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}
Jul 7, 2019, 12:47 pm
#2641
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: New Jersey
Programs: UA MM 1K, AA MM Gold, Marriott LT Platinum
Posts: 3,235
Yet another post marveling at how efficient boarding is at NRT. Disabled, GS, and families with <3yr old children called forward early, scanned, and positioned by the jetway door, so as soon as plane ready to pre-board, they proceed. GA's wait a bit, then call 1K's who have a pre-boarding lane (see photo). Lanes are strictly enforced.
Jul 7, 2019, 4:29 pm
#2642
Join Date: Sep 2013
Posts: 1,116
Why can’t gate agents get boarding correct?
i mean they have video help.
today I had an agent go around and ask 1 person who looked like they were disabled if they wanted to board. Then announced families with kids 2 and under.
I ask “what about global” to which she then calls “1k and global”
it was a cluster...at ewr a hub they should be able to get this right.
today I had an agent go around and ask 1 person who looked like they were disabled if they wanted to board. Then announced families with kids 2 and under.
I ask “what about global” to which she then calls “1k and global”
it was a cluster...at ewr a hub they should be able to get this right.
Jul 7, 2019, 4:45 pm
#2643
Moderator: Midwest, Las Vegas & Dining Buzz
Join Date: Jun 2001
Location: Chicago, Illinois
Posts: 17,976
i mean they have video help.
today I had an agent go around and ask 1 person who looked like they were disabled if they wanted to board. Then announced families with kids 2 and under.
I ask “what about global” to which she then calls “1k and global”
it was a cluster...at ewr a hub they should be able to get this right.
today I had an agent go around and ask 1 person who looked like they were disabled if they wanted to board. Then announced families with kids 2 and under.
I ask “what about global” to which she then calls “1k and global”
it was a cluster...at ewr a hub they should be able to get this right.
If they call families before GS, I go up there and give them my BP. If they should say something, I would let them know that GS board before families and they must have forgotten that.
Jul 7, 2019, 5:12 pm
#2644
Join Date: Mar 2015
Location: NYC (Primarily EWR)
Programs: UA 1K / *G, Marriott Bonvoy Gold; Avis PC
Posts: 9,005
One thing I do not understand is why UA does not take the boarding process at BOS - which always seems to run quite smoothly, and has those automatic gates for scanning BPs as well - and export that to their hubs. It would make life a lot easier (as well as meaning UA would be less reliant on GAs making up the rules as they go along).
Jul 7, 2019, 5:18 pm
#2645
Join Date: May 2011
Location: SFO
Programs: UA 1K
Posts: 721
i mean they have video help.
today I had an agent go around and ask 1 person who looked like they were disabled if they wanted to board. Then announced families with kids 2 and under.
I ask “what about global” to which she then calls “1k and global”
it was a cluster...at ewr a hub they should be able to get this right.
today I had an agent go around and ask 1 person who looked like they were disabled if they wanted to board. Then announced families with kids 2 and under.
I ask “what about global” to which she then calls “1k and global”
it was a cluster...at ewr a hub they should be able to get this right.
Jul 7, 2019, 5:21 pm
#2646
Join Date: Mar 2015
Location: NYC (Primarily EWR)
Programs: UA 1K / *G, Marriott Bonvoy Gold; Avis PC
Posts: 9,005
At least as a 1K - I would write in to 1kvoice and complain if you get screwed over on boarding order. I did that and got a $250 ETC. It’s definitely a perk of status...if they can’t get it right, I think it’s quite fair to point it out.
Jul 7, 2019, 5:28 pm
#2647
Join Date: Aug 2004
Programs: Continental OnePass
Posts: 856
When they redid the groups last year, they really should've made Group 1 be 1K and business passengers and moved everyone else down a group, and I say that as someone who is only plat.
Jul 7, 2019, 5:31 pm
#2648
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: BOS<>NYC<>BKK
Programs: UA 4.3MM LT-GS; AA1MM; Amtrak SE; MAR LT TITAN; PC Plat; HIL DIA; HYA GLOB
Posts: 4,392
I did that at IAD once, iluv2fly. The GA said, "I called families with children, not GS. Please wait in line." I said, "The monitor above your head shows GS before families." She replied, "That's not how I do it."
Jul 7, 2019, 5:45 pm
#2649
Join Date: Nov 2017
Programs: United Premier Silver, Marriott/SPG Gold/Hyatt Explorist
Posts: 13
I agree as someone who's only a gold. Maybe make 3 just for CC holders and buy-up general members (because we all know how much UA loves the upsell at TOD/OLCI), with 2 being Silver/Gold (Plat? Not sure where they should fit). Really haven't been a fan of how it seems like Group 2 is everyone with a pulse these days as someone who occasionally likes to take their time before boarding.
Jul 7, 2019, 6:14 pm
#2650
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: NYC/Northern NJ
Programs: 1K - UAL, Platinum DL, Marriott, Hilton, SPG
Posts: 1,815
I think from GA don't know the flight/passengers. E.g. a flight to SFO LAX ORD IAH it is important to maintain order of status during boarding to clear out the gate area for better order of remaining groups.
However, for a flight to MCO or vacation destination - they may choose to clear out families if many exist to clear out the gate area. As they don't always follow order anyway and just assume they board early for strollers and GA tries to avoid rejecting them. It is a weird dichotomy depending on destination.
Another angle - I've boarded flights to FL destination and the many handicap/wheelchair/disabled should require pre-pre boarding like 15 minutes prior to general announcements due to the quantity vs. other destinations with 0 qualified disabled.
However, for a flight to MCO or vacation destination - they may choose to clear out families if many exist to clear out the gate area. As they don't always follow order anyway and just assume they board early for strollers and GA tries to avoid rejecting them. It is a weird dichotomy depending on destination.
Another angle - I've boarded flights to FL destination and the many handicap/wheelchair/disabled should require pre-pre boarding like 15 minutes prior to general announcements due to the quantity vs. other destinations with 0 qualified disabled.
Last edited by RooseveltL; Jul 8, 2019 at 9:39 am
Jul 7, 2019, 6:54 pm
#2651
Join Date: May 2017
Posts: 2,279
One thing I do not understand is why UA does not take the boarding process at BOS - which always seems to run quite smoothly, and has those automatic gates for scanning BPs as well - and export that to their hubs. It would make life a lot easier (as well as meaning UA would be less reliant on GAs making up the rules as they go along).
Jul 7, 2019, 7:13 pm
#2652
Join Date: Feb 2017
Programs: United GS; AA EXP; Marriott Ambassador
Posts: 174
However, for a flight to MCO or vacation destination - they may choose to clear out families if many exist to clear out the gate area. As they don't always follow order anyway and just assume they board early for strollers and GA tries to avoid rejected them. It is a weird dichotomy depending on destination.
Jul 7, 2019, 7:33 pm
#2653
Join Date: Sep 2013
Posts: 1,116
i’m finding them to be very stingy these days on giving ETC’s.
Jul 7, 2019, 8:05 pm
#2654
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: PHX
Programs: AS 75K; UA 1MM; Hyatt Globalist; Marriott LTP; Hilton Diamond (Aspire)
Posts: 56,450
Jul 7, 2019, 9:08 pm
#2655
Join Date: Mar 2015
Location: NYC (Primarily EWR)
Programs: UA 1K / *G, Marriott Bonvoy Gold; Avis PC
Posts: 9,005
