Jan 4, 2015, 2:25 pm
Last edit by: WineCountryUA
United operates its own United Clubs worldwide; for a detailed list, see this FT thread: United Club and Other United Lounges.
Official lounge access policy on UA's website: Club access policy
Older archived FT thread: Consolidated "United Club Access Questions" Thread [ARCHIVE]
For UA partner and Star Alliance lounges, reference the *A website: *A Lounge Finder and *A Lounge Access Policies. Note that some airports have "contract" lounges with varying access rules. Also see Non-UA Lounge Access Rules for United Club members?
United also operates Polaris Lounges and Arrival Lounges and previously operated International Global First Lounges (respective FT threads linked).
GS2021 news
resent GS status extended to Jan2022, domestic UC access, additional PP
To have access to the UCs, you will need to fit into one of the following:
When BP/ticket is required, it can be either a paid or award ticket.
United Club T&Cs
Common questions
Children -- Are they counted as a guest?
Anyone with an individual ticket is counted as a guest. Lap children (below 2 years of age) are not counted as a guest. UC members can guest their dependent family at UCs (but this will not work at other *A lounges).
Is Canada, Mexico, Caribbean, Puerto Rico (San Juan), .... international for UC access?
Yes
What about Domestic First Class?
Domestic First Class is not provided with UC access. Unless you qualify based on some other reason, there is no access for paid or award domestic FC.
Why no United Lounge access with UA domestic first class tickets?
Can my guest stay if I leave the lounge?
Strictly speaking, no. Guests only have access when the sponsor is in the lounge. You have "responsibility" for the guest when they are in the lounge. Realistically, however, there is usually no problem with leaving a guest behind.
Can access to the UC be further restricted?
UA reserves the right to limit access including the number of guests at times of crowding.
Can I bring food into the UC?
Strictly speaking no. There may be local health & safety codes against this.
Can I guest 3 co-workers by using multiple access methods? Such as 2 via UC membership and 1 as *G international?
No -- you cannot stack access methods.
Can I access the UC on arrival and no forward *A travel or if departing on a non-*A carrier?
Maybe if UC member or UA *G on international itinerary or arriving on UC operated Polaris cabin itinerary (Also you will need to able to access to the UC location)
As of 1 Nov 2019 - all will be required to 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 location. Other airline BPs will not qualify
Club member/one-time pass access changes Nov 1, 2019 (same day BP on UA or partner)
Partner lounges
USA Lounges with UA *G / UC membership Access When Flying Domestic
Access / reviews for TK's IAD *A lounge
Consolidated "Access to Lufthansa Lounge at IAD" Thread [2014 forward]
Best IAD Lounge
Lufthansa Lounge Access in DTW/Detroit
Accessing the *A Lounge at LAX/TBIT as a UA flyer
Consolidated "Polaris Lounge Access Questions" Thread
Non-UA Lounge Access Rules for United Club members?
The United Club Meet-Up Thread
Official lounge access policy on UA's website: Club access policy
Older archived FT thread: Consolidated "United Club Access Questions" Thread [ARCHIVE]
For UA partner and Star Alliance lounges, reference the *A website: *A Lounge Finder and *A Lounge Access Policies. Note that some airports have "contract" lounges with varying access rules. Also see Non-UA Lounge Access Rules for United Club members?
United also operates Polaris Lounges and Arrival Lounges and previously operated International Global First Lounges (respective FT threads linked).
GS2021 news
resent GS status extended to Jan2022, domestic UC access, additional PPTo have access to the UCs, you will need to fit into one of the following:
- UC member with same-day UA, *A, or contracted partner BP* UC members can have 2 guests or guest their spouse and dependent children under 21 years (note at non-UA *A lounges, UC members are allowed only 1 guest)
* Since 1 Nov 2019, a same-day BP on a UA, *A, or contracted partner flight is required for entry
* Actual UC membership card is generally not required at UCs if presenting a UA BP with member's UA FF# as the UC membership is tied to the MP account - UA *G member with international *A BP, for any class of travel, showing status
* Can guest 1 traveler with a departing *A BP.
