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 9, 2021, 9:48 pm
#3076
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: Honolulu Harbor
Programs: UA 1K
Posts: 15,025
1K is the last of the pre-boards. After 1Ks is the first of the normal boarding groups (BG1). You were allowed to pass because some GAs can't be bothered to enforce the boarding hierarchy. Credit-card-enabled passengers are in BG2.
Mar 9, 2021, 10:08 pm
#3077
Join Date: Jun 2019
Location: IAH
Programs: UA1K, AS Gold 75K, HH Diamond, MR Titanium LT Gold, IHG Platinum, HZ PC, CLEAR
Posts: 341
As per the boarding announcements made daily, after preboards (like us 1Ks), "First Class passengers may board at any time during the boarding process." If you were seated in First, then what you did was fine. Otherwise, you cut in line.
United Club membership, whether through the card, cash or miles, does not give anyone preboarding status. I have had UC membership through all three methods.
GA have told me that UA prohibits them from questioning anyone boarding under preboarding rule #2: "Customers with disabilities" so anyone who feels entitled can preboard under rule #2.
GA don't want to argue with those who ignore boarding rules. Their priority is safety.
Last edited by Guate87; Mar 9, 2021 at 11:50 pm
Mar 9, 2021, 11:05 pm
#3078
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: TOA
Programs: HH Diamond, Marriott LTPP/Platinum Premier, Hyatt Lame-ist, UA !K
Posts: 20,061
Mar 9, 2021, 11:41 pm
#3079
Join Date: Jun 2019
Location: IAH
Programs: UA1K, AS Gold 75K, HH Diamond, MR Titanium LT Gold, IHG Platinum, HZ PC, CLEAR
Posts: 341
On about 30% of my flights an Entitled Person runs from the back of Economy to the exit door as soon as the plane stops. I have never seen a FA order the EP back to Economy.
Boarding and deplaning pecking order is an obsession with some PAX but I believe GA and FA care about enforcing federal safety laws, like the mask mandate, and care little about who gets on or off first, second or last.
As the Captain said, “The code is more what you call guidelines than actual rules.”
David, By "Ooof", do you mean you have died? "The word OOOF is normally said on a online game called Roblox. People would say it when they have "died" on the game. It means oh I have died." My apologies if I have caused you suffering or death.
Boarding and deplaning pecking order is an obsession with some PAX but I believe GA and FA care about enforcing federal safety laws, like the mask mandate, and care little about who gets on or off first, second or last.
As the Captain said, “The code is more what you call guidelines than actual rules.”
David, By "Ooof", do you mean you have died? "The word OOOF is normally said on a online game called Roblox. People would say it when they have "died" on the game. It means oh I have died." My apologies if I have caused you suffering or death.
Mar 10, 2021, 12:01 am
#3080
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: TOA
Programs: HH Diamond, Marriott LTPP/Platinum Premier, Hyatt Lame-ist, UA !K
Posts: 20,061
On about 30% of my flights an Entitled Person runs from the back of Economy to the exit door as soon as the plane stops. I have never seen a FA order the EP back to Economy.
Boarding and deplaning pecking order is an obsession with some PAX but I believe GA and FA care about enforcing federal safety laws, like the mask mandate, and care little about who gets on or off first, second or last.
As the Captain said, “The code is more what you call guidelines than actual rules.”
David, By "Ooof", do you mean you have died? "The word OOOF is normally said on a online game called Roblox. People would say it when they have "died" on the game. It means oh I have died." My apologies if I have caused you suffering or death.
Boarding and deplaning pecking order is an obsession with some PAX but I believe GA and FA care about enforcing federal safety laws, like the mask mandate, and care little about who gets on or off first, second or last.
As the Captain said, “The code is more what you call guidelines than actual rules.”
David, By "Ooof", do you mean you have died? "The word OOOF is normally said on a online game called Roblox. People would say it when they have "died" on the game. It means oh I have died." My apologies if I have caused you suffering or death.
By my use of "Ooof" - it was meant to be a combo of "o boy" / "wow" / "shakes head".
Good point about the gaming heritage of the term - my sons would have not let me live it down.
And, no, I'm not suffering terribly or in any death throes at this time - just amazed at how far UA's standards have fallen. I can recall a time when GA and FA were quite strict about enforcing the rules/policies.
David
Mar 10, 2021, 12:11 am
#3081
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: Danville, CA, USA;
Programs: UA 1MM, WN CP, Marriott LT Plat, Hilton Gold, IC Plat
Posts: 15,722
As for deplaning I think it is generally accepted that people get off front to back, with no jumping the line unless the person in front of you fails to rise when it is their turn or indicates it is ok to pass. The only time I see people jumping the order are those with tight connections arriving on delayed flights. Which is a-okay with me.
