Last edit by: SPN Lifer
Access to Polaris lounges (source):

update 29 Sept 2017, effective 1 Oct, 2017

Departure: The airport you are leaving on an international J/F flight* from, i.e. EWR-ORD-NRT
Connecting: The airport to or from which you have a short-haul flight to connect to a longer flight, i.e. EWR-ORD-NRT or NRT-ORD-EWR
Arrival: The airport you arrive at after your long-haul flight, i.e. EWR-ORD-NRT
Hours- 4:30a - 10:45p
*Currently it appears that any departing international flight on an *A partner qualifies (except AC operated transborder flights ), but only United flights with the premium cabin class listed as 'Polaris Business' or 'Polaris First' will qualify for entrance after arriving off a United Polaris flight.
UA premium cabin flights not marketed as Polaris, such as Domestic First or International Business (Canada, Mexico, Caribbean ... ) are not eligible for Polaris lounge access.
Similar / Related Threads:
Polaris Lounge Roadmap 2017-2018 (wiki) (thread)
IAD Polaris lounge -- Reviews, Experiences, Q&A, ...
ORD Polaris lounge -- Reviews, Experiences, Q&A, ...
IAH Polaris lounge (E11/12 - top fl) -- Reviews, Experiences, Q&A, ...
SFO Polaris Lounge -- Reviews, Experiences, Q&A, ...
LAX Polaris Lounge -- Reviews, Experiences, Q&A, ...
United Polaris-New Business Class seats & inflight service and new Polaris Lounges(wiki) (thread)}
Consolidated "Polaris Lounge Access Questions" Thread
Status of new permanent EWR United Clubs?
update 29 Sept 2017, effective 1 Oct, 2017

Departure: The airport you are leaving on an international J/F flight* from, i.e. EWR-ORD-NRT
Connecting: The airport to or from which you have a short-haul flight to connect to a longer flight, i.e. EWR-ORD-NRT or NRT-ORD-EWR
Arrival: The airport you arrive at after your long-haul flight, i.e. EWR-ORD-NRT
Hours- 4:30a - 10:45p
*Currently it appears that any departing international flight on an *A partner qualifies (except AC operated transborder flights ), but only United flights with the premium cabin class listed as 'Polaris Business' or 'Polaris First' will qualify for entrance after arriving off a United Polaris flight.
UA premium cabin flights not marketed as Polaris, such as Domestic First or International Business (Canada, Mexico, Caribbean ... ) are not eligible for Polaris lounge access.
Similar / Related Threads:
Polaris Lounge Roadmap 2017-2018 (wiki) (thread)
IAD Polaris lounge -- Reviews, Experiences, Q&A, ...
ORD Polaris lounge -- Reviews, Experiences, Q&A, ...
IAH Polaris lounge (E11/12 - top fl) -- Reviews, Experiences, Q&A, ...
SFO Polaris Lounge -- Reviews, Experiences, Q&A, ...
LAX Polaris Lounge -- Reviews, Experiences, Q&A, ...
United Polaris-New Business Class seats & inflight service and new Polaris Lounges(wiki) (thread)}
Consolidated "Polaris Lounge Access Questions" Thread
Status of new permanent EWR United Clubs?
EWR Polaris lounge -- Reviews, Experiences, Q&A, ..
#451
Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: Los Angeles, CA
Programs: UA 1K 1MMer & LT UC (when flying UA); Hyatt Credit Cardist; HHonors Diamond; Marriott Gold via UA 1K
Posts: 6,815
It was nearly empty on September 8 from about 7:00am-9:30am. The flip side is that I had to wait nearly 15 minutes for someone to appear to seat me, despite the dining room being empty (save for 2 people who left while I was waiting). I inquired with the bartender, who was clueless. This was at about 7:45am. After I showered At least the food arrived very quickly, and was worth the wait.
#452
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: NYC
Posts: 25,894
Arrived a little after 8pm on a recent Saturday night. Lounge was not overly crowded although they were taking names for dining despite empty tables due to staffing apparently. Was told 30 minutes but it was closer to 20. I just wanted to try the burger - it was a bit slow coming out but overall decent. Would be better with bacon. 
My main complaint is that there were dirty dishes piled up EVERYWHERE. And a few staff members in the back by the coffee machines, who may or may not have been on break, gossiping and playing on their phones.

My main complaint is that there were dirty dishes piled up EVERYWHERE. And a few staff members in the back by the coffee machines, who may or may not have been on break, gossiping and playing on their phones.
#453
Join Date: Jul 2012
Location: ORD / PHX
Programs: UA LT 1K 3MM (former 12 yr GS), Bonvoy Amb/LT Plat
Posts: 1,090
#458
Join Date: Nov 2017
Location: New York City
Programs: UA GS 1MM
Posts: 268
#459
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: DEN, or so it says...
Programs: UA1K/RCC, Avis CHM, NWA Plat, SPG Plat
Posts: 2,853
An employee at the lounge must have read these reviews and said... hold my beer.
