Polaris, United’s premium flagship Business Class product. As of May this year, the airline has expanded its Polaris service to certain domestic routes, including transcontinental itineraries and long haul flights to Hawaii. While the service on coast-to-coast flights remains roughly the same as before, with lie-flat seats and elevated onboard amenities, a significant change is that travelers can access the exclusive Polaris Lounge rather than be stuck in a basic United Club. I was very excited when United announced this change, as it gave me the perfect opportunity to experience SFO’s Polaris Lounge and then hop across the country onboard a 787 in an international Business Class seat.

American Airlines has more than one type of configuration in Business Class, even on the same aircraft. Specifically, the Boeing 777-200ERs in the Forth-Worth based carrier’s fleet feature two types of configurations up front: the Concept D Zodiac Seats and the B/E Aerospace Super Diamond Seats. The latter is regarded as the better Business Class product in the long haul American fleet. Unfortunately, travelers won’t be able to know which configuration they will be getting until boarding. 

Here’s our experience on American’s 777-200ER in Business Class from Santiago, Chile, to Miami, Florida. 

United Airlines recently announced their massive 13-route expansion, which includes 10 new cities. Following the breaking news, American Airlines announced its own new routes for the 2027 summer season. American’s list of new routes is significantly smaller than that of its rival, but still includes three new European destinations. The list also includes European destinations American Airlines already flies to, though they will receive service from additional hubs. 

United is going big again for the 2027 summer season, but this time, they have gone even bigger. The airline announced routes to 10 new international destinations, nine of which are in Europe and eight of which are currently not served by any U.S. airline. Many of these destinations are leisure vacation spots where tourism peaks during the summer months. Additionally, United has also announced plans to launch three new routes to destinations that already receive service from the airline. 

For a long time, American Airlines remained the odd one out compared to Delta, United, and even JetBlue. While these three U.S. airlines have invested in seatback screens on their domestic narrowbody planes, American has moved away from offering entertainment monitors on its Airbus and Boeing narrowbody planes in favor of streaming entertainment. However, this will all change in 2028.

If there’s one mainline domestic aircraft American Airlines relies on more than any other jet, it’s the Boeing 737-800. The 737 operates several key routes to major hubs and large cities, making it an important workhorse for the airline. It’s also the most common aircraft type in the mainline American fleet, so your chances of ending up on one are pretty high if you tend to fly with American frequently. A recent hub-to-hub hop across the coast gave me the perfect opportunity to put American’s most iconic medium haul aircraft to the test in First Class. 

Of the big 3 U.S. legacy airlines, American offers the most number of direct routes to South America. The carrier serves several destinations from its Miami and Dallas hubs across Latin America, including major cities like Buenos Aires and Santiago. For these long haul routes to Deep South America, American Airlines sends its fleet of Boeing widebodies, which includes the 777s and 787 Dreamliners. 

Here’s our experience flying on American’s 787-8 in Flagship Business from Miami (MIA) to Arturo Merino Benítez Airport in Santiago (SCL).

Many travelers who regularly fly United are likely to remember the transparent plastic blue cups meant for cold beverages. However, the Chicago-based carrier has begun to eliminate these familiar cups in favor of newer, more eco-friendly recyclable paper cups.

A fourth airline will soon be flying between Chicago O’Hare International Airport and Tokyo, Japan. Joining the already existing flights offered by ANA, JAL, and United, American will relaunch service between ORD and Tokyo Narita (NRT). The new flight is part of a joint-venture agreement with OneWorld partner Japan Airlines. 

The Chase Sapphire Preferred credit card ($95 annual fee) is currently offering a hefty welcome bonus of 100,000 Ultimate Rewards points after spending $5,000 in the first three months. These credit card points can be used for Business Class travel if maximized correctly, such as booking a one-way ticket to Japan on United Airlines. Specifically, Chase points transfer to United MileagePlus at a 1:1 ratio, and one-way Polaris Business Class awards from the west coast to Tokyo can start from 85,000 miles. 

Nestled into the picturesque region of Lake Como is the iconic Grand Tremezzo Hotel, a gorgeous property surrounded by breathtaking scenery. The hotel has truly captured the grand beauty of Lake Como for over 100 years and continues to do so, with lavish amenities and carefully curated touches to make the property feel premium. From the hotel, you’ll be able to enjoy breathtaking views of Bellagio, the surrounding alps, and the peaceful lake that make you feel like you’re in a movie. 

For slightly over a year, Etihad Airways had been flying its A380s on the New York route. When demand for a large number of passengers decreased, the airline started flying the Airbus superjumbo to Toronto instead. Due to this switch, what happened to the New York route?

If you guessed that Etihad started flying their A350s into JFK, you’d be correct. Etihad’s A350-1000 features a Business Class cabin that’s super comfortable, but doesn’t receive as much hype as the products of its competitors. Almost two years ago, I wrote about Etihad’s impressive A380 Business Class. Later in time, I have even better things to say about the airline’s cabin on their A350. 

United is debuting an all-new Polaris cabin on the Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner, marking a significant milestone for the airline’s long haul Business Class product. The Elevated 787s are the airline’s most premium-heavy jet so far, with a total of 99 premium seats (including Premium Plus), including 56 Suites and 8 of the coveted Polaris Studios. These new jets are equipped with plenty of upgraded amenities that will surely enhance the passenger experience on long haul itineraries. 

It’s been almost six years since American began retrofitting its A321s with the standard American Airlines interiors. Currently, American is the world’s largest operator of the Airbus A320-family, which includes the A321. American Airlines flies its A321s on several short and medium haul domestic routes, making it an aircraft that’s likely to end up onboard if you’re traveling within the U.S. Continue reading to find out what it’s actually like to fly First Class on American from LaGuardia to Miami. 

Deep in the heart of Illinois’s largest city is a great luxury hotel bookable on points. Outfitted with spacious rooms and luxurious amenities, the St. Regis Chicago is the hotel to stay at when planning a trip to The Windy City. 

The Middle East is home to some of the world’s best airlines. Among some of the top carriers on that list are Emirates and Qatar Airways. However, a third player with a strong presence in the Gulf region also offers a luxurious Business Class experience. Abu Dhabi-based Etihad Airways doesn’t aim for a “wow factor” like Qatar’s Qsuites or the Emirates A380 Business Class product, but is still a very competitive option for travel to the Arabian Gulf region and beyond. 

United is introducing a brand new A321neo that will serve the airline’s premium domestic routes across the country. The Chicago-based carrier’s A321neo ‘Coastliner’ will feature a brand new premium interior on select transcontinental flights. 

Capital One is claiming its brand new JFK lounge to be their flagship location. The credit card issuer has been part of the airport lounge game for several years now, and most recently debuted an outpost in JFK’s Terminal 4. Additionally, the Capital One Lounge in New York offers several unique amenities such as an in-lounge bodega, cheesemonger, and flashy bar. If you’re passing through the Big Apple, then the Capital One Lounge is definitely worth a visit. 

United has established a network of its Business Class only Polaris Lounges. Having been around for four years now, the Polaris Lounge at Washington Dulles is the second of United’s two high-end offerings on the east coast. (The other one is in Newark EWR.) It’s the perfect place at IAD to relax before a long haul Business Class journey.

Situated in the heart of the Old Town along the banks of the Vltava River is one of Prague’s most luxurious hotels. The Four Seasons Prague blends renowned service with the charm of its historic surroundings in the Old Town, delivering fine attention to detail. Best of all, it provides excellent access to public transport and offers a signature view of the Prague Castle.