Mar 3, 2017, 10:56 pm

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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

Quote:

Originally Posted by UASleeper

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...

Original summary
http://view.ceros.com/united/polaris-tracker-mobile/p/2
From [email protected] on 02/27/2017:

Quote:

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

This does not preclude any rumors from being true.

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Consolidated "Polaris Lounge Access Questions" Thread

Polaris Lounge Roadmap 2017-202x

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Apr 11, 2018, 1:53 pm

#451

WineCountryUA

Moderator: United Airlines

Join Date: Jun 2007

Location: SFO

Programs: UA Plat 1.997MM, Hyatt Discoverist, Marriott Plat/LT Gold, Hilton Silver, IHG Plat

Posts: 66,859

Quote:

Originally Posted by globetraveler

not true - up until a few days ago ALL South America was included in Polaris lounge access (no exclusions for Colombia).

Sorry but you are mistaken. For UA operated flights, the ticket has always need to be a Polaris Business or Polaris First. While the flights to BOG may have been lie-flat seats for Business, there were not (and continue not to be) marketed as Polaris, but rather as Business / International Business and not eligible for Polaris Lounge Access. Note a non-UA operated flight in Business to BOG is / was eligible for Polaris Lounge access, but UA operated flights were not.

References
FT Polaris Lounge access wiki

https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/27634571-post2439.html

https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/27491087-post1929.html

Quote:

Originally Posted by globetraveler

Just to be clear- you think a paid business class ticket of $3-4K should be sent to the UC?

I don't make the rules, UA does.
And there are other examples of $3K tickets that are not eligible for Polaris -- EWR-HNL (which also longer than the BOG flight) or some of the PS flights. Price is not the factor UA has published

Apr 11, 2018, 3:22 pm

#452

jcacciotti

Join Date: Sep 2010

Location: SFO

Programs: UAMP Global Services, AA Platinum

Posts: 89

It’ll be big...

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kacee

I'll be very surprised if it's not packed between 11 am and 2 pm. There are something like 1000 eligible pax during that window.

The SFO lounge will be pretty large, combining the former UC, Singapore and air New Zealand lounges on two floors, and much larger than the ORD Polaris lounge, which was plagued early on by crowding. An expansion opened there in January, and I’ve been in the ORD lounge twice since then. It’s now functioning pretty well, even at peak times.

SFO lounge was delayed so they could resize it based on Chicago learnings (same footprint was originally intended to house a UC as well). So hopefully they got it right.

Having said that, midday at SFO has to have one of the largest J-class volumes for any hub in the system, so I wouldn’t expect it to be overflowing with empty seats.

Last edited by WineCountryUA; Apr 11, 2018 at 3:26 pm Reason: repaired quote

Apr 11, 2018, 3:29 pm

#453

Kacee

A FlyerTalk Posting Legend

Join Date: Apr 2013

Location: PHX

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Posts: 56,470

Quote:

Originally Posted by globetraveler

up until a few days ago ALL South America was included in Polaris lounge access (no exclusions for Colombia).

That is completely false. For UA operated flights, access has always been limited to Polaris business and Polaris first passengers.

Quote:

Originally Posted by globetraveler

just to be clear- you think a paid business class ticket of $3-4K should be sent to the UC?

It doesn't matter what any of us think. UA makes the rules for its lounges. If you don't like those rules, numerous other carriers fly to BOG.

Apr 11, 2018, 3:33 pm

#454

Kacee

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Posts: 56,470

Quote:

Originally Posted by jcacciotti

The SFO lounge will be pretty large, combining the former UC, Singapore and air New Zealand lounges on two floors,

Yes, I'm well aware of the geography. The new lounge will also include a kitchen and much lower density seating than the UC which formerly occupied most of the space. And that UC was always packed for the late morning/early afternoon bank of flights. Also, there will be no separate GFL to siphon off F passengers.

Apr 11, 2018, 3:46 pm

#455

oopl

Join Date: May 2015

Programs: All the programs!

Posts: 1,006

Quote:

Originally Posted by jcacciotti

The SFO lounge will be pretty large, combining the former UC, Singapore and air New Zealand lounges on two floors,...

It should be EVA Air.

Apr 11, 2018, 4:09 pm

#456

EWR764

Join Date: Jan 2005

Location: New York, NY

Programs: UA, AA, DL, Hertz, Avis, National, Hyatt, Hilton, SPG, Marriott

Posts: 9,454

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kacee

Hopefully this is offset somewhat by absence of the *G/Club members traveling in Y, as well as pass holders, who will either pack into the former GFL space (soon to be a regular UC) or use the various T3 clubs.

I think part of the reason for the delay was to avoid a piecemeal approach and open the entire SFO Polaris Lounge at once, as it is intended to be. I think the initial plan to open the renovated UC first, and then a second phase on the main level a few months later consisting of the former SKL and Eva space would have been the wrong approach, since the initial phase would have most definitely been swamped during the late morning rush, degrading the experience.

I'm sure the SFO PL will be busy, but fortunately this will be one of the largest lounges in the system, Polaris or otherwise.

