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}
Oct 5, 2018, 10:31 am
#2026
Join Date: Oct 2017
Location: IAH
Programs: UA MP Gold
Posts: 17
As a Gold-level flyer this new boarding process has been great and has rectified my #1 gripe with the previous system: the credit card holders.
Getting bumped to group 1 and leaving the CC plebs in group 2 is all I ever wanted.
Getting bumped to group 1 and leaving the CC plebs in group 2 is all I ever wanted.
Oct 5, 2018, 11:59 am
#2027
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: NYC
Programs: UA 1K, SPG Platinum, UA Million Miler
Posts: 2,596
Flew EWR-LAX-EWR this week and boarding was a pleasant experience. The GA did everything according to the new book and the GS had plenty of space to pre-pre board. No complaints (as a 1K)
Oct 5, 2018, 3:32 pm
#2028
Join Date: Apr 2005
Programs: UA 1MM
Posts: 152
Just did a SFO-KIX (Osaka) and HND (Tokyo) - SFO
At SFO they never called 1K specifically, I hung around and wandered up -- and they said 'yes, you can board now'
At HND, they actually has a separate line -- and they specifically called up Global Services and 1K for that line. Although it seemed most GS just hung around like usual -- and got on first. Then once all the other pre-board groups were called, they let the "line" of 1K pre-board. So it was just like it has always been, except that there was a 1K line (with about 25 folks) that went ahead of Group 1.
At SFO they never called 1K specifically, I hung around and wandered up -- and they said 'yes, you can board now'
At HND, they actually has a separate line -- and they specifically called up Global Services and 1K for that line. Although it seemed most GS just hung around like usual -- and got on first. Then once all the other pre-board groups were called, they let the "line" of 1K pre-board. So it was just like it has always been, except that there was a 1K line (with about 25 folks) that went ahead of Group 1.
Pre-boarding line in PVG
.
Oct 5, 2018, 5:11 pm
#2029
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: Bucks County
Programs: UAL GS & Million Miler; Delta Lifetime Gold; Hilton Diamond; Marriott Platinum; Legion Etrangere
Posts: 1,609
UA 309 CLT/EWR today was a Chinese fire drill. FA’s are contractors (G2) and had no clue. Called everyone at once and there was a scrum at the gate with one self-important jomoke cutting off a woman with a cane. CLT is one of the worst stations in the UA system and it shows
Oct 6, 2018, 3:29 pm
#2030
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: ORD
Programs: UA 1K MM, Hilton Diamond, Marriott Platinum
Posts: 380
Ok so I’m traveling on a Saturday, but in my first two experiences with the new boarding went by the book.
ORD-IAD and IAD-ZRH I was able to Pre-boarding and bypass the Group 1 lane as a 1K. I don’t think all 1Ks really understand this new procedure, as I saw a number of 1K BPs standing in line. Don’t know if they tried to shove their way forward as I was already past them ;-)
ORD-IAD and IAD-ZRH I was able to Pre-boarding and bypass the Group 1 lane as a 1K. I don’t think all 1Ks really understand this new procedure, as I saw a number of 1K BPs standing in line. Don’t know if they tried to shove their way forward as I was already past them ;-)
Oct 6, 2018, 3:49 pm
#2031
Join Date: Jul 2015
Location: San Francisco
Programs: UA MM Plat, UA 1MM, Hilton Lifetime Gold, Marriott Gold, Hertz Gold, CLEAR, AS MVP Gold
Posts: 3,621
Oct 6, 2018, 9:04 pm
#2032
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Chicago
Programs: UA GS 1MM, CM PP
Posts: 689
Oct 6, 2018, 9:32 pm
#2033
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: SFO, TPE, HNL
Programs: UA GS 4MM, RCC life member (paid), Marriott Lifetime Titanium, Hyatt Globalist, CLEAR
Posts: 1,824
Twice in last two weeks my flights from SFO did not pause. SFO-TPE UA871 @ Gate 98 9/24/2018, a chaotic mess when masses of 1K converging into the gate pushing some disabled and GS out of the way. SFO-EWR UA 1070 @ Gate 86 10/5/2018, although there were only <10 1Ks so it was not a big problem. In this (UA1070) flight I asked a GA to make sure to pause between the subgroups in preboarding, but another GA who made the call did not pause. The GA who I talked first approached me when I enter the gate and apologized to me, saying, "I remind her to pause between subgroups but she refused."
