In a welcome move, United Airlines will be re-introducing duvets and large pillows in business class on premium trasconintiental as well as select flights to Hawaii and Alaska.

United’s Saks Fifth Avenue branded bedding is well regarded, particularly the large pillow and duvet that is somehow the perfect blend of warm and cool. It is silky soft and yet keeps you warm while remaining cool to the touch.  Unfortunately, United cut these duvets from premium transcontinental and long-haul Hawaiian and Alaska flights during the pandemic.

In its place, United offered its “light throw blanket” that was not a horrible blanket, but on the small side and also did not age gracefully after several cycles in the laundry.

But in a memo to flight attendants reviewed by Live and Let’s Fly, United revealed that effective October 5, 2022 it will restore larger pillows and duvets to these routes. Premium transcontinental flights (which include service between San Francisco/Los Angeles and Newark/New York JFK), flights between the U.S. Mainland and Hawaii or Alaska with lie-flat seating, and United’s Honolulu – Guam flight will be impacted.

These flights will now offer:

For passengers traveling in Polaris long-haul business, United will re-introduce throw blankets:

I still wonder if part of the problem in the first place was theft? Even though United has used menus to ask guests not steal duvets, an insider told me they continued to disappear at an alarming rate, leading to the pandemic-era cutbacks. While I haven’t seen people steal them, a Flyertalk forum is full of theft stories.

Theft concerns notwithstanding, it seems to me the bigger reason United is bringing these back is because American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, and JetBlue Airways offer such superior bedding on their premium transcontinental routes.

It is good to see United roll back another pandemic-era cutback. This is a big deal for me personally and will mean I will no longer have to travel with a blanket when flying from coast to coast on United (something I do now…and that takes up a lot of space in my carry-on bag).

Let’s hope appetizers and ice cream sundae carts are not far behind…

> Read More: United Really Doesn’t Want You to Steal Onboard Bedding!

Matthew is an avid traveler who calls Los Angeles home. Each year he travels more than 200,000 miles by air and has visited more than 135 countries. Working both in the aviation industry and as a travel consultant, Matthew has been featured in major media outlets around the world and uses his Live and Let's Fly blog to share the latest news in the airline industry, commentary on frequent flyer programs, and detailed reports of his worldwide travel.

The passenger mix is getting somewhat closer to normal vs the days in 2020 / 2021 when yields were very low. A lot less ‘behaving badly in the skies’ and while the mask mandate was part of it, the relatively low yield from a higher mix of low fares onboard were a factor in my view, as they attracted more people not used to the norms of flying.

This guy seems to think taking a pillow is OK because of what United charges for the flight (see comments).

https://theaircraftking.com/2021/12/22/review-united-767-300-polaris-business-class-newark-to-munich/

Yeah why not just take everything that isn’t bolted down then. People who take those amenities, and fill bags with food from the lounge are effing losers. I have a friend who does it, and at hotels too. Really low class.

Is United ever going to resume hot towels? Aren’t AA and DL doing that?

DL got rid of duvets even though their seats are pretty stiff on the back. I’d rather have duvets over a hot towel.

How about matching aa/dl and make those polaris routes

I would love this, but the Polaris lounges simply can’t handle that many more people. Newark is already packed full, and the LAX lounge isn’t big, it was designed for just a few flights per day. Maybe San Francisco Polaris lounge could handle it, but that’s the only one.

Also, in United’s defensive, you can often get a transcon ticket up front for as low as $690, that little price shouldn’t grant access to the Polaris lounge.

Yes Jared you are correct. AA and DL both provide hot towels in first class. You know, this whole drip drip drip technique UA’s got going on is starting to be really really annoying!

AA/DL’s product are to JFK. United’s is mostly to EWR. Slightly different market. I asked someone at Corp about this and he told me that they actually did a study on if they needed to make these routes Polaris and felt it wasn’t necessary and they haven’t seen the revenue drops from not elevating these to Polaris because UA’s main draw is EWR airport which serves not just Manhattan but also Northern NJ customer base that AA/DL don’t serve and no other competition for these customers. He said if UA’s transcon product was primarily to JFK, then yes, they’d probably make these Polaris but to EWR, it’s just not necessary. Location, location, location.

That is fascinating – I’d love to see the metrics that went into the decision there (and whether it was Muñoz/Kirby/Simsek in charge)

$60 for the duvet seems steep. It was nice but not that nice

What menus to ask customers not to purloin??? There are NO menus. They don’t exist anymore?? They’re a thing of the past!! Again, what menus????!??

This is a good change especially for the non stop flight between GUM and HNL. This flight already receives the larger pillow so the addition will be the return of the duvet. It would be nice if UA cold shrink wrap everything into one unit similar to how DL does as I could easily place them in the overhead bin, or on the ottoman before takeoff. I don’t like putting the pillows on the ottoman, nor the floor, nor the surfaces; for crying out loud my head will go there!

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