Is it First… or Business..?

I get to fly across the Pacific quite often, and lucky enough to try a great assortment of top airlines. United has a pretty poor reputation from a whole bunch of angles. However, United miles are easy to come by and they make them easy to redeem too, with generally broad availability. Another thing that attracted me was that I wanted to get on the Polaris First product and give an insight to this offering from the US-based carrier. Plus, flying to mainland China from the west coast doesn’t present many options without a connection. So soon enough I had a United First class ticket to Shanghai with my camera on and notepad ready…

The Shortcut Review of United Airlines First Class

Seatlink’s Take

The United Global First lounge in San Francisco is roomy and a fairly quiet option as it doesn’t attract the hordes heading for the Business lounge. Either way, I didn’t spend much time there and boarded early so as to snap a few photos of the cabin. The First class cabin is located at the very front of the lower deck. It’s in the nose cone area so the cabin is almost triangular in shape.

There are a total of 12 seats in 4 rows, with rows 1 and 2 having only window seats. Because of the nose cone location, all the seats are angled towards the center which makes privacy an issue. In fact, it can all feel a little communal at times. Having said that, these are one of the widest seats I’ve come across in the herringbone pattern.

Not only are the seats wide, but the space around the seat feels roomy as well. There’s loads of room for a laptop, food, drinks and other items, plus storage options abound. In fact, there’s storage bins all over the place – next to the window, in and around the seat itself, as well as under the ottoman. The only row that doesn’t have storage overhead is row 1. The rest of the amenities are fairly standard. There is a set of noise-canceling headphones from Bose and the amenity kit is ok, although nothing special. The IFE screen is rather small and on the low side, while the controls for power and the remote are unfortunately far away.

The good news is that, in bed mode, the seat extends enough for a tall person to feel comfortable. I ended up having a restful sleep and the cabin overall was comfortable, despite the lack of privacy. I can also say the service from the staff was really great. They were ever present and friendly throughout the flight. The only bummer was that they ran out of water bottles 5 hours into the flight (a 12 hour flight…). Not sure if that’s really acceptable!

Which seats to choose or avoid

It’s hard to say what seats are particularly great or terrible as it depends a lot in the manner you’re flying and with who. Row 1 is really great for couples/pairs traveling together as they’re snuggled right into the nose cone area and feels like a private space for two. You would want to avoid it though traveling solo, as the intimacy is a tad high here for strangers.

Another option for couples are rows 3 and 4 as they have center seats which are close together. So if you miss out on row 1, these are your next best choices.

For solo travelers or those looking for privacy, row 2 is probably the best as it’s fairly private (no center seats here), and it is further from the galley, giving you that bit of extra peace.

For more seat reviews from other travelers on United Airlines, check out this plane’s seat map here: United Airlines 747 seat map

The Bottom Line

I can’t decide if this product is either a great Business class or a mediocre First. Privacy and space is an issue due to how the cabin is structured. Compared to some of the suites classes going around or even a standard Trans-Pacific First product, the United First is looking a bit dated.

Still, detailing it down to the actual seat – it’s very comfortable and I enjoyed the handy storage options, especially for small items. The bed is well designed to allow a good rest and the overall quality is there. Service too, really helped to make this flight enjoyable overall.

It’s hard to compare it any airlines with Suites as First Class, or indeed most of the Asian carriers that cruise across the Pacific. Still, I give United props for a good quality product and for the friendly and pleasant service.

What are Your Thoughts on United Airlines Global First?

If you’ve flown First Class on United’s 744, let us know in the comments below! Or better yet, write a review of your seat here: United Airlines 747 review page 😀