Sykes

We can be useful on occasion. (For example, I can offer my clients upgrades on some routes, and AA has a nice 20% discount running on most transcon business class.) Unfortunately, there are a lot of travel agents that do more harm than good.

WineCountryUA

As that site, while updated, still has multiple errors (PN/RN/ZN/N/...), would suggest the wiki of http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/unite...uckets-ua.html is a better reference

transportprof

The SFO Centurion Lounge makes United Clubs look uncrowded. Finding a seat in the CL is almost always a challenge, and it is often SRO during peak periods. Despite the excellent food and drink, I don't find the Centurion Lounge in SFO a relaxing experience.

findark

Airlines have multiple booking codes within a cabin. They are used almost purely for internal purposes to set their prices.

For example, a domestic United First cabin would normally use the letters F, A, Z, and P for its inventory. On each flight, they have an algorithm backed up by an army of analysts who choose how many seats should be made available at each level, based on how much they expect people to be willing to pay. Then, buying a seat in each bucket costs a different amount, with F being the most expensive and P being the least expensive. They are all United First seats, and all the same to you the customer, but it allows UA to change the price on the flight if e.g. it's Spring Break for posh Northeast schools and they expect to be able to sell the whole cabin to expensive fares and make only the 'F' code available.

The wiki linked by WineCountryUA has a good reference of what all the letters mean.

mauiUAflyer

I always thought that the lounge situation (between N. America and Europe) was more dictated by historical consumer patterns. Often in other countries, there might be separate international and domestic airports in the capital and major cities. Domestic flights within a European country are usually short haul (when they exist). People were more used to taking trains than the highly-regulated state airlines (before the LLCs). The lounges were often at the international airports, back past the duty-free shops, for the business and first class pax.

A lot of the flying in the US is domestic, and some of it can even be rather long-haul. The airlines didn't offer that many ticket-based lounges domesticallly, but could offer a spot to hang out for their status pax (even today the United Club has variable annual pricing, based on status). It was considered a business expense, in some ways, as that's who the bulk of the road warriors. My previous company used to give Red Carpet Club memberships to some of the more frequent travelers. This probably went away when the IRS declared that Club memberships were no longer tax deductible.

So, history, geography, and the expectations of the flying public...

nycflyer222

They really need to get rid of the free one-time passes with Explorer card.

DawgmanOH

Completely agree. I don't understand the love but maybe because I use lounges to work. Much rather be at the desks in the UC at SFO than trying to find a place to work at the CL. Plus, getting a drink can be ridiculously long at the CL bar.

trooper

That was more or less my understanding too....

catocony

20 years ago, I hit Chairman's Preferred on US Air for the first time. That was the equivalent of 1K. I got US Air Club for free with status, and thought that was a good deal. I was told that there were only 17,000 or so CPs, so including club membership for free was a solid benefit for a relatively small batch of customers.

TWA had the same deal for their top tier. However, the other major airlines had too many top-tier passengers to make it economically viable. Now that we're down to just three big airlines that do clubs, there's no chance that club access is going to be easily doled out.

I gave up my RCC/UC membership 4 years ago, and unless I go back to flying domestically 2-3 times a month, I won't pay for a membership. The prices are pretty high these days and getting worse.

GloballyServiced

It's kind of funny that a GS flying domestic first class can't get into the united club.

It's okay, you can keep the minute maid and instant oatmeal.

RandomBaritone

Zing!

But I think most would agree they don't visit UCs for the food as much as they do to avoid the madness of the terminal. The complimentary drinks are also a vast improvement over the swill they were serving in 2015. Personally, I'm fortunate in that my home UC at BOS is spectacular, but if I'm famished I'll still grab something at Legal before my flight.

And to be fair, the oatmeal is not instant, and it's quite good.

Often1

The real question is whether anybody makes decisions about air carrier based on free lounge access for paid domestic F. I suspect that UA, AA & DL have all tested that and found, as the US market repeatedly demonstrates, that price & convenient schedule are the market movers. In other words, UA is not losing market share, so why give something for free which those who want will pay.

With Pre-Check and the demise of checked luggage through better planning, there is little reason to be at the airport early and thus business travelers would value the UC for connections and IRROPS. At the same time, most larger airports have much better food options than in the past, making even good lounge food not particularly competetive with the selection & quality available to all.

Indeed, the expedited airport experience --- from stepping out of the car to the seat onboard --- is something consumers do care about.

Medhatter

Sorry for asking but I have been trying to find out if I will have lounge access on my flight Dec 18/21 YYC - IAH - MIA. I have booked United Business/First but when I look on the United site it states Polaris Bussiness. I previously had status with AC but with no flying since March 2020 that is gone.
Thanks for any onfo.

jsloan

Who is operating your YYC-IAH flight? Is that UA operated or AC operated?

BlueZebra

You might get access to a AC lounge in YYC, as a equal to United Club.

The front of the plane is now called Business, or Polaris Business. There is no more First in United lexicon.