* UA *G cannot access domestic UCs unless traveling on a *A international itin (within 24 hours - some agents use same calendar day) - can be different PNR - non-UA *G member with same-day *A BP for a flight departing from the same airport, showing status
* Can guest 1 traveler with a departing *A BP from same airport.
* If non-UA *G but crediting to UA MP, you will need to present your non-UA *G card. There have been some reports of refused entry -- agents claiming you have to be crediting to the same program as you are requesting entry - passenger with same-day *A BP for international travel in business or first class, departing same airport
* International First passengers can guest 1 traveler with a departing *A BP
* No guests for International Business. - Premium transcontinental non-stop (EWR-SFO/LAX & BOS-SFO) business class traveler
* Limited to origin and destination airports of the premium transcontinental flight -- does not include connecting cities
* No guests - Have GS status with a same day BP (UA/partner carrier)
- No guests
- Have or purchase a UC one-time access pass with same day BP
* No guests Have Amtrak Select Plus or Select Executive status.
* 1 guest and/or dependent childern under 21
* Same day BP on ANY airline (arriving or departing)- Active U.S. military personnelActive duty military members with a valid military ID, boarding pass for travel within 24 hours on a United- or United Express-operated flight and one of the following:
Dressed in uniform
Leave orders
Rest and recuperation papers
Access is subject to United Club seating availability.
Allowed Guest -- Family members with gate passes or traveling on the same flight as the military member - Air Canada Maple Leaf™ Club membership with a departing *A BP from that airportMaple Leaf Club North America members can access United Club locations in the U.S. only. no Guest.
Maple Leaf Club Worldwide members can access all United Club locations. 1 guest.
When BP/ticket is required, it can be either a paid or award ticket.
United Club T&Cs
Common questions
Children -- Are they counted as a guest?
Anyone with an individual ticket is counted as a guest. Lap children (below 2 years of age) are not counted as a guest. UC members can guest their dependent family at UCs (but this will not work at other *A lounges).
Is Canada, Mexico, Caribbean, Puerto Rico (San Juan), .... international for UC access?
Yes
Travel to or from Canada, the Caribbean, Central America, Guam and Mexico are considered international itineraries for the purposes of United Club access.
Domestic First Class is not provided with UC access. Unless you qualify based on some other reason, there is no access for paid or award domestic FC.
Why no United Lounge access with UA domestic first class tickets?
Can my guest stay if I leave the lounge?
Strictly speaking, no. Guests only have access when the sponsor is in the lounge. You have "responsibility" for the guest when they are in the lounge. Realistically, however, there is usually no problem with leaving a guest behind.
Can access to the UC be further restricted?
UA reserves the right to limit access including the number of guests at times of crowding.
Can I bring food into the UC?
Strictly speaking no. There may be local health & safety codes against this.
Can I guest 3 co-workers by using multiple access methods? Such as 2 via UC membership and 1 as *G international?
No -- you cannot stack access methods.
Can I access the UC on arrival and no forward *A travel or if departing on a non-*A carrier?
Maybe if UC member or UA *G on international itinerary or arriving on UC operated Polaris cabin itinerary (Also you will need to able to access to the UC location)
As of 1 Nov 2019 - all will be required to 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 location. Other airline BPs will not qualify
Club member/one-time pass access changes Nov 1, 2019 (same day BP on UA or partner)
Partner lounges
USA Lounges with UA *G / UC membership Access When Flying Domestic
Access / reviews for TK's IAD *A lounge
Consolidated "Access to Lufthansa Lounge at IAD" Thread [2014 forward]
Best IAD Lounge
Lufthansa Lounge Access in DTW/Detroit
Accessing the *A Lounge at LAX/TBIT as a UA flyer
Consolidated "Polaris Lounge Access Questions" Thread
Non-UA Lounge Access Rules for United Club members?
