Summary
- United Airlines will shift to an all-737 operation for flights from Phoenix to Newark.
- The 757-200 was utilized consistently for six months on the route.
- United’s 757-200 offers a premium experience with Polaris business seats, but will now be phased out.
Chicago-based United Airlines will soon make some changes to flights between Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport (PHX) and its hub at Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR). Starting next month, the airline will operate the route with only Boeing 737s, removing the 757-200 from its flight schedule.
The change doesn’t affect the airline’s capability on the route, as its largest 737 variants carry more passengers than the 757-200. Nonetheless, it does represent a decrease in its premium product on the route, with the lack of the Polaris business class.
Six months of the 757
United has operated the 757-200 between PHX and EWR sparingly for several years, with the 737 almost all the time handling nearly all of the route’s frequencies. Each aircraft types, besides the 737 MAX 9, formerly flew with Continental Airlines before it merged with United in 2010. Continental also scheduled the 757-200 from PHX to EWR occasionally, but not regularly.
Photo: Vincenzo Pace | Easy Flying
After six months of being consistently deployed, United will remove the flying pencil from the route starting April 1st, in keeping with aviation analytics and data provider Cirium. It comes after the aircraft was scheduled on the route during two periods in 2023, with a break in the course of the yr. Throughout January and February, the plane was deployed recurrently. In March and April, United significantly reduced the variety of flights operated by the aircraft before it was taken off the flight schedule until the Fall.
In September 2023, the plane returned to the route and operated flights consistently throughout the Thanksgiving, Christmas, and Recent Yr travel periods. The trend continued into this yr, with the plane operating 46 total flights in each direction in January. In February, the schedule was virtually the identical, with a complete of 41 flights operated in each direction. This month, 60 flights are scheduled – 30 each way – before it goes dark next month.
Premium with Polaris
When deployed on domestic routes, United’s 757-200s have probably the most premium product than any of its other narrowbody aircraft. That is as a result of the aircraft’s versatility, in that it also operates international flights that exceed seven hours. Just like the airline’s widebody aircraft, its 757-200s are equipped with Polaris business class. The upscale class features private seats with fully lie-flat capability, a bigger inflight entertainment screen, and noise-reducing headphones.
Polaris passengers may also make the most of extra space to store their personal items and keep their devices charged with several personal charging ports. Moreover, amenity kits are passed out to each passenger. While United’s newer Airbus A321neos boast a premium domestic first-class product, the the seats don’t recline into beds.
![Just outside the United Polaris Lounge at Newark Liberty Airport.](https://static1.simpleflyingimages.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/united_polaris_lounge_at_ewr-1.jpg)
How To Access The United Polaris Lounge
Stepping into a number of the US’ most premium lounges is not easy.
There are 16 Polaris seats on the 757-200. The rest of the cabin comprises 160 economy seats, 42 of that are branded as Economy Plus, which feature more legroom. With a complete of 176 seats, the aircraft accommodates fewer passengers than 737-900, -900ER, and MAX 9, that are configured with 179 seats.
An all-737 operation
In accordance with Cirium, United has the -900/-900ER, MAX 8, and MAX 9 scheduled to operate flights from PHX to EWR from April through August, excluding the A319, A320, 737-800, and 757-200, which all have been deployed on the route within the last yr. Starting in September, the airline will reportedly shift the route’s equipment to at least one aircraft type: the 737 MAX 8.
Have you ever been on United’s 757-200 before? Tell us within the comments.
![A United Airlines Boeing 787 just above a runway.](https://static1.simpleflyingimages.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/k65727-13-2.jpg)
United Airlines’ International Flights: What To Expect Onboard
United Airlines longest flight is an 8,440-mile flight between San Francisco and Singapore.