US Airways Dividend Miles (Pre-FlightFund Merger) - RCC access fun...

Flying DEN-PIT on Monday. I had a 4:30pm departure, but it turned out I was done socializing after about noon on Monday (all my friends had flown home on Sunday or on earlier Monday flights), so I headed to the airport early.

I was at the airport and through security by 1pm (after a slight hassle where the screeners couldn't figure out what my tripod was and asked to hand-search my bag, no big deal).

With over 3 hours to kill before boarding, I decided to try my luck getting into the RCC. I had my US club card, but not being on a United ticket I was figuring I'd be told no.

Instead, the gentleman at the counter smiled, welcomed me to the club, and asked if a US flight had just landed "because we're getting quite a few US preferreds in the past half hour". Interesting.

The East Club in DEN is nice, but nothing super-fancy. Coffee, tea, chips, apples, and a bar. I like the Flavia machines in the US clubs more, to be honest.

I parked myself by a window, sat back, read the new United August magazine (I think I'm going to send a few entries for their photo contest), and generally had a nice, fairly quiet wait. A few business people were talking loudly on their cellphones, and one person kept rebooting their laptop.

(After 20 minutes I was done with the United magazine and switched to my Gameboy.)

Just some random thoughts. It looks like the mutual club access rules are getting relaxed. Just to double-check, I read the August US magazine during the flight, and it still specifically says "when on a same-day ticket".

Anyone else have any recent experiences?

Yes. Flying U metal over the 4th of July weekend at O'Hare. Delays from hell because of weather. I tried to get into the RCC closest to the U gates. I showed my US Club card and BP. The lovely agent said: "Are you traveling on a UA flight?" I said, "No" RCC Club Matron: "Well you're more than welcome if you pay, otherwise HIT THE BRICKS"

I walked away dejected and rejected. Of course this exchange took place in front a large crowd at the desk. I could hear the giggle and guffaws. :-(

I had a similar experience as Miami Flyer and have given up even trying to use the UA Club-even when I'm flying United! My wife and I recently flew Dulles-Rio on United and arrived at the airport early, so I thought I'd try the Club. When I approached the counter and handed my FIRST CLASS ticket and US Club card to the agent, he looked at me and said that Club privileges were only for the cardholder, unless I had a spouse membership for my wife. I told him that was ridiculous, looked at my wife and we left. When we reached Sao Paulo we had a two hour layover, so as we were walking through the airport we passed the RCC and we thought we'd try it again. Same response as at Dulles. Ironically on our return home, the agent in Rio told us after we were checked in that we could enjoy the RCC as FIRST CLASS passengers and started to tell us where it was. I stopped her and told her about our experiences in Sao Paulo and Dulles and she advised that the RCC agents were correct if I was trying to use my USClub card for entry, but they should have admitted both of us on the basis of our First Class tickets. As luck would have it, by the time we got through security, the flight was boarding, so we didn't have time to go to the RCC and get denied entry again!

When I flew PHX-IAD-CDG on UA, I brought my travel buddy in with me without a problem at PDX, the 3 clubs in IAD and at CDG.


<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by romadaro:
I had a similar experience as Miami Flyer and have given up even trying to use the UA Club-even when I'm flying United! My wife and I recently flew Dulles-Rio on United and arrived at the airport early, so I thought I'd try the Club. When I approached the counter and handed my FIRST CLASS ticket and US Club card to the agent, he looked at me and said that Club privileges were only for the cardholder, unless I had a spouse membership for my wife. I told him that was ridiculous, looked at my wife and we left. When we reached Sao Paulo we had a two hour layover, so as we were walking through the airport we passed the RCC and we thought we'd try it again. Same response as at Dulles. Ironically on our return home, the agent in Rio told us after we were checked in that we could enjoy the RCC as FIRST CLASS passengers and started to tell us where it was. I stopped her and told her about our experiences in Sao Paulo and Dulles and she advised that the RCC agents were correct if I was trying to use my USClub card for entry, but they should have admitted both of us on the basis of our First Class tickets. As luck would have it, by the time we got through security, the flight was boarding, so we didn't have time to go to the RCC and get denied entry again! </font>

I was told at ORD that when flying UA and using my US club card for RCC access, I was allowed one companion.

I think the rule for most airline clubs (at least in my experience) is that only the traveler is allowed access to the lounge on an international first or business class ticket - i.e. no guests.

On that note, I will add that when I attempted to bring a Y guest into the Qantas club in Brisbane, the woman at the desk sternly informed me that only the business- or first-class ticketed passenger were entitled to be admitted. Then she smiled and said "But since today is Sunday, I'll let you both in!" It never hurts to ask!

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by romadaro:
My wife and I recently flew Dulles-Rio on United and arrived at the airport early, so I thought I'd try the Club. When I approached the counter and handed my FIRST CLASS ticket and US Club card to the agent, he looked at me and said that Club privileges were only for the cardholder, unless I had a spouse membership for my wife. </font>

I am having difficulty buying this story. United has special First Class lounges that are much nicer than RCC.
http://www.ual.com/page/article/0,1360,50425,00.html

And in Sao Paulo they have an arrivals suite.
http://www.ual.com/page/article/0,1360,50001,00.html

Furthermore, you would have had access to Varig's First Class lounge in GRU and GIG.
http://www.ual.com/page/article/0,1360,3113,00.html

Whenever I fly UA in a premium class they always tell you about the lounge at check-in. (I of course head to some other *G lounge but that's another story. http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/wink.gif )