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Old Jul 25, 2018, 12:08 pm
FlyerTalk Forums Expert How-Tos and Guides
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)}

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Old Sep 16, 2023, 3:31 pm
  #436  
 
Join Date: Jan 2009
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Originally Posted by MileTrek
I am in agreement with the policy but the reasoning seems a bit unclear to me. Aren't agents able to link separate tickets? What would've happened if you asked an agent at the IAH PL to link your PNRs. Curious if this has anything to do with an earlier post about your domestic BP saying "INTL" on it. I've had agents at the IAD UC do this for me when arriving on LH and connecting on a separate UA ticket
Interesting, maybe that’s why the agent printed my IAH-EWR BP — to see if it had INTL on it. I didn’t think to ask at IAH to link PNRs. To be candid, I only went through the process so I could report back here — no way in heck I would normally wanna hang out in the EWR PL on arrival (unless I had to kill time for some reason).
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Old Sep 16, 2023, 4:12 pm
  #437  
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Originally Posted by MileTrek
... . Aren't agents able to link separate tickets? ....
No, no such mechanism exists (other then to interline bags)

Originally Posted by st530
Interesting, maybe that’s why the agent printed my IAH-EWR BP — to see if it had INTL on it. I didn’t think to ask at IAH to link PNRs. ....
see above
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Old Sep 16, 2023, 9:34 pm
  #438  
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Originally Posted by MileTrek (Post # 1972)
Aren't agents able to link separate tickets? What would've happened if you asked an agent at the IAH PL to link your PNRs. Curious if this has anything to do with an earlier post about your domestic BP saying "INTL" on it. I've had agents at the IAD UC do this for me when arriving on LH and connecting on a separate UA ticket
Originally Posted by WineCountryUA (Post # 1975)
No, no such mechanism exists (other than to interline bags)
Exactly. So-called "linking" is merely an annotation by an agent in the Remarks (REM) field with the other passenger name record (PNR) record locator (confirmation number). There is nothing automatic about it, and the REM will only be seen if another agent looks at the PNR manually, such as during IRROPS.

The two PNRs are not and cannot be combined.
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Old Sep 17, 2023, 3:56 pm
  #439  
 
Join Date: Aug 2023
Location: EWR
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I'm flying EWR-IAD-HND. EWR-IAD segment is Economy, IAD-HND is Polaris. Do I have any Club access in EWR?
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Old Sep 17, 2023, 4:16 pm
  #440  
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Originally Posted by lostdog3
I'm flying EWR-IAD-HND. EWR-IAD segment is Economy, IAD-HND is Polaris. Do I have any Club access in EWR?
You have Polaris Lounge access at both EWR and IAD
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Old Sep 17, 2023, 4:16 pm
  #441  
 
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Originally Posted by lostdog3
I'm flying EWR-IAD-HND. EWR-IAD segment is Economy, IAD-HND is Polaris. Do I have any Club access in EWR?
Yes, if you have a same day connection on the same reservation (EWR-IAD).
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Old Sep 21, 2023, 11:55 am
  #442  
 
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SFO - EWR - ARN on SK J, do I get access at EWR?
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Old Sep 21, 2023, 11:56 am
  #443  
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Originally Posted by LadyBell
SFO - EWR - ARN on SK J, do I get access at EWR?
Yes
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Old Sep 21, 2023, 11:58 am
  #444  
 
Join Date: May 2012
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Originally Posted by LadyBell
SFO - EWR - ARN on SK J, do I get access at EWR?
Yes. If your SFO-EWR arrives at the brand new Terminal A, you will need to take air-side shuttle to Terminal C for visiting PL. After the visit, take the air-side shuttle to Terminal B.
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Old Sep 21, 2023, 12:07 pm
  #445  
 
Join Date: Dec 2016
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Question
Originally Posted by Kmxu
Yes. If your SFO-EWR arrives at the brand new Terminal A, you will need to take air-side shuttle to Terminal C for visiting PL. After the visit, take the air-side shuttle to Terminal B.
Thank you, I've been thinking about this as it seem to be arriving at terminal B... Alaska Air AS294 . Then a 3hour transit. Will that be enough? From what I understand there seem to be a free shuttle service to get air side from C to B, but not air side from B to C.
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Old Sep 21, 2023, 12:09 pm
  #446  
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Originally Posted by Kmxu
Yes. If your SFO-EWR arrives at the brand new Terminal A, you will need to take air-side shuttle to Terminal C for visiting PL. After the visit, take the air-side shuttle to Terminal B.
Has UA transcon ever arrived/departed in/from A?

Originally Posted by LadyBell
Thank you, I've been thinking about this as it seem to be arriving at terminal B... Alaska Air AS294 . Then a 3hour transit. Will that be enough? From what I understand there seem to be a free shuttle service to get air side from C to B, but not air side from B to C.
Oh, you are on Alaska Air. Airside shuttle bus only goes from C to B, and not the other direction. Most SFO to EWR on AS arrives into concourse 1 of B. There are three concourses in B and none of them are connected airside.

Your best course of action would be:

1) arrives in B
2) take Airtrain to C
3) clear security
4) visit PL
5) get airside bus by gate C71 to B (let the driver know) to catch you SK flight
​​​​​
Last edited by Repooc17; Sep 21, 2023 at 12:15 pm
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Old Sep 21, 2023, 3:19 pm
  #447  
 
Join Date: Nov 2005
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Originally Posted by LadyBell
SFO - EWR - ARN on SK J, do I get access at EWR?
Yes, and only EWR (because your long haul Star Alliance flight is out of EWR; if you were on UA Metal EWR-ARN you would have had Polaris Access in SFO).
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Old Sep 21, 2023, 3:20 pm
  #448  
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Originally Posted by FoxFlyer
Yes, and only EWR (because your long haul Star Alliance flight is out of EWR; if you were on UA Metal EWR-ARN you would have had Polaris Access in SFO).
Even when flying OAL?
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Old Sep 21, 2023, 3:30 pm
  #449  
 
Join Date: Nov 2005
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Originally Posted by Repooc17
Even when flying OAL?
No, my reply states if was on UA Metal from EWR-ARN they would have PL access in SFO.
Because they are are on SK, Star Alliance biz passengers only get PL access at their Long Haul Departure airport - here EWR.
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Old Sep 21, 2023, 3:46 pm
  #450  
 
Join Date: Jul 2005
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Programs: UA-1K MM, AA-Gold, DL-Silver, AS-MVP
Posts: 2,509
Originally Posted by FoxFlyer
No, my reply states if was on UA Metal from EWR-ARN they would have PL access in SFO.
Because they are are on SK, Star Alliance biz passengers only get PL access at their Long Haul Departure airport - here EWR.
OP is flying on AS SFO-EWR. So even if they were flying UA EWR-ARN, still no Polaris access at SFO I would think.
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