Jan 19, 2017, 11:05 pm
Last edit by: WineCountryUA
Source: United Boarding Process
We encourage you to make yourself comfortable while you wait for your group to be called, and we’ll let you know when we’re ready for you to board. Late arriving customers in Groups 1 and 2 are welcome to continue boarding through the blue lane at any time.
* Customers who have purchased a Basic Economy ticket will be in the last boarding group, except for Premier members, Chase Cardmembers of qualifying cards and Star Alliance Gold members, who will still receive their priority boarding.
================================================== ==============================
Pre Sept 2018 process
Pre-Boarding
General boarding (Window Seats, then Middle Seats, then Aisle)
Customers who have purchased a Basic Economy ticket will be in the last boarding group, with the exception of Premier members, Chase Cardmembers of qualifying cards and Star Alliance Gold members, who will still receive their priority boarding.
Note: If you’re traveling with a companion and one of you has a higher boarding status, you both may board with the earlier group.
Note: Self Boarding Gates are being tested at the following gates...
sUA Boarding Times by Aircraft (AFA)
Previous thread: United's Current Boarding Process (with Wiki) [Revised, May 2013]
New changes (effective 18 Sept 2018)
You will see some new boarding lane signs in the gate area that will guide you through the boarding process. There will now be two lanes that are color coded : to begin, Group 1 will board through the blue lane and Group 2 will board through the green lane. The remaining Groups 3-5 will then board through the green lane when called, and Groups 1 and 2 can continue to board through the blue lane .We encourage you to make yourself comfortable while you wait for your group to be called, and we’ll let you know when we’re ready for you to board. Late arriving customers in Groups 1 and 2 are welcome to continue boarding through the blue lane at any time.
Boarding groups
Pre-boarding
- Unaccompanied minors
- Customers with disabilities
- Active members of the military
- United Global Services® members
- Families traveling with children age 2 and younger
- Premier® 1K® members
Group 1
- Premier Platinum members
- Premier Gold members
- Star Alliance™ Gold members
- Customers seated in premium cabins: United Polaris®, United First® and United Business®
Group 2
- Premier Silver members
- Star Alliance Silver members
- Customers who have purchased Premier Access® or Priority Boarding
- United℠ Explorer, Club, Presidential Plus℠ and Awards Cardmembers
Groups 3 – 5
- Economy Plus®
- United Economy®
- Basic Economy*
* Customers who have purchased a Basic Economy ticket will be in the last boarding group, except for Premier members, Chase Cardmembers of qualifying cards and Star Alliance Gold members, who will still receive their priority boarding.
Pre Sept 2018 process
Pre-Boarding
- Unaccompanied minors
- Customers with disabilities
- Uniformed members of the U.S. military
- Families traveling with children age two and younger
- United Global Services® members
- Group 1: Premier 1K, Premier Platinum, Business/Polaris Business, and First/Polaris First.
- Group 2: Premier Gold, Star Gold, Premier Silver, Star Silver, MileagePlus Presidential Plus, Club, Explorer and Awards, purchased Premier Access
General boarding (Window Seats, then Middle Seats, then Aisle)
- Group 3 - Window Seats
- Group 4 - Middle & Aisle Seats (Aisle Seats on UA Express)
- Group 5 - Basic Economy
Customers who have purchased a Basic Economy ticket will be in the last boarding group, with the exception of Premier members, Chase Cardmembers of qualifying cards and Star Alliance Gold members, who will still receive their priority boarding.
Note: If you’re traveling with a companion and one of you has a higher boarding status, you both may board with the earlier group.
Note: Self Boarding Gates are being tested at the following gates...
- IAH - Gate C25/C26 - See Post 2960, Includes YouTube video from CO777DAL
- IAH - Gate E4 - Old test from pmCO days, See Thread Here
- BOS - Self boarding gates are now back in *LIMITED* use at least at gates B25 and B26
sUA Boarding Times by Aircraft (AFA)
Previous thread: United's Current Boarding Process (with Wiki) [Revised, May 2013]
United's Current Boarding Process (with Wiki) [2016-forward]{Archive}
Sep 26, 2018, 12:50 am
#1816
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: Honolulu Harbor
Programs: UA 1K
Posts: 15,036
Sep 26, 2018, 6:00 am
#1817
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: HNL
Programs: UA GS4MM, MR LT Plat, Hilton Gold
Posts: 6,447
EWR-HNL, Wed Sept 26.
