With premium demand expected to remain strong in the following years, airlines around the world are investing heavily in their premium products. Airlines are spending large sums to stay ahead of competitors, especially on cabins for new flagship aircraft such as the Boeing 787 Dreamliner. While US carriers such as United Airlines and American Airlines are at the center of this, other airlines around the world are introducing new and exciting products.

United Polaris (Elevated Interior)

United Airlines

Credit: Channing Reid

One of the first new business class products that debuted is United Airlines’ “Polaris 2.0” as part of the airline’s “Elevated Aircraft Interior” upgrade. These new Polaris seats will feature privacy sliding doors and larger inflight entertainment screens. The new seats will be installed on all newly delivered 787-9 aircraft and represent a real improvement over the previous-generation Polaris seats. By 2027, United expects to have received up to 30 aircraft featuring the new cabin product. With the upgrade, the airline hopes to close the gap with the (new) premium products of both American and Delta.

A brand-new concept called the United Polaris Studio, which has 25% larger suites compared to the regular new Polaris seats and will also feature a massive 27-inch (68.6 cm), 4K OLED IFE screen – the largest screen of any US airline. Unsurprisingly, all of these seats are full lie-flat seats with direct aisle access and will be installed in the first two rows of the business-class cabin. Besides a better seat, passengers traveling in the Polaris Studio will also receive an enhanced soft product with upgraded amenity kits and exclusive dining options.

Overall, the elevated interior program is a full transformation for the entire aircraft, providing “refined finishes and a fresher, brighter and warmer feel throughout.” This includes not only the Polaris cabin but also the economy and premium plus cabins, which will receive upgrades to improve the travel experience. The Dreamliners featuring the elevated cabin will be among the most premium-heavy in the industry with a total of 99 premium seats, including 56 regular Polaris seats and eight Polaris Studios in a 1-21 configuration. From April 2026 onward, the carrier will deploy these aircraft in the most premium heavy markets, with the aircraft first flying from San Francisco (SFO) to both Singapore (SIN) and London Heathrow (LHR).

Andrew Nocella, EVP and Chief Commercial Officer at United, commented on the new product.

“We already deliver a superior international experience and fly to most places across the Atlantic and Pacific — 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.”

The Room FX

All Nippon Airways

On the other side of the Pacific, All Nippon Airways(ANA), is expected to introduce its latest premium product in August. Similar to Finnair’s AirLounge product on the Airbus A350, ANA’s new THE Room FX will not recline, making the seat one of the most controversial on this list. The seat, manufactured by Safran, features a pre-reclined backrest “allowing passengers to relax in a variety of positions similar to lounging on a living room sofa.“ Adding to the controversy surrounding the seats is the fact that not all seats are forward-facing. Instead, the cabin alternates between a front and rear-facing seat arrangement, which, according to the seat manufacturer, “optimizes the Boeing 787’s cabin, creating a spatial experience comparable to a larger aircraft and achieving a world-class comfort level.”

The new seat is built upon the success of “THE Room”, which ANA introduced on the 777-300ER in 2019, with FX in the new seats’ name standing for “Future Experience.” The suites will all feature privacy doors and have direct aisle access. According to the manufacturers’ specifications, The Room FX seat has a width of 27 inches (69cm) at the waist, with a “maximum width” of 41.5 inches (105cm). Instead of the traditional recline, an adjustable leg rest swings up to turn the seat into a single 76.5” (194cm) surface for a fully lie-flat sleeping experience. Each 787-9 will feature 48 suites, and while the design might initially be controversial for pushing the boundaries of what is considered “normal”, the seat might change how the industry thinks about business class on mid-sized aircraft.

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Riyadh Air’s Business Class

Based on Safran’s Unity suites

Given the importance of premium cabins for Middle Eastern carriers, Riyadh Air’s new business class product is perhaps among the most anticipated 787 business-class products to enter the market in the next two years. The brand-new Saudi Arabian airline commenced operations in October last year with a flight between Riyadh (RUH) and London Heathrow (LHR) and is expecting deliveries of at least 39 787-9 aircraft featuring its new business class product. In total, the new aircraft will seat 290 passengers across three cabin classes. Of these, 28 seats are available in business class, including four so-called “Business Elite” seats.

