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}
Sep 17, 2018, 9:19 am
#1096
Join Date: Jan 2017
Location: New York(ewr,Roc)
Programs: United MP Premier Gold, *A Gold, Marriott Gold, SPG Gold
Posts: 87
I just checked in for my flights tomorrow roc-iAd and iAd to day and both boarding passes state group 1 and I’m gold. Was surprised to see this but it’s not a big deal because I’m on a 145 and a cr2 that are both half empty
Sep 17, 2018, 9:29 am
#1097
formerly skyccord
Join Date: Jul 2012
Location: NYC
Programs: United Premier Platinum, Hertz President Circle, Marriott/SPG Premier Plat Elite, Avis Preferred
Posts: 269
Sep 17, 2018, 9:57 am
#1098
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: Floating around
Programs: UA 1K (1MM), DL Gold (1MM), Marriott LTT
Posts: 10,346
1K still says BG1. GS also says BG1. They don't do "Sky" or anything like that as Delta does. You're always assigned BG1 to 5 but pre-boarding is a courtesy and not printed on a BP.
-RM
-RM
Sep 17, 2018, 9:57 am
#1099
Join Date: May 2003
Location: Cleveland, OH
Programs: UA-GS 1MM), Hertz Pres Circle, Starriott Titanium)
Posts: 1,966
I can only imagine how pissed GS are at this. There are a lot more 1Ks than GS and the pre-boarding area of the gate is now going to be a lot busier. The odd GS for each flight (1, 2, 3, depending on where you depart from) wasn't that bad. But now with 10+ people pre-boarding every flight as GS/1K that will make the gate area a lot more crowded IMO. Let's see how this is implemented and what announcements are made at the gate. I imagine a lot of over-entitled 1Ks will be crowding the gate area now. And a lot of gates (thinking IAH and ORD, for example) don't have much room outside of the boarding lanes. So the 1 or 2 GS standing near the gate agents wasn't a huge deal. Now with a lot more people I think it will be hard to tell the difference between who is waiting to pre-board and who is trying to talk to a gate agent.
Personally I still would have made BG1 all the pre-boarders and moved Plat to BG2. There are now more eligible class of pre-boarders than there are in any other group. Yet pre-boarders don't need to line up. I get that by quantity the pre-boarders should be less than the other groups but what about the 777 flights from IAH to DEN or LAX that consistently have 75+ people on the upgrade list? There's at least 30 or more 1Ks/GS on those flights.
It's all down to the announcements and implementation.
-RM
Personally I still would have made BG1 all the pre-boarders and moved Plat to BG2. There are now more eligible class of pre-boarders than there are in any other group. Yet pre-boarders don't need to line up. I get that by quantity the pre-boarders should be less than the other groups but what about the 777 flights from IAH to DEN or LAX that consistently have 75+ people on the upgrade list? There's at least 30 or more 1Ks/GS on those flights.
It's all down to the announcements and implementation.
-RM
The term pre-boarding was always a bit of a farce because one either boards or one does not. But, this now officially raises the term to full farce. Group 1 is really Group 7 if there are six categories of passengers ahead. At a station such as SFO with a large number of GS & 1K, half the plane will be full before a passenger boards as opposed to pre-boards.
Remember that in the old days F boarded last so that premium pax were not exposed to the masses trudging by.
Perhaps put another way, if everybody is special than nobody is special.
Remember that in the old days F boarded last so that premium pax were not exposed to the masses trudging by.
Perhaps put another way, if everybody is special than nobody is special.
Sep 17, 2018, 9:59 am
#1100
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: NYC
Programs: UA 1K, SPG Platinum, UA Million Miler
Posts: 2,596
So as a 1K, am I now just supposed to loiter around the gate instead of lining up in group 1 in an orderly fashion? Serious question-
Sep 17, 2018, 10:12 am
#1101
Join Date: Oct 2015
Location: SAN
Programs: 1K (since 2008), *G (since 1990), 1MM
Posts: 3,219
Nothing announced last night in LAS. LAS-SFO 7.55pm flight. This 1K was part of BG1 and it was all good.
