Jan 19, 2017, 11:05 pm
Last edit by: WineCountryUA
Source: United Boarding Process
We encourage you to make yourself comfortable while you wait for your group to be called, and we’ll let you know when we’re ready for you to board. Late arriving customers in Groups 1 and 2 are welcome to continue boarding through the blue lane at any time.
* Customers who have purchased a Basic Economy ticket will be in the last boarding group, except for Premier members, Chase Cardmembers of qualifying cards and Star Alliance Gold members, who will still receive their priority boarding.
================================================== ==============================
Pre Sept 2018 process
Pre-Boarding
General boarding (Window Seats, then Middle Seats, then Aisle)
Customers who have purchased a Basic Economy ticket will be in the last boarding group, with the exception of Premier members, Chase Cardmembers of qualifying cards and Star Alliance Gold members, who will still receive their priority boarding.
Note: If you’re traveling with a companion and one of you has a higher boarding status, you both may board with the earlier group.
Note: Self Boarding Gates are being tested at the following gates...
sUA Boarding Times by Aircraft (AFA)
Previous thread: United's Current Boarding Process (with Wiki) [Revised, May 2013]
New changes (effective 18 Sept 2018)
You will see some new boarding lane signs in the gate area that will guide you through the boarding process. There will now be two lanes that are color coded : to begin, Group 1 will board through the blue lane and Group 2 will board through the green lane. The remaining Groups 3-5 will then board through the green lane when called, and Groups 1 and 2 can continue to board through the blue lane .We encourage you to make yourself comfortable while you wait for your group to be called, and we’ll let you know when we’re ready for you to board. Late arriving customers in Groups 1 and 2 are welcome to continue boarding through the blue lane at any time.
Boarding groups
Pre-boarding
- Unaccompanied minors
- Customers with disabilities
- Active members of the military
- United Global Services® members
- Families traveling with children age 2 and younger
- Premier® 1K® members
Group 1
- Premier Platinum members
- Premier Gold members
- Star Alliance™ Gold members
- Customers seated in premium cabins: United Polaris®, United First® and United Business®
Group 2
- Premier Silver members
- Star Alliance Silver members
- Customers who have purchased Premier Access® or Priority Boarding
- United℠ Explorer, Club, Presidential Plus℠ and Awards Cardmembers
Groups 3 – 5
- Economy Plus®
- United Economy®
- Basic Economy*
* Customers who have purchased a Basic Economy ticket will be in the last boarding group, except for Premier members, Chase Cardmembers of qualifying cards and Star Alliance Gold members, who will still receive their priority boarding.
Pre Sept 2018 process
Pre-Boarding
- Unaccompanied minors
- Customers with disabilities
- Uniformed members of the U.S. military
- Families traveling with children age two and younger
- United Global Services® members
- Group 1: Premier 1K, Premier Platinum, Business/Polaris Business, and First/Polaris First.
- Group 2: Premier Gold, Star Gold, Premier Silver, Star Silver, MileagePlus Presidential Plus, Club, Explorer and Awards, purchased Premier Access
General boarding (Window Seats, then Middle Seats, then Aisle)
- Group 3 - Window Seats
- Group 4 - Middle & Aisle Seats (Aisle Seats on UA Express)
- Group 5 - Basic Economy
Customers who have purchased a Basic Economy ticket will be in the last boarding group, with the exception of Premier members, Chase Cardmembers of qualifying cards and Star Alliance Gold members, who will still receive their priority boarding.
Note: If you’re traveling with a companion and one of you has a higher boarding status, you both may board with the earlier group.
Note: Self Boarding Gates are being tested at the following gates...
- IAH - Gate C25/C26 - See Post 2960, Includes YouTube video from CO777DAL
- IAH - Gate E4 - Old test from pmCO days, See Thread Here
- BOS - Self boarding gates are now back in *LIMITED* use at least at gates B25 and B26
sUA Boarding Times by Aircraft (AFA)
Previous thread: United's Current Boarding Process (with Wiki) [Revised, May 2013]
United's Current Boarding Process (with Wiki) [2016-forward]{Archive}
Feb 6, 2019, 1:49 pm
#2461
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2014
Location: MSP
Programs: DL PM, UA Gold, WN, Global Entry; +others wherever miles/points are found
Posts: 14,414
Had a surprisingly orderly boarding of a 772 out of IAD C1. I joined what was pretty obviously the 1K/GS "line" hovering near the podium, and the GS stepped out to board when called, followed by 1Ks when called. It worked well, but at the end of the day felt identical to if they had just given us a darn line.
