United Airlines new Polaris seat on one of its Boeing 787 Dreamliners
Leslie Josephs/CNBC
Does it matter where you sit if you're drinking champagne in first class? united airlines You bet that for some travelers looking for discounted luxury, that's not the case.
The airline is launching new, cheaper tiers for its high-end Polaris and premium economy cabins that come with many of the same benefits, but also many restrictions.
Starting this spring, United will offer “base” Polaris fares that will include a spot in the airline's long-haul business class cabins with lie-flat seats, but will charge those customers an additional fee for advanced seat selection.
The new ticket class will also come with a single checked bag instead of two, and with access to the United Club airport lounge, but not the high-end Polaris lounge, which includes showers and other luxurious amenities. Ticket changes are not allowed.
The other Polaris categories will be “Standard” and the more expensive “Flexible” option that allows customers to pay for the new, more spacious Polaris Studio suites.
The new fares show that United (and perhaps soon other airlines) are dividing the front of the plane into smaller categories, just as they have done with economy class for the past decade, from restrictive basic economy tickets to fares with more legroom.
United's new strategy comes as it revamps its nearly decade-old Polaris class with new suites that feature sliding doors and larger screens, as customers continue to show their willingness to pay more to fly in better seats. United and its competitors have been racing to add more premium seats to their planes, sometimes eliminating some economy seats to do so.
A United spokeswoman said customers at Base Polaris would receive the same meals, including ice cream, as other passengers in the cabin. He declined to say what the price differences between the fares will be, but said the Base Polaris fare is intended to be an entry point for the premium class.
United is also launching similar segmentation for its premium economy class, Premium Plus.
The new options will be available in certain markets starting this month and will expand to other domestic and international markets later this year, United said.
Rival Delta Airlines Last year it said it was also considering segmenting the plane's forward cabins.
