Dec 7, 2014, 12:30 pm
Last edit by: WineCountryUA
This is an archive of older posts, the active thread is Consolidated "United Club Access Questions" Thread
United operates United Clubs in the USA and many international locations -- see United Club and Other United Lounges for a detailed list.
UA's partners and the Star Alliance operates lounges in some of the same airports and many others. See the *A Lounge Finder and *A Lounge Access Policies . Additionally, some airports have "contract" lounges, admission is airport dependent.
United also operates International Global First Lounges and Arrival Lounges. These lounges have different access policy, see the linked threads for more.
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.
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 itinarary (Alsoyou qill need to able to access to the UC location)
Starting 18 Aug 2016: United Club Access (including members) Only w/ Same-Day BP
Partner lounges
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
United operates United Clubs in the USA and many international locations -- see United Club and Other United Lounges for a detailed list.
UA's partners and the Star Alliance operates lounges in some of the same airports and many others. See the *A Lounge Finder and *A Lounge Access Policies . Additionally, some airports have "contract" lounges, admission is airport dependent.
United also operates International Global First Lounges and Arrival Lounges. These lounges have different access policy, see the linked threads for more.
To have access to the UCs, you will need to fit into one of the following
- Be a UC member -- either directly purchased or combined with a credit card (such as Chase MP Club card)* 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.
* The actual UC membership card @ UCs is generally not required if you have a UA BP -- since the UC membership is tied to the MP account
* Same day BP on ANY airline (arriving or departing)
* Spousal memberships are available as an extra cost option - Be traveling as *G member (see UA *G on domestic-only itinerary limitation) with departing *A BP showing your status while in any cabin* 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 - can be different PNR)
* 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
- Be departing that airport in *A International Business or International First (with BP)* International First passengers can guest 1 traveler with a departing *A BP. No guests for International Business.
* UA has an expanded access policy that those traveling same day International Business or International First on UA operated flights can access UCs at any same day connecting airport
- 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 or purchase a UC one-time access pass* No guests
- Have Amtrak Select Plus or Select Executive status.* 1 guest
* Same day BP on ANY airline (arriving or departing)
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.
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 itinarary (Alsoyou qill need to able to access to the UC location)
Starting 18 Aug 2016: United Club Access (including members) Only w/ Same-Day BP
Partner lounges
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 "United Club Access Questions" Thread [ARCHIVE]
Dec 23, 2018, 12:52 pm
#3481
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: Honolulu Harbor
Programs: UA 1K
Posts: 15,019
UA is a bit more liberal on access rules for their frequent flyers and those flying their airplanes (think access on arrival, etc). UA conforms to *A rules otherwise.
Last edited by IAH-OIL-TRASH; Dec 23, 2018 at 1:00 pm
Dec 23, 2018, 1:00 pm
#3482
Join Date: Sep 2014
Posts: 2,531
It’s been like this for years. Why do you think UA’s going to decide to do otherwise after so many years, and considering how everyone already complains about lounge crowding? If you have UA Gold+ status, you get lounge access all the way. It’s a decent compromise.
People complain about crowded lounges but they also complain about no lounge access at ORD on a FRA-ORD-SFO $9k ticket, and then no access at SFO on their SFO-ORD-FRA return.
If you're going to coordinate schedules and pricing and alternate segments with a JV and honor GPUs, the message you're sending is "we're covering this route together, pick whichever carrier suits your schedule". It's nuts that the lounge access doesn't follow.
The *G thing mitigates it a bit but that's still UC and not Polaris and still not everyone.
Dec 23, 2018, 1:09 pm
#3483
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: Honolulu Harbor
Programs: UA 1K
Posts: 15,019
Dec 23, 2018, 1:13 pm
#3485
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: Honolulu Harbor
Programs: UA 1K
Posts: 15,019
Dec 23, 2018, 1:46 pm
#3486
Join Date: Sep 2014
Posts: 2,531
Why does UA allow Polaris Lounge access to someone flying LH from DEN-FRA?
Why does LH allow UA elites to use GPUs on LH flights?
They are not a UA passengers. But UA has a deal with LH where they take care of each other's passengers on their respective sides of the ocean and on each other's flights. Not in every way, but in many ways. Some of these are codified in *A rules, some are one-offs with close partners like LH and NH.
No arrival lounge / connecting lounge / departure lounge for feeder flight access for someone on a full J ticket seems like a hole in the system, especially since they've gone to great lengths to provide lounge access for departing itins and/or *G even if they don't touch UA metal and have never flown UA in their life.
A quick scan of various lounge access threads shows this is surprising to many.
Dec 23, 2018, 2:40 pm
#3487
Moderator: United Airlines
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: SFO
Programs: UA Plat 1.995MM, Hyatt Discoverist, Marriott Plat/LT Gold, Hilton Silver, IHG Plat
Posts: 66,849
Any *A carrier's premium cabin passengers have access to Polaris Lounge at the departure airport (except AC -- a JV partner for some flights). UA apparently felt this was a more appropriate lounge than the UCs for A* premium cabin passengers.
True and partially because other AllIances have other lounge access rules. But you have to look at the whole package of rules to decide which is better, not just a single aspect
Last edited by WineCountryUA; Dec 23, 2018 at 2:46 pm
Dec 23, 2018, 5:21 pm
#3488
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: PHX
Programs: AS 75K; UA 1MM; Hyatt Globalist; Marriott LTP; Hilton Diamond (Aspire)
Posts: 56,450
On the original point, note that UA has tightened up the access rules this year by enforcing the same day restriction. Seems to me very unlikely we're going to see rules move in the other direction (except possibly some sort of special, limited Polaris lounge access based on either status or a paid fee).