Got in around 8:15PM and asked to be put on the list for dinner. Sat at the table in front of the attendant, as I was told it would only be a few minutes.
Noticed other people were getting seated, so after 15 min, went back up to the attendant. She said she had been paging me and since I didnt respond, I was taken off the list.
She seated me within a few minutes.
Waited for a while and my order was taken at 8:50PM. My food showed up at 9:35PM. I was told the kitchen staff "had forgotten about it".
Afterwards, I went over to the main entrance area and before leaving, turned around since I had forgotten something. The guy sitting behind the desk yelled at me and said he needed to check me in, "since he hadn't seen me before". I told him I was already checked in and needed to retrieve something I forgot. He demanded I checked in with him since that was protocol... I showed him my boarding pass, and then he claimed I was breaching protocol and he was going to deny me access, and call the police. I went to retrieve my item anyways as he was yelling at me, and then left...
I seriously don't understand what's up with this place, especially compared to the experience I have had at some of the other lounges.
Got in around 8:15PM and asked to be put on the list for dinner. Sat at the table in front of the attendant, as I was told it would only be a few minutes.
Noticed other people were getting seated, so after 15 min, went back up to the attendant. She said she had been paging me and since I didnt respond, I was taken off the list.
She seated me within a few minutes.
Waited for a while and my order was taken at 8:50PM. My food showed up at 9:35PM. I was told the kitchen staff "had forgotten about it".
Afterwards, I went over to the main entrance area and before leaving, turned around since I had forgotten something. The guy sitting behind the desk yelled at me and said he needed to check me in, "since he hadn't seen me before". I told him I was already checked in and needed to retrieve something I forgot. He demanded I checked in with him since that was protocol... I showed him my boarding pass, and then he claimed I was breaching protocol and he was going to deny me access, and call the police. I went to retrieve my item anyways as he was yelling at me, and then left...
I seriously don't understand what's up with this place, especially compared to the experience I have had at some of the other lounges.
#460
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: SAN
Programs: UA 1MM/1K, HH Diamond
Posts: 6,623
An employee at the lounge must have read these reviews and said... hold my beer.
Got in around 8:15PM and asked to be put on the list for dinner. Sat at the table in front of the attendant, as I was told it would only be a few minutes.
Noticed other people were getting seated, so after 15 min, went back up to the attendant. She said she had been paging me and since I didnt respond, I was taken off the list.
She seated me within a few minutes.
Waited for a while and my order was taken at 8:50PM. My food showed up at 9:35PM. I was told the kitchen staff "had forgotten about it".
Afterwards, I went over to the main entrance area and before leaving, turned around since I had forgotten something. The guy sitting behind the desk yelled at me and said he needed to check me in, "since he hadn't seen me before". I told him I was already checked in and needed to retrieve something I forgot. He demanded I checked in with him since that was protocol... I showed him my boarding pass, and then he claimed I was breaching protocol and he was going to deny me access, and call the police. I went to retrieve my item anyways as he was yelling at me, and then left...
I seriously don't understand what's up with this place, especially compared to the experience I have had at some of the other lounges.
Got in around 8:15PM and asked to be put on the list for dinner. Sat at the table in front of the attendant, as I was told it would only be a few minutes.
Noticed other people were getting seated, so after 15 min, went back up to the attendant. She said she had been paging me and since I didnt respond, I was taken off the list.
She seated me within a few minutes.
Waited for a while and my order was taken at 8:50PM. My food showed up at 9:35PM. I was told the kitchen staff "had forgotten about it".
Afterwards, I went over to the main entrance area and before leaving, turned around since I had forgotten something. The guy sitting behind the desk yelled at me and said he needed to check me in, "since he hadn't seen me before". I told him I was already checked in and needed to retrieve something I forgot. He demanded I checked in with him since that was protocol... I showed him my boarding pass, and then he claimed I was breaching protocol and he was going to deny me access, and call the police. I went to retrieve my item anyways as he was yelling at me, and then left...
I seriously don't understand what's up with this place, especially compared to the experience I have had at some of the other lounges.
#462
Join Date: May 2010
Location: AVP & PEK
Programs: UA 1K 1.7MM, AVIS PC
Posts: 4,863
#463
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: LAX/TPE
Programs: United 1K, JAL Sapphire, SPG Lifetime Platinum, National Executive Elite, Hertz PC, Avis PC
Posts: 39,696
An employee at the lounge must have read these reviews and said... hold my beer.
Got in around 8:15PM and asked to be put on the list for dinner. Sat at the table in front of the attendant, as I was told it would only be a few minutes.
Noticed other people were getting seated, so after 15 min, went back up to the attendant. She said she had been paging me and since I didnt respond, I was taken off the list.
She seated me within a few minutes.
Waited for a while and my order was taken at 8:50PM. My food showed up at 9:35PM. I was told the kitchen staff "had forgotten about it".
