IAH-OIL-TRASH

Had a half-hour wait for my city-provided limo yesterday (#20 bus), so stopped in briefly at UC. Should have taken picture yesterday, but HNL UC had pretty impressive lunchtime food layout. Build your own rice bowl w/ kalua pork and restaurant-quality stir-fry veggies.

kirkwoodj

They let you in on arrival?

IAH-OIL-TRASH

Yes, I was flying United and have UC membership. I stop in about a 1/3 of the time on arrival, depending on how long it'll take my limo driver to show up. Arrival was 11:15ish yesterday, so was ready for lunch. I check Transit app on landing for #20 bus location and make my decision. Gate or UC to bus stop is 5 minutes - breezeway to bag claim, Diamond Head exit, up stairs back to departure level, cross departure lanes to island. Swipe Holo card. Stop one-block from home in 25 minutes

Lyft/Uber is so thin here, ride share passengers can be waiting longer than 25 minutes just for their driver to show. Heck, bags were still coming off conveyor belt for my flight when I passed thru bag claim after having lunch at the UC. I don't want to overcrowd the HNL UC, but a quick 15 minute bite to eat (or a Dole Whip) there for eligible arriving passengers will still get them to bag claim before their bags show up.

kirkwoodj

I know we're getting a bit OT here, but arriving/non-connecting pax are not eligible for UC entry AFAIK, unless you have some special perk(?) I have a membership as well, and fly into HNL several times a year, would sure rather chill for a short while in UC than at baggage claim or The Bus stop (also a frequent user of the #20 limo)!

DELee

Hmm. I use many UCs on arrival and have not been denied access - including the HNL club. It's part of the T's and C's for the UCs:

David

uastarflyer

That alone is worth a quick visit LOL. Makes for a pleasant start to a holiday on the islands too.

UC on arrival generally can be valuable, though not typically used as often

EWR764

UA Club absolutely can be accessed on arrival, even as a terminating pax, no problem at all.

kirkwoodj

Wow, must've mixed it up with something else, thought we had to be departing on a UA/*A flight only!

IAH-OIL-TRASH

Nope - Dole Whip at HNL UC is the prize on arrival w/ UC membership. It's actually the only UC I use occasionally based solely on UA arrival outside of redeye arrivals on mainland, where I'm looking for a quick breakfast.

h2oflyboy

If you are in the terminal past TSA - you're eligible to use the UC. If you arrived on an INTL flight - you must proceed via IM/Customs and leave and the TSA will not let you back into the secured area without another O/B boarding pass. I have a UC membership to use the nicer toilets @ some airports.

uanj

Yes, but don't forget you do need a same day BP on a Star carrier or partner (including United of course):

"Effective November 1, 2019, United Club customers, including members and their guests, and one-time pass holders will need to provide a same-day boarding pass for travel on United, Star Alliance or a contracted partner for entry into all United Club locations. Admittance to United Club locations is permitted only at the departure and arrival airports for United, Star Alliance or contracted partner operated flights."

Before this we could access a lounge flying any airline like DL or AA. Not anymore.

Antonio8069

I love this lounge. Opens early....................in time for a quick breakfast before boarding the Island Hopper! Is it still out of the way (up the escalator, as I recall?)

IAH-OIL-TRASH

Yes, up escalator, but still convenient to most flights. The only flight that it isn’t convenient to is the flight using the plane that arrives from Guam, which often uses a D gate.

Opens currently at 6am, which is an hour before the 1st departure (to SFO). Island hopper is 10 minutes later.

Weatherboy

It's a hike, but do you venture to the ANA lounge too sometimes?

IAH-OIL-TRASH

ANA Lounge has very limited hours - I think currently 8:30am to departure of last ANA flight 2:30pm-ish. Good option for midday UA flight passengers wanting a change, but I'm usually on first flights to SFO or LAX 7-8am, or on occasion a redeye. The UC has stepped up it's food game, so the ANA lounge (while still nicer than the UC) is not so far ahead anymore.

The ANA lounge is not convenient for any UA flight during the hours it's open (separate wings), but if one has time to kill (and a good walk), good way to kill it.