omegadeal

I was previously an AA EXP with paid club membership and have been a 1K for a number of years with paid UC club membership. In general, I would agree, the AA clubs were nicer. The UC are run down, crowded, noisy, etc.

Personally, I think it is due to the abundance of day passes given out to credit card holders, etc. I'd rather see it go paid membership only with comp passes to F and C ticket holders, maybe $25 day passes for *A Gold, but no CC passes.

UA-NYC

I couldn't believe how nice the main AC was in ORD - just massive, new-ish, nice, lots of "zones". I guess the UA equivalent at a main hub would be IAH E. But then you have awesome ACs at JFK, LGA, SFO, DFW, etc. - and outside of the new T2 for UA at ORD, few others feel new & nice.

Kacee

I would add T7 at LAX as a pretty nice UC (although I imagine it gets pretty crowded at prime hours). Otherwise, it's a pretty drab line-up and something UA really ought to do something about if they're serious about improving the customer experience.

TA

How about only paid BF or higher (3 class) customers then? Could be a separate area of an existing club, but I think it could more distinguishing to have a completely separate club, maybe located just post security at Terminal 3 to serve all three concourses? You know how a separate facility you can't get into sparks people's imaginations and wallets... if it were truly distinctive.

freeupgrade

I have been a member of AA Admirals Club for years.

I visited the IAH Club in Terminal E for the first time last week.

I thought that the woman who admitted me was very nice. I was on a paid F ticket to South America, and she never questioned my eligibility. However, I was surprised not to be offered a drink coupon.

However, the Club seemed overcrowded, and I did not like the coffee-shop area near the bar at all. Was extremely crowded and noisy.

BearX220

I don't think it's in United's DNA to execute that level of service.

Pretty big "if," there. I suggest we're already experiencing the level of service UA is serious about providing.

mduell

They did away with the PMUA drink chits a couple years ago, in favor of the PMCO free wells policy.

Cbmaz

There has been talk of an International Business Class lounge at EWR for a few years. One plan I heard about was a new large UC build across from gate 120 then rebuild of the big UC by Starbucks to a IBC Lounge. Supposedly this was going to happen pre merger. The big focus now is the 7 or so new builds that are going on now. I think the LHR club build and the new baggage system being built in EWR delayed the UC project. I hear plans for an IBC are also in the works for IAH .

username

Many years ago (I think it was 1999), I saw a mouse running in the lounge at EWR. So, that sets the expectation Maybe they should get a Hello Kitty Jet

Time traveller

Club lounges have never been UA's strong suit. However if you compare UA's GFL to AA's Flagship Lounge, they are quite competitive. Especially at ORD, UA's GFL has showers whereas AA's FL doesn't. UA has real "champagne", whereas AA only has "sparkling" wine. You have to even ask an attendant for bottled water at AA's ORD FL. UA's GFL is less crowded because entrance is based on traveling on an international F ticket on a 3-class plane, and not just top level elite status on OW.

okrogius

Showers are at AA ORD AC in much greater quantity, non-point. Sparkling wine vs champagne - technically correct, but quality is comparable. Bottled water is freely self-serve in AA's ORD FL. As far as crowdedness, I never had troubles with space in either...

NiceLanding

I'd agree that the food in the IFL at ORD is a grade up vs. the Flagship Lounge, but don't see much difference otherwise, and have never found the FL to be particularly crowded. The big advantage for me is that I get to enjoy the Flagship Lounge on every international trip, rather than once every ten years. If I had the money to regularly fly international F, I think I'd find either lounge pretty pitiful.

UA-NYC

This is no longer 100% true

CO DCA

As with all this stuff, I think it's a matter of perspective, priorities and money. Honestly, I think UA is trying to fix the right stuff now. Whether it's the time warp experienced in the sUA 767 economy class, some tattered lounges system-wide, there's only so much money.

While I lament the progress of the lounge rehabilitation (particularly for someone who has shifted his international flying from EWR to IAD). I'm glad they're doing it, and doing it in a way that doesn't jeopardize the financial stability of the airline - as prior management of both CO and UA did in the past.

Quite honestly, I find this lounge comparison talk somewhat hilarious. Ever been to the LH lounge in Milan? Yuk. Huddled with people standing in the aisles trying to balance their breakfast in the Star Alliance lounge in LHR? Again, it's all a matter of perspective, priorities and money.

tarheelnj

I think I've seen them sporatically (EWR-BRU), but I can't find any now.