Air Houston

At the current IAH Terminal E lounge the main lounge area is actually on the third floor and the smaller upper area with the showers is on the fourth floor. When taking the escalator up from the concourse you go directly to the third floor, there is no access to the second floor. Hopefully the comments aren't reflective of this situation and do in fact mean that an additional floor is being constructed above the existing club.

Kacee

If they're just converting the existing top floor (I think of it as the 3rd but understand from your description it may actually be the 4th) to Polaris it's not going to be nearly big enough.

NH_Clark

Absolutely agree!

Air Houston

I agree too. There is no way that space will be large enough.

radiowell

Just got this email.

Do they mean C120?

Also, are the showers gone during "renovation"?

PsiFighter37

That's interesting...I think that was the same information I had originally been given when I asked at the invitation-only EWR event last year. That said, if the whole club is being converted to Polaris, the C1 UC is going to be jam-packed at all times. I really wished they had come up with a solution to add a Polaris club without taking away one of the existing UCs.

SF1K

You don't think there are enough people currently using the UC as International business that will then use the new Polaris Lounge instead to reduce the UC numbers?

PsiFighter37

I have zero way of estimating what % of C3 UC is occupied with international travelers - perhaps UA does, and that is why they feel comfortable going this route. I think it's going to cause massive overcrowding problems for the domestic crowd in C1 (which is going to be out of the way for anyone traveling in C2 or C3 gates). Just my opinion as an EWR-based flyer who has generally seen C3 being pretty well-occupied no matter what time of day it is. There is no doubt it is more crowded around the TATL departure bank in the late afternoon/early evening, but it's still reasonably packed outside of those hours.

I am still surprised that all the work they have been doing along the walkway just past security did not involve building a Polaris club (or new UC) there that would have undoubtedly eaten some existing office space.

Live4Upgrade

According to GS agent at IAH last week, there is a 4th floor *above* current Terminal E UC where there are offices of IAH big-wigs. Those big-wigs are being moved out and that space will be converted into new Polaris lounge. GS agent says size of current UC (2 floors plus entry lobby) won't be changing.

HighTechVet

I will be canceling my United Club membership if C1 is going to be hammered. I expect many others would do the same as well here in EWR. Occupancy in both C1 and C3 has been crazy in the latest year and I was considering the value I have, this would clinch it.
Considering all the mistakes United has done so far to alienate passengers - this is just the right thing for them to do.

WineCountryUA

The Polaris lounge will not mean there will be more passengers eligible for club/lounge access, it does mean those passengers will be re-distributed different between UC and Polaris Club. There is the possibility more of those eligible will access the Polaris but that a Polaris Club issue.

thaliajen

Regarding EWR's Polaris, I asked the Platinum Premier line rep two nights ago. I'm flying 9/12 through EWR with a Polaris flight from EWR to ATH, I'd heard that the club would be open mid-2017 so I assumed (yes, bad move) that it'd be open. The UA rep told me that it won't. I've got to admit, I didn't research this Polaris enough. I did it for a few reasons- more comfy sleep beds, pjs, and the club lounge. I had always flown BC, but this might be my last international flight in awhile. My Heath hasn't been great and other than my 2-3 trips to Cancun a year, I'm guessing that this will be it for awhile.

I'm feeling a bit overwhelmed by the advertising I see every time I fly (4 flights a month) and the Polaris info shooting at me by UA. When I booked my flight, I could've flown cheaper through Munich, but I thought the direct flight would be great for Polaris. Now I'm reading that there's no pjs because the flight there is under 12 hours. It's 9:50 on the way to ATH and 11:25 on the return. The pjs were a big part of the promos I got, and I admit, I'm pissed that the difference of 35 minutes means that much. But I still had the bed, right? Nope, that's not yet installed. So, for a ridiculous sum of money, I'm getting old BC with some new blankets?

I live near DTW and haven't yet booked my round trip to EWR. The prices to fly DTW-EWR-ATH were certifiably insane. But I'm considering taking a short hop to ORD on my way to EWR, just to use the Polaris lounge. It'd be a bit crazy, but at least I'd get something I'd paid for! I don't know their procedures, maybe I wouldn't be allowed in because my Polaris flight originates in EWR.

I really let the Polaris hype get to me. Now I'm stuck with a Polaris ticket that I overpaid for. I did get the SAKS duvet and pillow on my December Hawaii flight and they're nice. So that's kind of how I see my much-anticipated Polaris flight. It'll be nice, just not what I thought I was buying.

laxmillenial

They take into account the flight time of both directions. So the outbound flight of 9 hours really hurts the average.


Old BC with new blankets (new mattress pad, new gel pillow, and an updated 'wine' offering on the flights). Yes, it's unfortunate United markets all these flights as "Polaris" without the new seats, but I find the offerings as 'updated' just not 'true Polaris'.

thaliajen

I just wish I had known about all of it before I booked. And even if the flight TO Athens is only 9:50 minutes, the return flight is just under 12 hours. I see that the wine is something people are excited about, but I don't drink. And now with the new rules being announced tomorrow about no electronics bigger than a cellphone being allowed on flights from Europe, I wish I had just booked Air Canada. While I'm hoping that I can figure a way to fly DTW- EWR through ORD so I can at least see the Polaris Club, I'm annoyed that EWR won't have their Polaris Club open. I also hope that they don't mess with the UA Club with showers at EWR. IMO, every club should offer showers.

cesco.g

I'd vouch for a Polaris lounge in FRA as well.