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.
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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}
Apr 14, 2019, 8:16 am
#2506
Join Date: Oct 2015
Location: SAN
Programs: 1K (since 2008), *G (since 1990), 1MM
Posts: 3,217
Pre-boarded this week and the lady at the front of Group 1 (who had probably been standing there for half an hour) started screaming that I was cutting the line - so that everyone within 100 feet could hear.
I showed her my boarding pass with the GS designation, but she didn’t seem to care, and turned to the rest of the line and said “Unbelievable, he could have asked to cut in front at least... not even an apology!”
I showed her my boarding pass with the GS designation, but she didn’t seem to care, and turned to the rest of the line and said “Unbelievable, he could have asked to cut in front at least... not even an apology!”
Apr 14, 2019, 9:47 am
#2507
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: Naples - Chicago - Park City
Programs: UA 1K Million Miler, Hyatt Globalist, Hilton Diamond, Marriott Plat, Amex Plat
Posts: 290
I've observed that BG1 often surges forward when they hear the "1" in 1K. It's almost 100% of the time at any Hawaii airport because the first people in line tend to be leisure travelers who bought F tickets for a "trip of a lifetime" and have been standing at the head of the line for a half-hour before boarding starts.
Apr 14, 2019, 9:54 am
#2508
Join Date: Dec 2017
Location: SF Bay Area
Programs: UA GS, AA EXP, Hyatt Globalist, Hilton Diamond, Marriott Platinum, Mlife NOIR
Posts: 320
Actually, the situation was worse than I Initially described it. In fact, it was quite similar to msg75’s experience - not only did the woman’s friends also start jeering at me, but people farther back in group 1 joined in: “How incredibly rude” “Have we lost all our manners?” “Unbelievable”
Also, I did not try to engage w her directly. I just held up my boarding pass in their direction as I walked by and tried my best to avoid eye contact.
I was relieved to see that she was no sitting in F, as that would have made for an unpleasant flight.
Also, I did not try to engage w her directly. I just held up my boarding pass in their direction as I walked by and tried my best to avoid eye contact.
I was relieved to see that she was no sitting in F, as that would have made for an unpleasant flight.
Apr 14, 2019, 10:00 am
#2509
Join Date: Jul 2013
Programs: DYKWIA, But I'm a "Diamond Guest" UA 1K/2MM
Posts: 2,256
Apr 14, 2019, 10:01 am
#2510
Join Date: Dec 2017
Location: SF Bay Area
Programs: UA GS, AA EXP, Hyatt Globalist, Hilton Diamond, Marriott Platinum, Mlife NOIR
Posts: 320
I do think there needs to be a preboard lane for 1K. They have managed to make the lanes down to 2 so remove the lane for BG2. This then frees up the area so disabled, families and GS can easily get to the door. Real challenge in hubs for those who preboard before 1K.
On top of that, before letting GS board, GS agents escorted over an older woman, and let her preboard 10-15 minutes before GS (as they were still cleaning the plane). I believe she was CC.
Apr 14, 2019, 11:29 am
#2511
Join Date: Nov 2012
Programs: BA Bronze, United 1K, HH Gold, SPG Platinum, Marriott Platinum
Posts: 3,477
I was surprised to see that it was totally disorganized for my flight back from FRA. Some 1K passengers were asking where to wait. The agent was totally inept and would not have an answer except to tell those passengers to move away.
Apr 14, 2019, 12:08 pm
#2512
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: May 2007
Location: Houston
Programs: UA Plat, Marriott Gold
Posts: 12,691
If United is going to continue with the never-ending expansion of preboarding, they really should make a lane for it.
Apr 14, 2019, 12:34 pm
#2513
Moderator: United Airlines
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: SFO
Programs: UA Plat 1.995MM, Hyatt Discoverist, Marriott Plat/LT Gold, Hilton Silver, IHG Plat
Posts: 66,830
Apr 14, 2019, 1:06 pm
#2514
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: BUR/LAX
Programs: UA 1K/2MM, HHonors Diamond, IHG Diamond Elite
Posts: 2,505
I do think there needs to be a preboard lane for 1K. They have managed to make the lanes down to 2 so remove the lane for BG2. This then frees up the area so disabled, families and GS can easily get to the door. Real challenge in hubs for those who preboard before 1K.
Apr 15, 2019, 9:51 am
#2515
Join Date: Dec 2014
Location: Haze gray and underway
Programs: UA 1K 2MM, HH Diamond, Marriott 'clink clink' Titanium
Posts: 1,784
Far be it for me to stand in for King Solomon, but why not relabel the groups? Keeping Pre-board as that (the physically requiring extra time). Then the status groups (by whatever name focus tests the best) Then First followed by the numbered groups.
Apr 15, 2019, 10:32 am
#2516
Join Date: May 2018
Location: Latin America and USA
Programs: UA 1K, Marriott Gold
Posts: 456
On 4/14 I boarded at SLC for SFO on the 6 AM flight. The gate agent had a great way to prevent group 1 from getting confused about 1K. She said "and then we'll board our 100,000 mile 1K members, after which we'll board group 1. Now calling our 100,000 mile 1K members." Nobody in group one moved.
Apr 15, 2019, 10:59 am
#2517
Apr 16, 2019, 8:11 am
#2518
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: Between AUS, EWR, and YTO In a little twisty maze of airline seats, all alike.. but I wanna go home with the armadillo
Programs: CO, NW, & UA forum moderator emeritus
Posts: 35,406
Apr 16, 2019, 9:42 am
#2519
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: NYC, FLL
Programs: UA PP 1MM, Marriott Bonvoy LTTE, BA Gold
Posts: 6,318
Agreed. At GRU, they've had a 'Pre-Board' lane, marked as such, since at least 2018. Works perfectly - but they have gate space for it.
I think this thread has some good examples of Gate Agents announcing the boarding procedures and then saying something along the lines of 'if you are in the pre-board groups I mentioned, please stand <wherever>'. That would be a simple fix for US airports, without a dedicated Pre-Board lane...and stop 1K's cutting in front of GS's, avoids screaming Group 1 insults, clears things up for new 1K's who are already lining up in the Group 1 line, etc etc.
I think this thread has some good examples of Gate Agents announcing the boarding procedures and then saying something along the lines of 'if you are in the pre-board groups I mentioned, please stand <wherever>'. That would be a simple fix for US airports, without a dedicated Pre-Board lane...and stop 1K's cutting in front of GS's, avoids screaming Group 1 insults, clears things up for new 1K's who are already lining up in the Group 1 line, etc etc.
Apr 17, 2019, 7:58 am
#2520
Join Date: Mar 2018
Programs: United GS, Bonvoy Ambassador, Hertz PC
Posts: 33