United Airlines 787 Seat Guide: 787-8, 787-9 & 787-10 (2026)
United flies the Boeing 787 in four layouts, and the booking page calls all of them “Boeing 787”. They differ by up to 96 seats, by whether Polaris has a door, and by how much economy there is. This page tells you which one you are on and what that means. Each aircraft has its own row-by-row guide.
United 787-8 seat guide →
243 seats. Older Polaris with no doors; two Polaris seats with no window.
United 787-9 seat guide →
257 or 222 seats. The version lottery: older Polaris, or Elevated suites with doors and Polaris Studio.
United 787-10 seat guide →
318 seats. The longest Dreamliner, older Polaris.
The four United 787s compared
| 787-8 | 787-9 | 787-9 Elevated | 787-10 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total seats | 243 | 257 | 222 | 318 |
| Polaris | 28, rows 1–7 | 48, rows 1–12 | 64, rows 1–17 (no 13) | 44, rows 1–11 |
| Polaris doors | No | No | Yes, plus 8 Polaris Studio | No |
| Premium Plus | 21, rows 20–22 | 21, rows 20–22 | 35, rows 20–24 | 21, rows 20–22 |
| Economy (incl. Economy Plus) | 194, rows 30–53 | 188, rows 30–57 | 123, rows 30–44 | 253, rows 30–60 |
| Screens | Older seatback | Older seatback | 4K OLED throughout | Older seatback |
| Guide | 787-8 guide | 787-9 guide | 787-9 guide | 787-10 guide |
How to tell which one you are on
- Count the seats on the seat map. 243 = 787-8 · 257 = 787-9 · 222 = 787-9 Elevated · 318 = 787-10.
- Look where Polaris ends. Row 7 = 787-8 · row 11 = 787-10 · row 12 = 787-9 · row 17 with no row 13 = Elevated.
- Look where economy ends. Row 44 = Elevated · 53 = 787-8 · 57 = 787-9 · 60 = 787-10.
- Check again at check-in. United swaps 787s on the same route, including between the two 787-9 layouts.
The version lottery
The 787-8 and 787-10 each have one layout. If your flight is one of those, the seat map is the cabin you will get.
The 787-9 is the lottery. Most of United’s 787-9s still fly the 257-seat layout with the older Polaris seat. The 222-seat Elevated version, which United keeps adding, has a door on every Polaris suite, eight larger Polaris Studio suites in rows 1 and 9, 4K OLED screens, Bluetooth audio and a Premium Plus cabin two rows longer. The two fly the same routes at the same fares.
What you lose if you draw the older 787-9
- In Polaris: the door, the larger screen and any chance of a Studio.
- In Premium Plus: row 20 on the older 787-9 is a cramped bulkhead, with the wall unusually close.
- In Economy Plus: on the older 787-9, 30A–30C and 30J–30L have the wall unusually close too, and 34A–34C back onto the lavatories.
The trade-off runs the other way in economy: the Elevated jet has 65 fewer standard economy seats, so Economy Plus and the good windows go faster. The United 787-9 guide covers both layouts row by row.
Which United 787 is best?
- Polaris: the Elevated 787-9 by a distance. Among the rest, the 787-8’s eight-seat rear cabin is a pleasant place to sit, but it also has the two windowless Polaris seats, 5A and 5L.
- Premium Plus: the Elevated 787-9 again, with 35 seats and newer screens.
- Economy: the layouts are close. The older 787-9 has no lavatories at the back, so its last rows are calmer than most.
Seat letters on every United 787
United’s Dreamliners skip G, H and I. Polaris is A | D F | L, Premium Plus is A C | D E F | J L (no B or K) and economy is A B C | D E F | J K L. Advice that mentions seat 4K or 20B is describing a seat that does not exist.
Frequently asked questions
Which United 787 has Polaris suites with doors?
Only the 222-seat Elevated 787-9. The 787-8, the 257-seat 787-9 and the 787-10 have the older Polaris seat without a door.
Where is Polaris Studio?
On the Elevated 787-9 only, in rows 1 and 9. Row 1 is the better of the two; row 9 sits directly behind the mid-cabin lavatories. See the 787-9 guide.
How do I know which United 787 I am flying?
Count the seats on the seat map: 243, 257, 222 or 318. Then check again at check-in, because United swaps aircraft.
Can I choose the Elevated 787-9?
Only by picking a flight scheduled with it and checking the seat count before you buy. There is no fare for it, and an aircraft swap can still change it.
More Dreamliner guides
- American Airlines 787-9 — and its premium-heavy 787-9P
- Air Canada 787 — the 787-8, 787-9 and 787-10 compared