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Consolidated "Polaris Lounge Access Questions" Thread

Old Jul 25, 2018, 12:08 pm
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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?
  • 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?
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.
What else do it need for access?
  • Reports indicate that most PL's require a passport in addition to boarding pass for access. Some locations 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).
If eligible for access, who can I guest?
  • 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). 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}

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Consolidated "Polaris Lounge Access Questions" Thread

Old Sep 6, 2023, 3:55 pm
  #406  
 
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Originally Posted by fumje
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.
Thanks for the data points. I assume this has only been an issue at the final airport when there is a separate PNR to the final airport? In other words, AAA-BBB-EWR all on the same PNR should present no issue at EWR?
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Old Sep 6, 2023, 4:38 pm
  #407  
 
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Originally Posted by st530
Thanks for the data points. I assume this has only been an issue at the final airport when there is a separate PNR to the final airport? In other words, AAA-BBB-EWR all on the same PNR should present no issue at EWR?
Probably, I had same PNR for BRU-ORD-EWR and accessed both ORD and EWR Polaris lounges with no issues.
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Old Sep 6, 2023, 6:03 pm
  #408  
 
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Originally Posted by st530
Thanks for the data points. I assume this has only been an issue at the final airport when there is a separate PNR to the final airport? In other words, AAA-BBB-EWR all on the same PNR should present no issue at EWR?
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.

Originally Posted by st530
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.
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.
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Last edited by WineCountryUA; Sep 6, 2023 at 6:08 pm Reason: merged update by same member
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Old Sep 6, 2023, 6:13 pm
  #409  
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Originally Posted by st530
Thanks for the data points. I assume this has only been an issue at the final airport when there is a separate PNR to the final airport? In other words, AAA-BBB-EWR all on the same PNR should present no issue at EWR?
Yes, exactly. (+1 to the others saying same.) No issue with same-record AAA-BBB-EWR at EWR.
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Old Sep 6, 2023, 6:30 pm
  #410  
 
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Originally Posted by autobahnal
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.
This , plus the (yet to be confirmed ) language changes for UA *G lounge access...

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
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Old Sep 6, 2023, 6:48 pm
  #411  
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Originally Posted by paperwastage
Polaris access (and united business for UC) still allows on arrival access (but the UA *G new language might not???), wonder why.
*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
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Old Sep 6, 2023, 7:12 pm
  #412  
 
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Originally Posted by cfischer
*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
The UC access info couldn't be more vague as it's now written. It states for *G, access is available to UC club locations at the departure airport of an international itinerary. So what does "international itinerary" mean? One might reasonably guess that means more than just the UC at the airport where the international flight departs from but why do we have to guess?

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.
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Old Sep 6, 2023, 7:37 pm
  #413  
 
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Originally Posted by cfischer
*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
True, but I meant to refer specifically towards UA*G accessing UC, not nonUA *G or nonUC *G lounge.

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
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Old Sep 6, 2023, 8:29 pm
  #414  
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Originally Posted by autobahnal
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.
I dont have a problem w/ UA doing this. What if SFO-EWR was an economy ticket or cheap P fare to circumvent a higher SIN-SFO-EWR fare? UA probably doesnt want to reward such cleverness.
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Last edited by IAH-OIL-TRASH; Sep 7, 2023 at 11:45 pm
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Old Sep 7, 2023, 10:35 am
  #415  
 
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Originally Posted by IAH-OIL-TRASH
I don’t have a problem w/ UA doing this. What is SFO-EWR was an economy ticket or cheap P fare to circumvent a higher SIN-SFO-EWR fare? UA probably doesn’t want to reward such cleverness.
But a one-size-fits-all approach would also capture scenarios where SFO-EWR on a separate PNR could well be additive to UA's revenue.

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.
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Last edited by st530; Sep 7, 2023 at 11:27 am
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Old Sep 7, 2023, 10:49 am
  #416  
 
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Originally Posted by fumje
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.
Funny, I have never been rejected at EWR but several times at IAD for violating the ever-expanding requirements which I am hearing now as: same calendar day and same itinerary. At EWR they look at the BP, try scanning it and when it does not work say "Like we would not welcome you Mr uanj after your international flight, please come in and enjoy." Honestly a bit surprising. I can fly from Asia to the US to Europe or vv within a 48 hour period so which international leg owns which connecting domestic flights is always a bit of a mystery to me.

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.

Originally Posted by IAH-OIL-TRASH
I dont have a problem w/ UA doing this. What is SFO-EWR was an economy ticket or cheap P fare to circumvent a higher SIN-SFO-EWR fare? UA probably doesnt want to reward such cleverness.
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.
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Old Sep 7, 2023, 1:16 pm
  #417  
 
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Originally Posted by IAH-OIL-TRASH
I don’t have a problem w/ UA doing this. What is SFO-EWR was an economy ticket or cheap P fare to circumvent a higher SIN-SFO-EWR fare? UA probably doesn’t want to reward such cleverness.
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?
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Old Sep 7, 2023, 1:40 pm
  #418  
 
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Originally Posted by nomad420
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?
Let us know how it turns out! Will be a useful data point either way.
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Old Sep 7, 2023, 1:58 pm
  #419  
 
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Originally Posted by nomad420
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?
Originally Posted by st530
Let us know how it turns out! Will be a useful data point either way.
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.
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Old Sep 7, 2023, 11:05 pm
  #420  
 
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Originally Posted by leftysauce
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.
How long ago was this? Most of the separate PNR refusals seem to be relatively recent.
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