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United's Current Boarding Process (with Wiki) [2016-forward]{Archive}

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Old Jan 19, 2017, 11:05 pm
FlyerTalk Forums Expert How-Tos and Guides
Last edit by: WineCountryUA
Source: United Boarding Process

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

  1. Unaccompanied minors
  2. Customers with disabilities
  3. Active members of the military
  4. United Global Services® members
  5. Families traveling with children age 2 and younger
  6. 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.
Originally Posted by JOSECONLSCREW28
There will also be updated boarding times:

757 & Widebody aircraft: 50 min prior to departure
737-800/900 & 737 MAX 40 min prior to departure
737-700 & A319/A320 35 min prior to departure
================================================== ==============================
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
Premier Access Boarding
  • 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)

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Old Sep 19, 2018, 12:02 pm
  #1471  
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Originally Posted by flyme2
In EWR, on a 767 wide body flight to IAH, there were only four, which shocked me.
Number of 1Ks preboarding does not necessarily say anything about number of 1Ks on the flight.

If you're flying up front on a widebody, there's not much reason to preboard, as bin space should not be an issue. I try to time my gate arrival to the latest time that doesn't pose a risk of being offloaded, and suspect many other frequent flyers do the same.
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Old Sep 19, 2018, 12:26 pm
  #1472  
 
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Originally Posted by Kacee
Number of 1Ks preboarding does not necessarily say anything about number of 1Ks on the flight.
I would tend to agree, but on this particular flight, first class was populated mainly by pax I had observed in BG1. However, I didn't take into account 1K's flying in the back without any carry ons. There would be no need for them to pre-board.
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Old Sep 19, 2018, 12:35 pm
  #1473  
 
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Originally Posted by iluv2fly
He agreed that it will come down to training whereby the agents are supposed to pause between the groups instead of bunching them all together (which we all have witnessed)
Ive always loved on regional flights, with 50 seats, how the boarding groups play out. Literally once continuous sentence.

"We're starting per-boarding for those who need assistance and also active military and group 1. We now welcome group 2, group 3 (cough cough) group 4, and uh, group 5"
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Old Sep 19, 2018, 12:41 pm
  #1474  
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Originally Posted by flyme2
I would tend to agree, but on this particular flight, first class was populated mainly by pax I had observed in BG1. However, I didn't take into account 1K's flying in the back without any carry ons. There would be no need for them to pre-board.
There's absolutely no reason for 1Ks to pre-board even with carry-ons. There's zero chance of no overhead space even at the end of BG1. The hysteria of "no overhead space" by the end of BG1 is just that. I end up often boarding w/ BG2 and have never had a problem.
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Old Sep 19, 2018, 12:42 pm
  #1475  
 
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Here is another update! Just boarder my flight in DFW-IAH GA did a great job and I would say this boarding was flawless!! So I know we have express some strong opinions in all fairness I think we need to give the process few weeks to work out the details!!!
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Old Sep 19, 2018, 1:06 pm
  #1476  
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Originally Posted by IAH-OIL-TRASH
There's absolutely no reason for 1Ks to pre-board even with carry-ons. There's zero chance of no overhead space even at the end of BG1. The hysteria of "no overhead space" by the end of BG1 is just that. I end up often boarding w/ BG2 and have never had a problem.
As I believe was mentioned earlier, I think that the bigger concern is having to go back a number of rows to stow a bag. I've seen that happen occasionally to late FC boarders (late in Gp 1/early in Gp 2).
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Old Sep 19, 2018, 1:09 pm
  #1477  
 
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This lowly Gold, is slightly optimistic about not being lumped in with the credit card holders and now able to reliably find overhead space, and if it feels like pmUA I could steer business back to UA.
Last edited by abaheti; Sep 20, 2018 at 5:30 pm
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Old Sep 19, 2018, 1:16 pm
  #1478  
 
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SFO-TPE on 9/18

Seemed to work okay, EXCEPT that BG1 started boarding during "pre-boarding" phase. GA told them off, but let them board, nonetheless.

Seems with the pre-boarding volume now increased, BG1 gets impatient.
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Old Sep 19, 2018, 1:19 pm
  #1479  
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Originally Posted by Bonehead
As I believe was mentioned earlier, I think that the bigger concern is having to go back a number of rows to stow a bag. I've seen that happen occasionally to late FC boarders (late in Gp 1/early in Gp 2).
On an E75, I've had to go from F to Y to store my bag even in the middle of group 1. As findark says, the culprits are usually those who refuse to use the space underneath the seat in front of them and instead put their personal items in the overhead.

However, I have survived the process of waiting for a gap in traffic after the flight to go back and get it.
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Old Sep 19, 2018, 1:25 pm
  #1480  
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Originally Posted by jsloan
O...However, I have survived the process of waiting for a gap in traffic after the flight to go back and get it.
As a FC passenger I believe that you're allowed to knock Y passengers down/shove them out of the way in order to get to your bag.
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Old Sep 19, 2018, 1:26 pm
  #1481  
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Originally Posted by Bonehead
As a FC passenger I believe that you're allowed to knock Y passengers down/shove them out of the way in order to get to your bag.
Hey, I think I saw you on a flight recently...
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Old Sep 19, 2018, 1:27 pm
  #1482  
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Originally Posted by Bonehead
As a FC passenger I believe that you're allowed to knock Y passengers down/shove them out of the way in order to get to your bag.
No - you are only allowed to whack basic economy customers unless you are a GS - then all Y is your domain....
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Old Sep 19, 2018, 2:56 pm
  #1483  
 
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#4 .: It might allow a quicker boarding process for the rest of plane- I mean, isn't that part why they are doing this?
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Old Sep 19, 2018, 3:08 pm
  #1484  
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Originally Posted by Bonehead
As I believe was mentioned earlier, I think that the bigger concern is having to go back a number of rows to stow a bag. I've seen that happen occasionally to late FC boarders (late in Gp 1/early in Gp 2).
That's not uncommon in particular if you're in row 1 on an airbus. A mild inconvenience, but an inconvenience nonetheless.

Originally Posted by jsloan
On an E75, I've had to go from F to Y to store my bag even in the middle of group 1.
E75 is a special case with full size bins on only one side of the aircraft. Only aircraft I'll line up early for.
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Old Sep 19, 2018, 3:58 pm
  #1485  
 
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Originally Posted by jsloan
On an E75, I've had to go from F to Y to store my bag even in the middle of group 1. As findark says, the culprits are usually those who refuse to use the space underneath the seat in front of them and instead put their personal items in the overhead.

However, I have survived the process of waiting for a gap in traffic after the flight to go back and get it.
I am by no means a confrontational person but in that situation (have flown many E-170/175's) I will happily hold up a backpack in the overhead and ask whose it is. As long as it's not a row 1 pax, I either ask them to to put it under their seat (usually loud enough for the FA to hear) or I'll self move it/rearrange if no one responds. No, I won't die putting it in the back as you suggested, but it's more about principal to me and the complete rudeness of much of the travelling public, especially in this scenario after hearing multiple announcements about placing your personal item under the seat in front of you..
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