bcj1949

In the C Concourse....more important now than ever!!!!!

UAPremierGuy

Yep...line of about 8 people deep at the bar on Thursday night...oy indeed. I wish I had time to schlep to C for Centurion Lounge, but not that night. I was in the Centurion lounge on Wednesday and it was awesome.

SPN Lifer

Concourse B West, near Gate B32
Hours: 6:00 a.m. – 9:00 p.m. daily

Concourse B East, near Gate B44
Hours: Temporarily closed
​​​​​ https://www.united.com/en/us/fly/tra...locations.html

mfirst

The cent lounge is nice but it is hit and miss regarding getting in vs a long wait list. They also don’t rotate their food options too frequently (neither does united) and for most of the summer everything was pork based - yuck.


what I don’t understand- and maybe someone can explain - is where are all these people coming from who are trying to get into the clubs. Many refuse to accept the one day cc passes (like in ord) and with most international travel way down and UA practically giving away gold these days, are there really that many leisure travelers buying yearly memberships?????

SPN Lifer

cc passes = credit card passes
​​​​​​
MileagePlus Premier Gold status does not grant UC access on domestic itineraries.

mfirst

Exactly. But if you have gold you get in on international travel. Where are all these people coming from

IAH-OIL-TRASH

Hard to blame it on int'l Golds when int'l travel business is 'way down. If it is a problem this year, it should have been a much bigger problem 2 years ago.

mfirst

Right
Who are all these people crowding the lounges
not letting cc one day passes in
no much international gold travel
probably not many business travelers with subscriptions
not too many credit cards provide uc unlimited access

who is left?

SPN Lifer

With fewer banks of flights, the members whose departures or connections were formerly spread across a wide expanse of time are now crowded into a much more limited period.

This temporal constraint is exacerbated by reductions in the number of United Clubs open at hub airports. Closure of half (one) of the clubs at DEN and EWR almost doubles the number of guests at the remaining location.

SFO 1K

I do that volunteer gig at DEN with the cowboy hat and give people directions and other assistance. Been doing the B Information Booth and boy are there a lot of lost souls looking for any open UC. I've been asking folks if they are members or have day passes before sending them to the West Club, with an admonishment that day passes may be declined due to crowding. So far people have been pretty tolerant. I think helping people set their expectations before they get there softens the blow. Certainly, I could just direct them and let them be disappointed later, but that seems cruel. I also offer AX if they have Plat/Cent card, and then suggest a couple places for drinks around the Center Core of B. One guest just wanted coffee - I suggested Caribou on the mezzanine level. The Starbucks just beyond the UC West has been closed a lot lately.

DEN

Recent job posting, kinda related, since the East Club has closed for remodel: CHEF MANAGER - Denver United Club,

A number of job boards have this listing and several list the first benefit as “Free meals, valued up to $20 per day! Choose from a delicious variety of fresh food served daily. Receive two free meals for every shift worked.” I’m sure that will entice a significant number of qualified applicants…..

Another piece to the puzzle of the final Club Room plans at DEN.

DEN

EWR764

The new Club, once the renovation is complete, will have a full kitchen, unlike the current setup which is more of a pantry with some prep space. Reportedly, a "Polaris area" is planned. I was thinking about how United might be able to accomplish this at airports like DEN, HNL or even BOS, where there will be some Polaris-branded service but not enough to justify an entire, dedicated PL. I can envision a dining area, which can be used by "normal" pax outside of Polaris hours, and, perhaps 2-3 hours before a Polaris departure, it is set up for private a la carte dining. At the bar, Polaris pax would be comped premium spirits or liquors, or maybe a small self-service bar could be set up within the dining area for some higher-end wines/liquor. Call it "Polaris Dining" or something like that.

BA and AF are able to execute this type of product reasonably well and it could integrate easily into a redesigned United Club at DEN.

nevansm

A Polaris space is what I’ve always advocated for at smaller Polaris stations. As you mentioned AF, BA already do this, as does LH (think IAD), they rope off the space a few hours before flight and offer more extensive dining, alcohol, and waiter service.

DEN, BOS, SEA, CLE, RDU - I feel like all these could support a small Polaris section, even without direct Polaris service. Think of the corporate contracts at many of these airports and the ability to take a Polaris experience through the entire journey!

This would prove to be a big differentiator between UA and DL/AA at outstations.

fastfxr

The east U.C. in Denver is closed "for a year" due to "renovations", so beware.
If you use the club, it's incredibly frustrating for everyone. One-time pass users will be denied at peak times, and regular UC members will find a singular, packed club with no seating and no amenities.

If you can fly through IAH or ORD, I would certainly consider it at this time.

UAPremierGuy

Old news. But still ridiculous on UA's part that they don't have a contingency in place for this...contract with one of the other lounges, pop-up lounge, something...nah...lets just pack everybody into a single club that could be decidedly inconvenient for most people...oh, and just wait...when they get the East club open, the West club will close for similar renovations, I bet...so the club situation in one of UA's most profitable current hubs will remain extremely uncompetitive.