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Consolidated "United Club Access Questions" Thread

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Old Jan 4, 2015, 2:25 pm
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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 newsresent 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:
  • 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.
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
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Consolidated "United Club Access Questions" Thread

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Old Apr 1, 2023, 10:26 am
  #76  
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Originally Posted by OnceARunner
Am I reading the United club rules correctly that I can access the United club at my departure airport on a business class Lufthansa ticket? ...
Yes, for non-UA operated flights, you have the standard *A lounge access policies based on your departure flight

International Business Class Customers
As an International Business Class Customer you have access to any Star Alliance member carrier’s owned Business Class lounge at the airport where your flight departs, if the following conditions are met:
  • You present a boarding pass in International Business Class on a Star Alliance member airline operated flight
  • Your flight departs on the same day of your visit or latest by 05:00 AM the next morning
  • The lounge shows the Star Alliance Gold logo at the entrance
You are not entitled to bring any guests.
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Old Apr 1, 2023, 5:36 pm
  #77  
 
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Originally Posted by OnceARunner
Am I reading the United club rules correctly that I can access the United club at my departure airport on a business class Lufthansa ticket?

departure is ATL, think I’d rather use a United club than the “club at atl” that Lufthansa contracts with.

edit: just realized the only United club is at T-Gates. Long way from F gate. Oh well. Will still consider it if we are delayed.
A long time ago I was on LH445 and had time to kill, I went to the UC. Agent let me in but stared at the bp for a good 30 seconds, let out a loud sigh and said "I *guess* you can enjoy the lounge". The UC was empty and the Club @ ATL was a crowded zoo so I found the trip worth it. The train ride is about 8 minutes each way from F to T and not a whole lot of walking.
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Old Apr 2, 2023, 5:18 am
  #78  
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Originally Posted by andrewk829 (Post # 1056)
SEA-SFO-NRT-GUM in First-Polaris-First respectively
then a few days later . . .
GUAM-SAIPAN in First
then a few days later . . .
SPN-NRT-SFO-SEA in First-Polaris-First respectively

Question: There is a United Club in Guam. Will I have access to it on the morning of departure on the short Guam-Saipan flight?
Originally Posted by fumje (Post # 1057)
It appears that GUM-SPN is marketed as "First" and not "Business", so I would expect no ticket-based access at GUM for that flight.
As a life member of the United Club (UC), I get access regardless, so I cannot directly confirm either way.

It would seem to depend on whether GUM-SPN is considered domestic (no UC access for First) or international (UC access granted).

Legally, this flight is domestic (e.g., for cabotage purposes), but then, so is HNL-GUM. So it is really up to how UA classifies the segment.
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Old Apr 2, 2023, 6:00 am
  #79  
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Originally Posted by WineCountryUA
Yes, yes, yes -- UA Plat is also *G
UC access on a international travel includes all connecting segments, including domestic segments
The one potential no, arrival at a destination, no partner access (departure only) but yes for UCs if you arrive airside, such as domestic leg.
And no access at UC on a purely domestic itin (but yes to a partner lounge if one exists.

Who said the rules are complicated.
My head is going to explode...

Do I need a UC membership from Chase CC or purchased independently?

Originally Posted by SPN Lifer
As a life member of the United Club (UC), I get access regardless, so I cannot directly confirm either way.

It would seem to depend on whether GUM-SPN is considered domestic (no UC access for First) or international (UC access granted).

Legally, this flight is domestic (e.g., for cabotage purposes), but then, so is HNL-GUM. So it is really up to how UA classifies the segment.
​​​​​​​Interesting...so what is UA's position on this then?
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Old Apr 2, 2023, 8:37 am
  #80  
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Originally Posted by lsquare
My head is going to explode...

Do I need a UC membership from Chase CC or purchased independently?



Interesting...so what is UA's position on this then?
If you go to buy a ticket for GUM-SPN, they brand it as "First", so that's what I would work from. First does not include UC access except -Canada (explicitly spelled out in access rules).
https://www.united.com/ual/en/us/fly...es/access.html
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Old Apr 2, 2023, 9:57 am
  #81  
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Originally Posted by lsquare
...Do I need a UC membership from Chase CC or purchased independently?...
It is the same UC membership (if a benefit of the Chase card). No difference in benefits or use.
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Old Apr 2, 2023, 1:10 pm
  #82  
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Originally Posted by WineCountryUA
It is the same UC membership (if a benefit of the Chase card). No difference in benefits or use.
No, I meant on a purely domestic itinerary.
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Old Apr 2, 2023, 1:26 pm
  #83  
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Originally Posted by lsquare
No, I meant on a purely domestic itinerary.
On a purely domestic itin and UA GS have access,no other UA elites do unless you have UC membership either purchased or via an appropriate Chase card (or be a *G for another carrier or day pass or purchase a a travel bundle or service person in uniform). But unless you meet one of the exceptions, a UA *G on a wholly domestic itin does not have UC access.

