United Airlines has put on sale and filed its first routes to be operated with its premium-heavy Boeing 787-9 aircraft, which feature an eye-watering 64 business class seats, including eight United Polaris Studio suites that are more akin to first class cabins, placing the aircraft on routes that will generate premium revenue for the airline.
Introducing 222-seat 787-9s
United Airlines’ 222-seat 787-9s, which have 64 business, 35 premium economy, and 123 economy class seats, will make their debut on March 29, with the first flight, between San Francisco International Airport (SFO) and Houston George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH), departing at 09:10 local time (UTC -7) as flight UA 2498, per Cirium’s Diio Mi.
The type has another domestic itinerary scheduled on the same day, flight UA 1434 from Washington Dulles International Airport (IAD) to SFO, at 12:35 local time (UTC -4), as well as flight 755 from SFO to IAD, which is scheduled to depart the West Coast airport at 12:35, arriving at IAD at 20:46.
Meanwhile, the 222-seat aircraft will be making its international debut on April 22, flying from SFO to Singapore Changi Airport (SIN), and on April 30, from SFO to London Heathrow Airport (LHR).
On SFO-SIN flights, the premium-heavy 787-9s will replace United Airlines’ more dense variant of the type, which feature 48 business, 21 premium economy, and 188 economy class seats, or 30 fewer premium seats, driving up yields on at least one of the two daily flights between SFO and SIN.
Between SFO and LHR, the 222-seat 787-9 will replace the 276-seat Boeing 777-200ER, which has 74 premium seats, split between 50 business class and 24 premium economy seats. This will again result in lower capacity, yet in more opportunities to drive up yields on an already premium-heavy route to LHR.
Currently, United Airlines has taken delivery of three 222-seat 787-9s, per planespotters.net, with the trio arriving at IAD on February 26, March 3, and March 10.
Premium push
United Airlines unveiled the premium-heavy interiors in May 2025, saying at the time that the widebodies would be delivered from late 2025.
“[…] these new innovations provide a more premium experience overall, give customers even more reasons to choose United, and set our airline up to grow into the next decade and beyond,” Andrew Nocella, the Chief Commercial Officer (CCO) of United Airlines, said at the time.
The airline recently outlined that by 2028, 33 787-9s will have the new interiors.
United Airlines is not the only US-based carrier to introduce more premium seats on its widebodies, as carriers attempt to catch the yield-boosting tailwind of premiumization. American Airlines introduced its 787-9P on June 5, 2025, with the ‘P’ standing for premium.
In total, the airline has ordered 30 787-9Ps, and has so far received 11 of them. The 787-9Ps feature 51 business, 32 premium economy, and 161 economy class seats, so 16 fewer premium seats than United Airlines’ 222-seat 787-9s.
Eight of those business class seats are the Flagship Suite Preferred seats, which, compared to the regular Flagship Suites, offer more space. However, unlike United Airlines, which charges extra for United Polaris Studio seats when booking a flight, American Airlines does not.
On a flight from SFO to LHR, for example, the charge is $499.
According to Cirium’s Diio Mi, the Big Three, which also includes Delta Air Lines, will increase the number of international widebody departing business and premium economy seats by 4% and 6.8%, respectively, with total seats growing by 1.8% during the summer 2026 season, compared to the summer 2025 season.
Rytis Beresnevicius
