Basic Polaris and Premium Plus fares introduced; Polaris Lounge access, free seats and full earning stripped from lowest premium fares

Polaris Lounge access, 2 checked bags, seat selection included (lowest Polaris fare) → United Club only, 1 checked bag, paid seat selection (basic Polaris fare)

United announced on April 3, 2026 that Polaris business class and Premium Plus premium economy would be sold in three tiers — basic, standard and flexible — on long-haul international, transcontinental and select Hawaii routes, with basic fares on sale in select markets within days and expanding through 2026. Basic Polaris fares require paying for seat selection, include one free checked bag instead of two, grant United Club access but not Polaris Lounge access, allow no changes or refunds, and are not eligible for paid upgrades to Polaris Studio. Mileage earning on basic fares is reduced to a basic-economy-style structure (0–6x per dollar without a United card, 3–9x with one), and these fares earn Premier Qualifying Points but no Premier Qualifying Flights. United stated that MileagePlus and partner award tickets continue to book into non-basic fare classes for now.

What to do: When comparing Polaris fares, price the standard tier — the basic tier is the old lowest fare with benefits removed, not a new discount.