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.
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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}
Nov 29, 2018, 5:28 pm
#2251
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: where lions are led by donkeys...
Programs: Lifetime Gold, Global Entry, Hertz PC, and my wallet
Posts: 20,348
Reminds me to say that it was not observed on UA949 LHR-SFO on 28 Nov. Used the old process (new pre-boarding announcement not read out). It ddn't matter as the flight was almost empty and there was 1 GS (that I saw) before 1Ks were released from their holding pen. I couldn't be bothered to say anything due to the flight being so passenger light.
Nov 30, 2018, 4:06 pm
#2252
Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: Chicago IL US
Programs: UA 1K; National Executive Elite; Hertz PC & Hotels Galore
Posts: 949
NRT Gate 36 1K preboarding holding pen
Gotta love UA2197 this afternoon SLC-ORD.
Group 1 line completely empty but there were gate lice aplenty. 25+ 1K, including almost all of F (20 seat 739), preboarded. Guessing I won't get my first meal choice
Perhaps a formal 1K holding pen (Group 0.5) rollout for small outstations such as SLC is in order...
Dec 4, 2018, 4:49 am
#2253
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Chicago, IL
Programs: UA 1K MM, HHonors Diamond,PC, Marriott Rewards Gold
Posts: 1,118
Dec 4, 2018, 9:05 am
#2254
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Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: PHX
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Posts: 56,478
Dec 4, 2018, 9:32 am
#2255
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2015
Posts: 11,470
At ORD or somewhere else? With the order codified on the overhead monitors at most airports / gates now, it seems much more difficult to fail with the procedure.
Dec 4, 2018, 3:39 pm
#2256
Moderator: Midwest, Las Vegas & Dining Buzz
Join Date: Jun 2001
Location: Chicago, Illinois
Posts: 17,976
Big fail at LAS yesterday afternoon to ORD. Agent called everyone at the same time. I gave him my opinion on what he did.
Dec 4, 2018, 4:56 pm
#2257
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: Honolulu Harbor
Programs: UA 1K
Posts: 15,028
Same thing at LAS for me about 3 weeks ago. She called people with disabilities and the “all other pre-boarders”. Might be one agent? Funny thing is, she actually announced how it was supposed to work, but then just called GS, families w/sub-2 spawn, and 1Ks to board as “all other pre-boarders”.
Last edited by IAH-OIL-TRASH; Dec 6, 2018 at 9:17 am Reason: speling
Dec 4, 2018, 5:05 pm
#2258
Moderator: Midwest, Las Vegas & Dining Buzz
Join Date: Jun 2001
Location: Chicago, Illinois
Posts: 17,976
Same thing at LAS for me about 3 weeks ago. She called people with disabilities and the “all other pre-boarders”. Might be one agent? Funny thing is, she actually announced how it was supposed to work, but than just called GS, families w/sub-2 spawn, and 1Ks to board as “all other pre-boarders”.
I called GS CS and gave them the information and they will follow up with LAS management.
I frequent LAS often and before this incident they have been doing it correctly.
Dec 4, 2018, 5:15 pm
#2259
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Chicago, IL
Programs: UA 1K MM, HHonors Diamond,PC, Marriott Rewards Gold
Posts: 1,118
Dec 4, 2018, 6:18 pm
#2260
Join Date: Nov 2012
Programs: BA Bronze, United 1K, HH Gold, SPG Platinum, Marriott Platinum
Posts: 3,477
Worked well in HKG. They asked the 1Ks to stand in one line. The GS (5 of them) were to the left of us. The Line 1 to the right of us. Only funny story is that a passenger in Line 1 did not like that my wife (who is Platinum and will be 1K after that flight posts) was able to wait with me.
But one agent was not sure when the passengers with kids under 2 would board and could not give the right answer to the parents. But at boarding, it correctly went GS, parents with kids under 2, 1Ks. No rushing but then they had not really opened the plane for boarding so there was a short wait in the jet bridge.
But one agent was not sure when the passengers with kids under 2 would board and could not give the right answer to the parents. But at boarding, it correctly went GS, parents with kids under 2, 1Ks. No rushing but then they had not really opened the plane for boarding so there was a short wait in the jet bridge.
Dec 6, 2018, 9:08 am
#2261
Join Date: Mar 2008
Posts: 1,536
12/1/18 - ALB to ORD (5702).
Pre boarding announced correctly, but no GS or 1K (yeah, it's smalbany). Pauses in between.
I was "regular" Group 1.
12/1/18 - ORD to PVR (1621)
Pre-boarding announced correctly, but either no GS or 1K, or they didn't want to walk through the line (?). Pauses in between.
I was in "regular" Group 1.
Pre boarding announced correctly, but no GS or 1K (yeah, it's smalbany). Pauses in between.
I was "regular" Group 1.
12/1/18 - ORD to PVR (1621)
Pre-boarding announced correctly, but either no GS or 1K, or they didn't want to walk through the line (?). Pauses in between.
I was in "regular" Group 1.
Dec 7, 2018, 3:26 pm
#2262
Join Date: Mar 2015
Location: NYC (Primarily EWR)
Programs: UA 1K / *G, Marriott Bonvoy Gold; Avis PC
Posts: 9,009
Boarding EWR-LAX today...I was late to the gate, but only 5(!) minutes after the stated boarding start time, they were already calling for all groups to get on the plane. I can’t comment on efficiency, but most of J and Y (from what I could see - I am sitting up front) was not boarded by then. Feel like either there are a lot of stragglers of the GAs were perhaps a tad overzealous...?
Dec 15, 2018, 2:29 pm
#2263
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: Connecticut
Programs: UA GS, UA MM, Starwood Platinum
Posts: 60
Same thing at LAS for me about 3 weeks ago. She called people with disabilities and the “all other pre-boarders”. Might be one agent? Funny thing is, she actually announced how it was supposed to work, but then just called GS, families w/sub-2 spawn, and 1Ks to board as “all other pre-boarders”.
Dec 15, 2018, 2:36 pm
#2264
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David
Dec 15, 2018, 3:09 pm
#2265
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: Connecticut
Programs: UA GS, UA MM, Starwood Platinum
Posts: 60
We followed the 1K’s in...and politely reminded the gate agent she forgot us. The explanation was then given that GS follows 1K on their written text...I did not engage..but another GS did with no obvious effect. Just waiting for the survey to be sent where I note again that following their own procedures would eliminate a lot of angst