Mar 3, 2017, 10:56 pm
Last edit by: WineCountryUA
Working summary (Updated May 2018)
ORD - OPEN near C16, opened Dec 1 2016
SFO - OPEN in previous UC space in International Terminal G, April 30, 2018 (occupies previous UC+ SQ + BR lounge space)
EWR - OPEN old UC near Gate C120, June 4, 2018
IAH - OPEN - E11/E12, top floor of existing UC June 29, 2018
LAX - OPEN 12 January 2019 - Above rotunda near gate 73
IAD - "Under Construction" (2020?) - near C4, existing GFL (GFL converting to UC end of June 2018)
LHR - "Future location" - T2 opposite B46 at existing GFL (still open)
NRT - "Future location" - above existing UC
HKG - "Future location" - above gate 61, existing GFL (still open)
Polaris Progress Tracker 2017.06.26
Original summary
http://view.ceros.com/united/polaris-tracker-mobile/p/2
From [email protected] on 02/27/2017:
This does not preclude any rumors from being true.
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ORD - OPEN near C16, opened Dec 1 2016
SFO - OPEN in previous UC space in International Terminal G, April 30, 2018 (occupies previous UC+ SQ + BR lounge space)
EWR - OPEN old UC near Gate C120, June 4, 2018
IAH - OPEN - E11/E12, top floor of existing UC June 29, 2018
LAX - OPEN 12 January 2019 - Above rotunda near gate 73
IAD - "Under Construction" (2020?) - near C4, existing GFL (GFL converting to UC end of June 2018)
LHR - "Future location" - T2 opposite B46 at existing GFL (still open)
NRT - "Future location" - above existing UC
HKG - "Future location" - above gate 61, existing GFL (still open)
Polaris Progress Tracker 2017.06.26
United has installed a Polaris Progress Tracker on its webpage, which tracks the progress of aircraft types/routes with Polaris seats and Polaris lounge openings. Here is the link:
http://view.ceros.com/united/polaris...-desktop-4/p/1
Under the "Aircraft" tab, all currently existing routes serviced by the new 773 (SFO-HKG, EWR-TLV and SFO-NRT are listed) are listed as well as (yet to be converted) 763 and 772 types. For the 763 the listed starting date is "Fall 2017." For the 772 the webpage states "Winter 2017," which sounds optimistic to me as it sounds more like 4th quarter of 2017 than the previously announced first quarter of 2018. Zodiac's output of Polaris seats for all three aircraft types must be ultra smooth by now, if United wants to stick with its predictions. Can't wait to see the first converted 763 in mid July...
http://view.ceros.com/united/polaris...-desktop-4/p/1
Under the "Aircraft" tab, all currently existing routes serviced by the new 773 (SFO-HKG, EWR-TLV and SFO-NRT are listed) are listed as well as (yet to be converted) 763 and 772 types. For the 763 the listed starting date is "Fall 2017." For the 772 the webpage states "Winter 2017," which sounds optimistic to me as it sounds more like 4th quarter of 2017 than the previously announced first quarter of 2018. Zodiac's output of Polaris seats for all three aircraft types must be ultra smooth by now, if United wants to stick with its predictions. Can't wait to see the first converted 763 in mid July...
http://view.ceros.com/united/polaris-tracker-mobile/p/2
From [email protected] on 02/27/2017:
Dear XXXXX:
No announcement has been made to let us know when additional United
Polaris lounges will be opening. We are still renovating some of the
locations. Our United Premium Cabin Lounges page on our website will be
updated once the dates are announced. I've included the link for you
below.
https://www.united.com/web/en-US/con...n-lounges.aspx
No announcement has been made to let us know when additional United
Polaris lounges will be opening. We are still renovating some of the
locations. Our United Premium Cabin Lounges page on our website will be
updated once the dates are announced. I've included the link for you
below.
https://www.united.com/web/en-US/con...n-lounges.aspx
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IAH Polaris lounge (E11/12 - top fl) -- Reviews, Experiences, Q&A, ...
