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}
Jan 27, 2019, 8:55 am
#2416
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: MFR
Programs: UA 1K 1.9MM, Hilton Gold, Marriott Gold
Posts: 2,885
Jan 27, 2019, 1:45 pm
#2417
Join Date: May 2010
Location: AVP & PEK
Programs: UA 1K 1.9MM
Posts: 6,358
The counting is quite off-putting. A new development?
At EWR on Saturday a GA was going through the pre-board line and was yapping (and pointing at pax) to another GA who was checking VISAs: "Is this number 5? There should be another GS. Number 4 is over there."
At EWR on Saturday a GA was going through the pre-board line and was yapping (and pointing at pax) to another GA who was checking VISAs: "Is this number 5? There should be another GS. Number 4 is over there."
Jan 28, 2019, 7:37 am
#2418
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: PHL
Programs: UA 1K 1MM, Marriott Gold, IHG Platinum, Raddison Platinum, Avis Presidents Club
Posts: 5,271
I've never "enjoyed" pre-boarding before this change. Was it this bad/strange in the past? What did GS do?
Jan 28, 2019, 7:44 am
#2419
Join Date: May 2009
Location: Washington, DC
Programs: UA 1K 1MM, AA, DL
Posts: 7,418
That seems to fail to account for companions of 1Ks, whether on the same PNR or not, who are eligible to board with them.
Jan 28, 2019, 7:45 am
#2420
Join Date: May 2009
Location: Washington, DC
Programs: UA 1K 1MM, AA, DL
Posts: 7,418
Others have noted the variation, but the GAs should be able to account for that. If there are more than, say, 8 1Ks on the flight (or pick some percentage of capacity) then ask 1Ks to line up in group 1. If fewer, then do it as they do now, with the scrum, which wouldn't be too big.
Jan 28, 2019, 7:58 am
#2421
Join Date: Jul 2001
Posts: 2,925
I must be lucky. Had six segments, domestic and international, and all the pre-boarding was very orderly for each segment.
Jan 28, 2019, 8:01 am
#2422
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: where lions are led by donkeys...
Programs: Lifetime Gold, Global Entry, Hertz PC, and my wallet
Posts: 20,346
Jan 28, 2019, 11:25 am
#2424
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: Honolulu Harbor
Programs: UA 1K
Posts: 15,025
Others have noted the variation, but the GAs should be able to account for that. If there are more than, say, 8 1Ks on the flight (or pick some percentage of capacity) then ask 1Ks to line up in group 1. If fewer, then do it as they do now, with the scrum, which wouldn't be too big.
Jan 28, 2019, 12:54 pm
#2425
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2015
Posts: 11,469
Others have noted the variation, but the GAs should be able to account for that. If there are more than, say, 8 1Ks on the flight (or pick some percentage of capacity) then ask 1Ks to line up in group 1. If fewer, then do it as they do now, with the scrum, which wouldn't be too big.
Unfortunately, this introduces uncertainty into boarding process. People with BG1 on the boarding pass want to line up in Lane 1. BG2 in lane 2. What you suggest would have 1Ks wondering where they'll be gathering, non-1K BG1ers being told to leave Lane 1 and line up in lane 2, BG2ers being told to line up in Lane 1 after 1Ks board. There's enough confusion as it is - the suggestion of 1Ks sometimes being in pre-board area and sometimes in Lane 1 doesn't make things simpler or easier.
Jan 28, 2019, 12:59 pm
#2426
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: Honolulu Harbor
Programs: UA 1K
Posts: 15,025
Yea - a giant "Pre-board" for 1Ks and GSs instead of "BG1" on BPs is the most obvious improvement UA can make (IT willing).
Jan 28, 2019, 2:50 pm
#2427
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: PHL
Programs: UA 1K 1MM, Marriott Gold, IHG Platinum, Raddison Platinum, Avis Presidents Club
Posts: 5,271
Yes the roll out had some confusion. The BP says "Group 1" and the GA will say "Group 1 line up in line 1". The email said NOT to line up at all. Numbering the lanes 1 and 2 adds to confusion since 3,4,5 wonder where they go., if it were just green and blue or A and B people wouldnt know where to line up til their group number was called.
They could do preboarding like WN with the posts. Have disabled, GS, military, family, 1K stand next to the posts though I suppose that doesnt really work well for the disabled or families and the whole point is that pre-boarders are supposed to be relaxing in a seat until they are called. Unfortunately, I often end up standing there because I'm not sure where to go and don't want to miss my change and have to wait for the entire 1 line to go.
The 5 lanes were much more clear in the past and the number of pre-boarders was pretty low. What was so bad about that?
They could do preboarding like WN with the posts. Have disabled, GS, military, family, 1K stand next to the posts though I suppose that doesnt really work well for the disabled or families and the whole point is that pre-boarders are supposed to be relaxing in a seat until they are called. Unfortunately, I often end up standing there because I'm not sure where to go and don't want to miss my change and have to wait for the entire 1 line to go.
The 5 lanes were much more clear in the past and the number of pre-boarders was pretty low. What was so bad about that?
Jan 28, 2019, 3:45 pm
#2428
Join Date: Apr 2015
Programs: United Global Services, Amtrak Select Executive
Posts: 4,098
Jan 28, 2019, 4:31 pm
#2429
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: PHX
Programs: AS 75K; UA 1MM; Hyatt Globalist; Marriott LTP; Hilton Diamond (Aspire)
Posts: 56,470
With the upgrade benefits for 1Ks circling the drain, my belief is UA knew they had to do something. And this is truly small consolation. Kayaking for discount J/F looks better every day.
Jan 28, 2019, 6:35 pm
#2430
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: PHL
Programs: UA 1K 1MM, Marriott Gold, IHG Platinum, Raddison Platinum, Avis Presidents Club
Posts: 5,271
EDIT: Oh wait, 1K before plat vs grouped today. nevermind