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]
Mar 5, 2019, 7:25 pm
#3541
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: 66,854
You might want to check with NZ if you have access at the LAX TBIT *A lounge which NZ operates
Last edited by WineCountryUA; Mar 5, 2019 at 7:37 pm Reason: TBIT *A
Mar 17, 2019, 3:12 pm
#3542
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: MFR
Programs: UA 1K 1.9MM, Hilton Gold, Marriott Gold
Posts: 2,885
Just flew CAI-FRA-ORD-DFW paid business/Polaris.
Denied Club access on arrival in DFW.
I was ready for it because there’s always SOMETHING with this location, so I had the web site rules on my iPad to show them it clearly states “Departing, connecting and arrival” same day when in International Business.
Nope. Told Domestic Clubs don’t count, only Polaris Club!
Called 1K voice, they say Yes, I get access.
Put on speaker phone and DFW agent argues with 1K voice, saying she is absolutely positive I do not get any domestic club access.
1K agent tells her let me in (here now), and they’re making a big deal like they’re doing me some huge favor.
Telling me I need to purchase membership if I want the “privilege” and treating me like some DYKWIA.
Now reading the wiki I’m not even sure what the actual rule is.
I’ve been through dramas before at this location (Denied access in November flying paid business on UA / NZ, they said I only get lounge at my connection in IAH)
Now I want to escalate this. I’m exhausted and jetlagged and very annoyed.
But I need to know if I’m right or not.
Can anyone clarify?
Denied Club access on arrival in DFW.
I was ready for it because there’s always SOMETHING with this location, so I had the web site rules on my iPad to show them it clearly states “Departing, connecting and arrival” same day when in International Business.
Nope. Told Domestic Clubs don’t count, only Polaris Club!
Called 1K voice, they say Yes, I get access.
Put on speaker phone and DFW agent argues with 1K voice, saying she is absolutely positive I do not get any domestic club access.
1K agent tells her let me in (here now), and they’re making a big deal like they’re doing me some huge favor.
Telling me I need to purchase membership if I want the “privilege” and treating me like some DYKWIA.
Now reading the wiki I’m not even sure what the actual rule is.
I’ve been through dramas before at this location (Denied access in November flying paid business on UA / NZ, they said I only get lounge at my connection in IAH)
Now I want to escalate this. I’m exhausted and jetlagged and very annoyed.
But I need to know if I’m right or not.
Can anyone clarify?
Mar 17, 2019, 3:15 pm
#3543
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: PHX
Programs: AS 75K; UA 1MM; Hyatt Globalist; Marriott LTP; Hilton Diamond (Aspire)
Posts: 56,457
Mar 17, 2019, 3:24 pm
#3544
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: MFR
Programs: UA 1K 1.9MM, Hilton Gold, Marriott Gold
Posts: 2,885
It was weird when they were on the phone with each other, the 1K agent asked if she was looking at “Core” (?), but the DFW agent was looking at something else that apparently was written differently, saying does not count domestic locations.
Mar 17, 2019, 3:57 pm
#3545
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: Austin, TX
Posts: 21,406
*G flying internationally has same-day access to any UC. Neither the airline nor the class of service matter, as long as there is an international segment on *A.
Mar 17, 2019, 8:32 pm
#3546
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: PHX
Programs: AS 75K; UA 1MM; Hyatt Globalist; Marriott LTP; Hilton Diamond (Aspire)
Posts: 56,457
Mar 17, 2019, 10:05 pm
#3547
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: MFR
Programs: UA 1K 1.9MM, Hilton Gold, Marriott Gold
Posts: 2,885
Mar 17, 2019, 10:35 pm
#3548
Join Date: Jul 2016
Programs: UA1K | *A Gold
Posts: 767
Had a similar experience in DEN, but agent was nice enough to let me in and even took the time to look into it. According to that agent, UA*G access only applies if your PNR in/out of that particular airport contains an international flight/segment.
Rules do state "a same-day boarding pass for travel on an international flight operated by a Star Alliance member airline (departure airport can be different from that of the United Club location being entered)." However, the agent tried using some of the boarding passes from the international PNR, but the system still wouldn't accept it. They can also manually look you up by name but can only "see" the PNR for flights departing or arriving the airport where that particular club is located. She did say that they (DEN) had the most recent system with all the "current" rules...
Any one know what the current rules are for UA*Gs..?
Mar 18, 2019, 1:12 am
#3549
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: MFR
Programs: UA 1K 1.9MM, Hilton Gold, Marriott Gold
Posts: 2,885
8
All one ticket RT DFW-CAI. The BP I scanned was on my phone from the UA App.
I checked in with LH, so I only used the paper BP boarding in CAI.
What they told you sounds very similar to what they were trying to explain to me, but they were all over the place - it didn’t make any sense. But that’s what her screen was telling her, which was apparently a different system than the 1K Voice agent’s. 1K Voice kept telling her to look at “CORE” but after bickering back and forth for a minute she finally said just to let me in because I was getting very impatient by that time.
