Jun 20, 2018, 11:02 am

FlyerTalk Forums Expert How-Tos and Guides

Quote:

Lounge Access Policy - Star Alliance - Star Alliance
Paid Lounge Membership Customers
As holder of an eligible Paid Lounge Membership, you have access to any Star Alliance member airline’s Business Class Lounge* at the airport where your flight departs. Eligible paid memberships are United Club and Air Canada Maple Leaf Club – Worldwide.

You will need to show your boarding pass for a Star Alliance member airline operated flight together with your valid paid lounge membership card, displaying the Star Alliance Lounge Logo.

You are entitled to bring one guest travelling on any Star Alliance flight departing from the same airport on the same day.

*Not applicable at SQ SilverKris Lounge (Business Class) in Singapore, AC Signature Suite and UA Polaris Lounges

UC Members do ~~not~~ get access to the Star Alliance lounges located in Buenos Aires (EZE), Los Angeles (LAX), Nagoya (NGO), Paris (CDG), Rio de Janeiro (GIG), Rome (FCO), Amsterdam (AMS) and Sao Paulo (GRU). (Appears access is now permitting -- since 2020??)

Family access is not valid for partner lounges

Physical members card is required for entry (appears UA is saying virtual, app card is sufficient for *A lounges)

Lounge Information - Star Alliance - Star Alliance
Search using
United Club for Paid Membership under the dropdown list, for airport specific lounges that gives you access.

What if I am also a *G?
You can enter a partner lounge as *G (Star Alliance Gold) or as a UC Member but not as both. You will be limited to +1 guest even if *G and also UC/ML membership, Benefits do not stack.
In the case of those partners with a *G lounge and a Business lounge (Such as LH), your *G status will get you into the better *G lounge while the UC membership provides access to just the Business Lounge.

List of partner related lounges accessible via the club card

USA Lounges with UA *G Access When Flying Domestic
Does United Club Membership Give Access to * Gold Lounges in the USA?

Non-UA / partner Lounge Access Rules for United Club members

Reply Subscribe

Thread Tools

Search this Thread

Feb 2, 2016, 4:26 pm

#31

SEA1K4EVR

Join Date: Mar 2005

Location: Seattle, WA

Programs: DL Diamond, UA 1K MM, SPG Plat For Life, Marriott Plat, Nexus/GlobalEntry

Posts: 9,198

Yes.. here's the general rule for paid lounge members:

"As an eligible holder of Paid Lounge Membership, you have access to any Star Alliance member airline Business Class Lounge. Eligible paid memberships include United Club and Air Canada Maple Leaf Club – Worldwide. You will need to show your boarding pass for a Star Alliance flight departing from the local airport together with your valid eligible paid lounge membership card, displaying the Star Alliance Lounge Logo. You are entitled to a maximum of one guest. Except in Singapore where the Singapore Airlines Krisflyer Gold Lounge is available."

Feb 2, 2016, 4:35 pm

#32

Stickglue

Join Date: Sep 2014

Posts: 10

Hi,

Thanks for your reply. It seems like there are mixed answers to this. I emailed the maple-leaf lounge and they replied:

"
The United Club membership card does not allow for entry into Maple Leaf Lounges.
I have called united and they have informed me that you need to be a star alliance gold member to access the other select partner lounges (which they do not, oddly, mention on their website).

I also found this page that details the Club locations as well as partners which you can view.
https://www.united.com/web/en-US/con...s/default.aspx

Any further questions regarding the United Club and it's privileges should be directed towards United by calling 1-866-UA-CLUBS

To view all of the ways you can get access to Maple Leaf Lounges, you can always visit this page:
http://www.aircanada.com/en/travelin...es/access.html

I hope this helps and will remain available for further assistance.

Best,

Rami
Maple Leaf Club
Customer Service
514-871-4910 ext-201 (Lun-Jeu) - (Mon-Thu)
514-422-6725 or 1-866-556-9504 (Ven) - (Fri) "

Feb 2, 2016, 4:46 pm

#33

NickW

Join Date: Feb 2003

Location: New York City

Programs: BA Gold Guest List; HH Diamond; Hyatt Diamond; SPG Gold

Posts: 2,833

The official information on the Star Alliance web site seems pretty clear:

http://www.staralliance.com/lounge-access-policy

The response from Air Canada is wrong.

Feb 2, 2016, 4:55 pm

#34

Stickglue

Join Date: Sep 2014

Posts: 10

Does anyone have actual experience entering a maple leaf lounge with a united club card?

Feb 2, 2016, 6:19 pm

#35

MTJTraveller

Join Date: Apr 2009

Location: SW Colorado

Programs: UAL Silver Hilton Diamond Hyatt Plat

Posts: 164

I was travelling thru YVR coach and was able to access the Maple Leaf Club with my United Club Card, obtained thru my Chase United Club Card. No problem. Also have used in Lufthansa clubs.

