Go Back  FlyerTalk Forums > Travel&Dining > Airport Lounges
Reload this Page >

United Clubs leave Priority Pass

Community
Wiki Posts
Search

United Clubs leave Priority Pass

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Old Apr 18, 2015, 2:58 am
  #16  
 
Join Date: Jan 2013
Posts: 182
Losing the UC will be a big hit... oh wait, it's only the UC - no real loss I suppose.
</sarc>
Spoddy is offline  
Old Apr 18, 2015, 1:58 pm
  #17  
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
 
Join Date: Feb 2001
Location: Berkeley, CA USA
Programs: Piggly Wiggly "Shop the Pig!" Preferred Shopper
Posts: 57,072
Originally Posted by mia
The reality is that the three legacy carriers have little motivation to allow occasional flyers to use their lounges. Their lounge networks no longer have surplus capacity, and they can use access to encourage loyalty.
I agree, and I think American Express saw this coming years ago. Hence the Centurion Lounges. A substantial number of frequent travelers (including me) do not have elite status or lounge access with the legacy carriers. We don't fly enough with any of them to justify the annual expense. Enter AmEx.
dhuey is online now  
Old Apr 20, 2015, 7:42 am
  #18  
 
Join Date: Feb 2005
Posts: 7,156
Originally Posted by dhuey
I agree, and I think American Express saw this coming years ago. Hence the Centurion Lounges. A substantial number of frequent travelers (including me) do not have elite status or lounge access with the legacy carriers. We don't fly enough with any of them to justify the annual expense. Enter AmEx.
+1. If I stick to one alliance, I would probably hit the 50K threshold to be Gold to qualify for lounge access in many situations. However, many times, I find better fares with other airlines and the Amex Plat was a good bridge for lounge access especially when flying within North America, F/J or Gold tier on most American airlines does not include lounge access.

Most UC in the U.S. are nothing exciting but they are still a nicer place to wait for one's flight than in the public area.

Competitions may also come from other credit cards. Chase may have been pressuring UA to cut the ties with Priority Pass to promote its own UA branded Visas.

Depending on one’s travel pattern, the PP still offers reasonably good lounge access worldwide but it is less valuable after May 15, 2015 if one’s travel is predominantly North America.

Last edited by Clipper801; Apr 20, 2015 at 12:01 pm
Clipper801 is offline  
Old Apr 20, 2015, 4:39 pm
  #19  
 
Join Date: Feb 2015
Posts: 355
Originally Posted by mia

The reality is that the three legacy carriers have little motivation to allow occasional flyers to use their lounges. Their lounge networks no longer have surplus capacity, and they can use access to encourage loyalty.
I've been a Priority Pass paid member for several years. Always thought
the annual membership fee was well worth it.(based on the number of
visits that I use each year)

I discovered that UA was leaving today when I was checking the lounge
location on PP's website. After May, the only PP lounge is the BA lounge
at Washington Dulles(IAD). Won't that cause the BA lounge to be very
crowded at certain times of the day? I've been turned away from United
Club at IAD a couple of times because they were completely full.(to anybody
including Star Gold, United club members, and of course PP members)
AppleApe is offline  
Old Apr 20, 2015, 10:59 pm
  #20  
FlyerTalk Evangelist
 
Join Date: Oct 2011
Location: ATL
Programs: DL Scattered Smothered Covered Medallion, Some hotel & car stuff, Kroger Plus Card
Posts: 10,745
Originally Posted by AppleApe
After May, the only PP lounge is the BA lounge
at Washington Dulles(IAD). Won't that cause the BA lounge to be very
crowded at certain times of the day? I've been turned away from United
Club at IAD a couple of times because they were completely full.(to anybody
including Star Gold, United club members, and of course PP members)
IIRC, the BA lounge at IAD kicks all the PP guests out around 2pm, before pax on the actual BA flights start showing up.
gooselee is offline  
Old Apr 20, 2015, 11:07 pm
  #21  
 
Join Date: Nov 2013
Location: LAX, LGB, SNA
Programs: AA EXP OWE, DL DM ST+, AS MVPG, UA, BA, WN CP, Hyatt E, Ritz Plat, HH GM
Posts: 3,185
Originally Posted by Clipper801
This is very disappointing news.

The PP is almost useless in the U.S.
It just became a Alaska Boardroom/Virgin Loft membership.

Originally Posted by gooselee
IIRC, the BA lounge at IAD kicks all the PP guests out around 2pm, before pax on the actual BA flights start showing up.
Same with PHX
hiima is offline  
Old Apr 20, 2015, 11:41 pm
  #22  
 
Join Date: Feb 2015
Posts: 355
Originally Posted by gooselee
IIRC, the BA lounge at IAD kicks all the PP guests out around 2pm, before pax on the actual BA flights start showing up.
what do they say when they kick you out?

what if you are flying BA and used PP to get into the BA lounge? do they still kick you out?
AppleApe is offline  
Old Apr 21, 2015, 12:21 pm
  #23  
 
Join Date: Mar 2014
Location: EWR
Posts: 2,112
Originally Posted by AppleApe
what do they say when they kick you out?

what if you are flying BA and used PP to get into the BA lounge? do they still kick you out?
The lounge is supposed to close at 2:00 for PP (and other lounge membership) users and re-open at 2:30 for the BA crowd, so presumably you would have to leave at 2
steveman518 is offline  
Old Apr 21, 2015, 1:51 pm
  #24  
 
