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}
Jun 4, 2019, 1:44 pm
#2581
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: CLE, DCA, and 30k feet
Programs: Honors LT Diamond; United 1K; Hertz PC
Posts: 4,156
It is the Enforcement Office’s view that section 382.93 requires carriers to board passengers with disabilities who self-identify at the gate as needing to preboard for one of the listed reasons to board the plane before all other passengers, including first class passengers, elite-level passengers, members of the military, passengers with small children, etc.
Had a group of my favorite agents in my home airport really go above and beyond when my wife's grandfather was on his deathbed to comfort her and her dad and get them across the country as quickly as possible [I was out of the country on business and didn't realize how dire things really were when I sent them West]
I sent an email to the regional director/GM but felt I should do more to recognize their awesomeness. Sent an email to Oscar which got forwarded to executive customer care and a somewhat generic response... But the next time I passed through the UC a framed copy of my letter was behind the desk and quite a bit of thanks from the agents involved.
Jun 5, 2019, 2:33 pm
#2582
Join Date: Mar 2015
Location: NYC (Primarily EWR)
Programs: UA 1K / *G, Marriott Bonvoy Gold; Avis PC
Posts: 9,002
1K preboarding was completely forgotten on my DEN-MEM flight today. At least it was a CRJ7, so there was more overhead space to store bags...
Jun 7, 2019, 4:56 am
#2583
Join Date: Mar 2015
Location: NYC (Primarily EWR)
Programs: UA 1K / *G, Marriott Bonvoy Gold; Avis PC
Posts: 9,002
MKE-EWR - preboarded folks with disabilities and then went straight to Group 1 boarding. Why even bother stating that is a benefit of being 1K? That makes 2 out of 6 segments on this trip I have been on where it hasn’t been used.
Jun 7, 2019, 12:27 pm
#2584
Join Date: May 2010
Location: ORD
Programs: UAL Million Miler, AA Platinum, Marriott Lifetime Platinum Elite, Hilton Diamond, Hertz President's
Posts: 5
UAL boarding process/overlooks FC
Echoing many here re the mad rush to board,just experienced it again this week. The pre boarding is still absolutely fine and respected, but then 1k's are called but not "First Class", just group 1. Am MM/gold and pay for my ticket for the privilege, but realize I gotta be at the gate reeeeeeealy early and be prepared to be bypassed anyway. Too bad. UA needs to reinstate the "First" call. Thanks.
Jun 7, 2019, 1:32 pm
#2585
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: SFO
Programs: AC SE MM, BA Gold, SQ Silver, Bonvoy Tit LTG, Hyatt Glob, HH Diamond
Posts: 44,313
Additionally:
If a pre-boarding GS/1K happens to sit in E, there's no issue of them taking away OHB space of the F customer who boards later, and if the pre-boarding GS/1K is sitting in F, well, then they should have a slight edge over the non-status or lower status F customer, IMO.
It's really a non-issue.
If a pre-boarding GS/1K happens to sit in E, there's no issue of them taking away OHB space of the F customer who boards later, and if the pre-boarding GS/1K is sitting in F, well, then they should have a slight edge over the non-status or lower status F customer, IMO.
It's really a non-issue.
Echoing many here re the mad rush to board,just experienced it again this week. The pre boarding is still absolutely fine and respected, but then 1k's are called but not "First Class", just group 1. Am MM/gold and pay for my ticket for the privilege, but realize I gotta be at the gate reeeeeeealy early and be prepared to be bypassed anyway. Too bad. UA needs to reinstate the "First" call. Thanks.
I'm totally in favor of giving 1K in F priority over me in F. I'm mostly indifferent to 1K in Y, since it doesn't affect me as long as they don't poach bin space.
But when I arrive at the gate for a 16 seat F cabin, and there are 45 people already in the group 1 line, it really makes me wonder what I'm paying for. Because I'd still be in the same line if I'd bought basic economy.