Originally Posted by lsquare
...Do I need a UC membership from Chase CC or purchased independently? ...
How one gets their UC membership is not relevant.

The wiki or UA site spells this out
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Old Apr 2, 2023, 1:45 pm
  #84  
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Originally Posted by WineCountryUA
On a purely domestic itin and UA GS have access,no other UA elites do unless you have UC membership either purchased or via an appropriate Chase card (or be a *G for another carrier or day pass or purchase a a travel bundle or service person in uniform). But unless you meet one of the exceptions, a UA *G on a wholly domestic itin does not have UC access.

How one gets their UC membership is not relevant.

The wiki or UA site spells this out
As I said, my head is going to explode. The rules are needlessly complicated.

Originally Posted by fumje
If you go to buy a ticket for GUM-SPN, they brand it as "First", so that's what I would work from. First does not include UC access except -Canada (explicitly spelled out in access rules).
https://www.united.com/ual/en/us/fly...es/access.html
Thank you. I actually never thought of that route before until SPN Lifer mentioned it. It would be nice if there was an actual data point.
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Old Apr 2, 2023, 1:48 pm
  #85  
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Originally Posted by lsquare
....The rules are needlessly complicated.
Complicated yes but clearly stated and understandable when read.
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Old Apr 2, 2023, 2:40 pm
  #86  
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Originally Posted by lsquare
The rules are needlessly complicated.
The rules are needfully complicated. Without this level of complication, either (a) the lounges would be paid membership only or (b) they’d be so crowded they’d be pointless. (They already come close).

Anyone who advocates for UC access on domestic first itineraries, or for UA*G on domestic itineraries, has not internalized the number of passengers we’d be talking about.
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Old Apr 2, 2023, 4:36 pm
  #87  
 
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Originally Posted by jsloan
The rules are needfully complicated. Without this level of complication, either (a) the lounges would be paid membership only or (b) they’d be so crowded they’d be pointless. (They already come close).

Anyone who advocates for UC access on domestic first itineraries, or for UA*G on domestic itineraries, has not internalized the number of passengers we’d be talking about.
I see this as two different issues. There are many unclear things whether same day means calendar days or 24hr period as there are many different reports of what is actually allowed. I recall a while ago someone got denied access at SFO the night before on a redeye (no overnight at IAH) SFO-IAH-LIM itinerary. Sometimes, there are late arrivals and a connection isn't available until the next morning, IMO it'd be reasonable to allow PL access. We can debate what system works better all day but it would sure be nice to at least have the official policy on paper.

Advocating for UC/PL access for the categories you mentioned is indeed a bad idea. Allowing Chase Sapphire Reserve will make it into DL's SC crowding craze.
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Old Apr 2, 2023, 11:24 pm
  #88  
 
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Originally Posted by SPN Lifer
It would seem to depend on whether GUM-SPN is considered domestic (no UC access for First) or international (UC access granted).

Legally, this flight is domestic (e.g., for cabotage purposes), but then, so is HNL-GUM. So it is really up to how UA classifies the segment.
I think United might consider all flights out of GUM to be international.

As of 2020, from this vapid Business Insider article, (seriously, don't read it, you'll get an aneurysm), GUM-HNL is INTL as indicated on the boarding pass


This is UA200, which is a nonstop, and not the Island Hopper, so I think it's not a bad guess that GUM-SPN would be INTL too.
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Old Apr 2, 2023, 11:41 pm
  #89  
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Originally Posted by diburning
I think United might consider all flights out of GUM to be international.

As of 2020, from this vapid Business Insider article, (seriously, don't read it, you'll get an aneurysm), GUM-HNL is INTL as indicated on the boarding pass


This is UA200, which is a nonstop, and not the Island Hopper, so I think it's not a bad guess that GUM-SPN would be INTL too.
SPN Lifer WineCountryUA jsloan fumje

Dun, dun, dun...
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Old Apr 2, 2023, 11:49 pm
  #90  
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Originally Posted by lsquare
I think GUM-SPN front cabin is sold as First, not Business, so access may not be accorded soley on having a front cabin seat. Most (all?) non-Polaris int'l flights that get UC access are marketed as "Business". I certainly don't know for sure - might as well scan the BP and see what happens....
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