United Airlines to launch Melbourne-San Francisco flights
By David Flynn, December 13 2018
United Airlines will begin direct flights between Melbourne and San Francisco in October 2019, mirroring the Star Alliance's popular Sydney-San Francisco service.
The move will pit United's Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner against that of Qantas on the same route, with the United Dreamliners expected to soon be upgraded with the airline's Polaris business class seat – taking the inflight experience on the 14 hour journey from this...
... to this.
Melbourne-San Francisco flights will begin October 29, 2019 and run three days each week.
Flight UA61 will depart Melbourne at 11.40am every Monday, Thursday and Saturday, to reach San Francisco at 6.50am that same day.
On the return leg – after business class passengers have enjoyed a spell in the Polaris San Francisco lounge (below) – flight UA60 will be wheels-up at 10.50pm on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday, arriving into Melbourne two days later at 9.40am.
In related news, United will also extend its current seasonal 777-200ER service between Auckland and San Francisco to operate all year round as of March 30, 2019.
David Flynn is the Editor-in-Chief of Executive Traveller and a bit of a travel tragic with a weakness for good coffee, shopping and lychee martinis.
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
09 Nov 2018
Total posts 66
Bring on the compilation, if you can call it that! UA v QF...... easy choice. At least the fares will be go dow
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
09 Nov 2018
Total posts 66
Competition ........
Air New Zealand - Airpoints
31 Oct 2016
Total posts 73
Yeah I definitely wouldn't be calling it that.
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
11 Oct 2014
Total posts 496
I'm a little bit surprised that UA didn't launch the MEL-SFO new service on the 3 days that QF don't operate the route (MON, TUE, FRI), which would have provided MEL a daily service on this route. As it stands, UA will have the route to themselves on MON, but will go up directly against QF on THU and SAT.
I can understand the desire to compete with QF on SAT where both companies try to secure both corporate and leisure travel out of MEL but THU seems a bit contentious to me. One would have to think that demand on a FRI - with no competition) would have been preferable? Perhaps UA has factored in feed from BNE on these days?
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
02 Jan 2015
Total posts 59
I'll stick with Qantas or Air New Zealand till the actual Polaris seats arrive.
Virgin Australia - Velocity Rewards
08 Jul 2014
Total posts 58
When it will become quite an attractive proposition - unless further cuts to the in-flight Polaris soft product eventuate. UA connections from SFO are excellent, as is the Polaris lounge there.
Singapore Airlines - KrisFlyer
17 Oct 2014
Total posts 2
kimshep,its no doubt due to aircraft rotation/availability
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
11 Oct 2014
Total posts 496
Yep, I guess so, emd - given Oscar Munoz's announcement of 7 new international routes last night, ex SFO. However, it will be interesting to see if UA change this proposed schedule, given that they have almost 12 months before 'launch'. There has been a bit of discussion already about whether the B787-9 schedules on EWR-LAX/SFO and vv will stay, post norther summer 2019, so it may well be that some 'adjustments' may be seen.
22 Dec 2012
Total posts 37
Any shots of the back of the plane? Hows their cattle class?
07 Jan 2011
Total posts 42
We generally don't cover economy.
30 Jul 2015
Total posts 90
3x3x3 like all other 787 carriers, with the exception of JL.
13 Dec 2018
Total posts 2
There "Cattle Class" is the same as QF and the majority of other carriers 787's 32inch pitch and 17.3inch seat width :)
QFF
16 May 2016
Total posts 46
UAs 787-9s are pretty good down the back. Minimum 35" on EconomyPlus seats, minimum 32" normal Economy.
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
10 Dec 2014
Total posts 55
I wonder if MEL-IAH is next. That would capture the oil company market from Perth currently using Air NZ’s AKL-IAH service, and pick up those from Melbourne who currently have to transit through LAX, SFO, AKL or SYD.
Emirates Airlines - Skywards
30 Nov 2015
Total posts 745
At this stage, what lounge will Business travelers use in Melbourne?
Virgin Australia - Velocity Rewards
10 Jan 2012
Total posts 269
Probably the same that the MEL-LAX flight uses (NZ or SQ).
24 Apr 2012
Total posts 3016
I've flown United from Melbourne to LA, and the staff were directing people to the Singapore Airlines lounge in Melbourne.
Delta Air Lines - SkyMiles
14 Apr 2013
Total posts 326
surprise that they diddent go daily.
Delta Air Lines - SkyMiles
14 Apr 2013
Total posts 326
Furthermore, interesting that UA haven’t announced a LAX/SFO - BNE route?
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
04 Nov 2017
Total posts 193
BNE-LAX is already congested with 10x weekly from QF and 6x weekly from VA/DL, and would push yields further down if UA were to enter that route.
Singapore Airlines - KrisFlyer
14 Jun 2017
Total posts 34
I wonder if it’ll be fitted with their “premium plus” product? I’d probably fly that if the price was right!
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
02 Sep 2018
Total posts 130
As far as i know, I don't think they currently have any plans to retrofit the existing dreamliners with the new Polaris seat. Only the new 787-10s will have the new seat and its really confusing because the old 2-2-2 config right now is also called polaris.
24 Oct 2010
Total posts 2375
United has always planned to upgrade the Boeing 787-8s and 787-9s with the new Polaris seat, it's just that these are sitting towards the back of the queue because they are relatively new compared to many older aircraft in its fleet. But yes, the fact that 'Polaris' is not just the new business class seat but the business class brand is very confusing, especially if you enter that into Google to see what seat you can expect, and then you step onto the aircraft and get something quite different!
QFF
16 May 2016
Total posts 46
Agreed. Can be confusing. FFs and corporates know what they're getting though. New seat is on a lot of the Asia and Atlantic routes, as well as AKL. The soft product is on all longhaul routes/aircraft. More of the Polaris Lounges opening too which are great.
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