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}
Sep 19, 2018, 4:08 pm
#1486
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
I don't even understand why anyone would put their backpack in the overhead unless they're in row 1 (and thus have no choice). I like having all my stuff within reach during the flight (which is why I've generally stopped picking bulkheads in F).
Sep 19, 2018, 4:14 pm
#1487
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: Honolulu Harbor
Programs: UA 1K
Posts: 15,023
delete
Sep 19, 2018, 4:32 pm
#1488
Join Date: Aug 2001
Location: San Jose, CA USA
Posts: 1,792
A lot of people aren't interested in pre-boarding - or even milling around BG1 - so there were probably more 1K's. I'm almost always one of the last to board. Personally, I'd rather wait in the UC or Polaris lounge than sitting around on the plane waiting for everyone to board.
I do like the perk though if I were to choose to use it - I do think 1K's are far more valuable to UA than non-1K's sitting in FC/Biz. I'm sure the kinks will get worked on the Pre-board announcements so GS can board first consistently if that is what they want to do. With change, it is rarely perfect immediately.
I do like the perk though if I were to choose to use it - I do think 1K's are far more valuable to UA than non-1K's sitting in FC/Biz. I'm sure the kinks will get worked on the Pre-board announcements so GS can board first consistently if that is what they want to do. With change, it is rarely perfect immediately.
This bias has stimulated me, and I and others will get UA to reverse the unwise and unfounded intention that F cabin pax go behind elite pax. Boarding time should be equal, and I think others in my genre have voiced their opinion. There is no factual, or rational, basis for your premise that F cabin pax are "less valuable" to the carrier. I will stick right with you, post for post, until this nonsense stops.
Thank you
Sep 19, 2018, 4:36 pm
#1489
Join Date: Nov 2005
Location: DEN or KOA
Programs: UA PLAT. DL PLAT, AOPA, MUG CLUB AT ROCK BOTTOM
Posts: 832
After I dropped from 1K to Plat, I sometimes even used that ridiculous Premier accelerator to maintain Plat. The Plat advantage that was most valuable to me was BG!. My spread sheet shows my ending the year with 50,005 miles. Not near enough benefit between Plat and Gold to make mileage runs or buy miles. United just lost several flights to DL. Do not think Kirby will lose sleep over my giving Dl 25,000 miles, but this change gives me more flexibility.
Sep 19, 2018, 4:43 pm
#1490
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Chicago
Programs: UA GS 1MM, CM PP
Posts: 689
Two data points from my boarding experience at ORD today...
1) prior to my flight, I watched one other gate boarding. The GA combined all pre-boarding into one quick announcement, no pause or separation whatsoever.
2) at my gate (to DCA), the GA provided an early description of the boarding process. He only messed up the order of families w/ infants, putting them before GS. When he actually started the boarding process, he DID pause substantially between all groups and wait for them to board. And he had the order correct but still allowed a family to board during the military phase.
Shame on first GA. Credit to second GA for trying to get it right. United, please enforce this process correctly front the start or it will be an uphill battle for all.
1) prior to my flight, I watched one other gate boarding. The GA combined all pre-boarding into one quick announcement, no pause or separation whatsoever.
2) at my gate (to DCA), the GA provided an early description of the boarding process. He only messed up the order of families w/ infants, putting them before GS. When he actually started the boarding process, he DID pause substantially between all groups and wait for them to board. And he had the order correct but still allowed a family to board during the military phase.
Shame on first GA. Credit to second GA for trying to get it right. United, please enforce this process correctly front the start or it will be an uphill battle for all.
Sep 19, 2018, 4:45 pm
#1491
Join Date: Jul 2012
Location: Chicago
Posts: 1,161
If you can cite data on this, then fine. Your premise has no foundation other than opinion and/or bias. This is from a PremEx 2mm flyer for the past 35 years who, I sill conjecture, has spent plenty on this carrier.
This bias has stimulated me, and I and others will get UA to reverse the unwise and unfounded intention that F cabin pax go behind elite pax. Boarding time should be equal, and I think others in my genre have voiced their opinion. There is no factual, or rational, basis for your premise that F cabin pax are "less valuable" to the carrier. I will stick right with you, post for post, until this nonsense stops.
