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 19, 2018, 7:55 am
#1441
Join Date: Jun 2011
Posts: 256
I got an email 2 weeks ago from United which explained this............. except........ it also added boarding by Window seat and middle seat........... I guess they dropped that part of the change?
The issue I would see with this method is the fight for bin space means all WINDOW seat passengers get first dibs at the bins.
.
The issue I would see with this method is the fight for bin space means all WINDOW seat passengers get first dibs at the bins.
.
United® will be introducing a new boarding method at select gates at Chicago (ORD). Our customers have told us they want a better experience when boarding, so we’re working to improve the process.
Here are some of the changes you may see if your gate is demonstrating a new process:
■ No need to line up before your group is called: Simplified lanes with new signs will allow you to relax at the gate or within the airport longer.
■ More efficient boarding: Following priority boarding groups, we’ll board customers sitting in window seats first and then middle and aisle seats.
■ Less crowding: Fewer lines will create more space and easier access to the boarding door for customers exiting the plane from the previous flight and during pre-boarding.
■ Improved digital displays: Monitors around the gate will display clear and relevant information about boarding and your flight.
Here are some of the changes you may see if your gate is demonstrating a new process:
■ No need to line up before your group is called: Simplified lanes with new signs will allow you to relax at the gate or within the airport longer.
■ More efficient boarding: Following priority boarding groups, we’ll board customers sitting in window seats first and then middle and aisle seats.
■ Less crowding: Fewer lines will create more space and easier access to the boarding door for customers exiting the plane from the previous flight and during pre-boarding.
■ Improved digital displays: Monitors around the gate will display clear and relevant information about boarding and your flight.
Last edited by oyouno; Sep 19, 2018 at 9:15 am
Sep 19, 2018, 7:59 am
#1442
Join Date: Feb 2003
Posts: 4,115
The idea of a "pause" between groups is great, but not consistent with the directive to Gate Agents to get the flight boarded and pushed ASAP. Incentives are not aligned to encourage paced boarding....
Not that I think paced boarding would be any slower, but perception seems to be rushing the boarding process is better for push times.
Not that I think paced boarding would be any slower, but perception seems to be rushing the boarding process is better for push times.
Honestly, I just don’t think it matters anymore. Nothin’ like elites and strollers pushing and shoving forward against each other!
Sep 19, 2018, 8:03 am
#1443
Join Date: Jan 2017
Location: San Antonio, TX
Programs: United GS, Marriott Bonvoy Titanium
Posts: 109
A pause pretty much has to happen for the disabled unless you want people playing frogger around wheelchairs. How it goes after that is another question. Previously, gate agents were shockingly good about the pause between military, families, GS. I’d say they did it 80% of the time. (Which was always inconsistent with the display overhead showing all groups as boarding.)
Honestly, I just don’t think it matters anymore. Nothin’ like elites and strollers pushing and shoving forward against each other!
Sep 19, 2018, 8:04 am
#1444
Original Member, Ambassador: External Miles and Points Resources
Join Date: May 1998
Location: Digital Nomad Wandering the Earth - Currently in LIMA, PERU
Posts: 58,624
And so it is: 'pre-board' is simply group 0 - but without a queue. Then Group 1. Then Group 2.
No one should be surprised that UA has found a way to take a bad situation and make it worse...
Hey, why not do Throwback 90s! Board by row from back to front!!!!
No one should be surprised that UA has found a way to take a bad situation and make it worse...
Hey, why not do Throwback 90s! Board by row from back to front!!!!
Sep 19, 2018, 8:06 am
#1445
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
Good or bad, I cannot wait to experience this.
Sep 19, 2018, 8:13 am
#1446
Join Date: Feb 2003
Posts: 4,115
Amen.
Sep 19, 2018, 8:14 am
#1447
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Chicago
Programs: UA GS 1MM, CM PP
Posts: 689
Sep 19, 2018, 8:18 am
#1448
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: Denver, CO USA
Programs: UA GS 3Million, Marriott/SPG LIFETIME Platinum - current Titanium, HHonors Diamond
Posts: 633
Who lets these people on the plane?
Sep 19, 2018, 8:27 am
#1449
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: Denver, CO USA
Programs: UA GS 3Million, Marriott/SPG LIFETIME Platinum - current Titanium, HHonors Diamond
Posts: 633
First off, United has very little full F to anywhere but Asia. Secondly, most people who pay for F or P (now) are remarkably airline agnostic - they tend to need to get from A to B and are willing to pay for the fastest route between them.
I would opine that non-status flyers in full-fare F (on United) are about as rare as upgrades from Europe on a Friday.
Sep 19, 2018, 8:32 am
#1450
Join Date: Jan 2017
Location: San Antonio, TX
Programs: United GS, Marriott Bonvoy Titanium
Posts: 109
Flight from IAH today in the C gates - GA did make the announcement - albeit in the wrong order without any pauses except a 10 sec pause for 1ks at the end (disabled, kids, military, GS, 1K) and everyone was already pre boarding before the announcement so only a few 1ks skipped through the BG1 line to join me at the end of the cattle call.
Hopefully they will work it out.
Hopefully they will work it out.
Sep 19, 2018, 8:57 am
#1451
Join Date: Oct 2009
Programs: UA 1K, Hilton ♦ , Hyatt Carbonado, Wyndham ♦, Marriott PE, "Stinking Bum" elsewhere.
Posts: 5,001
"Premium experience" might be applicable to the PS routes, but certainly not to any others.
But that is not what I am paying for when I buy F. I am strictly buying a more comfortable seat. I believe that I am a pretty typical business flyer, and it doesn't bother me to fly in Y on the short routes, but I will almost always buy F on transcons if I can't use an RPU.
I never eat any of their substandard F food, I never drink any of their liquor, and I don't really care when I board. I just want a place for my rollaboard (my backpack always goes under the seat in deference to my fellow travelers). In my over 2 million miles of flying, I have never encountered a situation where I couldn't have my rollaboard close by.
Last edited by zombietooth; Sep 19, 2018 at 9:03 am
Sep 19, 2018, 8:59 am
#1452
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
Flight from IAH today in the C gates - GA did make the announcement - albeit in the wrong order without any pauses except a 10 sec pause for 1ks at the end (disabled, kids, military, GS, 1K) and everyone was already pre boarding before the announcement so only a few 1ks skipped through the BG1 line to join me at the end of the cattle call.
Hopefully they will work it out.
Hopefully they will work it out.
Sep 19, 2018, 9:25 am
#1454
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: PHX
Programs: AS 75K; UA 1MM; Hyatt Globalist; Marriott LTP; Hilton Diamond (Aspire)
Posts: 56,478
That's being very kind to the passengers. IME people who snag first available overhead space are doing so for their own convenience at the expense of others who are actually sitting near that space. It's this kind of selfish, inconsiderate behavior which makes air travel increasingly unpleasant.
Sep 19, 2018, 9:28 am
#1455
Suspended
Join Date: Jun 2018
Posts: 102
Currently at LGA and watched four gates board the new process - worked MUCH better than I thought and really did cut down on gate crowding... they were also asking if people haven’t travelled in a while to feel free to come up and ask questions - was impressive....