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.
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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}
#1351
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2010
Programs: AA
Posts: 14,738
Not on other airlines. As I said it wasn't the only thing that cause them to change, but it is something they do think about, unlike the claim that has been made more than once in this thread that nobody buying first class thinks about boarding position.
#1352
Join Date: Oct 2009
Programs: UA 1K, Hilton ♦ , Hyatt Carbonado, Wyndham ♦, Marriott PE, "Stinking Bum" elsewhere.
Posts: 4,999
I knew about the car transfer, and that it can only be done from the B22 lounge or the FCT, that is why I was trying to get to the B-gates. No one was waiting at the gate to advise me of a different procedure when I arrived, so I tried to get to the B22 FCL.
The problem was at B-gate security. LH staff there turned me away and said I needed to go to the SEN lounge near Z50, because it was closer to my Z-gate departure. I had to go through security checkpoints and immigration twice because of the runaround I got from LH personnel.
It was like they had never encountered a connection like mine before-sheer incompetence on display.
I really should've just exited the terminal and gone to the FCT-hindsight is 20/20.
Last edited by zombietooth; Sep 18, 2018 at 3:41 pm
#1353
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: New Jersey
Programs: UA MM 1K, AA MM Gold, Marriott LT Platinum
Posts: 3,236
Some other thoughts, specifically relating to people that will comfortably make Plat, but have the ability to stretch for 1K.
This change is powerful encouragement for the additional up to $3k PQD spend (assuming the number doesn't go up next year) to make 1K. That could offset the occasional F/J-fare purchasers who might desert. And that additional $3k has to be flown to get the PQD.
At the same time, TOD upgrades (and virtually any post-purchase upgrades) no longer give you additional PQM's, so in theory the 50k PQM flyer can't just accept every TOD offer to get an additional 50k PQM's. They'll have to take additional flights or give UA free money through the (non-PQD earning) Premier Accelerator.
This change is powerful encouragement for the additional up to $3k PQD spend (assuming the number doesn't go up next year) to make 1K. That could offset the occasional F/J-fare purchasers who might desert. And that additional $3k has to be flown to get the PQD.
At the same time, TOD upgrades (and virtually any post-purchase upgrades) no longer give you additional PQM's, so in theory the 50k PQM flyer can't just accept every TOD offer to get an additional 50k PQM's. They'll have to take additional flights or give UA free money through the (non-PQD earning) Premier Accelerator.
#1354
Join Date: Jul 2012
Posts: 1,115
Are people who choose to travel on full unrestricted F fares one or two times a year less valuable than 1K, even though they cost UA nothing in status perks?
I'm just saying, we're quick to draw conclusions, but there's usually a lot more that comes to the equation. I appreciate you say they "can" be more valuable, which I think is true. Posts above say they "are" more valuable, which I think is not so true.
#1356
Join Date: Nov 2017
Location: New York City
Programs: UA GS 1MM
Posts: 390
Has anyone experienced the new boarding procedure today?
#1357
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: LAX/TPE
Programs: United 1K, JAL Sapphire, SPG Lifetime Platinum, National Executive Elite, Hertz PC, Avis PC
Posts: 42,208
So where would you have them put FC. Group 6?
I actually wonder if it would be smart to board FC last. Have FC passengers remain comfortably seated in the terminal and close and monitor the FC overhead bins. Then FC can walk on, get settled and get a PDB with no interruption due to passengers in the cabin walking to economy.
I actually wonder if it would be smart to board FC last. Have FC passengers remain comfortably seated in the terminal and close and monitor the FC overhead bins. Then FC can walk on, get settled and get a PDB with no interruption due to passengers in the cabin walking to economy.
GA's get overwhelmed and stop following procedures and stop enforcing policies and everyone just rushes the gate and the GA scans the BP and let's them by - it's a total circus.
The issue with F boarding last is the overhead space - if those bins can remain closed and empty until F boards, great, but with so many people boarding and some F customers mixing in early boarding, there is no way to segregate and protect the bins unless pax are boarded from a door behind F. The FA in front is not going to be the bin police if she/he needs to do PDB, greet passengers at the door, do initial catering prep, etc etc.
Last edited by bocastephen; Sep 18, 2018 at 3:06 pm
#1358
Join Date: Aug 2003
Location: Northern California
Programs: I want to be free! Free!
Posts: 3,455
Yes, at SFO. Children/those needing assistance boarded first as usual. Then uniformed military/GS. Then 1Ks, (who were specifically advised in advance not to line up in group 1). Couple 1Ks boarded alongside the couple GS on-board, my guess is these two groups ultimately get folded together.