Thank you
This bias has stimulated me, and I and others will get UA to reverse the unwise and unfounded intention that F cabin pax go behind elite pax. Boarding time should be equal, and I think others in my genre have voiced their opinion. There is no factual, or rational, basis for your premise that F cabin pax are "less valuable" to the carrier. I will stick right with you, post for post, until this nonsense stops.
Thank you
If you want better boarding, spend more with United!
Last edited by Ocn Vw 1K; Sep 20, 2018 at 9:36 pm Reason: Moved added sentence of poster from poster's next post which can now be deleted as a duplicate of this.
Sep 19, 2018, 5:00 pm
#1492
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: HNL
Programs: UA GS4MM, MR LT Plat, Hilton Gold
Posts: 6,447
UA has strong reasons to want 1K's happier. Here is the data. Another thread widely says there are probably about 100,000 1K's - if that is the case, that means $1,200,000,000+ reasons to keep that group happy - and that is based only on minium PQD
Sep 19, 2018, 5:12 pm
#1493
Join Date: Jan 2010
Posts: 361
Another flawless boarding! GA follow the script!! Zero issues boarding my flight to from IAH -ATL out terminal B
Sep 19, 2018, 5:14 pm
#1494
Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: YYC
Programs: AC SE
Posts: 2,342
On most aircraft, no, but bin space in F is a major issue on the E175's and 319's. If you're in row 1, unless you're first on board, there's a pretty good chance you may have to backtrack to economy to store and retrieve your bags. I've had E175 and 319 flights recently where the bins in F/J were full in the middle of boarding group 1. Often on the 319's, much of the bin space is already taken by safety demo equipment and crew bags. Generally not as much of an issue with the rest of the fleet.
Sep 19, 2018, 5:36 pm
#1495
Join Date: Aug 2001
Location: San Jose, CA USA
Posts: 1,792
So is it the short run, or the long run, that UA should relate to in determining the ultimate merit of its passengers? A lifetime 2mm PremEx who happens not to be 1K one year, but nevertheless pays up for an F cabin ticke, is demoted in boarding stature even below a newly minted 1K? What about lifetime spend? Spend is what ll the carriers are fixated on. I think they should take that into consideration.
If it is squeezing extra money to board first, what about asking the F or J non-1K pax to pay a surcharge for pre-boarding equality at the end of purchasing his/her F cabin ticket? See if that goes over well.
I don't find the rationale about 1 year's flying as meritorious for justification to downgrade PremEx lifetime flyers. Multi-years contribution would be more equitable, and that data should be findable and such contributions recognized.
If it is squeezing extra money to board first, what about asking the F or J non-1K pax to pay a surcharge for pre-boarding equality at the end of purchasing his/her F cabin ticket? See if that goes over well.
I don't find the rationale about 1 year's flying as meritorious for justification to downgrade PremEx lifetime flyers. Multi-years contribution would be more equitable, and that data should be findable and such contributions recognized.
Sep 19, 2018, 6:07 pm
#1496
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: LAX
Programs: UA MM | BA Silver
Posts: 7,193
I'm a lifetime Gold MM that flies F most of the time, but also in economy for short hops. For many years I flew in row 1 because I didn't want anyone to recline in my space. Now I usually sit in row 2 to have underseat storage and gird against a full overhead bin.
At first I thought it was weird that F is behind preboard, but as I think about my experiences, I've been fine in group 1 and 2. As long as I'm ahead of most of the passengers and can get bin space close to my seat I'm ok, but that means still having to board as early as possible. Arriving late in the boarding process is the kiss of death whether a A319 or an IPTE J/Y+/Y 772 and many aircraft inetween.
I wish CO hadn't messed with the old process years ago just because it was UA. I'm not angry at UA regressing ever so slowly to PMUA procedures.
At first I thought it was weird that F is behind preboard, but as I think about my experiences, I've been fine in group 1 and 2. As long as I'm ahead of most of the passengers and can get bin space close to my seat I'm ok, but that means still having to board as early as possible. Arriving late in the boarding process is the kiss of death whether a A319 or an IPTE J/Y+/Y 772 and many aircraft inetween.
I wish CO hadn't messed with the old process years ago just because it was UA. I'm not angry at UA regressing ever so slowly to PMUA procedures.
