Old Mar 3, 2017, 10:56 pm
FlyerTalk Forums Expert How-Tos and Guides
Last edit by: WineCountryUA
Working summary (Updated May 2018)

ORD - OPEN near C16, opened Dec 1 2016
SFO - OPEN in previous UC space in International Terminal G, April 30, 2018 (occupies previous UC+ SQ + BR lounge space)
EWR - OPEN old UC near Gate C120, June 4, 2018
IAH - OPEN - E11/E12, top floor of existing UC June 29, 2018
LAX - OPEN 12 January 2019 - Above rotunda near gate 73
IAD - "Under Construction" (2020?) - near C4, existing GFL (GFL converting to UC end of June 2018)
LHR - "Future location" - T2 opposite B46 at existing GFL (still open)
NRT - "Future location" - above existing UC
HKG - "Future location" - above gate 61, existing GFL (still open)


Polaris Progress Tracker 2017.06.26
Originally Posted by UASleeper
United has installed a Polaris Progress Tracker on its webpage, which tracks the progress of aircraft types/routes with Polaris seats and Polaris lounge openings. Here is the link:

http://view.ceros.com/united/polaris...-desktop-4/p/1

Under the "Aircraft" tab, all currently existing routes serviced by the new 773 (SFO-HKG, EWR-TLV and SFO-NRT are listed) are listed as well as (yet to be converted) 763 and 772 types. For the 763 the listed starting date is "Fall 2017." For the 772 the webpage states "Winter 2017," which sounds optimistic to me as it sounds more like 4th quarter of 2017 than the previously announced first quarter of 2018. Zodiac's output of Polaris seats for all three aircraft types must be ultra smooth by now, if United wants to stick with its predictions. Can't wait to see the first converted 763 in mid July...
Original summary
http://view.ceros.com/united/polaris-tracker-mobile/p/2
From [email protected] on 02/27/2017:
Dear XXXXX:
No announcement has been made to let us know when additional United
Polaris lounges will be opening. We are still renovating some of the
locations. Our United Premium Cabin Lounges page on our website will be
updated once the dates are announced. I've included the link for you
below.
https://www.united.com/web/en-US/con...n-lounges.aspx
This does not preclude any rumors from being true.

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Old May 10, 2017, 11:51 pm
  #61  
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Originally Posted by cesco.g
I'd vouch for a Polaris lounge in FRA as well.
Very little chance of that happening.
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Old May 11, 2017, 4:47 am
  #62  
 
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Originally Posted by cesco.g
I'd vouch for a Polaris lounge in FRA as well.
There's already several outstanding LH lounges in FRA as well as many other *A lounges. I think a Polaris lounge would be overkill.
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Old May 11, 2017, 5:39 am
  #63  
 
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Why would Polaris lounge eligible pax (i.e. actually traveling in C) choose UA over LH when traveling to or from FRA? The difference in quality between LH and UA C is huge.
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Old May 11, 2017, 7:30 am
  #64  
 
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Originally Posted by SFO_FT
Why would Polaris lounge eligible pax (i.e. actually traveling in C) choose UA over LH when traveling to or from FRA? The difference in quality between LH and UA C is huge.
For me it's GS and MM qualification.
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Old May 11, 2017, 7:55 am
  #65  
 
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Originally Posted by SFO_FT
Why would Polaris lounge eligible pax (i.e. actually traveling in C) choose UA over LH when traveling to or from FRA? The difference in quality between LH and UA C is huge.
In addition to the GS/MM factor already mentioned, there are a few other reasons:

- As much as I hate departing on a flight that early, the 2pm ORD-FRA flight allows me to connect to other cities in Europe and still get in a full work day
- The new LH business class seat is incredibly uncomfortable to me
- The food on UA is better. With the new Polaris amenities the bedding is better too.
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Old May 11, 2017, 11:23 am
  #66  
 
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Originally Posted by cesco.g
I'd vouch for a Polaris lounge in FRA as well.
I've heard PVG is the most likely candidate for an offshore PL (not replacing an existing UC/GFL complex).
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Old May 11, 2017, 12:49 pm
  #67  
 
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Originally Posted by villox
In addition to the GS/MM factor already mentioned, there are a few other reasons:

- As much as I hate departing on a flight that early, the 2pm ORD-FRA flight allows me to connect to other cities in Europe and still get in a full work day
- The new LH business class seat is incredibly uncomfortable to me
- The food on UA is better. With the new Polaris amenities the bedding is better too.
Agree. LH is overrated. Plus the LH departure experience for me at EWR is much worse compared to UA, security, lines etc all far worse. Only thing better was LH lounge food vs UA UC food.
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Old May 11, 2017, 1:48 pm
  #68  
 
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Originally Posted by EWR764
I've heard PVG is the most likely candidate for an offshore PL (not replacing an existing UC/GFL complex).
PVG? Are they really going to build a new lounge there? The current CA lounge, while not great, is adequate. And also does T2 even have any more lounge space?