LAX Polaris Lounge -- Reviews, Experiences, Q&A, ..[
United Polaris-New Business Class seats & inflight service and new Polaris Lounges[url=http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/showwiki.php?t=1769733](wiki) (thread)}
Consolidated "Polaris Lounge Access Questions" Thread
Polaris Lounge Roadmap 2017-202x
Jun 26, 2019, 8:56 pm
#676
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But, I'm guessing 2 or 3 flights is still not enough to make a Polaris lounge worthwhile.
Jun 26, 2019, 8:59 pm
#677
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Multiple other (international) airports make far more sense.
Jun 26, 2019, 11:55 pm
#678
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Are there many *A flights from DEN that might justify opening a lounge?
Jul 8, 2019, 5:40 am
#679
Join Date: Mar 2015
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Seems like IAD construction is underway in earnest now. Any odds on what the next location to be done would be? I have to think LHR makes the most sense, given the number of flights UA has from there. That said, I think they would need to construct a pretty large Polaris lounge given the number of flights UA + AC have. That said, I would think that flights to continental Europe (e.g. on LH Group airlines) would be restricted.
Without venturing into OMNI land - perhaps UA will wait on LHR to see what happens with Brexit?
Without venturing into OMNI land - perhaps UA will wait on LHR to see what happens with Brexit?
Jul 8, 2019, 6:05 am
#680
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Nov 23, 2019, 7:35 pm
#681
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Future Polaris Lounges
Just curious what folks think the future of the Polaris Lounge buildout will look like. There are 5 completed (SFO, LAX, IAH, ORD and EWR), with 1 under construction (IAD). In my mind:
-the only international one I think that makes sense to be completed at this point is LHR, and perhaps that may be put on hold given Brexit uncertainties
-NRT lost IAD and ORD; there are still plenty of flights (GUM, HNL, SFO, LAX, DEN, IAH, and EWR), but does it make sense given that it has been officially de-hubbed?
-HKG has to be on ice right now, given that ORD was axed and EWR was just scaled back to 3x weekly
I would think that perhaps there is some future consideration given to DEN if they continue to build out international destinations (up to 3 now, from 1, on UA metal). Internationally, though, I'm not sure anywhere else really sticks out. ZRH has high-J frequency, but I don't know if there is real estate in Terminal E at ZRH to add a new lounge. Can't imagine FRA gets one given massive LH presence. Right now, I would not be surprised if the international lounge buildout is considered complete once IAD is finished.
-the only international one I think that makes sense to be completed at this point is LHR, and perhaps that may be put on hold given Brexit uncertainties
-NRT lost IAD and ORD; there are still plenty of flights (GUM, HNL, SFO, LAX, DEN, IAH, and EWR), but does it make sense given that it has been officially de-hubbed?
-HKG has to be on ice right now, given that ORD was axed and EWR was just scaled back to 3x weekly
I would think that perhaps there is some future consideration given to DEN if they continue to build out international destinations (up to 3 now, from 1, on UA metal). Internationally, though, I'm not sure anywhere else really sticks out. ZRH has high-J frequency, but I don't know if there is real estate in Terminal E at ZRH to add a new lounge. Can't imagine FRA gets one given massive LH presence. Right now, I would not be surprised if the international lounge buildout is considered complete once IAD is finished.
Nov 23, 2019, 7:56 pm
#682
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Is HKG supposed to get one?
Nov 23, 2019, 8:08 pm
#683
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Nov 23, 2019, 8:09 pm
#684
Join Date: Nov 2016
Location: YEG
Programs: AC 25K
Posts: 120
When Polaris was rolled out, they listed HKG as a PL site. I'm guessing it will never happen, though.
Here is the announcement.
Excerpt: "The first new United Polaris lounge will open at Chicago O'Hare International Airport on Dec. 1, 2016. Lounges in eight other locations – Los Angeles, San Francisco, Houston, New York/Newark, Washington Dulles, Tokyo Narita, Hong Kong and London Heathrow – will follow in 2017.
Here is the announcement.
