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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

Old Mar 26, 2024, 11:39 am
  #661  
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Join Date: Sep 2003
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Originally Posted by Kacee
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.
OP was expecting access on arrival based on buying a business class fare. Pointing out that access at most lounges is based on departing flights is hardly immaterial here.
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IAH-OIL-TRASH is offline  
Old Mar 26, 2024, 11:57 am
  #662  
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Join Date: Jun 2007
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Originally Posted by IAH-OIL-TRASH
.... Pointing out that access at most lounges is based on departing flights ....
Is that true? It is true for *A (and contact lounges) but not for OW and ST? Given the inconsistency there seems room for confusion.
WineCountryUA is offline  
Old Mar 27, 2024, 8:31 am
  #663  
 
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Global
Posts: 5,977
Originally Posted by IAH-OIL-TRASH
OP was expecting access on arrival based on buying a business class fare. Pointing out that access at most lounges is based on departing flights is hardly immaterial here.
Originally Posted by WineCountryUA
Is that true? It is true for *A (and contact lounges) but not for OW and ST? Given the inconsistency there seems room for confusion.
Originally Posted by WineCountryUA
Is that true? It is true for *A (and contact lounges) but not for OW and ST? Given the inconsistency there seems room for confusion.
By the rules, OW... Departure only.
Status... "...can use lounges offered by oneworld airlines when departing on any flight marketed and operated by any oneworld member airline, regardless of cabin class being flown (exceptions are noted below)."
Class of Service... "Access is available on the day of travel (or before 06:00am the following day), at the airport from which the oneworld flight on which the eligible customer is travelling departs."

(AA and Alaska have different rules for those that have membership in their clubs.)
Global321 is offline  
Old Mar 27, 2024, 9:43 am
  #664  
 
Join Date: Jun 2012
Posts: 3,345
Originally Posted by Global321
By the rules, OW... Departure only.
Yes, OW or *A, must be departing on an alliance flight..... But OW has this section that *A doesn't.

Flying J from NRT-SFO on (ANA or JAL), connecting to Y on SFO-SAN domestic on same alliance (UA or AA).

OW would have provided access at SFO (Y departure to SAN), but not on *A

https://www.oneworld.com/airport-lounges
Connecting between oneworld marketed and operated flights: First and Business Class customers connecting on the same day of travel, or before 06:00am the following day, can access the lounge when travelling between an international long haul (a oneworld international long haul flight is defined as an international flight marketed and operated by any oneworld carrier with a scheduled flight time longer than 5 hours) and an international short haul or domestic flight (and vice-versa).

Lounge access will be determined on the international long haul ticketed flight (either First of Business Class) regardless of the ticketed class of travel on the international short haul or domestic flight
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paperwastage is offline  
Old Mar 27, 2024, 11:42 am
  #665  
 
Join Date: Nov 2019
Location: YEG
Programs: UA Gold
Posts: 316
Originally Posted by rbakker
I am not 100% sure that I went through the auto gate but it was at the same airport (DEN) and very likely the exact same United Club. I don't remember there being any problem with the gates such that I would have been directed to walk around them - it was only last month. I have sent off a complaint to United, I'll let everyone know what they say.
Update on my case (being (initially) denied access to a United Club when travelling Canada-USA-DR even though I was given access when travelling Canada-USA) :
United Customer Care informs me they won't answer any queries about current trips. For more information visit www.united.com. Also, their [email protected] isn't monitored so don't reply to this email.
Great service!
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