Jan 19, 2017, 11:05 pm
Last edit by: WineCountryUA
Source: United Boarding Process
We encourage you to make yourself comfortable while you wait for your group to be called, and well let you know when were ready for you to board. Late arriving customers in Groups 1 and 2 are welcome to continue boarding through the blue lane at any time.
* Customers who have purchased a Basic Economy ticket will be in the last boarding group, except for Premier members, Chase Cardmembers of qualifying cards and Star Alliance Gold members, who will still receive their priority boarding.
================================================== ==============================
Pre Sept 2018 process
Pre-Boarding
General boarding (Window Seats, then Middle Seats, then Aisle)
Customers who have purchased a Basic Economy ticket will be in the last boarding group, with the exception of Premier members, Chase Cardmembers of qualifying cards and Star Alliance Gold members, who will still receive their priority boarding.
Note: If youre traveling with a companion and one of you has a higher boarding status, you both may board with the earlier group.
Note: Self Boarding Gates are being tested at the following gates...
sUA Boarding Times by Aircraft (AFA)
Previous thread: United's Current Boarding Process (with Wiki) [Revised, May 2013]
New changes (effective 18 Sept 2018)
You will see some new boarding lane signs in the gate area that will guide you through the boarding process. There will now be two lanes that are color coded : to begin, Group 1 will board through the blue lane and Group 2 will board through the green lane. The remaining Groups 3-5 will then board through the green lane when called, and Groups 1 and 2 can continue to board through the blue lane .We encourage you to make yourself comfortable while you wait for your group to be called, and well let you know when were ready for you to board. Late arriving customers in Groups 1 and 2 are welcome to continue boarding through the blue lane at any time.
Boarding groups
Pre-boarding
- Unaccompanied minors
- Customers with disabilities
- Active members of the military
- United Global Services members
- Families traveling with children age 2 and younger
- Premier 1K members
Group 1
- Premier Platinum members
- Premier Gold members
- Star Alliance Gold members
- Customers seated in premium cabins: United Polaris, United First and United Business
Group 2
- Premier Silver members
- Star Alliance Silver members
- Customers who have purchased Premier Access or Priority Boarding
- United℠ Explorer, Club, Presidential Plus℠ and Awards Cardmembers
Groups 3 5
- Economy Plus
- United Economy
- Basic Economy*
* Customers who have purchased a Basic Economy ticket will be in the last boarding group, except for Premier members, Chase Cardmembers of qualifying cards and Star Alliance Gold members, who will still receive their priority boarding.
Pre Sept 2018 process
Pre-Boarding
- Unaccompanied minors
- Customers with disabilities
- Uniformed members of the U.S. military
- Families traveling with children age two and younger
- United Global Services members
- Group 1: Premier 1K, Premier Platinum, Business/Polaris Business, and First/Polaris First.
- Group 2: Premier Gold, Star Gold, Premier Silver, Star Silver, MileagePlus Presidential Plus, Club, Explorer and Awards, purchased Premier Access
General boarding (Window Seats, then Middle Seats, then Aisle)
- Group 3 - Window Seats
- Group 4 - Middle & Aisle Seats (Aisle Seats on UA Express)
- Group 5 - Basic Economy
Customers who have purchased a Basic Economy ticket will be in the last boarding group, with the exception of Premier members, Chase Cardmembers of qualifying cards and Star Alliance Gold members, who will still receive their priority boarding.
Note: If youre traveling with a companion and one of you has a higher boarding status, you both may board with the earlier group.
Note: Self Boarding Gates are being tested at the following gates...
- IAH - Gate C25/C26 - See Post 2960, Includes YouTube video from CO777DAL
- IAH - Gate E4 - Old test from pmCO days, See Thread Here
- BOS - Self boarding gates are now back in *LIMITED* use at least at gates B25 and B26
sUA Boarding Times by Aircraft (AFA)
Previous thread: United's Current Boarding Process (with Wiki) [Revised, May 2013]
United's Current Boarding Process (with Wiki) [2016-forward]{Archive}
Mar 12, 2023 | 5:50 pm
#3601
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2015
Posts: 12,778
This has been suggested many times and has been proven wrong in various studies, including the ever Myth Buster's popular https://www.businessinsider.com/myth...l-wrong-2014-9
Looks like the full show is subscription only , a trailer, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ss1S3-Kv6R8
also try this https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x8gu8lm (caution lots of ads)
another popular reference https://www.popularmechanics.com/sci...oarding-plane/
A google search will show multiple academic studies / methods. But seem back to front tends to always be the worst.