The United Club Meet-Up Thread
Consolidated "United Club Access Questions" Thread
Mar 23, 2024, 9:25 am
#646
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: Austin, TX
Posts: 21,417
Trying to decide whether upgrading to J is worth it for a YOW-ORD-MCI return trip. Passenger has no status with any airline.
Do I understand correctly that there would be access to a lounge in ORD on the return itinerary, because the departing flight is international, but no lounge access in ORD on the outbound because although the entire itinerary is international, the ORD-MCI segment is domestic?
I should say what has me confused is the United Club access page, which says: "A same-day boarding pass for an international or transcontinental flight", but also that this includes "Access at departure, connecting* and arrival airports" with the footnote on 'connecting' saying "United Business access to clubs at connecting airports is only available to customers on international flights." Not really sure how to read that.
Do I understand correctly that there would be access to a lounge in ORD on the return itinerary, because the departing flight is international, but no lounge access in ORD on the outbound because although the entire itinerary is international, the ORD-MCI segment is domestic?
I should say what has me confused is the United Club access page, which says: "A same-day boarding pass for an international or transcontinental flight", but also that this includes "Access at departure, connecting* and arrival airports" with the footnote on 'connecting' saying "United Business access to clubs at connecting airports is only available to customers on international flights." Not really sure how to read that.
If the flights to/from Ottawa are operated by United, you should have access at ORD in each direction. If they’re operated by Air Canada, you won’t have access on the outbound (YOW-ORD-MCI).
Thanks for sharing - intertesting in the other thread someone feels the Plaza Premium lounge is better. To each their own I guess, I was very disappointed in the food offering and the general experience. I guess I will just play dumb in the future and try again. I'll proibably try the Silver Kris lounge if Eva turns me away.
Mar 23, 2024, 12:20 pm
#647
Join Date: Oct 2022
Location: Ottawa, Canada + Edinburgh, Scotland
Programs: AC SE, Star Alliance Gold
Posts: 815
thanks. They'd be operated by United, but (ideally) ticketed by AC. I assume that doesn't matter? They are long layovers (4+ hrs) so it would be nice to have lounge access in ORD both ways.
Mar 23, 2024, 10:42 pm
#648
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: Austin, TX
Posts: 21,417
Correct — ticketing airline doesn’t matter, nor does the flight number — only the operating carrier.
Mar 25, 2024, 4:14 pm
#649
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: Bali, Indonesia
Programs: AA, DL, AK, UN, CN
Posts: 967
I booked BKK-NRT-ORD-SNA as a biz class award ticket with United points. The final leg ORD-SNA was in economy even though I paid for J the whole way through.
Was denied entry into the UC in Ord. I called MileagePlus as I'm *S and they said I should have been able to get in. They were supposed to have opened a case but I never heard anything back.
Who was right in the end? Seems that with a J-fare class seat, you should get in the lounge regardless of where you sit on the plane.
Was denied entry into the UC in Ord. I called MileagePlus as I'm *S and they said I should have been able to get in. They were supposed to have opened a case but I never heard anything back.
Who was right in the end? Seems that with a J-fare class seat, you should get in the lounge regardless of where you sit on the plane.
Mar 25, 2024, 4:18 pm
#650
Join Date: Dec 2022
Programs: UA1K
Posts: 464
I booked BKK-NRT-ORD-SNA as a biz class award ticket with United points. The final leg ORD-SNA was in economy even though I paid for J the whole way through.
Was denied entry into the UC in Ord. I called MileagePlus as I'm *S and they said I should have been able to get in. They were supposed to have opened a case but I never heard anything back.
Who was right in the end? Seems that with a J-fare class seat, you should get in the lounge regardless of where you sit on the plane.