Afterwards, I went over to the main entrance area and before leaving, turned around since I had forgotten something. The guy sitting behind the desk yelled at me and said he needed to check me in, "since he hadn't seen me before". I told him I was already checked in and needed to retrieve something I forgot. He demanded I checked in with him since that was protocol... I showed him my boarding pass, and then he claimed I was breaching protocol and he was going to deny me access, and call the police. I went to retrieve my item anyways as he was yelling at me, and then left...
I seriously don't understand what's up with this place, especially compared to the experience I have had at some of the other lounges.
Got in around 8:15PM and asked to be put on the list for dinner. Sat at the table in front of the attendant, as I was told it would only be a few minutes.
Noticed other people were getting seated, so after 15 min, went back up to the attendant. She said she had been paging me and since I didnt respond, I was taken off the list.
She seated me within a few minutes.
Waited for a while and my order was taken at 8:50PM. My food showed up at 9:35PM. I was told the kitchen staff "had forgotten about it".
Afterwards, I went over to the main entrance area and before leaving, turned around since I had forgotten something. The guy sitting behind the desk yelled at me and said he needed to check me in, "since he hadn't seen me before". I told him I was already checked in and needed to retrieve something I forgot. He demanded I checked in with him since that was protocol... I showed him my boarding pass, and then he claimed I was breaching protocol and he was going to deny me access, and call the police. I went to retrieve my item anyways as he was yelling at me, and then left...
I seriously don't understand what's up with this place, especially compared to the experience I have had at some of the other lounges.
#464
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: NYC, FLL
Programs: UA 1K MM, Marriott Bonvoy LTTE, BA Silver
Posts: 5,596
An employee at the lounge must have read these reviews and said... hold my beer.
Got in around 8:15PM and asked to be put on the list for dinner. Sat at the table in front of the attendant, as I was told it would only be a few minutes.
Noticed other people were getting seated, so after 15 min, went back up to the attendant. She said she had been paging me and since I didnt respond, I was taken off the list.
She seated me within a few minutes.
Waited for a while and my order was taken at 8:50PM. My food showed up at 9:35PM. I was told the kitchen staff "had forgotten about it".
Afterwards, I went over to the main entrance area and before leaving, turned around since I had forgotten something. The guy sitting behind the desk yelled at me and said he needed to check me in, "since he hadn't seen me before". I told him I was already checked in and needed to retrieve something I forgot. He demanded I checked in with him since that was protocol... I showed him my boarding pass, and then he claimed I was breaching protocol and he was going to deny me access, and call the police. I went to retrieve my item anyways as he was yelling at me, and then left...
I seriously don't understand what's up with this place, especially compared to the experience I have had at some of the other lounges.
Got in around 8:15PM and asked to be put on the list for dinner. Sat at the table in front of the attendant, as I was told it would only be a few minutes.
Noticed other people were getting seated, so after 15 min, went back up to the attendant. She said she had been paging me and since I didnt respond, I was taken off the list.
She seated me within a few minutes.
Waited for a while and my order was taken at 8:50PM. My food showed up at 9:35PM. I was told the kitchen staff "had forgotten about it".
Afterwards, I went over to the main entrance area and before leaving, turned around since I had forgotten something. The guy sitting behind the desk yelled at me and said he needed to check me in, "since he hadn't seen me before". I told him I was already checked in and needed to retrieve something I forgot. He demanded I checked in with him since that was protocol... I showed him my boarding pass, and then he claimed I was breaching protocol and he was going to deny me access, and call the police. I went to retrieve my item anyways as he was yelling at me, and then left...
I seriously don't understand what's up with this place, especially compared to the experience I have had at some of the other lounges.
My experiences:
- No warm or friendly greeting. They expect everyone, regardless of age or if they are a first-timer, to intuitively scan their own boarding pass, after which they delightedly snap "Passport!"
- I had one (decent) staff member come up to 3 of us queued up in the back for agent assistance with rebookings - she sent us to the front desk to speed things up where those staff, all three of them, looked perplexed and sent us back "we can't help you".
- I had a 3 hour flight delay and asked on the way out of the PL if they could help with the LH connection at the other end, which was met with a firm "no" (and nothing else).
I find at the EWR PL, you have to help yourself. Sit at the restaurant, order food, but then go get your own drink (or two) to speed things along, grab 2-3 waters from the self-serve fridge. Find a good bartender and stick with them; try to interact one or two staff at most, and get out.
#465
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: NYC
Posts: 25,894
To be fair, the front desk agents are probably accustomed to people trying all sorts of tricks to get in. I was once sitting near the entrance desk of a Delta lounge (at JFK) and they were literally turning away half the people who tried to come in. Mostly domestic or short-haul first/business class tickets. The PL prob has to deal with that as well as UA club members, *Gold passengers, and domestic Polaris pax. So maybe that pushes them over the edge vs the DL agents who turned away every other pax without being jerks about it.