Originally Posted by Eadward
Agree. LH is overrated. Plus the LH departure experience for me at EWR is much worse compared to UA, security, lines etc all far worse. Only thing better was LH lounge food vs UA UC food.
LH food is only better in the Senator lounge. And in EWR, during LH/OS/LX departure times, both Senator and Business lounges are packed to the max.
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Old May 11, 2017, 2:00 pm
  #69  
 
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Originally Posted by hirohito888
PVG? Are they really going to build a new lounge there? The current CA lounge, while not great, is adequate. And also does T2 even have any more lounge space?
Only repeating what I've heard, and even that was pure speculation. Given the snail's pace of development for the hub PLs, I'm not holding my breath for anything beyond what's been announced. The sheer volume of international business class traffic at the coastal hubs (especially SFO/EWR) leaves me a bit skeptical that UA is going to be able to deliver the same level of experience as the ORD lounge over the long term.
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Old May 11, 2017, 3:33 pm
  #70  
 
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I am nearly certain that the reason for the delay in further lounges is a higher than expected uptake in the ORD Polaris Lounge. It's simply too packed at peak times - I suspect it's required rethinking what to do at the other airports. And I can see why. When I used to travel in BusinessFirst, I spent as little time in the club as possible, usually just time for a drink and a snack before departure. The Polaris Lounge is a much more pleasant place to be and so I'm now having a meal and a few drinks before a flight.

I frankly don't know what they're going to do at EWR.
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Old May 11, 2017, 6:14 pm
  #71  
 
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Originally Posted by villox
I am nearly certain that the reason for the delay in further lounges is a higher than expected uptake in the ORD Polaris Lounge. It's simply too packed at peak times - I suspect it's required rethinking what to do at the other airports. And I can see why. When I used to travel in BusinessFirst, I spent as little time in the club as possible, usually just time for a drink and a snack before departure. The Polaris Lounge is a much more pleasant place to be and so I'm now having a meal and a few drinks before a flight.

I frankly don't know what they're going to do at EWR.
Agree. Ord ran out of seats 3 of 3 for me. I sat in one of the agent chairs at the agent desk!!! This really ticked me off. So they know how many C seats are leaving each day, so ua should be able to calculate how many pax would show up. The pl is REALLY small!!
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Old May 11, 2017, 6:31 pm
  #72  
 
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Originally Posted by PhillyPhlyer40
Agree. Ord ran out of seats 3 of 3 for me. I sat in one of the agent chairs at the agent desk!!! This really ticked me off. So they know how many C seats are leaving each day, so ua should be able to calculate how many pax would show up. The pl is REALLY small!!
Who could have predicted?

Oh right, me

https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/27542993-post2177.html
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Old May 11, 2017, 8:53 pm
  #73  
 
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Originally Posted by villox
I frankly don't know what they're going to do at EWR.
If they are really repurposing the entire C3 lounge for Polaris, I think they could swing that. The main problem is that they are booting a huge population of flyers (like myself) who fly domestic and wouldn't have any interest being crammed in like a sardine into C1.

UA's lack of transparency is quite frustrating. I don't even care much about the timeline so much as knowing where they are building and what it will look like.
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Old May 12, 2017, 12:07 am
  #74  
 
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Originally Posted by villox
I am nearly certain that the reason for the delay in further lounges is a higher than expected uptake in the ORD Polaris Lounge. It's simply too packed at peak times - I suspect it's required rethinking what to do at the other airports. And I can see why. When I used to travel in BusinessFirst, I spent as little time in the club as possible, usually just time for a drink and a snack before departure. The Polaris Lounge is a much more pleasant place to be and so I'm now having a meal and a few drinks before a flight.

I frankly don't know what they're going to do at EWR.
The need to keep the GFLs around and make them GS lounges. The tangible benefits of being GS traveling internally (GFL and GF to use GPUs on) will be gone very soon.
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Old May 12, 2017, 5:07 am
  #75  
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Originally Posted by PhillyPhlyer40
Agree. Ord ran out of seats 3 of 3 for me. I sat in one of the agent chairs at the agent desk!!! This really ticked me off. So they know how many C seats are leaving each day, so ua should be able to calculate how many pax would show up. The pl is REALLY small!!
Indeed. This shows just how poor UA's "customer experience" staff really is. Only the incompetent - or those that don't care about fielding a substandard product - would design a new business lounge that is too small for the customer base you know you have. Just like at SFO where the new UC at Gate 70 was too small the day they opened it. Every time I walk by that lounge I shake my head and wonder what mental giant was responsible for that joke.
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