Oct 6, 2018, 9:39 pm
#2034
Moderator: Midwest, Las Vegas & Dining Buzz
Join Date: Jun 2001
Location: Chicago, Illinois
Posts: 17,976
Twice in last two weeks my flights from SFO did not pause. SFO-TPE UA871 @ Gate 98 9/24/2018, a chaotic mess when masses of 1K converging into the gate pushing some disabled and GS out of the way. SFO-EWR UA 1070 @ Gate 86 10/5/2018, although there were only <10 1Ks so it was not a big problem. In this (UA1070) flight I asked a GA to make sure to pause between the subgroups in preboarding, but another GA who made the call did not pause. The GA who I talked first approached me when I enter the gate and apologized to me, saying, "I remind her to pause between subgroups but she refused."
Oct 7, 2018, 5:31 am
#2035
Join Date: Feb 2003
Posts: 4,115
I don’t know. I can see more problems created rather than solved with a setup like this.
Oct 7, 2018, 5:37 am
#2036
Join Date: May 2010
Location: AVP & PEK
Programs: UA 1K 1.9MM
Posts: 6,362
It would be good if ALL airports followed the exact same procedure, for UA to get a feel for its effectiveness. This would allow them to modify if necessary with correct data and more accurate feedback.
UA survey question: "Did you like the new pre-boarding setup on your last flight." If originating with this PVG setup, this may not really be helpful feedback, if the persons evaluating the survey are unaware of this "rogue" setup.
Oct 7, 2018, 5:42 am
#2037
Join Date: Feb 2003
Posts: 4,115
That's what I was thinking. I bet that was a local decision by someone who didn't like the official UA procedure.
It would be good if ALL airports followed the exact same procedure, for UA to get a feel for its effectiveness. This would allow them to modify if necessary with correct data and more accurate feedback.
UA survey question: "Did you like the new pre-boarding setup on your last flight." If originating with this PVG setup, this may not really be helpful feedback, if the persons evaluating the survey are unaware of this "rogue" setup.
It would be good if ALL airports followed the exact same procedure, for UA to get a feel for its effectiveness. This would allow them to modify if necessary with correct data and more accurate feedback.
UA survey question: "Did you like the new pre-boarding setup on your last flight." If originating with this PVG setup, this may not really be helpful feedback, if the persons evaluating the survey are unaware of this "rogue" setup.
Oct 7, 2018, 9:12 am
#2038
Join Date: Oct 2017
Location: ORD
Programs: United Platinum, Marriott Titanium, Hilton Diamond, Hertz PC, Avis Preferred Plus
Posts: 79
More than half of the flights I've had since the new process came out called 1K and GS at the same time, usually right after families.
My first flight after hitting Gold was with the new process though, so obviously no complaints from my end.
My first flight after hitting Gold was with the new process though, so obviously no complaints from my end.
Oct 7, 2018, 10:05 am
#2039
Join Date: Feb 2002
Location: NYC: UA 1K, DL Platinum, AAirpass, Avis PC
Posts: 4,599
My guess...
The current guy who manages the premier program came in about a year ago. It prob took several months to come to the conclusion / get agreement that they planned to tighten 1K requal requirements.
As that became clear the notion of “we need to add value to 1K at no direct $ cost” at the time of the announcement may have come up.
Enter the preboard modification.
Testing would have meant delaying the boarding rollout for months.
So they took a risk on their people and maybe figure it’s an easy thing to iterate on with their feedback loop. I’ll bet they tweak / push more clarification in the months ahead.
None of us has the numbers on what they are gaining vs losing.
What I do know is absolutist statements without the same info access as the decision makers generally skew too far to one side of reality.
Oct 7, 2018, 10:09 am
#2040
Join Date: May 2010
Location: AVP & PEK
Programs: UA 1K 1.9MM
Posts: 6,362
