dailynewsnblog
United Airlines’ widebody fleet will begin a new era tomorrow, when the Chicago-based US ‘big three’ legacy carrier and 
Star Alliance founding member deploys its ‘Elevated Interior’ Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner for the first time. These aircraft have just 222 seats on board, of which a whopping 99 can be found in the jet’s premium cabins. As such, United is reserving only its most lucrative and premium-heavy routes for these luxurious aircraft.
As the last Sunday in March, tomorrow marks the start of the IATA Summer Schedule, and is, therefore, a logical time for major changes such as this to be made. While this layout is aimed at making long-haul flying more of a premium experience, it will initially be deployed on a pair of domestic routes to get crews up to speed with the new configuration. Let’s take a look at when and where United Airlines plans to fly these special aircraft.
Domestic Duties
All four of the routes that 
United Airlines has scheduled its Elevated Interior Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners on thus far originate on the West Coast of the United States, namely at its hub at San Francisco International Airport (SFO) in northern California. As of March 29, these jets will be used daily to connect this facility with both George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH) in Houston, Texas, and Dulles International Airport (IAD) in Washington DC.
According to current scheduling data made available by Cirium, an aviation analytics company, these aircraft will also continue to serve these routes for most of next month. Indeed, United has scheduled Elevated Interior 787s on the Washington route until April 21, while Houston will continue to see this layout until April 29. Commenting on the fresh layout, Andrew Nocella, the EVP and Chief Commercial Officer of United Airlines, explained that:
“Our new aircraft redefines international long-haul flying, providing travelers [with] upgraded amenities and experiences in every cabin. We’re constantly pioneering new ways to differentiate our customers’ experience in every seat.”
Not Long Until The International Debut
While United’s domestic passengers flying from San Francisco to Houston and Washington DC will no doubt appreciate the privilege of traveling on the carrier’s Elevated 
Boeing 787s in the short-term, the carrier’s long-term goal with this configuration is to revolutionize its long-haul flights. With this in mind, it won’t be waiting long before deploying these aircraft outside of the US for the first time, with April 22 currently earmarked as the date.
From then onward, as seen in the map above, United Airlines plans to use its Elevated 787s to link San Francisco International with Singapore Changi Airport (SIN) on a daily basis, with the outbound leg bearing the prestigious flight number UA1. This flight leaves San Francisco at 10:40 pm and reaches Singapore at 6:45 am two days later, while the return leg, UA2, leaves Changi at 9:00 am and reaches California at 9:10 am on the same day.
By the end of April, United Airlines will also have introduced its Elevated 787s on a second long-haul route from San Francisco International, namely the transatlantic corridor to London Heathrow Airport. From April 30 onward, these jets will serve this route on a daily basis, with UA901 leaving SFO at 12:50 pm and reaching London at 7:25 am the next day. The return, UA900, leaves Heathrow at 10:35 am and lands at 1:40 pm on the same day.
Elevated: How United Airlines’ Cabin Refit Is Transforming The Carrier’s Long-Haul Flights
What passengers can expect from United’s newest cabins, and how this fits into the carrier’s strategy.
What’s It Like On Board?
As noted, the Elevated 787s have just 222 seats on board, with 99 of these found in premium cabins. The latter figure consists of 64 Polaris business class suites and 35 Premium Plus premium economy recliners. The front row of Polaris, as seen above, offers more space, and is known as the Studio Suite.
Such is the space dedicated to premium cabins that Polaris and Premium Plus collectively stretch as far back as the trailing edge of the jet’s wings. Behind the latter cabin, there is only one economy class section, which consists of 123 seats (of which 39 have extra legroom) in the 787’s standard 3-3-3 configuration.