Dec 23, 2018, 9:53 pm
#3489
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2002
Location: Saipan, MP 96950 USA (Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands = the CNMI)
Programs: UA Silver, Hilton Silver. Life: UA .57 MM, United & Admirals Clubs (spousal), Marriott Platinum
Posts: 15,041
Soon and very soon.
I’m flying HNL-OGG-ORD fairly soon. The HNL-OGG segment is operated by Hawaiian Airlines, and the OGG-ORD segment is operated by United.
I’m a United Club member, but will I be able to access the lounge in HNL with my Hawaiian boarding pass? I don’t think I’d be able to get a United boarding pass until I’m actually in OGG.
I’m a United Club member, but will I be able to access the lounge in HNL with my Hawaiian boarding pass? I don’t think I’d be able to get a United boarding pass until I’m actually in OGG.
From what I understand, the same-day UA / *A boarding pass requirement goes into effect on Friday, 1 November 2019.
Until then, the requirement of a flight on any carrier applies, which itself is a fairly recent tightening of the longstanding policy requiring no travel whatsoever.
Of course, it was not always so easy to clear TSA without travelling, but there were extensive threads discussing this.
Dec 23, 2018, 10:07 pm
#3490
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: Honolulu Harbor
Programs: UA 1K
Posts: 15,019
I am a United Club life member.
From what I understand, the same-day UA / *A boarding pass requirement goes into effect on Friday, 1 November 2019.
Until then, the requirement of a flight on any carrier applies, which itself is a fairly recent tightening of the longstanding policy requiring no travel whatsoever.
Of course, it was not always so easy to clear TSA without travelling, but there were extensive threads discussing this.
From what I understand, the same-day UA / *A boarding pass requirement goes into effect on Friday, 1 November 2019.
Until then, the requirement of a flight on any carrier applies, which itself is a fairly recent tightening of the longstanding policy requiring no travel whatsoever.
Of course, it was not always so easy to clear TSA without travelling, but there were extensive threads discussing this.
Have no clue what you last sentence refers to...If it has something to do with HA gates and UC being in different terminals, they are at opposite ends of airport terminals, but connected airside by walk or wiki-wiki shuttle upstairs.
Dec 24, 2018, 9:35 am
#3491
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: Israel, APAC
Programs: UA PG, IHG Diamond Amb
Posts: 186
I am 1K. I had a flight from LAX-EWR at 00.45, and then a flight from EWR-TLV at 16.20 on the same day and same PNR.
In LAX they wouldn't let me access the lounge before 12am claiming that the international flight has to be on the same day - not within 24 hours.
Is that actually true? If so it's really ridiculous. The effort to keep a 1K on an international itinerary out of the lounge is disgraceful in my opinion.
I ended up doing the 15 minute airside walk to the *A lounge in TBIT - where i was welcomed and its 10 times better in any case.
In LAX they wouldn't let me access the lounge before 12am claiming that the international flight has to be on the same day - not within 24 hours.
Is that actually true? If so it's really ridiculous. The effort to keep a 1K on an international itinerary out of the lounge is disgraceful in my opinion.
I ended up doing the 15 minute airside walk to the *A lounge in TBIT - where i was welcomed and its 10 times better in any case.
Dec 24, 2018, 10:16 am
#3492
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2014
Location: MSP
Programs: DL PM, UA Gold, WN, Global Entry; +others wherever miles/points are found
Posts: 14,410
Consolidated "United Club Access Questions" Thread
The policy is "same day" and agents have gotten pretty Wild West about making up their own interpretations. Feels wrong to me here though -- I would write in for clarification.
Dec 24, 2018, 1:42 pm
#3493
Moderator: United Airlines
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: SFO
Programs: UA Plat 1.995MM, Hyatt Discoverist, Marriott Plat/LT Gold, Hilton Silver, IHG Plat
Posts: 66,849
Dec 24, 2018, 2:29 pm
#3494
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2017
Programs: AS 75K, DL Silver, UA Platinum, Hilton Gold, Hyatt Discoverist, Marriott Platinum + LT Gold
Posts: 10,501
I am 1K. I had a flight from LAX-EWR at 00.45, and then a flight from EWR-TLV at 16.20 on the same day and same PNR.
In LAX they wouldn't let me access the lounge before 12am claiming that the international flight has to be on the same day - not within 24 hours.
Is that actually true? If so it's really ridiculous. The effort to keep a 1K on an international itinerary out of the lounge is disgraceful in my opinion.
I ended up doing the 15 minute airside walk to the *A lounge in TBIT - where i was welcomed and its 10 times better in any case.
In LAX they wouldn't let me access the lounge before 12am claiming that the international flight has to be on the same day - not within 24 hours.
Is that actually true? If so it's really ridiculous. The effort to keep a 1K on an international itinerary out of the lounge is disgraceful in my opinion.
I ended up doing the 15 minute airside walk to the *A lounge in TBIT - where i was welcomed and its 10 times better in any case.
Dec 24, 2018, 3:42 pm
#3495
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: Israel, APAC
Programs: UA PG, IHG Diamond Amb
Posts: 186
Maybe ill write to 1K desk to clarify.
Seems that way.