Excerpt: "The first new United Polaris lounge will open at Chicago O'Hare International Airport on Dec. 1, 2016. Lounges in eight other locations – Los Angeles, San Francisco, Houston, New York/Newark, Washington Dulles, Tokyo Narita, Hong Kong and London Heathrow – will follow in 2017.
Nov 23, 2019, 8:10 pm
#685
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The problem with LHR is space. If a Polaris lounge syphoned off all the F/J pax from the other long haul airlines it would need to be (at least) as big as the UC. And that would mean closing the UC, and consternation from Golds and above flying Y/P+ and the credit card holders with their one time passes. And the LHR UC is 85% Polaris quality anyway.
What I could see happening is a hybrid whereby they take the Ex-GFC/VIP lounge (which has the sit down meal area and rest areas) and allow F/J pax only into that area.
I cant see them happening at HKG and NRT for the reasons you mention. HND would be a better airport now for TYO but I doubt there’s any space.
DEN should be a contender. Back in 2016 there was only one International long haul (NRT). Now there’s three (NRT, LHR, FRA) and it could serve the LH flights too. It wouldn’t need to be a large one; same size as LAX?
What I could see happening is a hybrid whereby they take the Ex-GFC/VIP lounge (which has the sit down meal area and rest areas) and allow F/J pax only into that area.
I cant see them happening at HKG and NRT for the reasons you mention. HND would be a better airport now for TYO but I doubt there’s any space.
DEN should be a contender. Back in 2016 there was only one International long haul (NRT). Now there’s three (NRT, LHR, FRA) and it could serve the LH flights too. It wouldn’t need to be a large one; same size as LAX?
Last edited by usbusinesstraveller; Nov 23, 2019 at 8:16 pm
Nov 23, 2019, 8:36 pm
#686
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I cannot see NRT and HKG getting Polaris Lounge based one the switch of several flights to HND and state of HK loads and trimming of flights.
LHR is always the space issue. It is not just the UA passengers, but passengers on CA, TG, NH, BR, OS, TK and others are using the United Club as well. AC Lounge is not worth visiting and SQ Lounge space is also challenged to accommodate the demands.
LHR is always the space issue. It is not just the UA passengers, but passengers on CA, TG, NH, BR, OS, TK and others are using the United Club as well. AC Lounge is not worth visiting and SQ Lounge space is also challenged to accommodate the demands.
Nov 23, 2019, 8:53 pm
#687
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Nov 23, 2019, 8:58 pm
#688
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The problem with LHR is space. If a Polaris lounge syphoned off all the F/J pax from the other long haul airlines it would need to be (at least) as big as the UC. And that would mean closing the UC, and consternation from Golds and above flying Y/P+ and the credit card holders with their one time passes. And the LHR UC is 85% Polaris quality anyway.
What I could see happening is a hybrid whereby they take the Ex-GFC/VIP lounge (which has the sit down meal area and rest areas) and allow F/J pax only into that area.
What I could see happening is a hybrid whereby they take the Ex-GFC/VIP lounge (which has the sit down meal area and rest areas) and allow F/J pax only into that area.
Otherwise they can also add geographic restrictions, so any intra-Europe flights will not have access, direct AC/SQ passengers to their lounges. That would then mean a hypothetical Polaris lounge would cater to all UA flights, CA, AI, NH, OZ, AV, ET, TG, ZH, SA, which is still a lot of J passengers. (I also left out TK/MS because it's debatable if those sub-5h flights would be eligible).
Nov 23, 2019, 9:07 pm
#689
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Well depends on how you count, https://sites.google.com/site/united...polaris-update has 53% of those to be converted done (and when you add in the 772s in the Hawaii, high density aircraft as widebodies you are at 50%)
Fair to say 1/2 are done.
Fair to say 1/2 are done.
Nov 23, 2019, 9:14 pm
#690
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https://sites.google.com/site/united...polaris-update - 49.7% of the fleet has been Polarized.
49.7% represents 86 aircrafts. I don't think AA nor DL have been retro-fitting anywhere close to the number of aircraft UA has.
49.7% represents 86 aircrafts. I don't think AA nor DL have been retro-fitting anywhere close to the number of aircraft UA has.