Jun 7, 2019, 2:22 pm
#2587
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: CLE, DCA, and 30k feet
Programs: Honors LT Diamond; United 1K; Hertz PC
Posts: 4,156
For me that's the biggest benefit of F -- I can actually be productive in a F seat whereas in economy I don't have the elbow-room.
Beyond that:
Food/snack?
Free Alcohol?
Extra Checked Bag for non-elites?
Lower FA-to-passenger and passenger-to-bathroom ratios?
More recline?
Beyond that:
Food/snack?
Free Alcohol?
Extra Checked Bag for non-elites?
Lower FA-to-passenger and passenger-to-bathroom ratios?
More recline?
Jun 7, 2019, 2:37 pm
#2588
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: Honolulu Harbor
Programs: UA 1K
Posts: 15,014
I guess you can buy a coach ticket and save money if you’re not getting “what you paid for”. I often board last (ie after BG5) when I’m F. Maybe UA should credit me the difference between coach and first?
Jun 8, 2019, 1:46 pm
#2589
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Jun 2005
Posts: 57,560
Echoing many here re the mad rush to board,just experienced it again this week. The pre boarding is still absolutely fine and respected, but then 1k's are called but not "First Class", just group 1. Am MM/gold and pay for my ticket for the privilege, but realize I gotta be at the gate reeeeeeealy early and be prepared to be bypassed anyway. Too bad. UA needs to reinstate the "First" call. Thanks.
passengers in wheelchairs
First
Business
*gold
passengers with children under 5 years old
economy
LH respects passengers that pay for F and C. ^
Jun 8, 2019, 2:58 pm
#2590
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: HNL
Programs: UA GS4MM, MR LT Plat, Hilton Gold
Posts: 6,447
Jun 8, 2019, 3:02 pm
#2591
Join Date: Dec 2009
Programs: SPG Plat
Posts: 459
Jun 8, 2019, 3:03 pm
#2592
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: PHX
Programs: AS 75K; UA 1MM; Hyatt Globalist; Marriott LTP; Hilton Diamond (Aspire)
Posts: 56,448
Meanwhile, UA gives precedence to pax who spend at least $15k on UA tickets per year, versus the one-time buyer of a $195 P fare.
This debate will go on forever, but UA's approach is perfectly rational (even if, as a former 1K, you now find it personally less favorable).
I will add as well that I find UA's boarding process far less unpleasant than the typical LH free-for-all.
This debate will go on forever, but UA's approach is perfectly rational (even if, as a former 1K, you now find it personally less favorable).
I will add as well that I find UA's boarding process far less unpleasant than the typical LH free-for-all.
Jun 8, 2019, 3:12 pm
#2593
Join Date: Nov 2012
Programs: BA Bronze, United 1K, HH Gold, SPG Platinum, Marriott Platinum
Posts: 3,477
But if you are continuing to somewhere else in Europe from FRA on LH, they only have two lines: Business and *Gold in one line, Economy in the other. Naturally, passengers in wheelchairs were the first to board. I did not see when the passengers with children under 5 years old boarded as I boarded in the first group for my Economy seat. They did send back to the other line some passengers that were trying to board in the wrong line. But it was more of a language problem than trying to beat the system.
Jun 8, 2019, 6:05 pm
#2594
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: CLE, DCA, and 30k feet
Programs: Honors LT Diamond; United 1K; Hertz PC
Posts: 4,156
My sample of LH (and LH-group flights) is far from scientific -- being solely intra-Europe and FRA to/from DXB -- but it seems like LH has a much smaller number of elites/Business travelers than UA does -- I think my last *G boarding call there was maybe a half dozen of us. And the GAs have been more effusive at their thanks to us for us being *G than I'm used to seeing on UA as well... but generally boarding seems chaotic and given that 50% of the time you're just the first to get on a bus that's not going anywhere until it's full, its a bit illusory anyway.
Jun 8, 2019, 6:24 pm
#2595
Join Date: Nov 2012
Programs: BA Bronze, United 1K, HH Gold, SPG Platinum, Marriott Platinum
Posts: 3,477
And, then, when the bus doors open near the plane, there's the free-for-all rush to the plane that Kacee mentioned.