FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: A festering pit; a pustule of a fistula set athwart the miasmic swamps of the armpit of the Gulf of Mexico - a Godforsaken wart upon a dark crevasse of the World. (IAH)
Programs: UA Lifetime Gold, BA Silver, Marriott Lifetime Plat, Hilton Gold, Accor Gold
Posts: 31,403
Speak with your wallet. Until this announcement, I was going to renew my UC membership in October. Instead of UA getting that $400, I think I'll just give it to PriorityPass for a Prestige membership. Unlike the credit-card PP memberships, those aren't (currently) restricted from UC access at many clubs. Moreover, at my home airport of IAH, it will give me access to the KL Crown Lounge, open from 10:00-18:00, which continues to offer snacks, liquors, a clean and relatively new interior, and uncrowded atmosphere (most of the time) that can't be matched by any of the UCs at IAH.
Also, most major hubs and airports in the US (where you typically find clubs) also either recently underwent, are undergoing, or have planned substantial new terminal (or renovation) projects. Those usually result in a better variety of bars/restaurants, seating areas with available power, and either free or reasonably priced wifi. In light of such terminal improvements, the value proposition of the clubs is shrinking fast. Stupid move by UA. Offering a substandard product and charging more than the competition for it--did these guys get their MBAs at Sears?