United MileagePlus (Consolidated) - United club customers: what is your go to gate strategy?

Greetings from ORD gate c23 waiting for my flight to Denver... I bought UC membership specifically so I would not be out in the cold during irrops.. And for showers on international travel.. I am 82% happy with my purchase, mainly thanks to access to partner lounges (specifically some very nice lounging in the NZ lounge in Sydney and the tower lounge in FRA)

My issue, and where I am seeking the sagely advice of fellow travelers is when to go to gate.. United is posting utterly stupid boarding times, 45 mins in advance.. I am a little risk adverse (probably why I am poor ;) ) but I am getting frankly sick of waiting at the gate when I have access to wifi and more comfortable seating (currently sitting on the floor next to the trash)..

I was looking at UA flight status.. It showed my inbound 30 mins late but no delay announcement on outbound.. We are now 25 mins past advertised boarding time and the inbound only just landed.. How much should I trust United's "see where this flight is coming from? " what is is your strategy.

It all depends on the airport, closeness of the gate to the UC, plane type, etc.

Usually I go to the gate around 40 minutes before. Yesterday I did that on my LHR-SFO flight, though, (was already in business class - wasn't stressing about being first in line). I got there just as they made their last call announcement, at scheduled time minus 30!

I always make a swing by the gate at least 15min prior to published departure time to check things out. If it is a non-boarding CF (as it usually is these days) I go back to the club for 30 min if there is an aircraft and 45 min if there is no aircraft. I repeat until I board. I've also found that the GAs will sometimes/often give some information. A good question would be "I have some work to finish and plan to go back to Club, when would you suggest I check back?"

I don't think I'd rely on the track inbound feature at a hub where there are swappable aircraft. At out stations I usually have more faith.

I always make a swing by the gate at least 15min prior to published departure time to check things out.

I presume you mean 15 minutes before scheduled boarding. If you show up 15 minutes prior to scheduled departure that's pretty late!

10 minutes or so before the boarding time on the boarding pass.

On other airlines, I wouldn't have to do this, but UA seems to have its own unique gate lice problem

For me depends on whether I need overhead space for carryon. If I do, I usually leave the UC at around boarding time (assuming only about a 5 min walk), if I don't need overhead space then I try to get there 20 min before departure.

Greetings from ORD gate c23 waiting for my flight to Denver... I bought UC membership specifically so I would not be out in the cold during irrops.. And for showers on international travel.. I am 82% happy with my purchase, mainly thanks to access to partner lounges (specifically some very nice lounging in the NZ lounge in Sydney and the tower lounge in FRA)

My issue, and where I am seeking the sagely advice of fellow travelers is when to go to gate.. United is posting utterly stupid boarding times, 45 mins in advance.. I am a little risk adverse (probably why I am poor ;) ) but I am getting frankly sick of waiting at the gate when I have access to wifi and more comfortable seating (currently sitting on the floor next to the trash)..

I was looking at UA flight status.. It showed my inbound 30 mins late but no delay announcement on outbound.. We are now 25 mins past advertised boarding time and the inbound only just landed.. How much should I trust United's "see where this flight is coming from? " what is is your strategy.

How big is the plane coming in to take you out? A320 or 757 I would say 25 mins after that flight has landed. It takes awhile to clear that plane and clean it.

Yes, it depends on the airport, but when traveling alone, I usually go with "out the lounge door at the designated boarding time." Always works with some time to spare...and never makes you the guy running down the terminal knocking grannies over.

Yes, it depends on the airport, but when traveling alone, I usually go with "out the lounge door at the designated boarding time." Always works with some time to spare...and never makes you the guy running down the terminal knocking grannies over.

One caveat to this. If you are flying from Canada to the US, be aware that UA and UX flights will board and depart before the scheduled time under some circumstances! This amazed me, but last year I got rousted out of the MLL in YUL about 5 minutes before scheduled boarding by a "Last call -- do not walk, RUN to the gate if you are on UA xxxx" announcement. And we pushed back within 30 seconds of my butt landing in my seat.

If the inbound arrives early, the crew have 90 minutes to get off the ground before they turn into pumpkins and have to go through Immigration, apparently.

Anyway, point is, give yourself more time out of Canada. I think other international destinations generally have longer turnaround times, and the crew just clear immigration anyway, so this isn't an issue.

For me depends on whether I need overhead space for carryon. If I do, I usually leave the UC at around boarding time (assuming only about a 5 min walk), if I don't need overhead space then I try to get there 20 min before departure.

+1. I often travel with a large camera that must travel onboard, so then it's imperative that I'm at the gate near the start of boarding. If I'm only carrying a briefcase (or preferably nothing at all), then I arrive at the gate about 20 minutes before departure time. Especially if it is a long flight, I see no need to spend an extra 30 - 40 minutes in an airplane seat!

not exactly the *A club's fault, but LHR famously doesn't announce gates till just before boarding.

Be careful on the "where is this flight coming from" on the mobile web app. I was relaxing in the club periodically checking on the status of my supposedly late inbound when I realized the aircraft numbers didn't match! I made it to the gate just in time.