Sep 17, 2018, 10:22 am
#1102
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: Austin, TX
Programs: CoUniHound 1K 1MM, AA EXP 2MM, DL Plat, Marriott Lifetime Titanium
Posts: 1,625
Honestly, as a 1K, I'm worried that UA's inability to consistently implement boarding policy changes is going to make this a hassle. Now where do I stand? By the podium and hope that the GA calls 1K as a pre-board? And then cut into BG1 when they don't? Or line up in BG1 and push through when they call 1Ks to pre-board? As someone who prefers bulkheads, I like the new policy so I don;t have to get to the gate 15m ahead of boarding to be at the front of BG1, but I foresee a lot of confusion in the next few weeks/months.
Sep 17, 2018, 10:30 am
#1103
Join Date: Feb 2017
Location: Houston
Programs: UA 1K and Million Miler, *A Gold, Marriott Bonvoy Lifetime Titanium, Hertz Five Star,
Posts: 1,301
I will be lining up in Grp1 as I always do (am 1K), and swim upstream if they in fact call preboarding of 1K.
I have said it before, but they should make Group 1 - only GS and 1K, 2 = Plat and gold, and go from there.
I have said it before, but they should make Group 1 - only GS and 1K, 2 = Plat and gold, and go from there.
Last edited by Collierkr; Sep 17, 2018 at 10:30 am Reason: typo
Sep 17, 2018, 10:37 am
#1104
Join Date: Apr 2017
Location: Bay Area - East Bay
Programs: UA 1k, AS 75k, Marriott Platinum, Hyatt Explorist
Posts: 641
So there's now even less incremental value between Gold and Plat. Flying out of SFO, BG1 is the main reason I went for Plat over Gold. Now I'll have to get to the gate super early every time I'm sitting in a bulkhead seat, as trailing in at the end of BG1 won't cut it anymore. Definitely curious to see how preboarding half the plane works out though!
Sep 17, 2018, 10:41 am
#1105
Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: CHS
Programs: UA GS, Bonvoy Amabassador, Hertz PC
Posts: 2,589
Yeah, I mean you would **THINK** being in group 3 you would be the third group to board, but in reality you are like the 6th.
Boarding order:
Pre-Board for disabled ONLY
Gp 1 is GS and 1K, Military in Uniform assigned GP1 by the check in desk
Gp 2 is families with small kids
Gp 3 is the old gp 1
Gp 4 old gp 2
on down the line
But, I am not in charge of diddly squat, so VoV
The pre board has turned into a .... show of whomever can get on board due to XXX just goes up and the GA lets them on board
Sep 17, 2018, 10:43 am
#1106
Join Date: Oct 2015
Location: SAN
Programs: 1K (since 2008), *G (since 1990), 1MM
Posts: 3,219
As a GS.....
Unaccompanied Minors - Not an issue, since I only see them on 1 out of 50 flights I'm on.
Customers with disabilities - This can be half the plane on some routes. Given that there are usually 1 or 2 GS on a domestic flight, I'd prefer to go ahead of disabled as GS are SUPER quick.
Active Military - Like Unaccompanied minors, not an issue as I rarely see them, and they are super-quick to board.
Families w/ Children - can be a Ton of people + hangers on. This group is slow.
Overall, this may be slightly better for GS, but I'd prefer.
1. Active Military
2. Unaccompanied Minors
3. GS
4. Disabled
5. Families
etc...................
Unaccompanied Minors - Not an issue, since I only see them on 1 out of 50 flights I'm on.
Customers with disabilities - This can be half the plane on some routes. Given that there are usually 1 or 2 GS on a domestic flight, I'd prefer to go ahead of disabled as GS are SUPER quick.
Active Military - Like Unaccompanied minors, not an issue as I rarely see them, and they are super-quick to board.
Families w/ Children - can be a Ton of people + hangers on. This group is slow.
Overall, this may be slightly better for GS, but I'd prefer.
