Our returning flight from San Francisco had us on United Airlines over Air Canada. The flight itself was market as Business Class, but it’s the most bare bones Business Class experience ever. Our international flight over supper hour would only have a bag of popcorn as their primary meal offering, with the pre-departure beverage completely cut from existence. Read on to see what the United Airlines Business Class experience entails for a trans-border flight.

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This post is one chapter on my trip to the Republic of the Maldives. This trip was enhanced through Marriott Bonvoy Elite Status, Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan and Air Canada’s Aeroplan. For more information on how this trip was booked, please see our trip introduction. For other parts of the trip, please see this index.

If you enjoyed this post, please follow us here or on social media through Facebook, Twitter or Instagram for more travel tips and hacks on how to “Upgrade Your Travels”.

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Review: United Airlines Business Class A319, San Francisco International Airport – Vancouver International Airport

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We’ve previously flown this route on United Airlines Business Class on an Embraer 175 product. If you’d like to see how the smaller aircraft compares, please see United Airlines Business Class E175 San Francisco – Vancouver.

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We arrived into San Francisco International Airport on Qatar Airways Q Suites Business Class Doha – San Francisco having travelled back from the Maldives on Qatar Airways Q Suites Business Class Malé – Doha earlier in the journey.

I was unable to find any reward space on Alaska Mileage Plan between San Francisco to Vancouver, so we just opted to purchase a revenue ticket to position back home.

Checking into United Airlines:

I checked into this flight courtesy of the United Airlines app. Everything worked as it should, and we dropped our luggage at the United Airlines connections desk in the basement of the International Terminal.

After a visit to the American Express Centurion Lounge San Francisco courtesy of the American Express Platinum Card, we headed to the gate.

United Airlines includes lounge access on a Business Class international ticket to Canada. As a result, we also had access to the variety of United Clubs’ in San Francisco that included the:

• United Club San Francisco – “F” Gates Rotunda
• United Club San Francisco International – “G” Gates
• United Club San Francisco – “E” Gates.

However, time did not permit a visit to all of these, so we opted for the comfortable American Express Centurion Lounge instead.

United Airlines
Business Class (P)
SFO – YVR (San Francisco International Airport – Vancouver International Airport)
UA 2183
March 21, 2023
Booked: Airbus 319
Flown: Airbus 319
Departure: 4:14 PM

Arrival: 6:38 PM

After some time in the lounge, we headed towards Gate E7. The atmospheric river that we landed in had disappeared. We enjoyed some angelic rainbow views over United Airlines mainline fleet.

On board United Airlines Business Class:

We eventually boarded with Group 1 after a brief delay of the in bound aircraft.

The United Airlines Business Class Airbus 319 is set up in a 2 – 2 configuration. The seats are regular slim line domestic recliners that are mostly comfortable for short flights.

They offer a little extra leg room, hip space and some priority services including extra checked baggage and early boarding.

Each Seat featured Empower Seat Power. The power ports are slightly hidden under the armrest centre console.

The seats are reasonably comfortable for short to medium haul first class. I find that these seats are generally firmer than Alaska Airlines First Class for what it’s worth.

We received the usual United Clean Plus Sanitizing Wipe on arrival to the aircraft. We were also able to watch the last of the luggage being loaded into the hold of the aircraft.

Pre-Departure Services:

In additional cost cutting moves, there was no offer of a pre-departure beverage today. I’m really surprised that United Airlines still doesn’t offer anything; not even a bottle of water.

In Flight Entertainment:

United Airlines offers in phone flight entertainment. Messaging is free, although there is a charge for internet access.

Perhaps disappointingly, I was not able to get any of the movies or internet to work. My phone kept timing out, and as a result, we didn’t have any entertainment for this short two hour flight. It wasn’t the end of the world, but it was sort of typical for my experiences on United Airlines.

The Meal: All – In – One Snack Basket

As we got to altitude, the meal service for the two hour international flight started. United Airlines feels that a bag of chips is the right food offering for a two hour international flight over supper hour.

As a result, I enjoyed a bag of skinny popcorn along with a gin and tonic. I’d certainly get off this particular flight hungry.

Arriving into Vancouver International Airport:

Since there wasn’t any entertainment on board, there wasn’t much to do except stare out the window. In my case, it was on the left hand side of the aircraft towards a setting sun.

We arrived into Vancouver International Airport and headed towards the inspection lanes of the Canada Border Services Agency. Surprisingly, there were a few crowds with travel returning back to normal once again.

Thanks to Nexus screening, we were through the border really quickly.

My Thoughts on United Airlines Transborder:

Our United Airlines Business Class flight from San Francisco – Vancouver remained an exceptionally basic flight for what is branded as a Business Class experience. Despite being on a flight over two and a half hours in length during supper hour, United doesn’t see it fit to provide an inflight meal. The Pre-Departure Beverage is gone and the in flight entertainment was non functional.

There wasn’t too much premium about this flight. Make sure you come on board with take away sandwiches.

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If you travel between the United States and Canada, do you pack food to carry on board ?

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