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Old Dec 3, 2016, 9:22 am
FlyerTalk Forums Expert How-Tos and Guides
Last edit by: WineCountryUA
Access to Polaris lounges (source):

Hour 6:00 a.m. – 9:00 p.m. daily
A la carte dining, last seating 8 p. m.

United flights with the premium cabin class listed as 'Polaris Business' qualify for deaparture, connecting and arrival of a United Polaris flight.
UA premium cabin flights not marketed as Polaris, such as Domestic First or International Business (Canada, Mexico, Caribbean, Central America, northern South America, ... ) are not eligible for Polaris lounge access.
For partner, Business or International First, access only at departure airport and same destination restrictions as UA (roughly at least 8+ hours long haul international - TATL, TPAC, yes any UA Polaris destination but no trans-border).

No Guests (except 1 guest for International First partner flights)

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Consolidated "Polaris Lounge Access Questions" Thread

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Old Jan 29, 2018, 8:09 pm
  #661  
 
Join Date: Sep 2011
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It's worse than slim. It's never going to happen and a Mod will shortly move this into the existing Polaris ORD thread.

Sorry.
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Old Jan 29, 2018, 8:16 pm
  #662  
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Not even close. In fact, if you weren't *G you would have no access to any lounge at all.
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Old Jan 29, 2018, 11:45 pm
  #663  
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Originally Posted by sol95
Hi everyone

I'll be flying J into JFK on a separate *A airline, then transitting through ORD (3hrs) in domestic First on UA from LGA to IND on the same day. I realise that technically, I won't be able to access the Polaris lounge, but I'm pretty sure I'll desperately want a shower during my long, 3 hr transit in ORD. And from what I can gather, the Polaris lounge is the only one with a shower in ORD that I can readily access.
IF sol95 was travelling on a UA ticket including his *alliance J-flight, would that maybe get him into the Polaris lounge? I did have access to the ORD Polaris lounge, connecting from a UA business class flight to a UA domestic F flight, albeit on the same UA ticket.
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Old Jan 30, 2018, 12:05 am
  #664  
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Originally Posted by cesco.g
IF sol95 was travelling on a UA ticket including his *alliance J-flight, would that maybe get him into the Polaris lounge? I did have access to the ORD Polaris lounge, connecting from a UA business class flight to a UA domestic F flight, albeit on the same UA ticket.
Arrival premium cabin passengers only have access if arriving / connect on UA operated Polaris -- anyone else needs to qualify based on their departure flight. Who ticketed the flight does not matter.

The chart in the wiki makes this simple.
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Old Jan 30, 2018, 12:18 am
  #665  
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Right - thx for clearing this up, WineCountryUA!
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Old Jan 30, 2018, 2:02 pm
  #666  
 
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Anyone entered the ORD Polaris lounge when arriving in UA Polaris, but connecting onto a separate ticket (UA or possibly AA). This thread seems to show that using it as an arrival lounge is allowed, so I'm guessing I'd be ok either way but didn't see the same info on the lounge access page on .bomb.
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Old Jan 30, 2018, 2:08 pm
  #667  
 
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Originally Posted by dvs7310
Anyone entered the ORD Polaris lounge when arriving in UA Polaris, but connecting onto a separate ticket (UA or possibly AA). This thread seems to show that using it as an arrival lounge is allowed, so I'm guessing I'd be ok either way but didn't see the same info on the lounge access page on .bomb.
Yes it is 100% allowed. You are allowed to use it at an arrival airport period, regardless of what you are doing next (presuming you can get back through security after clearing immigration, which another boarding pass would allow you to do.
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Old Feb 3, 2018, 6:51 pm
  #668  
 
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Really lovely stay Feb 3rd - not sure if I was allowed in
I just had a lovely two hour stay before my connecting flight to Washington this evening (I’m fact I’m sitting here right now enjoying my bread pudding with a bourbon creme anglaise and an old fashioned).

