Last edit by: WineCountryUA
The Polaris Lounge is United's Business class lounge for passengers in premium cabins on long-haul flights only. It is separate from the United Club locations and the arrivals lounge in SFO.
Currently there are PLs in EWR, IAD, IAH, LAX, ORD, and SFO.
Quick Guide to "Do I get access?"
Are you in Polaris (Business) class on a long-haul United metal flight to/from Asia, Australia, Europe, Africa, French Polynesia, or one of these South American countries: Argentina, Brazil, Chile, and Peru?
Are you in Business/First class on a long-haul *A partner metal flight to/from Asia, Australia, New Zealand, Europe, Africa, Middle East, or one of these South American countries: Argentina, Brazil, Chile, and Peru?
Are you on a United or partner short-haul international flight to/from Guam, Canada, Mexico, Caribbean, Central America, Colombia, or Ecuador?
Are you in Premium Economy, Economy Plus, or Economy on any flight?
Are you on a United domestic flight, including P.S. flights EWR-LAX, EWR-SFO, BOS-SFO?
Can I get access through status, membership, one-time pass, or any other method?
More info
UA website outlining access for Polaris Lounge access
Photo ID required?There have been numerous reports from all Polaris Lounges of a photo ID being requested upon entry. Apparently, there have been some attempts to enter the PL with another person's BP (such as a traveling companion's).Recently there are reports that only a passport (not driver's license) is accepted at some lounges. More recent reports are UA has dropped the passport id requirement
Related Threads:
Polaris Lounge Roadmap 2017-2018 (wiki) (thread)
ORD Polaris lounge -- Reviews, Experiences, Q&A, ..
SFO Polaris Lounge -- Reviews, Experiences, Q&A, ..
EWR Polaris lounge -- Reviews, Experiences, Q&A, ..
IAH Polaris lounge (E11/12 - top fl) -- Reviews, Experiences, Q&A, ...
LAX Polaris Lounge -- Reviews, Experiences, Q&A, ..
IAD Polaris Lounge -- Reviews, Experiences, Q&A, ..
United Polaris-New Business Class seats & in-flight service and new Polaris Lounges(wiki) (thread)}
Consolidated "United Club Access Questions" Thread
Archive: Consolidated "Polaris Lounge Access Questions" Thread {Archive}
Currently there are PLs in EWR, IAD, IAH, LAX, ORD, and SFO.
Quick Guide to "Do I get access?"
Are you in Polaris (Business) class on a long-haul United metal flight to/from Asia, Australia, Europe, Africa, French Polynesia, or one of these South American countries: Argentina, Brazil, Chile, and Peru?
- You get access at all airports the same-day. It does not matter if your flights are on the same ticket or same cabin.
- "Same-day" is ambiguous and is interpreted differently by different agents with respect to itineraries that include an overnight connection. YMMV and this thread has examples both ways.
- No guests. Unless on F on a partner.
- Though not stated by United, includes AKL (Auckland, New Zealand) when service begins.
- Examples:
- EWR-SFO-NRT, if SFO-NRT is on UA you get access in EWR and SFO
- NRT-SFO-EWR, if NRT-SFO is on UA you get access in SFO and EWR, even if SFO-EWR is a separate Y ticket.
Are you in Business/First class on a long-haul *A partner metal flight to/from Asia, Australia, New Zealand, Europe, Africa, Middle East, or one of these South American countries: Argentina, Brazil, Chile, and Peru?
- You get access only at the airport where the long-haul flight departs.
- At other airports along your route, you may have access to the United Club or other *A lounges. See here: Consolidated "United Club Access Questions" Thread
- Though not on United's stated list, access includes long-haul partner flights to Africa, Middle East, New Zealand, etc.
- Guests: First Class (on flights with both First and Business cabins) only: you can bring 1 guest. Business class 0 guests.
- Examples:
- EWR-SFO-NRT, if SFO-NRT is on NH you get access only in SFO, not at EWR
- NRT-SFO-EWR, if NRT-SFO is on NH you don't get any Polaris Lounge access because there is no Polaris Lounge in NRT, and you aren't eligible for SFO or EWR.
Are you on a United or partner short-haul international flight to/from Guam, Canada, Mexico, Caribbean, Central America, Colombia, or Ecuador?