Anyway, point is, give yourself more time out of Canada. I think other international destinations generally have longer turnaround times, and the crew just clear immigration anyway, so this isn't an issue.

That doesn't make sense, as in Canada the gate area is technically US soil anyway (at least in YEG, YUL, and YYZ).

I think there must be some other reason for your experience.

not exactly the *A club's fault, but LHR famously doesn't announce gates till just before boarding.

Not only that but it's usually a good 15-20 minute walk from the *A club down to the gate through a desolate part of that terminal.

Paying for the club is a nonstarter for me. I refuse to pay anything to UA or any other airline beyond the ticket. But, I visit the United club every month or so in conjunction with international travel.

Step 1, Go to gate to ensure on VDB list. Step 2, United club for food & soda and quick e-mail check. Step 3, get back to gate no later that 70 minutes before flight in order to ensure that I'm not screwed out of any VDB oppurtunity and to watch with humor the headless chickens who are stressed about flight delays, equipment swaps, and cancellations as well as and the over entitled stressing over UG processing. I find this all this better than any IFE.

I am sure there are others who do as I do and many who would think I am quite odd.

Boarding times are usually 35 minutes for 737 and 50 minutes for larger aircraft. I usually arrive 1-2 minutes before the official boarding times, UNLESS the incoming aircraft is late.

If the incoming aircraft is late, I ignore UA's predictions of departure time. They are *always* too optimistic. (For some reason, they just want people to wait by the gate). When the incoming aircraft is late, I show up at the gate 15 minutes after the arrival of the incoming aircraft.

If booked in FC or BC I'll show at the gate 30 mins prior to departure... if booked in coach i'll show 50 mins prior... especially if i'm carrying a roller board.

Not only that but it's usually a good 15-20 minute walk from the *A club down to the gate through a desolate part of that terminal.

Yeah, I usually leave the lounge at circa boarding time, but I learned at LHR that's not what you wanna do. To make matters worse I was at the BMI lounge not the *A so that's about ten extra minutes. By the time I got there there was a GA walking the other way down the corridor calling my name.

Of course once I got aboard it was still twenty minutes of sitting around before they closed the door because boarding times on 744s are *craaaazeeeee*. (Also it was a half-empty flight).

...the guy running down the terminal knocking grannies over.


...and that would have been me, flying out of CDG to Zurich last month. :)

Enjoying some downtime at the club, more or less left at the time the club suggested. And ran into a 25 minute passport line. Followed by a run, realizing we had five minutes till doors closing... And then hit the metal detector line. Looked at wife, shared the "oh yeah. I'm gonna be That Guy" look.
Plowed though security, cutting in line for the first time since grade school. Felt crappy about it, but it was the last flight out and it would have had some ramifications if we missed it. Arrg.

Apologized profusely, still felt like a heel.

All this retrospective to illustrate: don't chance it if you're unfamiliar with security layout of the airport or how far from the gate you may be.


TDM (99.9% polite and pre planned traveler)

I wish UA would post "Boarding" on the website like DL does.

That would be a nice indicator.

It's not just overhead space you have to worry about with United: you have to worry about squatters and pillow/blanket theft, too.

If someone from E- squats in your E+ seat (or sometimes even someone from Y sitting in your business or F seat), United will let them stay and escort you off the plane. So, unfortunately, you should board as soon as possible.

And on planes where the Y passengers to the perp-walk through the business or first cabin, they often steal your blanket and pillow.

So I always arrive when they start boarding. I usually walk up the non-carpeted lane when they call "GS" because the priority boarding lane is clogged with lice and credit-card holders.

Not only that but it's usually a good 15-20 minute walk from the *A club down to the gate through a desolate part of that terminal.

They make up for that by showing "closing" on the departure monitor
a good 15-20 minutes before boarding has even started.

So I always arrive when they start boarding. I usually walk up the non-carpeted lane when they call "GS" because the priority boarding lane is clogged with lice and credit-card holders.

Ok. Though I might be a Licey 1k (and a credit card holder), this made me spit my coffee out this morning. Nicely done.

Usually I go to the gate around 40 minutes before. Yesterday I did that on my LHR-SFO flight, though, (was already in business class - wasn't stressing about being first in line). I got there just as they made their last call announcement, at scheduled time minus 30!

Whereas today I left the lounge for that flight about 10 mins after the Go To Gate sign went up and had to wait 20 minutes, standing in the packed gate area, for boarding to start shortly after the scheduled departure time

For me depends on whether I need overhead space for carryon. If I do, I usually leave the UC at around boarding time (assuming only about a 5 min walk), if I don't need overhead space then I try to get there 20 min before departure.

My thoughts are similar to the above poster. I have absolutely no desire to sit on that airplane any longer than I must.

Assuming I don't anticipate a fight for overhead space (i.e. if I'm in F and/or don't have a large carry-on, or the plane has a ton of empty seats), I try to time my arrival to the gate to the last possible minute i.e. 16-18 minutes prior to scheduled departure for domestic, 30-35 minutes for international.