#1359
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: Austin, TX
Posts: 21,412
Some INTL J/F RT fares easily exceed the PQD requirement for 1K by themselves. As of today, pax traveling on those fares by default don't board before 1K either, unless they qualify for pre-boarding based on something else. Are they less valuable too?
Are people who choose to travel on full unrestricted F fares one or two times a year less valuable than 1K, even though they cost UA nothing in status perks?
Are people who choose to travel on full unrestricted F fares one or two times a year less valuable than 1K, even though they cost UA nothing in status perks?
There simply is no solution that will satisfy everyone. It's pretty clear at this point that everybody wants to be first on the plane, as the airlines have successfully made that something that people care about. Since that's a physical impossibility, I'm not sure what better alternative there is.
What I do know is that if this is as meaningful to the non-status F customers as some are making it out to be, the system will be tweaked again, likely resulting in another 300+ messages about how bad the new system will be compared to the one they're rolling out today.
#1360
Join Date: Dec 2016
Location: ORD
Programs: United Mileage Plus Platinum, Hilton Honors Diamond
Posts: 11
It’s a step in the right direction but being SFO based I want to see it in action before deciding if this is going to work long term.
I think the removal of 3 lanes will create enough space for this to work but without queues humanity devolves into a free for all real quick. I would have liked to see a return to the 2 lanes of old as that would have allowed us to queue properly but alas that may not be possible with the selling of status/perks.
That being said and as as others have posted the real issue is the bin space. Perhaps the model is wrong and they need to charge for overhead space instead of cargo space, elites being exempt of course. I wish we could go back to the 757 concept where first class was not a pathway to economy. That was by far the best feature of that beloved airplane and something I hope they bring can with the 797.
But overall I am pleased with where United is going. They are not perfect but the dark days are behind us and they are trying to innovate again. We should be celebrating.
I think the removal of 3 lanes will create enough space for this to work but without queues humanity devolves into a free for all real quick. I would have liked to see a return to the 2 lanes of old as that would have allowed us to queue properly but alas that may not be possible with the selling of status/perks.
That being said and as as others have posted the real issue is the bin space. Perhaps the model is wrong and they need to charge for overhead space instead of cargo space, elites being exempt of course. I wish we could go back to the 757 concept where first class was not a pathway to economy. That was by far the best feature of that beloved airplane and something I hope they bring can with the 797.
But overall I am pleased with where United is going. They are not perfect but the dark days are behind us and they are trying to innovate again. We should be celebrating.
#1361
Join Date: May 2003
Location: Cleveland, OH
Programs: UA-GS 1MM), Hertz Pres Circle, Starriott Titanium)
Posts: 1,966
Yes, at SFO. Children/those needing assistance boarded first as usual. Then uniformed military/GS. Then 1Ks, (who were specifically advised in advance not to line up in group 1). Couple 1Ks boarded alongside the couple GS on-board, my guess is these two groups ultimately get folded together.
#1362
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: where lions are led by donkeys...
Programs: Lifetime Gold, Global Entry, Hertz PC, and my wallet
Posts: 20,344
It all keeps circling back to overhead space.....
#1363
Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: Paradise
Posts: 1,617
...there will be a mass scrum of people outside the lane rushing the gate when 1K preboarding is announced. If you think this won't happen, go check out an AA widebody boarding - I guarantee you'll be traumatized by the experience, it looks like a mass panic rushing the door to escape an impending disaster.
The issue with F boarding last is the overhead space - if those bins can remain closed and empty until F boards, great, but with so many people boarding and some F customers mixing in early boarding, there is no way to segregate and protect the bins unless pax are boarded from a door behind F. The FA in front is not going to be the bin police if she/he needs to do PDB, greet passengers at the door, do initial catering prep, etc etc.
#1364
Join Date: Jul 2012
Posts: 1,115
I really couldn't care less about who gets to board first. But this isn't an isolated event, it's the second significant devaluation of United First this year among smaller less noticeable devaluations, and I'm starting to see the repeat of the devaluation cycle that eventually contributed to the demise of United Global First (still mourning).
#1365
Join Date: Aug 2003
Location: Northern California
Programs: I want to be free! Free!
Posts: 3,455
Not sure what the written instructions are, but I honestly thought it went fine. There will be some flights where the volume of 1Ks makes it a bit crowded but the benefit is for the most part intact based on n=1.