Smooth boarding - announced pre-board correctly - with a distinct pause between GS and 1K. Not a full flight so very straightforward - obviously no stressed biz travelers and not many carry-ons.
I will say the TSA situation was just plain awful this morning, no premier line and TSA really needs to get their act together at EWR.
Smooth boarding - announced pre-board correctly - with a distinct pause between GS and 1K. Not a full flight so very straightforward - obviously no stressed biz travelers and not many carry-ons.
I will say the TSA situation was just plain awful this morning, no premier line and TSA really needs to get their act together at EWR.
Sep 26, 2018, 6:28 am
#1818
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: New Jersey
Programs: UA MM 1K, AA MM Gold, Marriott LT Platinum
Posts: 3,236
If one really thinks about it, the new procedure is just as if 1Ks decided to gate lice at front of BG1 line (without actually having to stand there). Golds get to move up a whole group and can choose to stand at front of BG1line.
Maybe (to appease some), UA ought to just put 1Ks back in BG1, but just call them first within the group
+1 on the upthread suggestion for putting PREBOARD on 1K BP's. Not so much for the GA's but for the 1K's who don't realize they now have this benefit.
Sep 26, 2018, 6:34 am
#1819
Join Date: Feb 2007
Posts: 6
Current update
Just boarded IAH to MEX. traveling in paid F. Arrived gate just as boarding started so number 40 or so in group one. First class cabin half full when I boarded and I got the last overhead space. My colleague 2 slots behind me had to go to row 8 or 9 in economy to put his bag. Not whining or complaining. Just pointing out what’s going on.
Sep 26, 2018, 7:52 am
#1821
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: CLE, DCA, and 30k feet
Programs: Honors LT Diamond; United 1K; Hertz PC
Posts: 4,178
Amazingly, some 1K's still haven't got the memo. Yesterday MSP-EWR, GA called 1K's at the correct point, and as the 1K's hovering nearby started to board, a 1K in the BG1 queue jumped in front claiming that the pre-boarding 1K's should have been in the BG1 lane. Someone suggested to him that he look up the meaning of "pre-board."
+1 on the upthread suggestion for putting PREBOARD on 1K BP's. Not so much for the GA's but for the 1K's who don't realize they now have this benefit.
+1 on the upthread suggestion for putting PREBOARD on 1K BP's. Not so much for the GA's but for the 1K's who don't realize they now have this benefit.
The other problem is some gates haven't been fully/properly reconfigured. E.g. at ORD B20 yesterday between the seating configuration and the layout of the stanchions the only way to get to the gate without having to duck under or climb over something was through the two standard boarding queues -- which already had a decent number of people in them by the time I arrived at the gate. And the GA muddied the water by paging "Now boarding our group 1...kaaaaaaay passengers. Any 1K passengers are now welcome to preboard" but the front half of the G1 lane heard "group" and began stampeding to the gate.
It will be nice when it settles but for now I'm not changing my behavior.
Sep 26, 2018, 8:27 am
#1822
Join Date: Jul 2013
Programs: DYKWIA, But I'm a "Diamond Guest" UA 1K/2MM
Posts: 2,258
For my SFO->EWR flight last night, there were about 5 1Ks crowding the pre-board area. All of them charged on when GS was called.
Sep 26, 2018, 8:40 am
#1823
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: NYC, FLL
Programs: UA PP 1MM, Marriott Bonvoy LTTE, BA Gold
Posts: 6,330
Can a 1K arriving mid-boarding Group 1 officially go to the front of the line / roped off area for boarding? Is that what GS did/do before the change? Or are you SOL because pre-boarding has ended at that point and you should join the end of the new Group 1? (Wiki is unclear on this).
Maybe instead of "PRE-BOARD" the boarding pass should show "GLOBAL SERVICES" or "UNITED 1K" so if you flash it to the GA they usher you forward. GROUP 1 is definitely not the best.
Maybe instead of "PRE-BOARD" the boarding pass should show "GLOBAL SERVICES" or "UNITED 1K" so if you flash it to the GA they usher you forward. GROUP 1 is definitely not the best.