- You do not get access to the Polaris Lounge. However, you may qualify for access to the United Club. See here: Consolidated "United Club Access Questions" Thread
Are you in Premium Economy, Economy Plus, or Economy on any flight?
- You do not get access, unless you are connecting to/from a flight that gets access as described above.
Are you on a United domestic flight, including P.S. flights EWR-LAX, EWR-SFO, BOS-SFO?
- You do not get access to the Polaris Lounge, even if you're flying in First on a wide-body plane with lie-flat "Polaris" style seats, unless you are connecting to/from a flight that gets access as described above.
Can I get access through status, membership, one-time pass, or any other method?
- No.
Reports indicate that most PL's require a passport in addition to boarding pass for access. Somelocations may accept other forms of ID (driver's license, etc.). This appears to be a response to possible fraudulent attempts at access (e.g., double printing BPs for friends).
- Only those departing on a *A airline in long-haul Int'l First on a plane w/ First and Business classes has guesting privileges. One guest only, and that guest must be departing on same flight, in any class..
- Those in Polaris or qualifying International Business cannot guest another passenger.
If you are in an old Global First seat in United Polaris class, you cannot guest another passenger.No longer relevant
More info
UA website outlining access for Polaris Lounge access
Photo ID required?There have been numerous reports from all Polaris Lounges of a photo ID being requested upon entry. Apparently, there have been some attempts to enter the PL with another person's BP (such as a traveling companion's).
Related Threads:
ORD Polaris lounge -- Reviews, Experiences, Q&A, ..
SFO Polaris Lounge -- Reviews, Experiences, Q&A, ..
EWR Polaris lounge -- Reviews, Experiences, Q&A, ..
IAH Polaris lounge (E11/12 - top fl) -- Reviews, Experiences, Q&A, ...
LAX Polaris Lounge -- Reviews, Experiences, Q&A, ..
IAD Polaris Lounge -- Reviews, Experiences, Q&A, ..
Consolidated "United Club Access Questions" Thread
Archive: Consolidated "Polaris Lounge Access Questions" Thread {Archive}
Consolidated "Polaris Lounge Access Questions" Thread
#406
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: IAH/EWR-LGA/MIA
Programs: UA Global Services 3.2 MM, Marriott Bonvoy Lifetime Titanium Elite, AA Exec Plat
Posts: 2,480
The wiki is out of date. I just took a look, though, and couldn't decide how to update it. The exact rules aren't that clear to me, but they are definitely different than what they were (wiki reflects what they were).
I've gotten in with your scenario and been rejected with the same. My usual approach currently is to scan the Polaris BP, wait for the now-typical "where are you going??" question, and then fan out my BPs showing the separately-ticketed routing. Sometimes the agent will write a note adding access for me at all the airports. Not sure if this will match others' experiences, but this has typically worked for me in SFO, LAX and ORD, but not worked for me at EWR. There, I didn't get rejected out of hand, but after a bit of typing and clicking the agent settled on a flat no.
I've gotten in with your scenario and been rejected with the same. My usual approach currently is to scan the Polaris BP, wait for the now-typical "where are you going??" question, and then fan out my BPs showing the separately-ticketed routing. Sometimes the agent will write a note adding access for me at all the airports. Not sure if this will match others' experiences, but this has typically worked for me in SFO, LAX and ORD, but not worked for me at EWR. There, I didn't get rejected out of hand, but after a bit of typing and clicking the agent settled on a flat no.
#407
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: NYC
Programs: UA-1K MM, AA-Gold, DL-Silver, AS-MVP
Posts: 2,498
Probably, I had same PNR for BRU-ORD-EWR and accessed both ORD and EWR Polaris lounges with no issues.
#408
Join Date: May 2006
Location: New to BWI as of 2021; say hi if you're in the area!
Programs: UA GS
Posts: 419
That's interesting, so it was the scanner that denied you admission rather than an interpretation by the agent of "eligible same-day itinerary". If that is indeed the current scanner policy, it seems like a change from the Wiki and some earlier posts indicating admission is permitted at the final destination PL even with a different (non-Polaris-linked) same-day connecting itinerary to the final destination.
BTW the separate SFO-EWR ticket in my case was a paid business class ticket. I suppose one might think that if they were going to overrule the scanner that would be the kind of scenario that might trigger it. But no dice.
Last edited by WineCountryUA; Sep 6, 2023 at 6:08 pm Reason: merged update by same member
#409
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2015
Posts: 11,359
Yes, exactly. (+1 to the others saying same.) No issue with same-record AAA-BBB-EWR at EWR.
