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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Jun 5, 2018, 12:41 am

#541

Lonsinla

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Quote:

Originally Posted by fumje

If it's worth anything, the exterior of construction area looks the same this week as it did in December. To me that suggests they haven't finished planning the lounge. As WineCountryUA noted, the credible announcement tends to come about a month before actual opening. I definitely hope it is open by fall.

Quote:

Originally Posted by WineCountryUA

Reliable opening dates for SFO, EWR and hopefully IAH did not surfaced until about a month out from opening. Suspect UA has something in mind as far as a date but constructions are such they will likely keep it vague until closer in.

thanks all! Hopefully its open! Would have to trek from TBIT to T7 but I think it would be worth the walk if its open

Jun 5, 2018, 1:29 am

#542

EWR764

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As of late April the lounge was still in a planning phase, but demolition of the existing space was underway.

Jun 5, 2018, 8:30 am

#543

findark

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Quote:

Originally Posted by Lonsinla

thanks all! Hopefully its open! Would have to trek from TBIT to T7 but I think it would be worth the walk if its open

It could be fun to check out, but it's hard for me to really imagine a lounge that's worth doing a TBIT -> T7 round trip if you have access to the *A lounge in TBIT.

chavala and UAinAUS like this.

Jun 5, 2018, 7:40 pm

#544

Lonsinla

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Quote:

Originally Posted by findark

It could be fun to check out, but it's hard for me to really imagine a lounge that's worth doing a TBIT -> T7 round trip if you have access to the *A lounge in TBIT.

would never fly United on Business over an Asian carrier so this is my only opportunity to check out a Polaris Lounge. The star alliance lounge is pretty decent in LAX but the current Polaris Lounges are definitely a step up with ala carte dining and a new beautiful space.

Jun 5, 2018, 8:06 pm

#545

fumje

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Quote:

Originally Posted by findark

It could be fun to check out, but it's hard for me to really imagine a lounge that's worth doing a TBIT -> T7 round trip if you have access to the *A lounge in TBIT.

I'll cop to having done the reverse (T7 -> TBIT and return).

Jun 5, 2018, 8:14 pm

#546

Kacee

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Quote:

Originally Posted by fumje

I'll cop to having done the reverse (T7 -> TBIT and return).

That makes more sense because the UC has no showers and crappy food.

I'd probably do the reverse walk just to check out Polaris if I had at least an hour to kill (30 minutes walking, 30 minutes lounge). I figure it's not a bad idea to get a little exercise before strapping in for 12+ hours in a metal tube.

Jun 5, 2018, 8:21 pm

#547

PsiFighter37

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I wonder if the lounge is going to be of any meaningful size. The old GFL was pretty small, but UA has so few flights departing ex-LAX (I think the largest bank is to MEL, SYD and SIN late at night) that I could see them keeping a small one. I hope they find a way to make more space for it, in the event they decide to add some more international destinations in the future.

Jun 5, 2018, 9:57 pm

#548

uastarflyer

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With the various demo work going on plus my hazy jet lag from SIN-LAX I was a bit confused...is the new upstairs spacious T7UC a different space from the original T7 RCC near the mouth of T7 on the left as you enter T7? And Polaris will be further down in T7 upstairs where the GFL was?

Jun 5, 2018, 10:09 pm

#549

WineCountryUA

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Quote:

Originally Posted by uastarflyer

...is the new upstairs spacious T7UC a different space from the original T7 RCC near the mouth of T7 on the left as you enter T7? ...

Yes

Quote:

Originally Posted by uastarflyer

.... And Polaris will be further down in T7 upstairs where the GFL was? ....

Yes
Near Gate 73

Jun 5, 2018, 10:14 pm

#550

greg99

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Quote:

Originally Posted by Lonsinla

I agree.

I'd say TBIT *A F>Polaris>TBIT *A C

Edited to add that *A F and Polaris are very nearly a tie - extra space makes the difference for me.

Jun 6, 2018, 12:27 am

#551

Kacee

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Quote:

Originally Posted by greg99

I agree.

I'd say TBIT *A F>Polaris>TBIT *A C

Edited to add that *A F and Polaris are very nearly a tie - extra space makes the difference for me.

Personally, I found TBIT *A F lounge underwhelming . . . a small, rather dull space with no views. I actually prefer the J lounge, with its varied, interesting seating areas (including outdoors) and a nice buffet.

Won't be able to compare to Polaris until it opens. But I'm hopeful it will be a little nicer than the *A lounge.

UAinAUS likes this.

Jun 6, 2018, 7:04 am

#552

Lonsinla

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Quote:

Originally Posted by fumje

I'll cop to having done the reverse (T7 -> TBIT and return).

you can walk through airside from T7 to TBIT and back right?

Jun 6, 2018, 7:13 am

#553

Lonsinla

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Quote:

Originally Posted by Kacee

Quote:

Originally Posted by greg99

I agree.

I'd say TBIT *A F>Polaris>TBIT *A C

Edited to add that *A F and Polaris are very nearly a tie - extra space makes the difference for me.

agreed. the *A F lounge is very underwhelming. the quality of food isn't great and I actually prefer the food and space in the business side than the in the F side. Given that the entire lounge is operated by Air New Zealand, which does not even operate a first class cabin, I am not surprised that the F lounge is so underwhelming. So many star alliance carriers operate a first class cabin out of LAX (SQ, Air China, ANA, Asiana, Lufthansa etc), you would think they would have a better F lounge experience. Looking at the reviews of the Polaris Lounges so far, I would think the Polaris Lounges seem better than the *A F Lounge

Last edited by Lonsinla; Jun 7, 2018 at 7:34 am

Jun 6, 2018, 7:13 am

#554

fumje

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Quote:

Originally Posted by Lonsinla

you can walk through airside from T7 to TBIT and back right?

Yes, and the signage is relatively easy to follow now. There is a tunnel that connects the middle of T6 to the middle of T4 (among other things).

Jun 6, 2018, 8:47 am

#555

findark

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Quote:

Originally Posted by Lonsinla

you can walk through airside from T7 to TBIT and back right?

Yes. It's about a 20 minute walk each direction though, which unless you specifically would like the exercise (which is definitely possible), is why I was suggesting it would be hard for the Polaris Lounge to be really worth it for TBIT flights, regardless of how nice it is.