Chicago, the third-largest city in North America after New York and Los Angeles. As the birthplace of the skyscraper, its atmosphere bears a certain resemblance to New York. This compact city, with a population and area only a fraction of New York's, is densely packed with captivating attractions comparable to New York's, including art, architecture, entertainment, and gastronomy. This short series will introduce the charms of Chicago by theme. In this seventh installment, we present "United Polaris," the new long-haul international business class service from United Airlines, which we experienced on this trip.

For this trip to Chicago, I chose to fly with United Airlines, a leading North American carrier with Chicago O'Hare International Airport as one of its hubs. United Airlines introduced its new concept for long-haul international business class service, "United Polaris," in December 2016, and I was eager to experience it.

United Polaris was created with the concept of "providing premium cabin users with an even more elevated sleep experience from lounge to arrival." True to its concept, the special experience begins even before boarding, at the airline's premier lounge, the United Polaris lounge. Currently, these lounges are open at airports including Chicago O'Hare International, San Francisco, New York Newark, and Houston, with plans for another to open at Washington Dulles.

On my return journey to Narita Airport, I spent the time before my flight at the Polaris lounge near Gate C18 in Terminal 1 at Chicago O'Hare. After checking in and stepping inside, I was greeted by a spacious area featuring private-feeling seats with partitions and side tables, as well as comfortable sofas and tables. At the large, L-shaped bar counter, staff smiled as they offered a selection of drinks, including wine, beer, and cocktails. Combined with the modern interior design, it felt just like a bar lounge in a luxury hotel.

The spacious shower rooms, reminiscent of a luxury hotel bathroom, are equipped with amenities from "Sunday Riley," a high-end skincare brand from Houston, just like those on the plane. This is a particularly welcome service for female travelers. Meanwhile, a valet service that steams shirts and jackets while you shower is a thoughtful touch for business travelers. The hospitality here truly rivals that of a luxury hotel.

Convenient for long layovers are the napping rooms, called daybeds. These comfortable beds are equipped with pillows and blankets co-developed with "Saks Fifth Avenue," a renowned American department store, allowing guests to rest deeply in a quiet environment. The staff can wake you at a requested time, so there's no need to worry about oversleeping and missing your flight.

The most appealing space in the Polaris lounge is undoubtedly the dining room. In this dedicated area, with an atmosphere akin to a fine restaurant, guests can order a variety of dishes, featuring regional specialties, from soup to appetizers and main courses, served at their table by staff.

I opted for the onion soup and the "United Polaris Burger," both of which were delicious, easily matching the quality of a high-end restaurant. The dining room, offering such high-quality meals before boarding, is particularly attractive for those who wish to skip the in-flight meal and maximize their sleep time.

Incidentally, the United Polaris lounge at Chicago O'Hare Airport was recognized as the "Best Business Class Lounge in the USA" at the "2018 World Airline Awards" conducted by Skytrax, a British aviation service research company. With over 20 million airline passengers worldwide voting for this award, it's clear how highly this lounge is regarded by jet-setters globally.

After satisfying both body and soul at the Polaris lounge, it was finally time to board. Of the Boeing 777-200ER aircraft used on the Narita-Chicago route, over 57% are already equipped with the new United Polaris seats introduced in 2017, with plans to phase them into all aircraft by 2020. Fortunately, on this trip, I was able to enjoy the new seats on both the outbound and return flights.

Upon settling into my seat, the first impression was the high degree of privacy. The 1-2-1 configuration, with four seats across, is arranged to minimize interaction with neighboring passengers. Combined with the moderately high partitions, it creates a space that allows for both mental and physical relaxation. The seat is equipped with a side table and storage space for items like laptops, making it highly functional; for example, you can keep your laptop open on the side table while dining at the main table.

Once airborne, it was time for the meal. The menu, developed in collaboration with world-renowned chefs according to region and season, offers both Western and Japanese course options. On this flight, I selected the Western course, and the "Seared Beef Short Ribs" main dish, in particular, was exquisitely cooked and a truly delicious plate.

As I savored my meal and enjoyed a glass of port wine, a pleasant drowsiness overcame me. United Airlines conducted extensive research when improving its long-haul international business class and discovered that passengers prioritize a comfortable sleep above all else. Consequently, the developed seats allow for stepless adjustment of the recline and footrest to preferred angles, transforming into a spacious full-flat bed approximately 198cm long for sleeping.

Furthermore, to support passengers' restful sleep, they collaborated with "Saks Fifth Avenue," a high-end American department store, to develop exclusive bedding. For flights exceeding 12 hours, upon request, passengers receive not only regular pillows and blankets but also a cool gel pillow, a mattress topper for the full-flat bed, and 100% cotton pajamas (which can be taken home), creating a sleep environment that makes you forget you're in the air. Typically, on flights over 10 hours, I spend most of my time working, watching movies, or reading, sleeping only about three hours. However, this time, after the first meal, I lay down and slept deeply and comfortably until about two hours before landing.

A United Polaris flight transforms travel time into a cherished moment of the journey, something to be actively savored. This was a truly fulfilling experience in the sky.