#410
Join Date: Jun 2012
Posts: 3,345
Yeah that should be no issue -- I've had SIN-SFO-EWR before, all on the same PNR, and had no trouble accessing the EWR PL.
Yep the scanner initially said no, and when I questioned it because it was the same calendar day, I got the explanation above about how EWR wasn't part of the Polaris itinerary and so therefore no access.
BTW the separate SFO-EWR ticket in my case was a paid business class ticket. I suppose one might think that if they were going to overrule the scanner that would be the kind of scenario that might trigger it. But no dice.
Yep the scanner initially said no, and when I questioned it because it was the same calendar day, I got the explanation above about how EWR wasn't part of the Polaris itinerary and so therefore no access.
BTW the separate SFO-EWR ticket in my case was a paid business class ticket. I suppose one might think that if they were going to overrule the scanner that would be the kind of scenario that might trigger it. But no dice.
Polaris access (and united business for UC) still allows on arrival access (but the UA *G new language might not???), wonder why.
Seems like UA is forcing everything to be on a single PNR for revenue purposes, not overcrowding unlike Delta
#411
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: BOS/EAP
Programs: UA 1K, MR LTT, HH Dia, Amex Plat
Posts: 31,845
*G has always been departure lounge access only. Nothing new ... no arrival access. There is no *A access arriving in business or first either ... airlines may allow that for their OWN lounges, but not a *A benefit
#412
Join Date: Jun 2014
Programs: UA MM
Posts: 4,066
For *A Gold (non UA), the wording is distinctly different and much clearer. You can access the UC at the departure airport of your *A flight. In other words, if a *A Gold member, via Miles and More, can access the ORD UC if he or she is flying on AC, UA, LH, etc. from ORD to YYZ, EWR, or MUC, just to name three out of hundreds.
#413
Join Date: Jun 2012
Posts: 3,345
Don't want to go too far off topic(see the UC access thread)
Earlier this year UA*G had arrival access to UC, now it's unclear (and most likely no).
A valid Star Alliance Gold membership card and a same-day boarding pass for travel on an internationalfootnote1 flight operated by a Star Alliance member airline are needed to access United Club locations at departure, during connections and upon arrivalfootnote3 along the eligible same-day itinerary
A valid Star Alliance Gold membership card and a same-day boarding pass for travel on an internationalfootnote1 flight operated by a Star Alliance member airline are needed to access United Club locations at the departure airport of their international itinerary
#414
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: Honolulu Harbor
Programs: UA 1K
Posts: 14,925
Yeah that should be no issue -- I've had SIN-SFO-EWR before, all on the same PNR, and had no trouble accessing the EWR PL.
Yep the scanner initially said no, and when I questioned it because it was the same calendar day, I got the explanation above about how EWR wasn't part of the Polaris itinerary and so therefore no access.
BTW the separate SFO-EWR ticket in my case was a paid business class ticket. I suppose one might think that if they were going to overrule the scanner that would be the kind of scenario that might trigger it. But no dice.
Yep the scanner initially said no, and when I questioned it because it was the same calendar day, I got the explanation above about how EWR wasn't part of the Polaris itinerary and so therefore no access.
BTW the separate SFO-EWR ticket in my case was a paid business class ticket. I suppose one might think that if they were going to overrule the scanner that would be the kind of scenario that might trigger it. But no dice.
Last edited by IAH-OIL-TRASH; Sep 7, 2023 at 11:45 pm
#415
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: IAH/EWR-LGA/MIA
Programs: UA Global Services 3.2 MM, Marriott Bonvoy Lifetime Titanium Elite, AA Exec Plat
Posts: 2,480
In any event, it seems to me that if access is to be denied on the basis of a separate PNR, then UA could just as easily deny access at SFO on the basis that the Polaris-eligible same-day PNR terminates at SFO with no onward airside access. But there are no reports (yet) of UA doing this. Personally, I don't see a very principled distinction between allowing access at SFO based on a different PNR, but not at EWR.
Last edited by st530; Sep 7, 2023 at 11:27 am
#416
Join Date: Jan 2005
Programs: SQ, QF, UA, CO, DL
Posts: 2,851
The wiki is out of date. I just took a look, though, and couldn't decide how to update it. The exact rules aren't that clear to me, but they are definitely different than what they were (wiki reflects what they were).
