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}
Mar 13, 2016, 4:30 pm
#16
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: PSM
Posts: 69,232
You can use the priority line. Don't cut in front of others in that line, though. :-:
Mar 13, 2016, 4:46 pm
#17
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: LHR (sometimes CLE, SFO, BOS, LAX, SEA)
Programs: UA 1K
Posts: 5,893
Pax in the front cabin on this route get no special boarding — same as if you were in the middle cabin or upstairs.
Mar 13, 2016, 4:49 pm
#18
Join Date: Apr 2015
Location: SoCal
Programs: UA Plat, Hyatt Plat, Marriott Gold
Posts: 6
Thank you guys for the fast responses!
Mar 13, 2016, 5:00 pm
#19
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: Bangkok or San Francisco
Programs: United 1k, Marriott Lifetime PE, Former DL Gold, Former SQ Solitaire, HH Gold
Posts: 11,886
Hi everyone!
I'm flying on UA1570 tomorrow it's the 747 on SFO-ORD.
I'm in GlobalFirst but my connection doesn't get in to SFO until 755a and thats when boarding starts for the 747. By the time I trudge over from concourse E to gate 86 boarding will be well underway.
My question is will I have to get in line and wait behind all the business class pax or even eco pax, or because I'm in F do I get to bypass everyone?
Thanks in advance!
I'm flying on UA1570 tomorrow it's the 747 on SFO-ORD.
I'm in GlobalFirst but my connection doesn't get in to SFO until 755a and thats when boarding starts for the 747. By the time I trudge over from concourse E to gate 86 boarding will be well underway.
My question is will I have to get in line and wait behind all the business class pax or even eco pax, or because I'm in F do I get to bypass everyone?
Thanks in advance!
Mar 15, 2016, 9:39 am
#20
Join Date: Jan 2009
Posts: 1
Extremely long lines for priority 1 boarding?
As a 3.5m mile flyer and a lifetime 1K I have been upset about the extremely long lines for boarding in the priority 1 lane. Oftentimes, it is the longest line for boarding of all lines. It seems that UA could board GS passengers and then board 1K passengers prior to general boarding for priority 1 boarding. This would only make sense and show some respect for the million milers.
Mar 15, 2016, 9:57 am
#21
Join Date: Feb 2014
Programs: UA 1k, US Airways Silver, SPG PLT, Marriot Gold, Hertz PC
Posts: 536
Disagree (as a 1k). Creating another line that you have to announce / pre-board won't fix the problem.
However you slice it someone will be unhappy. Personally I think credit cards should go to G3, and then more equitable distribution between G1 / G2.
That would also upset a lot of people though. It's a plane, lots of people getting on haha
However you slice it someone will be unhappy. Personally I think credit cards should go to G3, and then more equitable distribution between G1 / G2.
That would also upset a lot of people though. It's a plane, lots of people getting on haha
Mar 15, 2016, 10:01 am
#22
Join Date: May 2001
Location: RNO, NV, USA.
Programs: UA 2MM
Posts: 5,062
garwel - Your first post on the UA FT forum, I notice. 
Mar 15, 2016, 10:02 am
#23
Join Date: Oct 2013
Location: ORD
Programs: UA Silver, Marriott Platinum/LT Platinum, Hilton Gold
Posts: 5,594
"Priority 1" basically is 1K. There are a few Platinums scattered in there, but you wouldn't see a drastic change by following the OP's suggestion.
And we certainly don't need to move those 3 Plats into the already ridiculously long Group 2.
And we certainly don't need to move those 3 Plats into the already ridiculously long Group 2.
Mar 15, 2016, 10:09 am
#24
Original Member
Join Date: May 1998
Location: CT/NY
Programs: UA 1K/1MM, AA EXP, Marriott LT Titanium, Hyatt Globalist, IHG Plat Amb
Posts: 6,020
And first/business class passengers who are not GS/1K.
Mar 15, 2016, 10:10 am
#25
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: Honolulu Harbor
Programs: UA 1K
Posts: 15,018
As a 3.5m mile flyer and a lifetime 1K I have been upset about the extremely long lines for boarding in the priority 1 lane. Oftentimes, it is the longest line for boarding of all lines. It seems that UA could board GS passengers and then board 1K passengers prior to general boarding for priority 1 boarding. This would only make sense and show some respect for the million milers.
2) People who have F tickets should board before anyone, if boarding was done correctly. Not sure why you think 1Ks rate so high - the requirements are not all that hard (especially with the current PQM award structure). F in group 1, and then GS and 1K in Group 2, if anything. Of course, parents waving babies get to board ahead of everyone...
Last edited by IAH-OIL-TRASH; Mar 15, 2016 at 10:28 am
Mar 15, 2016, 3:00 pm
#26
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: gggrrrovvveee (ORD)
Programs: UA Pt, Marriott Ti, Hertz PC
Posts: 6,091
As a 3.5m mile flyer and a lifetime 1K I have been upset about the extremely long lines for boarding in the priority 1 lane. Oftentimes, it is the longest line for boarding of all lines. It seems that UA could board GS passengers and then board 1K passengers prior to general boarding for priority 1 boarding. This would only make sense and show some respect for the million milers.
2) I've generally found that Group 1, while long, pales in comparison to Group 2. But that's what happens when you lump the 2 largest status groups (Silver and Gold) and credit card holders together. But it also depends on the routes and times you fly. If it's ORD-LGA or IAH-SFO during peak business travel times, you're just going to get a lot of GS, 1K, and Plat on your flight.
3) You're just now noticing this? FTers have been complaining about this (and, well, pretty much everything else) for years!
Mar 17, 2016, 4:36 pm
#27
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: MDW/ORD and the late lamented Meigs Field...
Programs: UA 1MM Premier 1K, Hilton Gold, Marriott Titanium/ LT
Posts: 1,229
Mods, isn't it time to add the families with children under 2 (or 2 and under, depending on the GA) to the preboarding group in the wiki?
(And for the sake of the mods - there's a separate thread for discussing pros and cons of early boarding for the 2-and-unders.)
(And for the sake of the mods - there's a separate thread for discussing pros and cons of early boarding for the 2-and-unders.)
Mar 17, 2016, 5:27 pm
#28
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: Honolulu Harbor
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Wikis are community projects - you can edit (not just moderators - they have plenty to do/monitor already).
Mar 20, 2016, 1:45 pm
#29
Join Date: Aug 2004
Programs: Continental OnePass
Posts: 856
First Class passengers held back at boarding, boarded after group 3.
Not sure if there was an appropriate thread to post this to so feel free to move if necessary.
UA 1891 Today, boarding in ORD they announce that they are still catering the plane and thus F is currently inaccessible. They board all the non-F passengers from group 1, and groups 2 and 3 before what seemed like a supervisor came over and told them to board F even though they were still loading the catering.
In the end the flight was great and the FA were very nice, but the boarding was a mess.
UA 1891 Today, boarding in ORD they announce that they are still catering the plane and thus F is currently inaccessible. They board all the non-F passengers from group 1, and groups 2 and 3 before what seemed like a supervisor came over and told them to board F even though they were still loading the catering.
In the end the flight was great and the FA were very nice, but the boarding was a mess.
Mar 20, 2016, 1:50 pm
#30
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: Jersey Shore/YYZ
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Posts: 12,521
Nothing wrong with these one-off approaches, if you ask me due to unforeseen circumstances.
Though unless you were boarding a p.s. or widebody, all pax have to walk through F to get to their seats.
Though unless you were boarding a p.s. or widebody, all pax have to walk through F to get to their seats.