Sep 26, 2018, 8:44 am
#1824
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2015
Posts: 11,484
Can a 1K arriving mid-boarding Group 1 officially go to the front of the line / roped off area for boarding? Is that what GS did/do before the change? Or are you SOL because pre-boarding has ended at that point and you should join the end of the new Group 1? (Wiki is unclear on this).
Maybe instead of "PRE-BOARD" the boarding pass should show "GLOBAL SERVICES" or "UNITED 1K" so if you flash it to the GA they usher you forward. GROUP 1 is definitely not the best.
Maybe instead of "PRE-BOARD" the boarding pass should show "GLOBAL SERVICES" or "UNITED 1K" so if you flash it to the GA they usher you forward. GROUP 1 is definitely not the best.
Also the BP does say either GLOBAL SERVICES or PREMIER 1K in large print along the bottom. Or are you proposing to replace the 1 in the square with all that text? I suppose if you want to change the rendering of boarding group for the pre-board eligible, just using '0' seems logical.
Sep 26, 2018, 8:44 am
#1825
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: Lahaina, HI & Los Angeles, CA
Programs: UA GS
Posts: 2,403
Sep 26, 2018, 8:47 am
#1826
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: Honolulu Harbor
Programs: UA 1K
Posts: 15,036
Can a 1K arriving mid-boarding Group 1 officially go to the front of the line / roped off area for boarding? Is that what GS did/do before the change? Or are you SOL because pre-boarding has ended at that point and you should join the end of the new Group 1? (Wiki is unclear on this).
Maybe instead of "PRE-BOARD" the boarding pass should show "GLOBAL SERVICES" or "UNITED 1K" so if you flash it to the GA they usher you forward. GROUP 1 is definitely not the best.
Maybe instead of "PRE-BOARD" the boarding pass should show "GLOBAL SERVICES" or "UNITED 1K" so if you flash it to the GA they usher you forward. GROUP 1 is definitely not the best.
Sep 26, 2018, 9:06 am
#1827
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: NYC, FLL
Programs: UA PP 1MM, Marriott Bonvoy LTTE, BA Gold
Posts: 6,330
Ok, apologies, I never have a printed BP (use the App), I was just responding to folks above who seemed to want PRE-BOARD printed.
I'm good with this
Sep 26, 2018, 9:08 am
#1828
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Jun 2005
Posts: 57,652
Just boarded IAH to MEX. traveling in paid F. Arrived gate just as boarding started so number 40 or so in group one. First class cabin half full when I boarded and I got the last overhead space. My colleague 2 slots behind me had to go to row 8 or 9 in economy to put his bag. Not whining or complaining. Just pointing out what’s going on.
I never have this kind of trouble when flying *A partners in Europe. Why can't UA do this correctly?
Sep 26, 2018, 10:09 am
#1829
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: CLE, DCA, and 30k feet
Programs: Honors LT Diamond; United 1K; Hertz PC
Posts: 4,178
How anyone can defend this treatment of a paid F passenger is beyond me. Back before the merger, when I flew longhaul (TCON or TATL/TPAC) I was almost always in C or F thanks to instrument UG or purchased UG. I always remained in the UC until just before boarding, because I never had to worry about OH space, and boarding usually wasn't chaotic. I don't have to worry about OH space on an internationally configured bird now, but I still go early, because the red carpet lane is gone. And for a NB long haul, there is no way I'm not near the front of Group 1, thanks to the situation described above. I don't carry a lot on board with me, but if I've shelled our $$ for paid F domestically, UA ought to have the common courtesy to make sure OH space in F isn't poached.
I never have this kind of trouble when flying *A partners in Europe. Why can't UA do this correctly?
I never have this kind of trouble when flying *A partners in Europe. Why can't UA do this correctly?
FA friend says it's relatively uncommon in his experience to have Y passengers poaching space in F bins.
I've never had an issue with bin space up front on a TATL/TPAC -- or even in Y TATL.
Sep 26, 2018, 10:25 am
#1830
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: where lions are led by donkeys...
Programs: Lifetime Gold, Global Entry, Hertz PC, and my wallet
Posts: 20,356