Feb 6, 2019, 3:48 pm
#2462
Join Date: May 2009
Location: Washington, DC
Programs: UA 1K 1MM, AA, DL
Posts: 7,418
Outside of Hawaii, it's a guy with a rollaboard and a briefcase strapped to it in that position. I.e., a gate louse.
Feb 7, 2019, 3:10 am
#2463
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: where lions are led by donkeys...
Programs: Lifetime Gold, Global Entry, Hertz PC, and my wallet
Posts: 20,343
So at LHR yesterday (LHR-SFO) it was the same as it was before they had the new process. They had the GS tensabarrier line, and the BG1 line - 1Ks were called and put down the BG1 line. No pre-boarding announcement for anyone, military, disabled, families with kids under 75, GS, 1K, nothing.
Feb 7, 2019, 6:02 am
#2464
Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: Chicago IL US
Programs: UA 1K; National Executive Elite; Hertz PC & Hotels Galore
Posts: 946
So at LHR yesterday (LHR-SFO) it was the same as it was before they had the new process. They had the GS tensabarrier line, and the BG1 line - 1Ks were called and put down the BG1 line. No pre-boarding announcement for anyone, military, disabled, families with kids under 75, GS, 1K, nothing.
had very similar experience ex-LHR (see upthread) only we (1K) were all directed to the back of BG1. You should drop 1kvoice a note. Maybe eventually they'll train the passport checkers...
Feb 7, 2019, 2:09 pm
#2465
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: where lions are led by donkeys...
Programs: Lifetime Gold, Global Entry, Hertz PC, and my wallet
Posts: 20,343
ETA: Note sent to 1Kvoice.
Last edited by Silver Fox; Feb 7, 2019 at 2:29 pm
Feb 7, 2019, 2:18 pm
#2466
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: Carmel Valley(was Hawaii)
Programs: United 1K 2.7 MM
Posts: 1,174
When we were in LHR Jan 30th,I told the personnel that we were 1K, and the passport checkers had us stand just behind the GS group, who were cordoned off in a little section. We boarded just behind them. The BG1 line was about 30 people long.....
Feb 7, 2019, 4:29 pm
#2467
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: Lahaina, HI & Los Angeles, CA
Programs: UA GS
Posts: 2,403
When were families with children 2 and under called? Procedure is supposed to be between GS and 1K.
Feb 7, 2019, 6:06 pm
#2468
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: UK
Programs: BA EC gold UA gold—MM Hilton Diamond Hertz Presidents Circle
Posts: 107
So at LHR yesterday (LHR-SFO) it was the same as it was before they had the new process. They had the GS tensabarrier line, and the BG1 line - 1Ks were called and put down the BG1 line. No pre-boarding announcement for anyone, military, disabled, families with kids under 75, GS, 1K, nothing.
We have been through LHR twice since the change and our experience has mirrored yours —- either told to join Group 1 or no pre boarding as “ everyonre seems to have arrived at the same time”—-( much delayed flight to Houston) . Will be interested to learn the response you receive
Feb 7, 2019, 8:26 pm
#2469
Join Date: Feb 2002
Location: NYC: UA 1K, DL Platinum, AAirpass, Avis PC
Posts: 4,599
We have been through LHR twice since the change and our experience has mirrored yours —- either told to join Group 1 or no pre boarding as “ everyonre seems to have arrived at the same time”—-( much delayed flight to Houston) . Will be interested to learn the response you receive
Was waiting for passport check when preboard started . There was a guy with an ipad that said Global Services in front of one chute - looked empty and no one going past that rope.
And a long line for what looked like Group 1 / 2 chute.
While waiting to get into the Group 1 chute they called 1K preboard. I showed a passport checker my BP and asked where to go and he sent us through the empty funnel where the guy with the GS ipad was standing.
No one else in the chute and when we got to the boarding scanner people were flowing through from the long Group 1 / 2 line.
No natural way to flow in since the scanner was across the other lanes but we waited for an ebb and played Frogger.
While seated seems like a number of 1K boarding passes were going up the aisle afterward.
Should have just waited to board last since we got to the gate at an awkward time - it’s intl so bin space not an issue
But the contract agent seemed to know to give 1K priority.