Apr 11, 2018, 4:15 pm

#457

wco81

Suspended

Join Date: Oct 2004

Location: Bay Area

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Posts: 12,729

So are they putting up a new UC for *G as well?

Or just renovating an existing UC in there?

The UC at LAX isn't bad. Same sucky food and drink but it's new and pretty.

Apr 11, 2018, 4:41 pm

#458

jcacciotti

Join Date: Sep 2010

Location: SFO

Programs: UAMP Global Services, AA Platinum

Posts: 89

Quote:

Originally Posted by wco81

So are they putting up a new UC for *G as well?

Or just renovating an existing UC in there?

.

The old GFL will become a UC. Not sure the extent of planned renovations.

Quote:

Originally Posted by oopl

It should be EVA Air.

Yep, sorry.

Last edited by WineCountryUA; Apr 11, 2018 at 5:23 pm Reason: merging consecutive posts by same member

Apr 11, 2018, 6:44 pm

#459

Hipplewm

Join Date: Sep 2013

Location: CHS

Programs: UA GS, Bonvoy Amabassador, Hertz PC

Posts: 2,589

Quote:

Originally Posted by tpsmith82

Ahhh, didn't even think of it, but I do have a connecting flight, not on same ticket or UA metal, but a connecting flight to PDX with a 19:55 departure on the same day as arrival. So, from the sounds of it, I'll arrive from UA Polaris business class international 14:50, clear customs and security, check in for AS domestic departure, check bags, clear security and then be able to access the polaris lounge? Again not sure of SFO layout and terminals, but with an AS domestic departure will I be able to navigate to the UA polaris lounge after clearing security.

Sorry for all the buggered questions, just excited the the lounge will actually be open and some possibility of us being able to use it! : - )

Thanks

OK, here is where it gets goofy....

If you arrive in a city with a PL, and you arrived from Int'l long haul that has PL access, then you can access the PL all along your same day travels. You would show your Int'l boarding pass and don't show your AS boarding pass.

here is where it gets sticky - if you arrived in SFO and had PL arrival access, then flew AS to ORD, you could probably still get in, but if they called you on how you made it from SFO to ORD, I have {no idea} what they would say.

Last edited by WineCountryUA; Apr 11, 2018 at 7:56 pm Reason: Using symbols, spaces or other methods to mask vulgarities is not allowed.

Apr 12, 2018, 2:16 am

#460

cur

Join Date: Mar 2005

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Posts: 7,252

Quote:

Originally Posted by 764toHI

BR, LX, NH, NZ, SQ, TG and TK all offer equally superior lounge options at their hubs. LH and OS are not that far behind IMO. In fact, I'll bet that the onus was on UA to deliver a satisfactory lounge experience to BR and SQ at SFO.

you can't be serious, lx nz tk are great, but nh sq and tg run embarrassingly poor business class lounges in their home airports. lh lounges are nice, but does not have drink, liquor, and sitdown dining. none of these have sitdown dining and saks fifth linen for showers. polaris is most definitely a cut above.

Apr 12, 2018, 3:23 am

#461

LXFlyer

Join Date: Sep 2008

Programs: UA 1P

Posts: 320

Quote:

Originally Posted by cur

lh lounges are nice, but does not have drink, liquor, and sitdown dining.

Wait what? LH lounges certainly have liquor. (It's true that they don't have sitdown dining)

Apr 12, 2018, 6:19 am

#462

JVPhoto

Join Date: Jul 2013

Location: MRY - CNX - TXL

Programs: UA 1K / *G / Marriott PE / Expedia Gold+ / Hertz PC

Posts: 7,058

Quote:

Originally Posted by globetraveler

1) why on earth is UA allowing *A Business Class passengers to access Polaris lounges when clearly this is a far superior experience to any (accessible) *A lounge? Why not send them to UA lounge? Would that present logistical challenges at certain airports? (SFO)

Why on earth for the past years were other *A carriers allowing United elites/J into their nicer lounges when it was only crappy United Clubs with cheese and carrots that UA was offering in the network?

Apr 12, 2018, 8:14 am

#463

Troopers

Join Date: Sep 2015

Location: SFO

Posts: 3,881

Some details:

- 440 seats
- 28,128 sf
- quiet library room, 8 private showers, 5 private day rooms with day beds, washer/dryer and steam press by valet
- outdoor deck
- 6:30am to 1:00am

https://www.sfgate.com/chris-mcginni..._medium=social

Apr 12, 2018, 8:49 am

#464

JVPhoto

Join Date: Jul 2013

Location: MRY - CNX - TXL

Programs: UA 1K / *G / Marriott PE / Expedia Gold+ / Hertz PC

Posts: 7,058

Quote:

Originally Posted by Troopers

- outdoor deck

Awesome, loved sitting outside at the *A TBIT lounge before flying to TPE.

Apr 12, 2018, 8:51 am

#465

Halo117

Join Date: Aug 2007

Location: Tx

Programs: AA, UA, WN

Posts: 812

Sounds awesome...wonder if you can order off the meni if all the tables are full?....16 sounds small for 440 seatd