And most show any preference for status or boarding front to back, preform poorly
Looks like the full show is subscription only , a trailer, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ss1S3-Kv6R8
also try this https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x8gu8lm (caution lots of ads)
another popular reference https://www.popularmechanics.com/sci...oarding-plane/
A google search will show multiple academic studies / methods. But seem back to front tends to always be the worst.
And most show any preference for status or boarding front to back, preform poorly
Seems in these evaluations they don't test front to back though, which should be slower than back to front.
Mar 12, 2023 | 6:02 pm
#3602
Moderator: United Airlines
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: SFO
Programs: UA LT Plat 2MM, Hyatt Discoverist, Marriott LT Gold, Hilton Silver, IHG Plat
Posts: 72,957
Mar 12, 2023 | 6:17 pm
#3603
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: FLL
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Posts: 7,682
Mar 12, 2023 | 6:33 pm
#3604
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: TOA
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David
Mar 13, 2023 | 2:31 pm
#3605
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: SFO
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Posts: 47,291
"Board at your convenience with First Class and Business Class passengers where this is offered at the gate."
"Priority Boarding With priority boarding, the customer can enjoy the freedom of boarding at his/her convenience along with First and Business Class passengers."
I read that to mean "along with F and J, *G also gets priority", rather than "*G must be offered the exact same priority as F and J" (which clearly isn't offered on most airlines with F).
Heck, just look north a little and you'll find an airline (AC) that puts *G one zone behind J, which IMO is much better.
Putting *G behind J does not eliminate "priority boarding" for *G.
There's a lot of discussion here about "what have you done for me lately" regarding why an MM shouldn't have higher boarding priority. I think "I bought J on this flight" is about as "lately" as you can get.
Mar 22, 2023 | 1:58 pm
#3606
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: Between AUS, EWR, and YTO In a little twisty maze of airline seats, all alike.. but I wanna go home with the armadillo
Programs: CO, NW, & UA forum moderator emeritus. Eurobonus Millionaire
Posts: 38,605
Got to the gate for my flight at EWR a couple of days ago a few minutes after boarding had commenced. I heard them call for members of the military and then go straight to group #1 -- skipping GS, families with small children, and 1K. I was n
t impressed. This isn't that difficult to get right. <sigh>
t impressed. This isn't that difficult to get right. <sigh>
Mar 22, 2023 | 2:00 pm
#3607
Moderator, Omni, Omni/PR, Omni/Games, FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: Between DCA and IAD
Programs: UA 1K MM; Hilton Diamond
Posts: 72,455
My only recent gripes with preboarding have involved not having a clear path for preboarders to use--when both BG1 and BG2 lanes are crammed with pax lined up, at many gates it is hard for anyone called to preboard to find a way to the gate--and GAs sometimes forgetting to call part of the preboarding groups (e.g. going straight from "active duty military" to BG1). These are minor issues most of the time.
I dunno... I have had many European boarding experiences on LH-group airlines where the moment we get close to boarding, everyone surges toward the gate. The call for F and *G pax might or might not occur, but in the meanwhile, every person wants on board at once, and the GAs don't exactly do a great job of separating them.
And while I agree that you cant blame mileage plus for all of the bad behavior, now that Im flying other airlines more often, I am amazed at how, even in the United States, other airlines seem to be able to board the aircraft without the drama, you find at the average UA gate.
Mar 22, 2023 | 2:04 pm
#3608
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Sep 2002
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Mar 22, 2023 | 3:15 pm
#3609
Flyertalk Evangelist, Moderator: United Airlines MileagePlus
Join Date: Nov 2014
Location: MSP
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Posts: 16,098
I dunno... I have had many European boarding experiences on LH-group airlines where the moment we get close to boarding, everyone surges toward the gate. The call for F and *G pax might or might not occur, but in the meanwhile, every person wants on board at once, and the GAs don't exactly do a great job of separating them.
