United Airlines is preparing to begin receiving the first of its new premium-heavy Boeing 787-9s within the coming weeks. As posted by Edward Russell on X, United has informed its pilots that the first aircraft in this subfleet, N61101, will be delivered in February, with entry into service targeted for March. In addition, this aircraft may feature a special livery to celebrate United's 100th anniversary in 2026. 

N61101 will be the first of at least 33 new 787-9s as part of United's upcoming "78L" subfleet. Whereas the carrier's current 787-9s fly with 257 seats, the 78L aircraft will feature larger premium cabins and a capacity of just 222 passengers. In addition, these aircraft will introduce a new cabin standard with updated finishes, improved technology, and updated Polaris suites, including a new front row "Polaris Studio" product.

The Purpose And Specifications Of The New 787-9 Subfleet 

United Airlines is planning to take delivery of N61101, a Boeing 787-9, in February 2026. United currently operates 48 Boeing 787-9s, which are numbered as 09## (starting with 0950 and ending with 0997) and coded as "78P". N61101 will be numbered as 1101, and will be the first aircraft in the carrier's upcoming "78L" subfleet. It's expected that there will be 33 aircraft in the 78L subfleet, although this could be subject to change. N61101 is reported to be coming with a special livery to celebrate United's 100th anniversary in 2026, as revealed by an upcoming Gemini Jets release. 

What makes the 78L subfleet special is that it will feature only 222 seats, made up of 64 Polaris Suites (including eight Polaris Studio seats), 35 Premium Plus seats, and 123 economy seats (including 39 Economy Plus seats), making it one of the least dense 787-9 configurations in the world. As a comparison, the current 78P aircraft feature an already premium-heavy layout of 48 Polaris seats, 21 Premium Plus seats, and 188 economy seats (including 39 Economy Plus seats) for a total of 257 seats.

The 78L is expected to enter service in March, operating from San Francisco to Singapore and London-Heathrow. This reflects the two purposes of the premium heavy subfleet. Singapore is United's second-longest route, and it also features heavy premium demand. The 78L will better match market demand and will also be able to operate the route with a full cabin year-round due to its lower capacity, whereas the 787-9 occasionally requires seat blocking. Meanwhile, the 78L can operate additional routes with heavy premium demand where the 78L's range isn't required.

 What To Expect On The Inside Of The 78L 

United first debuted its current Polaris cabins in 2016, based on the Safran Optima. These seats lack privacy doors, and the technology is becoming outdated. With the new 78L aircraft, United will introduce its new "Elevated Interiors", featuring the Elevate Ascent for Polaris, a highly customizable seat with direct aisle access and privacy doors. These seats will include 19 inch (48.26 centimeter) screens and multiple charging options. 

The window suites and the center suites in the first eight rows are configured reverse herringbone, whereas the center suites in the last eight rows of Polaris are configured herringbone, creating honeymoon suites. In addition, row 1 and row 9 will feature front-row "Polaris Studio" seats, which will include additional room, larger screens, and buddy seats. In addition, they will also come with a significantly upgraded soft product.

United will continue to use the Collins Aerospace MiQ for Premium Plus, and the Collins Aerospace Aspire for economy. However, these seats will be significantly updated compared to before. All cabins will see completely new seat covers, along with larger screens and additional charging options. In addition, Premium Plus will now include privacy wings, along with dedicated bottle and headrest storage areas.

 Comparing United To The Competition 

Last year, American Airlines began operating a new premium-heavy subfleet of Boeing 787-9, also using the Elevate Ascent for business class and introducing a new front-row "Flagship Preferred" product. Unlike United, all of American's Flagship Suites are configured reverse-herringbone. These planes feature 51 Flagship Suites, which is closer to United's current 787-9 layout rather than the 78L configuration. 

Delta Air Lines will begin operating the Airbus A350-1000 in 2027, and it's also believed that these aircraft will feature a new DeltaOne cabin, with seats based on the reverse-herringbone Thompson VantageNOVA. It's likely that these planes will also feature a front-row business class plus product, and they will come with a larger DeltaOne cabin. However, the A350-1000s are reported to be coming with roughly 50 DeltaOne suites, which is still more conservative than United's layout. 

Source: Simple Flying