Kacee

There are now no showers in any domestic UCs.

transportprof

Unless pax take matters into their own hands, so to speak.

Naked guy in UC bathroom washing up from a sink

auandagbug

United continues to demolish the value proposition of a United Club membership by removing the showers at its international hubs. The availability of showers at the C120 location in EWR was one of the reasons I chose EWR as a connecting hub for flights from HNL to the east coast. Flying overnight from Hawaii for 9 plus hours and getting a shower in the morning during a layover made travel so much more tolerable. United only cares about its First and Business Class passengers and doesn't care about its United Club members at all. The loss of Continental's customer focused product is a real tragedy.

worldwidedreamer

Although I share your perspective that removing showers (and conference rooms) reduces the value of membership, I see it more as a result of consolidation allowed by a weak antitrust environment than anything else.

Kacee

I would attribute it to poor judgment and a competitive miscalculation given that DL and AA both offer showers at their hubs. Do they think we don't notice these differences and make purchasing decisions accordingly? And while we're on the subject, it is simply inexplicable to me why UA with its Polaris lounges can't even come close to matching AA's pace in opening new Flagship lounges.

fumje

While I agree that it has been 'poor judgement' that led to shower removal, it seems quite likely that consolidation is at least abetting if not instilling this poor judgement in UA's management. When every airline is losing money trying to retain market share, it's a lot easier to justify higher costs, but when there are only three major players and they are all showing profits, you have to find costs to cut to keep up.

auandagbug

You're right--it's a really bad business decision that will probably drive more UA flyers to DL and AA. The supposed improvements in food quality at domestic United Clubs aren't that big a deal. The last time I was at the C120 United Club at EWR before it closed for conversion to a Polaris Lounge, there was almost a 45 minute wait for showers, so would appear UA management really doesn't understand the demand for them at their major hubs.

minnyfly

Showers are a niche product. Do the math. There's only so many showers stalls. There's exponentially more people flowing through clubs. Sure, they're nice when you want one, but I can see why airlines don't invest heavily in them. They're a space and resource-consuming product that's only used by a fraction of people.

Like I've stated before in another thread, DL has a grand total of 8 clubs with showers, and their newest club lacks them, putting into question their direction going forward. Two of their top hubs don't have showers (MSP and SLC), and locations at ATL, JFK, LAX, and DTW are limited to certain concourses or terminals. And without premium lounges, DL has extra prerogative to have them at select locations. I haven't done the full tally at AA, but I know the former US clubs in CLT, PHL, and PHX also lack showers. You have made it seem like showers are commonplace at DL and AA. That's simply not true.

Catbert10

Here's the current list of AA (Admirals) clubs with showers. This doesn't include Flagship lounges, which have more lenient access rules for elites traveling internationally than Polaris lounges.
BOS (B30)
ORD (H/K)
DFW (B,C,D, A closed)
JFK
LAX (4, 5)
LGA (Term B)
MIA (D30, D15)
RDU
SFO

It's true that the old US clubs (PHL, CLT, PHX, etc.) don't have showers. Tellingly, however, AA has elected to retain showers when renovating clubs compared to UA who is removing them.

worldwidedreamer

You could make the same argument for domestic first class, or airline lounges in general.

Showers are quite common at premium airports. The big surprise for me is that DL does not operate a lounge with a shower at premium airport BOS and a few of the smaller tranoceanic airports like PDX, HNL, RDU, MSP, and SLC.

My list of Sky Clubs with showers follows. Asterisk if reasonably accessible to United customers. (N.B. in the near future DL will eliminate SC access for non-DL pax.) Also---many Delta customers subscribe to American Express Platinum versus a Sky Club membership. Amex operates half a dozen Centurion lounges, all of which offer showers. Am I missing any clubs?

DL-operated lounges with showers
ATL*
DTW
HND (TIAT lounge accessible by SC members) Not sure if DL operated.
JFK
LAX*
NRT*
SFO
SEA*

(and SkyTeam lounges at

Amex-operated lounges with showers include:
DFW
HKG
IAH
LAS
PHL
MIA
SEA
SFO

frankmu

Are there showers at the LAX UC? The United site seems to indicate that there are some available.

fumje

None at Uncle Charlie's, but some at *A in TBIT.

uastarflyer

This is one of very few issues where I wish COdbaUA had not adopted the PMUA approach

mr8

The United Clubs are already overcrowded and not that great. They might as well just open them up to all UA gold+ members (like all the other *Gs do), and add a 'Polaris' Club membership for $$$ that is available to any *G member. I'd be more than happy to pay up for an annual Polaris lounge access with showers!

narvik

The issue there is that invariably the Polaris lounge access would be through Club membership for $$$, through special UA Credit Card promotions, through one-day passes given by MP status, etc, etc, and before too long, they will be overcrowded again.
I think the way they have UC and Polaris lounge access planned isn't half bad, despite the lack of showers in UC.
Now if only they could open the Polaris lounges already!