Sep 19, 2018, 6:10 pm
#1497
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: Honolulu Harbor
Programs: UA 1K
Posts: 15,023
"Lifetime spend"? Funny. UA is looking for current and continuing value. If you die after flying 5 million miles with United, they're not going to put a plaque on a bulkhead in your honor.
A one-off full fare passenger is just current value. More valuable than a (most) Basic Economy customer(s), but less perceived value than a customer who is demonstrating current and continuing value.
You are deceiving yourself as to how UA values you at any point in time. It really is variable. If you've qualified for Silver, you will be treated like a Silver, not like you were 1K at one time.
Think of it this way - United values it's customers on "What are you doing for United nowadays?", not "What are you doing for United today" or " What have you done for United in the past?". 1Ks and GSs have the answers UA likes for the first question.
When I quit flying like I do, I'll sink to Gold courtesy of MM. I won't be wondering why I'm not being treated like the 1K I was for 10 years (or whatever it ends up being) - I'll expect to be treated like a Gold (and as UA decides how they'll treat Golds). It's pretty simple.
Last edited by IAH-OIL-TRASH; Sep 19, 2018 at 6:32 pm
Sep 19, 2018, 6:11 pm
#1498
Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: Los Angeles, CA
Programs: UA 1K 1MMer & LT UC (when flying UA); Hyatt Credit Cardist; HHonors Diamond; Marriott Gold via UA 1K
Posts: 6,956
Ive always loved on regional flights, with 50 seats, how the boarding groups play out. Literally once continuous sentence.
"We're starting per-boarding for those who need assistance and also active military and group 1. We now welcome group 2, group 3 (cough cough) group 4, and uh, group 5"
"We're starting per-boarding for those who need assistance and also active military and group 1. We now welcome group 2, group 3 (cough cough) group 4, and uh, group 5"
It's very typical on UAX flights originating in outstations to call groups 1 and 2 together with almost no pause after pre-boarding. I will abide by the Flyertalk code of ethics and make way for GS's to board first. But at outstations on UAX, I am often the only one to board when G1 and G2 are called together, after nobody responds to the GS pre-board announcement.
Sep 19, 2018, 6:16 pm
#1499
Join Date: Jul 2011
Programs: AA Plat, UA 1K>Plat>moving to Silver
Posts: 2,090
I find the 1K over F part the most curious. However, a lot of 1Ks are in F or businesses anyway. That’s why I have it.
Sep 19, 2018, 6:31 pm
#1500
Join Date: Apr 2014
Programs: DL Gold, UA nothing (ex-GS), Marriott lifetime Plat, Hyatt Globalist
Posts: 920
Two data points from my boarding experience at ORD today...
1) prior to my flight, I watched one other gate boarding. The GA combined all pre-boarding into one quick announcement, no pause or separation whatsoever.
2) at my gate (to DCA), the GA provided an early description of the boarding process. He only messed up the order of families w/ infants, putting them before GS. When he actually started the boarding process, he DID pause substantially between all groups and wait for them to board. And he had the order correct but still allowed a family to board during the military phase.
Shame on first GA. Credit to second GA for trying to get it right. United, please enforce this process correctly front the start or it will be an uphill battle for all.
1) prior to my flight, I watched one other gate boarding. The GA combined all pre-boarding into one quick announcement, no pause or separation whatsoever.
2) at my gate (to DCA), the GA provided an early description of the boarding process. He only messed up the order of families w/ infants, putting them before GS. When he actually started the boarding process, he DID pause substantially between all groups and wait for them to board. And he had the order correct but still allowed a family to board during the military phase.
Shame on first GA. Credit to second GA for trying to get it right. United, please enforce this process correctly front the start or it will be an uphill battle for all.
I once had a flight out of EWR on a Q200 where the one and only boarding call was "Alright! Wilkes-Barre!" And everybody rushed the podium at once.
It's very typical on UAX flights originating in outstations to call groups 1 and 2 together with almost no pause after pre-boarding. I will abide by the Flyertalk code of ethics and make way for GS's to board first. But at outstations on UAX, I am often the only one to board when G1 and G2 are called together, after nobody responds to the GS pre-board announcement.