Mar 10, 2021, 3:08 pm
#3082
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: Santo Domingo, Dom. Rep. / Washington, DC
Programs: AA PPro/DL PLT, PPass, Marriott / Hilton Gold, JetBlue Mosaic, Hertz Presidents Circle, Amex Plat
Posts: 4,630
I'm a DL refugee, just booked IAD-CUN and will be my first time flying UA premium cabin on a short flight. Typically in DL we board last, as they are at half capacity in F (unless there are couples traveling together) and don't have any issues with overhead space. Should we worry about overhead space and try to board early?
Mar 10, 2021, 3:16 pm
#3083
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: Honolulu Harbor
Programs: UA 1K
Posts: 15,025
I'm a DL refugee, just booked IAD-CUN and will be my first time flying UA premium cabin on a short flight. Typically in DL we board last, as they are at half capacity in F (unless there are couples traveling together) and don't have any issues with overhead space. Should we worry about overhead space and try to board early?
Mar 26, 2021, 10:15 am
#3084
Join Date: Jan 2017
Location: MDW/ORD
Programs: WN A list, UA Gold, AA Gold, Marriott LT Gold, IHG Platinum, National EE, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 526
United is still implementing this backwards boarding procedure. I think that Delta and Jetblue are ending theirs.
I got around having to check the bag by picking an Economy + seat in the rows 15 or later.
I got around having to check the bag by picking an Economy + seat in the rows 15 or later.
Mar 26, 2021, 12:48 pm
#3085
Join Date: Jun 2019
Location: IAH
Programs: UA1K, AS Gold 75K, HH Diamond, MR Titanium LT Gold, IHG Platinum, HZ PC, CLEAR
Posts: 341
Answers: Yes and yes.
You don't want to be seated in Business/First/J with your rollerboards in E+/E/O/Y and that will happen if you don't board early.
It is amazing how many non-working United employees and their vacationing families use overhead space in J while they are seated in the back of Y.
Some elites who weren't upgraded will use overhead space in J.
Even Y fliers with no status will use overhead space in J.
Rarely will FA protect overhead J space.
You don't want to be seated in Business/First/J with your rollerboards in E+/E/O/Y and that will happen if you don't board early.
It is amazing how many non-working United employees and their vacationing families use overhead space in J while they are seated in the back of Y.
Some elites who weren't upgraded will use overhead space in J.
Even Y fliers with no status will use overhead space in J.
Rarely will FA protect overhead J space.
Last edited by Guate87; Mar 26, 2021 at 2:46 pm
Mar 26, 2021, 1:17 pm
#3086
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2002
Location: Saipan, MP 96950 USA (Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands = the CNMI)
Programs: UA Silver, Hilton Silver. Life: UA .57 MM, United & Admirals Clubs (spousal), Marriott Platinum
Posts: 15,055
One work-around for J pax might be to remove an errant bag while loudly announcing, "Does this bag belong to anyone in Business Class?“
With no response, place one's own bags in their proper overhead compartment. Flight attendants will likely gate-check the misplaced bag.
With no response, place one's own bags in their proper overhead compartment. Flight attendants will likely gate-check the misplaced bag.
Mar 26, 2021, 2:29 pm
#3087
Join Date: Apr 2015
Programs: United Global Services, Amtrak Select Executive
Posts: 4,098
One work-around for J pax might be to remove an errant bag while loudly announcing, "Does this bag belong to anyone in Business Class?“
With no response, place one's own bags in their proper overhead compartment. Flight attendants will likely gate-check the misplaced bag.
With no response, place one's own bags in their proper overhead compartment. Flight attendants will likely gate-check the misplaced bag.
Mar 27, 2021, 1:50 am
#3088
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
I know that things are beginning to return to normal when the discussion comes back to overhead locker space! Hallelujah! 
Mar 27, 2021, 8:12 am
#3089
Join Date: Feb 2000
Location: Menlo Park, CA, USA
Programs: UA 1MM 0P, AA, DL, *wood, Lifetime FPC Plat., IHG, HHD
Posts: 6,912
One work-around for J pax might be to remove an errant bag while loudly announcing, "Does this bag belong to anyone in Business Class?“
With no response, place one's own bags in their proper overhead compartment. Flight attendants will likely gate-check the misplaced bag.
With no response, place one's own bags in their proper overhead compartment. Flight attendants will likely gate-check the misplaced bag.
Mar 27, 2021, 1:05 pm
#3090
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2002
Location: Saipan, MP 96950 USA (Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands = the CNMI)
Programs: UA Silver, Hilton Silver. Life: UA .57 MM, United & Admirals Clubs (spousal), Marriott Platinum
Posts: 15,055
Obviously, the flight attendants would attempt to identify the economy class passenger who fraudulently placed his bags in the business class overhead.