Mar 22, 2023 | 4:38 pm
#3610
Join Date: May 2011
Location: DEN
Programs: UA GS, UA 2.5MM, HH LT Diamond, Bonvoy Titanium LTG
Posts: 2,446
DEN earlier this week the GA announced that she would be boarding EVERYONE according to their BG#, so all of you standing over there (points to the pre-boarders) need to get in the BG1 line. She said when she called preboarding, she needed the other folks in BG1 line to move over to let the people through. About half the pre-boarders went and got in the line, the rest of us just boarded like normal. She then proceeded to call extra time, military, GS and 1K all at the same time. 757-300.
Mar 22, 2023 | 4:43 pm
#3611
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Jun 2005
Posts: 71,791
I dunno... I have had many European boarding experiences on LH-group airlines where the moment we get close to boarding, everyone surges toward the gate. The call for F and *G pax might or might not occur, but in the meanwhile, every person wants on board at once, and the GAs don't exactly do a great job of separating them.
Mar 23, 2023 | 10:26 am
#3612
Join Date: Jan 2021
Location: ORD, MCO
Programs: UA 1K
Posts: 293
Had a similar experience in MUC for an LH flight to FRA (also a 789). The automated boarding lanes make a difference IMO, in particular the fact there are 2+ scanning machines which is not the case on many occasions at UA hubs. The amount of pre-boarding (and even regular) groups w/UA definitely complicates the process and sometimes confuses pax. Even boarding an LH flight at JFK was simplified - you're either priority or not. But LH was a little more relaxed about the whole process to begin with vs UA being a little bit more uptight which probably has more to do with cultural differences than specific boarding procedures. When I flew QF, they casually boarded a 250+ seat aircraft 30 mins before departure on a domestic route.
Apr 12, 2023 | 5:47 pm
#3613
Join Date: Jun 2008
Posts: 3,001
Just curious...
Persons with disabilities (persons needing a few extra minutes), active members of the military, etc.
I see a passenger requiring extra time board with an entire family. I see a 'two and under' with entire families.
At LGA today, a passenger boarded first, roller bag, large backpack, and some sort of large bag attached to the roller bag, and no obvious disability. Likely not military. And not GS or 1K as today's FAs had a printed list of the four GS' and 1Ks and thanked those people individually.
Being a bit facetious, what happens if I chose to board with those needing a bit of extra time, other than being dishonest?
Persons with disabilities (persons needing a few extra minutes), active members of the military, etc.
I see a passenger requiring extra time board with an entire family. I see a 'two and under' with entire families.
At LGA today, a passenger boarded first, roller bag, large backpack, and some sort of large bag attached to the roller bag, and no obvious disability. Likely not military. And not GS or 1K as today's FAs had a printed list of the four GS' and 1Ks and thanked those people individually.
Being a bit facetious, what happens if I chose to board with those needing a bit of extra time, other than being dishonest?
Apr 12, 2023 | 6:27 pm
#3614
Join Date: Nov 2017
Location: MIA/BJX/SAN
Programs: UA 1K, BA SILVER, VB DOTERS SILVER, IHG DIAMOND AMBASSADOR,
Posts: 1,026
Just curious...
Persons with disabilities (persons needing a few extra minutes), active members of the military, etc.
I see a passenger requiring extra time board with an entire family. I see a 'two and under' with entire families.
At LGA today, a passenger boarded first, roller bag, large backpack, and some sort of large bag attached to the roller bag, and no obvious disability. Likely not military. And not GS or 1K as today's FAs had a printed list of the four GS' and 1Ks and thanked those people individually.
Being a bit facetious, what happens if I chose to board with those needing a bit of extra time, other than being dishonest?
Persons with disabilities (persons needing a few extra minutes), active members of the military, etc.
I see a passenger requiring extra time board with an entire family. I see a 'two and under' with entire families.
At LGA today, a passenger boarded first, roller bag, large backpack, and some sort of large bag attached to the roller bag, and no obvious disability. Likely not military. And not GS or 1K as today's FAs had a printed list of the four GS' and 1Ks and thanked those people individually.
Being a bit facetious, what happens if I chose to board with those needing a bit of extra time, other than being dishonest?
Apr 12, 2023 | 6:38 pm
#3615
Join Date: May 2017
Posts: 2,344
In order to avoid being out of compliance with Air Carrier Access Act, UA and other airlines will not question the authenticity or make an interpretation of the legitimacy of someone's disability when they self identify as needing assistance.. Plenty of people can have disabilities that aren't externally apparent. As far as UA is concerned they don't care to know the specific details of what the disability is but rather their focus is on what type of accommodation the passenger needs and if/how UA can provide it.