Originally Posted by spin88

I agree UA has -after jeff'n everything up with the RCC - gone somewhat back in the right direction. However, having been now in the DL clubs nearly system wide, they are hands down better than the UA clubs. It is not even close.

United is going in a direction that NO ONE has ever gone before. Those who pay for J will - on international trips - get a different lounge experience than elites get, and a better experience than is offered to any domestic travelers, through the use of different clubs.

As someone who (a) flies 100-120K/year in F/Y domestically, and (b) takes maybe 1-2 overseas business trips a year (sometimes in J, sometimes in Y using upgrades), and then takes a trip or two overseas with my family (in Y or with mileage in J when I can) a two tiered lounge system like UA is doing is a real disincentive for me.

Polaris is really a cheap move, rather than improving its lounges for everyone to what others offer, United is doing a lounge for paid J, which no one else will have, the says that everyone else (including lots of very valuable fliers) will get a worse overall experience.



(1) The IFL was very limited, and those in J still used the regular clubs. It was sort of like the highest level CX or LH lounges. What UA is doing is very different. It is not drawing the line between F and J, but between paid J and everyone not paying for J. Bigger group in Polaris, and the group that forces/ed some level of quality to be competitive.

(2) All US lounges were noncompetitive back in the RCC days. What has happened is that DL upped its game considerably, as did overseas carriers. Its a different world, with many more options for fliers. United can't seem to quite understand that...

p.s. and I am surprised that most UA fliers have not thought about how this will impact them, when they are NOT flying in paid J. What I care about is how something impacts me, this will not, IMHE when implemented, make UA a better carrier for me, but likely a worse carrier experience wise - if I chose to fly them - on 95% of my travel, an improvement (perhaps even better than what DL offers) on 5% of my flights does not make up for that...