we have ua F tickets nrt-ord-dca. i see a global first lounge for ua, and biz(i think((ana?)) for others. wife plans to catch the 1130 bus to arrive at around 1300, for an 1830 departure. i will sit in lounge, getting ready for the long trip back. she will shop. is there any other lounge to consider? i have no status with any airline, only points.

If you don't have status or club membership, I think the only lounge you will have access to is the UA IFC lounge or the regular UA club. The IFC lounge is really pretty nice. I would recommend it.

You will also have access to ANA Suite Lounge (First Class Lounge) and ANA Lounge at Satellite 4 and Satellite 5. You will qualify as:

1. First Class customers on ANA and/or Star Alliance member carrier operated flights, and one accompanying guest on ANA and/or Star Alliance member carrier operated flights per customer.

ANA NRT Lounge Eligible Customers

ANA Suite Lounge Drinks and Food Menu (Dec. 2013 - Feb. 2014)

One more thing about the lounges - United's lounge will be closer to your gate if you're flying United. So that might be the best place to rendezvous with your wife.

Depending on what your wife wants to shop for, she may find the shops before security quite interesting. There are lots of stores selling souvenirs, Japanese delicacies and so on. If she's looking for brand goods, after security is where it's at (although, I'm told that the prices for such things are better elsewhere).

With so much time before your flight, you might like to visit Narita City. I think I'd prefer that to killing five hours in the lounge. After checking in for your flight, head down to the station and jump on the local Keisei train.

could someone estimate the walk time from ana lounge to ua lounge, and ana lounge to ua gate for normal people.. i will factor in the time for really old people. i presume no stairs are involved. we have been in japan for 17-18 days, and wife panics over being left behind. so, a few hours in a lounge will be ok. i will attempt to drink the lounges dry, while she shops her heart out. she could not shop very well in japanese stores, as she has not yet learned the language.

http://goo.gl/maps/6MLCO

UA lounge (near gate 31) to ANA lounge (near gate 42) is about 500m. For most of that distance you can just stand on moving walkways. It might take 8 minutes.

There is also an ANA lounge near gate 53. That's on a different concourse altogether, although there is an underground walkway that provides a direct route to the area near gate 42 (probably 500m). I don't think there are moving walkways in that underground passage - it's just a grey concrete service corridor - and I think you need to use stairs. So don't even think about taking your elderly relatives through there.

IIRC -
UA first class lounge is accessed via elevator via the C lounge.
ANA lounges require escalator or elevator

No, it has moving walkways and is served by both elevators and escalators.　Here is a video showing the journey.

Eh. Either my memory failed me or they tarted it up.

That still seems like a bit of a journey for someone who has time constraints and maybe limited mobility.

True. That being said, the OP shouldn't need to use it if they're departing from the UA gates and wants to use the nearest ANA Suite Lounge in the No. 4 Satellite -- just walk along the concourse as jib71 says. I would start out there, finish in the IFL, and then walk the short distance to their gate (most likely in the upper 20s or low 30s).

When you exit passport the 50s lounge is closer, but this lounge might be a bit further from the UA gate if it's in the higher 30s. If you plan to go to ANA and then stop at UA, I would go to the 50s. (I.e. turn left after passport.)

BTW, which ANA F lounge is better? In the 50s it's on the same level as the business lounge (I think?) but over in the 40s you go up one level versus going down to the business lounge.

It depends on the time of day, IMO -- the 40s lounge is crowded in the morning with the European departures while the 50s lounge is crowded during the afternoon/evening wave to the US. Unless I had very little time I would probably pick the lounge that was least likely to be crowded. The 40s lounge is smaller, but I suppose the view is a little better? Otherwise I don't think there's much of a difference.

Thanks. That's true for the business lounge. Although I would say that 50s is quite empty in the morning, although 40s always seems kind of busy. For the business lounge it's worth the detour to not be in the basement. I just made it a habit to go to 40s because of the Euro flights and then I do the same when I fly UA to the US.

spent 2 hrs each in the "F" ua lounge near gate 33, and the ana lounge in 50's. both were pretty deserted. the ua lounge had better various foodstuffs, and $25/ bottle shelf price (dc prices) wines. the ana lounge had the noodles, which they prepared in back. soba was available. the wines were about $50/bottle. also, more wine selection, i think close to 8 choices total.

moving sidewalk from one to the other. 10 min or so, if one stood, 8 min if one walked on the moving sidewalk. both had wall st journal, and Fin. times.

ua nrt-ord left from gate 31. wife shopped the nrt mall. the prices were very similar to tokyo street prices. selection for americano tourestos was terrific. prices and sales people all did english. all took credit cards, and cash.

If you took a moving walkway between UA and ANA lounges then I am pretty sure that you went to the 40s lounge.