Was denied entry into the UC in Ord. I called MileagePlus as I'm *S and they said I should have been able to get in. They were supposed to have opened a case but I never heard anything back.
Who was right in the end? Seems that with a J-fare class seat, you should get in the lounge regardless of where you sit on the plane.
Mar 25, 2024, 4:32 pm
#651
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: PHX
Programs: AS 75K; UA 1MM; Hyatt Globalist; Marriott LTP; Hilton Diamond (Aspire)
Posts: 56,478
Mar 25, 2024, 4:45 pm
#652
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: ORD
Programs: UA 1K
Posts: 4,220
Mar 25, 2024, 5:43 pm
#653
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: Honolulu Harbor
Programs: UA 1K
Posts: 15,028
To save future phone time w/ United, here's the rules:
United Club and United Polaris Lounge Access | United Airlines
Last edited by IAH-OIL-TRASH; Mar 25, 2024 at 5:50 pm
Mar 25, 2024, 6:56 pm
#654
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: Austin, TX
Posts: 21,417
And, to be clear, it wouldn’t have mattered if ORD-SNA were in F. Still, no access.
Mar 26, 2024, 1:10 am
#655
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: PHX
Programs: AS 75K; UA 1MM; Hyatt Globalist; Marriott LTP; Hilton Diamond (Aspire)
Posts: 56,478
Mar 26, 2024, 1:34 am
#656
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: Bali, Indonesia
Programs: AA, DL, AK, UN, CN
Posts: 967
Thanks to everyone for the clarification.
What a crappy customer experience to fly Biz all the way over (and OK, at least I wasn't in Coach!) and not be able to pop into the lounge after for a shower and refreshment. Another poster mentioned even if I had F connecting, lounge access wouldn't be permitted. What a joke. I give a bit of slack when flying on points, but I can't imagine paying cash for a ticket like this, and then being treated like such cattle once I get back on USA soil.
Mar 26, 2024, 7:02 am
#657
Join Date: May 2012
Location: ORF, RIC
Programs: UA LT 1K, 3 MM; Marriott Titanium; IHG Platinum
Posts: 6,958
What a crappy customer experience to fly Biz all the way over (and OK, at least I wasn't in Coach!) and not be able to pop into the lounge after for a shower and refreshment. Another poster mentioned even if I had F connecting, lounge access wouldn't be permitted. What a joke. I give a bit of slack when flying on points, but I can't imagine paying cash for a ticket like this, and then being treated like such cattle once I get back on USA soil.
Mar 26, 2024, 7:45 am
#658
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: Austin, TX
Posts: 21,417
The real “cattle” experience would have been inside the lounge — UCs get so crowded that I often don’t bother going even when I have free access. That’d be doubly true if they started allowing everyone in domestic F to enter.
Mar 26, 2024, 9:47 am
#659
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: Honolulu Harbor
Programs: UA 1K
Posts: 15,028
To be clear, most airlines determine access privileges based on departing flight. You would have been denied in similar circumstances ("treated like cattle") by other airlines at other airline lounges elsewhere since you were departing in coach and do not have Star Alliance Gold status. United (unlike a lot of airlines) allows special arrival access to airside lounges to passengers arriving on United flights in Polaris. If you want long-haul arrival lounge access beyond the very few landside arrivals lounges, you need to fly United Polaris or have *A Gold status and have a connecting flight to get back through security.
Mar 26, 2024, 10:01 am
#660
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: PHX
Programs: AS 75K; UA 1MM; Hyatt Globalist; Marriott LTP; Hilton Diamond (Aspire)
Posts: 56,478
Nonsequitur and an overbroad generalization. OP was departing on a *A flight, but that wasn't sufficient for *A lounge access, since he is not *G and his onward *A flight didn't independntly qualify for UC access. If OP had been flying J on UA metal, his arriving flight would have granted him Polaris lounge access. And if OP had been flying OW, his arrival in J combined with an onward OW flight would have allowed access.