All seats in business class are Safran Unity full lie-flat seats with a length of 78 inches (198.1 cm) and a width of 22.5 inches (57.2 cm), configured in a 1-2-1 layout. To ensure maximum privacy, all seats feature 52-inch (132.1 cm) high walls and sliding doors, along with adjustable privacy dividers between center seats. Furthermore, the seats feature a large IFE screen with 4K OLED technology, 32 inches (81.3 cm) in Business Elite, and 22 inches (55.9 cm) in regular business class. All seats also come with a power socket, two USB-C, and one USB-A charging ports.

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Alaska Airlines’ Suites

New long-haul product

Credit: Alaska Airlines

Following Alaska Airlines’ long-haul expansion with its new 787 fleet, the Seattle-based airline announced a new international business class product on March 31. This new product will be available on the airline’s flights to Europe and Asia, featuring full lie-flat seats with privacy doors and providing direct aisle access for all passengers. At the time of the announcement, Andrew Harrison, the company’s EVP & CCO, spoke about the new product.

“We set out to design a Business Class experience that is both sophisticated and authentically Alaska: premium, comfortable and thoughtfully created for our guests. When we debut our new product this spring, it will raise the bar and redefine long-haul travel, while continuing to deliver the remarkable care that sets Alaska apart on the global stage.”

In addition to the seats’ comfort and privacy, an 18″ HD entertainment screen with over 1,500 movies, a power outlet, wireless charging options, as well as fast and free Starlink WiFi will ensure passengers won’t get bored on even the longest routes. During the flight, passengers can indulge in an elevated restaurant-style dining menu. Passengers will be able to choose from up to six main options, including destination-inspired options and options developed by an award-winning chef from Seattle, featuring locally sourced ingredients. Upon arrival, passengers will receive a meal inspired by the destination, such as a classic full English breakfast on flights to London.

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LOT Polish Airlines

Featuring RECARO seats

Credit: LOT Polish Airlines

Another airline redefining its entire onboard product on the 787 is LOT Polish Airlines. The Warsaw-based carrier announced the retrofit of its flagship aircraft back in October 2023, which includes an entirely new cabin design, new seats in all cabin classes, and the installation of brand-new IFE systems and onboard WiFi. The design of the new cabins for LOT Polish Airlines was made by Tangerine, an award-winning British design agency, and is inspired by the Polish landscape.

The entire 787 fleet will be equipped with new seats from RECARO, featuring the CL6720 model in business class. An interesting detail highlighted by the airline is that the cabin will have a real Polish touch, as the economy class seats will be manufactured by RECARO in Poland. In business class, the more spacious seats will be installed in a 1-2-1 configuration, providing direct aisle access for all passengers. This represents a major improvement over the airline’s outdated 2-2-2 layout in its current business-class cabin. Furthermore, all seats will have a door for privacy and additional storage space for small items. It is expected that the first aircraft with the new cabin installed will enter service in late 2026, with the final aircraft being retrofitted by 2030.

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Flagship Suite

American Airlines

Credit: American Airlines

American Airlines has also debuted its new business class suites for the 787 in 2026. With the arrival of the airline’s newest 787-9 aircraft featuring the brand-new Flagship Suite business class product, American is introducing one of the most important cabin upgrades in its recent history, as it is also featured on its new Airbus A321XLRs.

The new lie-flat seat features a privacy door with direct aisle access, wireless charging, USB-C and AC power, and more personal storage. Similar to United’s Polaris Studio, American is also introducing a special seat for passengers who want even more space and luxury. This so-called Flagship Suite Preferred seat will also be installed in the first row of the business-class cabin and provide passengers with additional amenities for an even more comfortable flight.