1. Active Military
2. Unaccompanied Minors
3. GS
4. Disabled
5. Families
etc...................
Similar for families - they need time to settle the youngsters who often get overwhelmed by lots of people - then again they are generally only on my international flights.
I do think they should use the BG on the BP as follows so there are less people hanging around:
BG 1 = UMs, Military, Disabled, Families
BG 2 = GS
BG 3 = 1K
BG 4 = Plat
BG 5 = down the line
As United is moving away from having all BGs line up this should make it clear to everyone where they need to be and when. South West is able to manage different BGs. Just my two cents worth. I actually hate sitting on the plane waiting for it to leave but the reason I like to board early is to have somewhere to put my carryon luggage else I would get on as late as possible. I have an assigned seat. PDB is nice but sitting for as little time as possible is even better.
Sep 17, 2018, 10:47 am
#1107
Join Date: Jun 2015
Posts: 710
Yeah, I mean you would **THINK** being in group 3 you would be the third group to board, but in reality you are like the 6th.
Boarding order:
Pre-Board for disabled ONLY
Gp 1 is GS and 1K, Military in Uniform assigned GP1 by the check in desk
Gp 2 is families with small kids
Gp 3 is the old gp 1
Gp 4 old gp 2
on down the line
But, I am not in charge of diddly squat, so VoV
The pre board has turned into a .... show of whomever can get on board due to XXX just goes up and the GA lets them on board
Boarding order:
Pre-Board for disabled ONLY
Gp 1 is GS and 1K, Military in Uniform assigned GP1 by the check in desk
Gp 2 is families with small kids
Gp 3 is the old gp 1
Gp 4 old gp 2
on down the line
But, I am not in charge of diddly squat, so VoV
The pre board has turned into a .... show of whomever can get on board due to XXX just goes up and the GA lets them on board
Sep 17, 2018, 10:49 am
#1108
Join Date: Jul 2004
Programs: Lifetime Gold UA and AA
Posts: 163
One less purchased business class flyer for UA
it was bad enough after the UA downgrade of CO service which included the weird meal choice scheme. It got worse when GS boarded first, but that was usually just a few people. Today at SNA nearly 20 people lined up to board a 738 before Group 1.
No more UA for me.
No more UA for me.
Sep 17, 2018, 10:52 am
#1109
Join Date: Nov 2013
Location: CO
Programs: UA OG-1K, Marriott Plat, Hertz PC
Posts: 1,360
The gate lice issue with GS, 1Ks, and Families with young kids just got a lot worse. At some stations, you will have 30+ people not in line hovering and waiting to board. .
With this change, I think it is highly likely the PQD requirement for 1Ks is going up in 2019. Probably $15K.
With this change, I think it is highly likely the PQD requirement for 1Ks is going up in 2019. Probably $15K.
The term pre-boarding was always a bit of a farce because one either boards or one does not. But, this now officially raises the term to full farce. Group 1 is really Group 7 if there are six categories of passengers ahead. At a station such as SFO with a large number of GS & 1K, half the plane will be full before a passenger boards as opposed to pre-boards.
Remember that in the old days F boarded last so that premium pax were not exposed to the masses trudging by.
Perhaps put another way, if everybody is special than nobody is special.
Remember that in the old days F boarded last so that premium pax were not exposed to the masses trudging by.
Perhaps put another way, if everybody is special than nobody is special.
I agree about loading F last- which I would do if I could count on getting my bag on. That is why I've come to love 757s for the midde boarding. Something really lacking on the 737s.
Sep 17, 2018, 10:53 am
#1110
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: WAS
Programs: UA Silver, Marriott Gold, IHG Silver, Hilton Silver, Hertz PC, National Exec Elite, Avis PC
Posts: 1,297
Two lanes, like when there was Elite Access and everybody else. Glad to see Golds prioritized above Chase cardholders. I have never taken advantage of the early boarding with children under 2 because several hours with kids that age in a metal tube is enough. Better to walk around the concourse and get some energy out instead of sitting 20-30 extra min in our seats.