000 miles each in Polaris®. Had I booked the tickets with cash, these seats would have cost $5,100 each.

Amsterdam Airport Schiphol (AMS)

We spent the night before at the Sheraton Amsterdam Airport Hotel and Conference Center. We did not have the chance to visit the lounge at the airport. Polaris® passengers have access to the Aspire Lounge 41 (Non-Schengen). We grabbed some Starbucks and were at the gate a bit before boarding.

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 1D and 1F as the bulkhead seats provide larger footwells. As I’ve mentioned before, 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, a duvet, and a day blanket as well as a Brooks Brothers amenity kit. Polaris® bedding by Saks Fifth Avenue is some of the best and United leads other carriers when it comes to sleep comfort.

Seat Features

As I’ve said before, the Polaris® seats are comfortable but a bit restrictive as the high walls keep you firmly in your own space. The center pairs of seats in the odd rows are the best when traveling with someone, but these are too close if you don’t know the other traveler. The divider between them makes the space seem even smaller.

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.

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

Another light was on the wall.

Each Polaris® seat also includes a small compartment. I use this space to store items like my phone, wallet, and passport during the flight. It also held headphones and a bottle of water. The amenity kit contained the usuals: socks, eye mask, toothbrush and toothpaste, a pen, and various lotions. I found the design of the Brooks Brothers bag a bit blah.

Each seat also has a coat hanger.

Individual lights and air vents were overhead.

Food

Menus were already at each seat when we boarded. Pre-departure beverages were a choice of water or sparkling wine. It’s no secret that Polaris® made significant cuts before and during the pandemic. It got a bit better for a little while recently and now is pretty meh to bad. The menus are odd. Things are thrown together and none of it really tastes good. This meal was not as tragic as some, but it was not tasty. I picked at it for a few moments and was done.

I started with a ginger ale and snack mix.

I pre-ordered the Orecchiette Pasta. It was served with white fava bean puree, sundried tomatoes, and sautéed mixed vegetables.

The pasta was overcooked and mushy. The dish tasted of a strong lemon flavor. The appetizer was a choice of mozzarella and grapes or shrimp. I went with the former and it was meh. A warm pretzel roll and a green salad completed the tray. Not United’s worst showing, but nothing to get excited about.

Dessert was a choice of cheese, a sundae, or a Chocolate Caramel Cake. I had a bite of the cake and was done. It also was just so average and not worth the calories. I was so unimpressed that I forgot to take a photo.

Snacks were set up in the galley.

Before landing, we were served a choice of Tagliatelle, a Chopped Salad, or Herb and Citrus Couscous. I pre-ordered the pasta. It was better than the first one. The tray came with another salad, a bread roll, and a rock-hard, freezing cold cookie.

Wi-Fi

I find United’s Wi-Fi to be so hit or miss. Through the years it has gotten much more reliable, but I continue to have flights where it was inoperable. This flight offered working Wi-Fi half the time and struggled to switch between devices. It cost $14.99 for the full flight. This is reasonable for a transatlantic flight as most short domestic routes are a flat $8 fee. I can’t wait for Starlink and the speed that will bring.

Lavatory

The lavatory was on the smaller side but got the job done with a sink and toilet. Hydrating mist, lotion, and clothes spray were on offer.

Service

The flight attendants were friendly and accessible. They did not rush and seemed to be enjoying serving passengers. This was nice to see.

Overall Impression:

We departed on time and arrived early. The usual comfortable bedding, semi-working Wi-Fi, meh food, and a selection of movies and TV shows made for a passable flight. There was nothing special about being up front on this plane and that seems to be the norm when flying United Polaris®.