United Cut Lounge Access for Economy Flyers. Here’s How to Get in Anyway

Elite United flyers are in for a big surprise when they try to visit Star Alliance partner lounges when flying on an economy ticket. Since the beginning of 2020, United is limiting partner access to just business class customers. However, there are still ways to enter clubs – if you have the right hardware.

United Airlines is cutting lounge access even further when flying abroad on their aircraft. On the United website, the airline announced a major change to their lounge access policy: members can only visit partner lounges if they are flying in the United Polaris business class.

Lounge Access Devalued for All United Elite Customers

Under old Star Alliance rules, the policy was: What applied to one gold-level elite flyer applied to all Star Alliance Gold-level elite flyers. So if you were a Star Alliance Gold flyer aboard United and wanted to visit one of the “Partner Lounges,” (third party lounges) you were allowed to (even if you were flying economy) because the policy applied universally.

Partner Lounges are those operated by Star Alliance airlines and have the “Star Alliance Gold” sign on the front of their doors. The “Partner Lounges” referred to by United are just those where United has a special arrangement with that lounge for the comfort of their United Polaris flyers. This includes the third-party lounges and those operated by other airlines entirely (like Alitalia and British Airways).

With Star Alliance’s new change, only United Polaris flyers can access the “Partner Lounges.” Economy flyers, no matter their status, are out because the new Star Alliance policy defers to the airline policy on lounge access. And United’s policy bans Economy flyers from lounge access regardless of their status.

The only way to get into third-party lounges–such as Aspire lounges in foreign airports–a flyer must be flying in the United Polaris business class cabin. But, the changes aren’t limited to just third-party lounges. United is also limiting non-partner lounge access as well. For example: United Polaris flyers are the only ones allowed to visit the British Airways lounge at Cape Town International Airport (CPT) prior to travel. The same policy applies to Casa Alitalia Roma at Rome-Fiumicino International Airport (FCO) and the Marco Polo Club at Venice Marco Polo Airport (VCE).

Star Alliance Changes Policy for United

The change also has major repercussions for other Star Alliance flyers because, as View From the Wing reports, Star Alliance changed its lounge access policies to accommodate United’s policy change.

While the old policy forced United to allow Star Alliance Gold not flying United to their lounges, the wording under the “Contract Lounges” section of Star Alliance’s Lounge Access Policy page is now changed under the to reflect airline policies.

“At airports where neither a Star Alliance branded lounge nor a Star Alliance member carrier offers a lounge, third party lounges are contracted by some of our member airlines. As a Star Alliance Gold customer traveling on a Star Alliance member airlines operated flight from such airports, you may have access to these third party contract lounges,” the website now reads. “Please refer to the Lounge Finder to identify which lounges you may have access to, according to the policy of each airline.”

An asterisk then refers readers to an important note: “Check the current policy of the airline which you are flying.” Thus, it would appear that airline policy now overwrites Star Alliance Gold policy for lounge access.

If you are a Star Alliance Gold member (Miles & More Senator, Turkish Airways Miles & Smiles Elite, etc), you can still visit Star Alliance Lounges under the alliance policies prior to your flight. However, with the United Airlines policy change, you cannot visit a United “Partner Lounge” unless you are flying in United Polaris.

How to Still Get in Lounges With United Economy Tickets

If you are flying United economy, there are ways to get into lounges. It all depends on your international status and what you might have in your wallet.

According to the Star Alliance website, Star Alliance Gold customers can still access “any member airline lounge at the airport where your flight departs.” In order to do so, you must present your boarding pass showing travel on a Star Alliance carrier, a valid Star Alliance Gold card (if your boarding pass does not designate membership) and the lounge displays the Star Alliance Gold logo at the entrance.

In certain situations, your United Club membership can also get you into lounges. At select train stations, members can access the Acela Club by showing their United Club card.