I never thought I’d prefer sleeping 35,000 feet in the sky to my own bed, but my recent trip in United’s business class proved me wrong.
I like to take red-eye flights when I’m traveling to a destination in a different time zone because it helps me keep my sleep schedule on track. However, if I don’t get proper rest on these flights, I land feeling completely groggy and end up missing out on my first day of travel.
So, on a recent overnight flight from New Jersey to Morocco, I decided to upgrade to United Polaris business class in hopes of getting a good night’s sleep. I originally had a regular economy ticket and, as a frequent flyer, used my PlusPoints to get the upgrade at no additional charge.
Between the Saks Fifth Avenue blanket and a toiletry kit filled with skincare products, the experience did not disappoint.
To get the full business-class experience, I arrived early to enjoy the Polaris lounge.
Because I was flying business class on an eligible long-haul international flight, I had access to United’s Polaris lounge.
I typically like to be in and out of the airport as quickly as possible, but this time, I arrived a few hours early just to enjoy the perks.
As I walked in, I thought the space itself was stunning. It had a sleek, modern design with a marble check-in area and an overall elevated, luxury feel.
I enjoyed a meal at the lounge’s full-service restaurant.
The lounge featured an extensive hot and cold buffet, but I opted to visit the full-service dining room instead.
I ordered the tagliatelle pasta, which was perfectly al dente, followed by a warm sticky toffee cake that practically melted in my mouth.
After my meal, I stopped by the bar to enjoy one of the signature cocktails before boarding.
I noticed the seats were arranged in private pods and came equipped with amenities.
After boarding, I made my way to my seat, which was set up in a private pod. I immediately noticed how spacious the layout was and how it provided a real sense of privacy.
Waiting at my seat was Saks Fifth Avenue bedding, including a plush pillow, a duvet, and a cooling-gel pillow. I also requested a mattress pad and a pair of slippers for extra comfort.
The pod was spacious and had lots of clever storage nooks.
Everywhere I turned, I noticed more storage options and fun features, making it feel like every inch of the pod was designed to be functional.
For example, next to my seat was a side table where I could rest my arm and set down my essentials. There was also a small cubby stocked with a water bottle and noise-reducing headphones, which came in handy for drowning out the plane noise.
I also appreciated the multiple lighting options, including a soft personal light and a reading light. Plus, there were plenty of outlets to keep all my devices charged.
I also received a toiletry kit packed with goodies.
On my seat, I also found a complimentary toiletry bag with some travel essentials.
Inside was everything I needed for a long-haul flight — an eye mask, cozy socks, tissues, a dental kit with a toothbrush and toothpaste, earplugs, and a pen.
It was also stocked with Perricone MD skincare products, including a cleansing wipe, eye gel, hand cream, lip balm, and face mist.
All of it was super helpful for staying refreshed throughout the flight.
The pre-dinner service was impressive.
At this point, I was so comfortable I could’ve fallen asleep at any second, but I had to stay awake for the food.
Before the meal service began, the flight attendants came around with warm towels, which was a thoughtful, elevated touch. They even pulled out my tray table and placed a cloth napkin down.
The food, however, was just OK.
For dinner, I was served a welcome snack, an appetizer (salad, bread, and an olive tapenade), and my main course. I also had a glass of white wine.
However, I was left a bit underwhelmed by my entrée. The steak was cooked more than I would’ve liked it to be, and the potatoes tasted underseasoned.
Because I had a satisfying meal at the lounge, though, I wasn’t too disappointed.
The dessert was fantastic.
However, dessert is where things really stood out. The flight attendants came around with an ice-cream sundae cart, where passengers could build their own treat with different toppings.
I went all out with caramel sauce, hot fudge, chocolate chips, and cherries.
In my opinion, the real value of this seat is the quality of sleep it provides.
After eating, I got ready for bed in the spacious cabin bathroom and settled in for a good night’s rest. Honestly, the best part of this seat was how well I slept.
Beyond the luxury bedding, the seat itself reclines into a completely flat bed. There’s even a footrest up front that adds extra room.
According to United’s website, the bed offers about 77 inches of sleeping room. As someone who’s just over 5 feet tall, this was more than enough space to stretch out completely.
The controls on the side of the seat made it easy to adjust everything exactly as I liked. Between the fully flat bed, plush bedding, walls surrounding my pod, and my sleeping mask and earplugs, I slept just as comfortably as I would’ve at home.
I’d definitely fly Polaris business class again using points.
Since my flight was a red-eye, I landed in Morocco at 9 a.m. with a full day of events ahead of me. Being well-rested made all the difference and allowed me to hit the ground running.
Although I thought the upgrade was completely worth it because I used points, I probably wouldn’t pay full price for a business-class seat.
However, I’d gladly use any points or upgrades I had available to recreate this experience in the future.
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