Feb 2, 2016, 6:28 pm

#36

Stickglue

Join Date: Sep 2014

Posts: 10

ok perfect!

thanks. Did you need to argue your way into the maple leaf lounge in yvr?

Or was it as easy as presenting the club card, id, and plane ticket?

thanks

Feb 2, 2016, 6:55 pm

#37

MTJTraveller

Join Date: Apr 2009

Location: SW Colorado

Programs: UAL Silver Hilton Diamond Hyatt Plat

Posts: 164

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stickglue

ok perfect!

thanks. Did you need to argue your way into the maple leaf lounge in yvr?

Or was it as easy as presenting the club card, id, and plane ticket?

thanks

Club Card (not credit card) and boarding pass. No Id. Brought in my daughter as guest also.

Feb 2, 2016, 7:05 pm

#38

Stickglue

Join Date: Sep 2014

Posts: 10

ok cool man, thanks. I will be at YVR next week so I will try it out and I will certainly report back.

Feb 2, 2016, 7:20 pm

#39

SEA1K4EVR

Join Date: Mar 2005

Location: Seattle, WA

Programs: DL Diamond, UA 1K MM, SPG Plat For Life, Marriott Plat, Nexus/GlobalEntry

Posts: 9,198

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stickglue

ok cool man, thanks. I will be at YVR next week so I will try it out and I will certainly report back.

You should be able to use the one on the United app on your phone also (the electronic version of the Club membership card). It's got a bar code they can scan.

Feb 2, 2016, 7:32 pm

#40

worldtrav

Join Date: May 2001

Posts: 4,772

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stickglue

Does anyone have actual experience entering a maple leaf lounge with a united club card?

Yes, many times without any problems at all including in FRA and LHR, not just Canadian airports. The MLL's have better offerings than domestic United Clubs. Enjoy!

Feb 2, 2016, 10:32 pm

#41

gglave

Join Date: Jan 2005

Location: Vancouver, Canada

Programs: United MileagePlus Silver, Nexus, Global Entry

Posts: 8,798

One 'gotcha' to consider - The transborder Maple Leaf Lounge opens at 6am. So if you're on one of the 'early' UA flights out of YVR to SFO or ORD then the lounge won't be open. If you're heading to IAH you'll be able to pop in for 15-20 minutes or so. After that you're fine.

Also, while liquor is self-serve, it's not available before 11am.

Feb 2, 2016, 10:58 pm

#42

Brucemcdou

Join Date: Jul 2012

Location: SFO

Programs: UA Plat; *A Gold; Marriott Gold

Posts: 351

Quote:

Originally Posted by SEA1K4EVR

You should be able to use the one on the United app on your phone also (the electronic version of the Club membership card). It's got a bar code they can scan.

Just a comment that while this *may* be true for AC Maple Leaf Lounges (I'll take your word for it) Lufthansa seems to insist on seeing a physical card that indicates your Star Alliance Gold status. Not an electronic card on your phone and not the printed status on your BP. There are many posts on this issue with Lufthansa, and I have experienced it myself. I've specifically been told by LH Lounge Dragons that they don't honor United Club membership, they only honor *A Gold, and only with a plastic card that shows it's still valid.

Just reporting the news...

Feb 2, 2016, 11:39 pm

#43

Bruin1K

Join Date: Jan 2015

Location: Texas

Programs: UA 1K, AA Platinum, Marriott Titanium

Posts: 327

Quote:

Originally Posted by Brucemcdou

United club membership only gets you into the business lounge. For senator lounge you need to be *G

Feb 3, 2016, 6:31 am

#44

rmadisonwi

Join Date: Dec 2007

Posts: 844

Quote:

Originally Posted by SEA1K4EVR

You should be able to use the one on the United app on your phone also (the electronic version of the Club membership card). It's got a bar code they can scan.

When I was at the transborder MLL a year or so ago, the agent seemed to imply the physical United Club membership card was required (which I had, as I keep it in my wallet), and that they didn't take the electronic card. Can't verify this, as I've never tried to enter a non-UA lounge with the electronic card.

Feb 3, 2016, 6:46 am

#45

joshwex90

FlyerTalk Evangelist

Join Date: Dec 2009

Location: HaMerkaz/Exit 145

Programs: UA, LY, BA, AA

Posts: 13,167

Weird that the UA page doesn't list any eligible lounges in YVR at all. Clearly not a policy statement regarding UC members, as it doesn't list anything for *G either.

Though the list anyways seems wrong. For some airports, it shows access eligibility only for C pax and not even *G