If I'm rounding the corner in the terminal and spy my gate area still clogged with kettles I'll avoid the crush and go for a little walk; conversely if the gate is completely empty, I'll usually pick up the pace a little.

Very rarely have GA's given me any grief over this. I think they are happy to see me on time since they realize it's one less straggler that they need to chase down in the moments leading up to departure.

edit: This only works for airports where one is quite familiar with the lounge and gate locations! In an unfamiliar airport I will usually ask at the lounge desk and/or leave myself a larger time buffer.

I am nearly always at the gate 5 minutes before the scheduled boarding time. I have seen flights cancelled only to be reinstated, boarded, and leaving with many empty seats. The only exception to my strategy is when there is a delay of more than 1 hour. In these cases I will check the flight status regularly online and with club agents. Most of my flights are international for which boarding announcements are normally made. Having said that, sometimes the boarding announcement leaves me arriving at the gate being one of the last to board!

If someone from E- squats in your E+ seat (or sometimes even someone from Y sitting in your business or F seat), United will let them stay and escort you off the plane. So, unfortunately, you should board as soon as possible.

Never seen any FA, United or otherwise, not enforce the seat assignments printed on boarding passes when confronted about it. I have never had to get a FA involved, but have had my shooing other flies out of my seat on Philippine Air, LH, and the old CO.

My favorite one was taking the island hopper flight sitting in F and getting off when we stopped in Pohnpei to take a look around. I came back onboard with my colleagues, and a few local islanders, who likely have never flown before, thought they'd just take the first seats available.

Never seen any FA, United or otherwise, not enforce the seat assignments printed on boarding passes when confronted about it.

You need to see this thread:

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/united-mileageplus-consolidated/1356896-holding-bp-does-not-mean-its-your-seat.html

Apparently, United FAs will take away your seat if it shuts up a passenger and gets the plane off the ground.

Depends on whether I have a rollaboard or not.

Anyway, point is, give yourself more time out of Canada. I think other international destinations generally have longer turnaround times, and the crew just clear immigration anyway, so this isn't an issue.

That doesn't make sense, as in Canada the gate area is technically US soil anyway (at least in YEG, YUL, and YYZ).

I think there must be some other reason for your experience.

Eh, my explanation is based on what the FA told me. I posted about it here (http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/united-mileage-plus-pre-merger/1273501-early-departure-canada-so-crew-can-avoid-customs.html), and aluminumdriver confirmed, which was good enough for me.

The legal situation is quite a bit more complicated than "the gate area is technically US soil." The Wikipedia article (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_border_preclearance) has a decent summary -- e.g. "Travelers who have passed through the U.S. government checks, but whose flight or ship has not departed, remain in the legal jurisdiction of the host country."

as in Canada the gate area is technically US soil anyway (at least in YEG, YUL, and YYZ).

Huh? :confused:

I head to the gate about 35 minutes before boarding. If there's a delay of more than, say, 20 minutes, I usually stay in the club and just keep an eye on the estimated time of departure.

YMMV, of course. I'll be dropping my club membership after this year. I've found it useful but not worth the expense.

That doesn't make sense, as in Canada the gate area is technically US soil anyway (at least in YEG, YUL, and YYZ).

I think there must be some other reason for your experience.

The gate area is NOT US soil. Where does this crazy idea come from? Its offensive and illinformed.

Simply because one has cleared US inspection does not mean it is US soil. Its Canadian soil. If you steal from the bookshop in the gate area, you go to Canadian court. If you work at the bookshop, you pay Canadian taxes. If you are neither Canadian nor American and give birth in the bookshop, your baby in not American.

Can we not have any respect for international law and the sovergnty of our Canadian friends?

If you are neither Canadian nor American and give birth in the bookshop, your baby in not American.


This reminds me of the time I walked in on a couple trying to _make_ a baby in one of the United Red Carpet Club conference rooms.

This reminds me of the time I walked in on a couple trying to _make_ a baby in one of the United Red Carpet Club conference rooms.

Had they reserved in advance?

For me it depends. If I'm in F, I'll leave the club when I've hit a good work stopping point, but err as close to departure as possible. I usually show up at the gate 20-15 minutes prior to departure. There is often no one left waiting for a boarding pass to be scanned, but I almost never encounter a situation where I don't find a bunch of people backed up onto the jet bridge.

If I'm in Y, it depends on the carry-on situation. If I'm carrying-on a rollaway with something fragile in it, or I haven't had to check a bag yet, I'll go early to get overhead bin space. Otherwise I'll try and set foot on the plane as late as possible... no need to be in that Y seat any longer than necessary.

I did have to get the boarding door reopened on the way to MCO once though when I showed up at T-15 and the door was shut and no staff at the gate. Although even then I *STILL* found a line of people backed up onto the jet bridge.

On delayed flights you can sometimes get a lounge dragon to tell you when boarding starts.


Would be nice if United would find a way to indicate '1st boarding pass scanned' on the mobile app.