I flew from MNL-ROR-GUM-NRT in business as a result of a CPU. I connected in Narita to the Chicago flight in economy, and now am connecting to DCA in F. The Lounge agent went back and forth, didn’t know UA192 (from Manila-Palau-Guam) was a United flight, but finally let me enter on account of the Guam to Narita flight in Business. Not sure I technically qualified - but glad I could check it out.

Was very impressed overall with the design. The bar was great. Good conversation from the barkeep, and quality drinks and espresso. Enjoyed the dining room too. I’m a sucker for a beet salad.

Safe travels!!
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Old Feb 3, 2018, 6:59 pm
  #669  
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Originally Posted by pdxdtm
I just had a lovely two hour stay before my connecting flight to Washington this evening (I’m fact I’m sitting here right now enjoying my bread pudding with a bourbon creme anglaise and an old fashioned).

I flew from MNL-ROR-GUM-NRT in business as a result of a CPU. I connected in Narita to the Chicago flight in economy, and now am connecting to DCA in F. The Lounge agent went back and forth, didn’t know UA192 (from Manila-Palau-Guam) was a United flight, but finally let me enter on account of the Guam to Narita flight in Business. Not sure I technically qualified - but glad I could check it out.

Was very impressed overall with the design. The bar was great. Good conversation from the barkeep, and quality drinks and espresso. Enjoyed the dining room too. I’m a sucker for a beet salad.

Safe travels!
img
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When your eligibility is marginal and you nevertheless get the go-ahead, it's all the sweeter! ^
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Old Feb 3, 2018, 7:10 pm
  #670  
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Originally Posted by pdxdtm
I flew from MNL-ROR-GUM-NRT in business as a result of a CPU. I connected in Narita to the Chicago flight in economy, and now am connecting to DCA in F. The Lounge agent went back and forth, didn’t know UA192 (from Manila-Palau-Guam) was a United flight, but finally let me enter on account of the Guam to Narita flight in Business.
Score!

Definitely did not qualify, as GUM-NRT is not Polaris business.
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Old Feb 6, 2018, 12:37 pm
  #671  
 
Join Date: Nov 2007
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Routing for Polaris Lounge Experience
Normally this would probably be a nutty questions - but this is FT!

I'm doing a IAD/DCA-MEX trip in First and was looking at my options. I can do an IAD-MEX direct that gets me in at 8:30ish or I can do a DCA-ORD-MEX that gets me in at 10:30.

I've not been to the Polaris lounge and have no urgency to get into MEX. Worth going via ORD for the experience?

Thanks!
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Old Feb 6, 2018, 12:39 pm
  #672  
 
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ORD-MEX in premium cabin is not eligible for the Polaris lounge. For UA metal, the flight needs to be branded as Polaris First/Business, so longhaul only. The recently-revised partner access rules also eliminated the transborder 'loophole' that used to get AC biz pax in on shorter flights.

Even if it were, I'd still stick with the nonstop. It's nice, but not worth nearly doubling your travel time.
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Old Feb 6, 2018, 12:40 pm
  #673  
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Originally Posted by DCEsquire
I've not been to the Polaris lounge and have no urgency to get into MEX. Worth going via ORD for the experience?

Thanks!
No, because that itinerary won't get you into the Polaris lounge. ORD-MEX is United Business but not United Polaris Business (long-haul). Only the latter gets you into the Polaris lounge.
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Old Feb 6, 2018, 12:42 pm
  #674  
 
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Glad I asked. I just assumed that everything international biz was Polaris!

https://www.united.com/web/en-US/con...ge/access.aspx

How do you know what is Polaris vs non-Polaris. Clearly not by the seats!
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Old Feb 6, 2018, 12:46 pm
  #675  
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Originally Posted by DCEsquire
Glad I asked. I just assumed that everything international biz was Polaris!

https://www.united.com/web/en-US/con...ge/access.aspx

How do you know what is Polaris vs non-Polaris. Clearly not by the seats!
It should say "Polaris business" during the booking process somewhere. It's basically the long-haul, non-CPU eligible international flights. So, everything further than about Colombia.

All Polaris flights have lie-flat seating (although not all have the new Polaris seats). Not all lie-flat flights are Polaris, however.
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