Feb 8, 2019, 12:54 pm
#2470
Join Date: May 2012
Location: Orange County, CA
Programs: United GS, MM, Hyatt Globalist, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 598
Had two completely different experiences yesterday.
PHX-SFO: Pre board as expected. She announced that she had 4 GS members and called us by name to board. However, the first passenger that got to the scanner when GS was called apparently was not a GS. Agent stopped her as she was about to head into the jetbridge and asked her name. She checked the name and informed her that she was not a GS but a 1K. Passenger insisted over and over that she was a GS, and agent politely asked her to wait on the side so that GS passengers could board.
SFO-SNA: Regional jet at gate 84. Two flights boarding at the same time. Gate agent rattled off all the preboard groups for both flights in one sentence and everyone rushed the gate.
PHX-SFO: Pre board as expected. She announced that she had 4 GS members and called us by name to board. However, the first passenger that got to the scanner when GS was called apparently was not a GS. Agent stopped her as she was about to head into the jetbridge and asked her name. She checked the name and informed her that she was not a GS but a 1K. Passenger insisted over and over that she was a GS, and agent politely asked her to wait on the side so that GS passengers could board.
SFO-SNA: Regional jet at gate 84. Two flights boarding at the same time. Gate agent rattled off all the preboard groups for both flights in one sentence and everyone rushed the gate.
Feb 8, 2019, 1:49 pm
#2471
Join Date: May 2009
Location: Washington, DC
Programs: UA 1K 1MM, AA, DL
Posts: 7,418
Feb 8, 2019, 8:44 pm
#2472
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: PHX
Programs: AS 75K; UA 1MM; Hyatt Globalist; Marriott LTP; Hilton Diamond (Aspire)
Posts: 56,455
Feb 11, 2019, 2:03 am
#2473
Join Date: Aug 2001
Location: SFO/SJC
Programs: UA 1K & 2MM, Bonvoy Titanium & LTP, HH Gold, Accor Silver, Hertz PC, Avis PC
Posts: 2,350
SFO-FRA on Saturday, a new process - possibly motivated by the new CBP photos required of each departing passenger. Rows 1-18 (business class on the 77W) were boarded first -- with absolutely no pre-boarding prior to that. It was completely chaotic as well, with 4 lines for the photos, and loads of people just pushing and shoving and cutting through to try and get on board faster (two of the photo devices were having issues). I didn't stick around to see what happened afterwards, but I imagine any GS and 1K's not in business class were none too impressed.
Feb 11, 2019, 3:08 am
#2474
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: where lions are led by donkeys...
Programs: Lifetime Gold, Global Entry, Hertz PC, and my wallet
Posts: 20,343
SFO-FRA on Saturday, a new process - possibly motivated by the new CBP photos required of each departing passenger. Rows 1-18 (business class on the 77W) were boarded first -- with absolutely no pre-boarding prior to that. It was completely chaotic as well, with 4 lines for the photos, and loads of people just pushing and shoving and cutting through to try and get on board faster (two of the photo devices were having issues). I didn't stick around to see what happened afterwards, but I imagine any GS and 1K's not in business class were none too impressed.
Feb 11, 2019, 6:39 am
#2475
Join Date: Aug 2001
Location: SFO/SJC
Programs: UA 1K & 2MM, Bonvoy Titanium & LTP, HH Gold, Accor Silver, Hertz PC, Avis PC
Posts: 2,350
The intent, I believe, is that you just walk up to the (heavily NEC branded) kiosk, your picture is snapped as you walk up, and you move on. No document scanning required, but they tell you that for US citizens, the photo is erased after 14 days, whereas for others it is permanently stored. Apparently the image is being matched to your passport photo - but who knows what's really happening.
Unfortunately it wasn't quite as smooth as that... it was one at a time, from four lines, move forward only when called by the CPB officer. Unless you were a DYKWIA type, of which there were bucketloads, in which case you just barge through the lines and race forward.
Was amusing also to see a few people go through all of this, and then sent back because they weren't in rows 1-18.
Unfortunately it wasn't quite as smooth as that... it was one at a time, from four lines, move forward only when called by the CPB officer. Unless you were a DYKWIA type, of which there were bucketloads, in which case you just barge through the lines and race forward.
Was amusing also to see a few people go through all of this, and then sent back because they weren't in rows 1-18.