You do remind me of another time when I was on 2 separate tickets (DFW-SFO / SFO-SIN (which sometimes saves me a fortune), and I had to argue my way in that time too.
I remember posting about it and the FT experts said it shouldn’t matter, as long as it’s the same day.
It seems to me some of the Clubs’ systems were never updated when they changed the rules allowing Arrival entry.
It wasn’t allowed until about 2 years ago I think?
Any chance you were on a separate PNR/ticket to DFW (CAI-ORD & ORD-DFW?) - that is, did your boarding pass to DFW have INTL printed on it?
Had a similar experience in DEN, but agent was nice enough to let me in and even took the time to look into it. According to that agent, UA*G access only applies if your PNR in/out of that particular airport contains an international flight/segment.
Rules do state "a same-day boarding pass for travel on an international flight operated by a Star Alliance member airline (departure airport can be different from that of the United Club location being entered)." However, the agent tried using some of the boarding passes from the international PNR, but the system still wouldn't accept it. They can also manually look you up by name but can only "see" the PNR for flights departing or arriving the airport where that particular club is located. She did say that they (DEN) had the most recent system with all the "current" rules...
Any one know what the current rules are for UA*Gs..?
Had a similar experience in DEN, but agent was nice enough to let me in and even took the time to look into it. According to that agent, UA*G access only applies if your PNR in/out of that particular airport contains an international flight/segment.
Rules do state "a same-day boarding pass for travel on an international flight operated by a Star Alliance member airline (departure airport can be different from that of the United Club location being entered)." However, the agent tried using some of the boarding passes from the international PNR, but the system still wouldn't accept it. They can also manually look you up by name but can only "see" the PNR for flights departing or arriving the airport where that particular club is located. She did say that they (DEN) had the most recent system with all the "current" rules...
Any one know what the current rules are for UA*Gs..?
I checked in with LH, so I only used the paper BP boarding in CAI.
What they told you sounds very similar to what they were trying to explain to me, but they were all over the place - it didn’t make any sense. But that’s what her screen was telling her, which was apparently a different system than the 1K Voice agent’s. 1K Voice kept telling her to look at “CORE” but after bickering back and forth for a minute she finally said just to let me in because I was getting very impatient by that time.
You do remind me of another time when I was on 2 separate tickets (DFW-SFO / SFO-SIN (which sometimes saves me a fortune), and I had to argue my way in that time too.
I remember posting about it and the FT experts said it shouldn’t matter, as long as it’s the same day.
It seems to me some of the Clubs’ systems were never updated when they changed the rules allowing Arrival entry.
It wasn’t allowed until about 2 years ago I think?
Mar 18, 2019, 12:11 pm
#3550
Join Date: Oct 2002
Programs: United Premier 1K
Posts: 1,230
EDIT: Correcting myself here - doesn't even have to be UA metal. Key is UA *G, not a partner. Either way, OP definitely should have been granted access!
Mar 18, 2019, 7:55 pm
#3551
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: Austin, TX
Posts: 21,406
I don't believe this is a true statement (someone please correct me if I'm wrong). UC access on *arrival* is granted to UA *G's only, and only if the international segment was on UA metal.
EDIT: Correcting myself here - doesn't even have to be UA metal. Key is UA *G, not a partner. Either way, OP definitely should have been granted access!
EDIT: Correcting myself here - doesn't even have to be UA metal. Key is UA *G, not a partner. Either way, OP definitely should have been granted access!
Mar 18, 2019, 8:16 pm
#3552
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Global
Posts: 5,998
Any chance you were on a separate PNR/ticket to DFW (CAI-ORD & ORD-DFW?) - that is, did your boarding pass to DFW have INTL printed on it?
Had a similar experience in DEN, but agent was nice enough to let me in and even took the time to look into it. According to that agent, UA*G access only applies if your PNR in/out of that particular airport contains an international flight/segment....
Had a similar experience in DEN, but agent was nice enough to let me in and even took the time to look into it. According to that agent, UA*G access only applies if your PNR in/out of that particular airport contains an international flight/segment....
Mar 18, 2019, 8:28 pm
#3553
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: PHX
Programs: AS 75K; UA 1MM; Hyatt Globalist; Marriott LTP; Hilton Diamond (Aspire)
Posts: 56,457
Mar 19, 2019, 4:27 am
#3554
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: MFR
Programs: UA 1K 1.9MM, Hilton Gold, Marriott Gold
Posts: 2,885
Did UA always allow it? I thought it just started a couple years ago, around the same time as the Polaris Clubs' openings.
Mar 19, 2019, 6:34 am
#3555
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: PHX
Programs: AS 75K; UA 1MM; Hyatt Globalist; Marriott LTP; Hilton Diamond (Aspire)
Posts: 56,457