I've gotten in with your scenario and been rejected with the same. My usual approach currently is to scan the Polaris BP, wait for the now-typical "where are you going??" question, and then fan out my BPs showing the separately-ticketed routing. Sometimes the agent will write a note adding access for me at all the airports. Not sure if this will match others' experiences, but this has typically worked for me in SFO, LAX and ORD, but not worked for me at EWR. There, I didn't get rejected out of hand, but after a bit of typing and clicking the agent settled on a flat no.
I've gotten in with your scenario and been rejected with the same. My usual approach currently is to scan the Polaris BP, wait for the now-typical "where are you going??" question, and then fan out my BPs showing the separately-ticketed routing. Sometimes the agent will write a note adding access for me at all the airports. Not sure if this will match others' experiences, but this has typically worked for me in SFO, LAX and ORD, but not worked for me at EWR. There, I didn't get rejected out of hand, but after a bit of typing and clicking the agent settled on a flat no.
At IAD the conversation goes like this: "you're flying to EWR and connecting to Europe. But the leg to EWR is the connection from yesterday's flight from HND so you can't come in, it's completely against the rules." No finesse in handling it whatsoever but I'm a big boy. Hardly the worst news I can get in a day.
Well, a good travel agent can issue the ticket this way, and maybe you can do it on united.com as well as multiple cities. I know everyone has their preferences, but after international travel a Polaris lounge is about the last place I want to be.
#417
Join Date: Jul 2015
Location: San Francisco
Programs: UA MM Plat, UA 1MM, Hilton Lifetime Gold, Marriott Gold, Hertz Gold, CLEAR, AS MVP Gold
Posts: 3,606
Example: I am booked Polaris SFO-EWR-FCO -EWR-SFO all on same PNR and I suspect I will get access to the PL @ SFO and EWR both direction (although I doubt I will use SFO on arrival). My friend is flying SFO-EWR-FCO BUT SFO-EWR is exactly what you said, a "cheap" E+ ticket and I BELIEVE on a separate PNR although both flights booked together. The EWR to FCO flight is Polaris so I suspect she will only get PL access in EWR, am I wrong?
#418
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: IAH/EWR-LGA/MIA
Programs: UA Global Services 3.2 MM, Marriott Bonvoy Lifetime Titanium Elite, AA Exec Plat
Posts: 2,480
Example: I am booked Polaris SFO-EWR-FCO -EWR-SFO all on same PNR and I suspect I will get access to the PL @ SFO and EWR both direction (although I doubt I will use SFO on arrival). My friend is flying SFO-EWR-FCO BUT SFO-EWR is exactly what you said, a "cheap" E+ ticket and I BELIEVE on a separate PNR although both flights booked together. The EWR to FCO flight is Polaris so I suspect she will only get PL access in EWR, am I wrong?
#419
Join Date: Dec 2019
Location: Chicago
Programs: AA Gold
Posts: 545
Example: I am booked Polaris SFO-EWR-FCO -EWR-SFO all on same PNR and I suspect I will get access to the PL @ SFO and EWR both direction (although I doubt I will use SFO on arrival). My friend is flying SFO-EWR-FCO BUT SFO-EWR is exactly what you said, a "cheap" E+ ticket and I BELIEVE on a separate PNR although both flights booked together. The EWR to FCO flight is Polaris so I suspect she will only get PL access in EWR, am I wrong?
I went to UC at LAX first and was directed to (and allowed into) Polaris. Also allowed into UC@LAS. And ofc no issues into Polaris at ORD and IAD.
#420
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: IAH/EWR-LGA/MIA
Programs: UA Global Services 3.2 MM, Marriott Bonvoy Lifetime Titanium Elite, AA Exec Plat
Posts: 2,480
I've done LAX-LAS-ORD in J (CPU'd) and ORD-IAD-BRU in J (PP applied) on separate tickets/PNRs where LAX departed 6pm and landed at ORD around 5am the next day. ORD departed at 9am and IAD at 6pm.
I went to UC at LAX first and was directed to (and allowed into) Polaris. Also allowed into UC@LAS. And ofc no issues into Polaris at ORD and IAD.
I went to UC at LAX first and was directed to (and allowed into) Polaris. Also allowed into UC@LAS. And ofc no issues into Polaris at ORD and IAD.