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: PDX
Programs: AA LT PLT (3.6+ MM), UA 1K LT Gold, Hilton LT Diamond, Bonvoy Gold.
Posts: 1,662
Oh well, another $300 a year saved. I fly a lot of domestic routes which gets me Plat or 1K on UA, but that doesn't help with lounge access, hence PP. With this massive devaluation I am out. Another step 'forward' on the race to the bottom for the whole flying 'experience'.
timfountain is online now  
Old Apr 21, 2015, 3:59 pm
  #25  
NDN
 
Join Date: Jan 2015
Programs: Marriott Titanium and LTP, Hilton Gold, United Silver
Posts: 786
Originally Posted by timfountain
Oh well, another $300 a year saved. I fly a lot of domestic routes which gets me Plat or 1K on UA, but that doesn't help with lounge access, hence PP. With this massive devaluation I am out. Another step 'forward' on the race to the bottom for the whole flying 'experience'.
My work provides me with a PP membership. I have a PP Select from Amex Platinum, a PP Select from Citi Prestige, and a LoungeClub card from Ritz. I also have a UC membership. I see no need to let work keep paying for the PP membership now. I used to use it as a way to get into UC before I had the UC membership. I wish I could trade the LoungeClub and one PP Select membership for something else!
NDN is offline  
Old Apr 22, 2015, 9:35 am
  #26  
 
Join Date: Feb 2005
Posts: 7,156
Originally Posted by gooselee
IIRC, the BA lounge at IAD kicks all the PP guests out around 2pm, before pax on the actual BA flights start showing up.
Originally Posted by AppleApe
what do they say when they kick you out?

what if you are flying BA and used PP to get into the BA lounge? do they still kick you out?
PP members are only allowed to use the IAD BA lounge between 7am to 2pm. It's in the PP web site lounge info.

I suppose that it does not matter on which airline one is flying, it is subject to the arrangements between PP and the particular lounge.
Clipper801 is offline  
Old Apr 22, 2015, 10:12 am
  #27  
NDN
 
Join Date: Jan 2015
Programs: Marriott Titanium and LTP, Hilton Gold, United Silver
Posts: 786
Originally Posted by Clipper801
PP members are only allowed to use the IAD BA lounge between 7am to 2pm. It's in the PP web site lounge info.

I suppose that it does not matter on which airline one is flying, it is subject to the arrangements between PP and the particular lounge.
I have seen them kick out BA first-class flyers arriving in the 7-2 timeframe because they didn't have PP. At 2 they kick everybody who is in out. The lounge is a PP/LC lounge from 7-2. After, it is a BA lounge.
NDN is offline  
Old Apr 22, 2015, 10:16 am
  #28  
FlyerTalk Evangelist
 
Join Date: Oct 2011
Location: ATL
Programs: DL Scattered Smothered Covered Medallion, Some hotel & car stuff, Kroger Plus Card
Posts: 10,745
Originally Posted by Clipper801
PP members are only allowed to use the IAD BA lounge between 7am to 2pm. It's in the PP web site lounge info.

I suppose that it does not matter on which airline one is flying, it is subject to the arrangements between PP and the particular lounge.
Correct. The whole lounge closes/resets between 1400 and 1430, so it's not like they go around asking everyone to show credentials. They just clear the whole lounge at 1400.

If you are accessing the lounge using PP, you can only enter between 0700 and 1400.

If you are accessing the lounge based on BA premium ticket/status, you can only enter starting at 1430.

If you have both and get to the airport extremely early, you would use the lounge under PP up until 1400, then wander around the terminal from 1400-1430, then re-enter the lounge with BA ticket at 1430.

I think the earliest BA departure is 1830, so very unlikely a BA pax will even be in the terminal at 1400.
gooselee is offline  
Old Apr 22, 2015, 10:18 am
  #29  
 
Join Date: Nov 2013
Location: LAX, LGB, SNA
Programs: AA EXP OWE, DL DM ST+, AS MVPG, UA, BA, WN CP, Hyatt E, Ritz Plat, HH GM
Posts: 3,185
Originally Posted by gooselee
Correct. The whole lounge closes/resets between 1400 and 1430, so it's not like they go around asking everyone to show credentials. They just clear the whole lounge at 1400.

If you are accessing the lounge using PP, you can only enter between 0700 and 1400.

If you are accessing the lounge based on BA premium ticket/status, you can only enter starting at 1430.

If you have both and get to the airport extremely early, you would use the lounge under PP up until 1400, then wander around the terminal from 1400-1430, then re-enter the lounge with BA ticket at 1430.

I think the earliest BA departure is 1830, so very unlikely a BA pax will even be in the terminal at 1400.
Terribly long layovers.
hiima is offline  
Old Apr 22, 2015, 10:21 am
  #30  
 
Join Date: Feb 2015
Posts: 355
Originally Posted by gooselee
Correct. The whole lounge closes/resets between 1400 and 1430, so it's not like they go around asking everyone to show credentials. They just clear the whole lounge at 1400.

If you are accessing the lounge using PP, you can only enter between 0700 and 1400.

If you are accessing the lounge based on BA premium ticket/status, you can only enter starting at 1430.

If you have both and get to the airport extremely early, you would use the lounge under PP up until 1400, then wander around the terminal from 1400-1430, then re-enter the lounge with BA ticket at 1430.

I think the earliest BA departure is 1830, so very unlikely a BA pax will even be in the terminal at 1400.
what goes on inside from 1400 to 1430? pillow fight?
AppleApe is offline  


Contact Us - Manage Preferences - Archive - Advertising - Cookie Policy - Privacy Statement - Terms of Service -

This site is owned, operated, and maintained by MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. Copyright © 2024 MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. All rights reserved. Designated trademarks are the property of their respective owners.