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 20, 2018, 12:31 pm
#1561
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Jun 2005
Posts: 57,568
Now when you’re talking about a Polaris seat, which can be 3 1/2 to 4 times the cost of the seat in the back, your rationale is less compelling.
Sep 20, 2018, 12:33 pm
#1562
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2013
Location: Los Angeles
Posts: 12,594
Sep 20, 2018, 12:36 pm
#1563
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: Honolulu Harbor
Programs: UA 1K
Posts: 15,016
Yes, that is half of their problem... they put themselves in a box over these credit cards. But it's only half their problem as witnessed by all of the posts over the best order for all of these "pre-board" groups. Right now, I count five pre-board groups with their own pecking order. Surely they can't make a line for each.
Sep 20, 2018, 12:37 pm
#1564
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2013
Location: Los Angeles
Posts: 12,594
I have an AA card that's supposed to do the same thing, put me in some early group. I don't fly AA much, but it seems like there's groups -4, -3, -2, -1, 0, and maybe 1 ahead of the group 1 or 2 the card buys me.
Sep 20, 2018, 12:38 pm
#1565
Join Date: Jun 2014
Programs: UA MM
Posts: 4,118
I agree with you position if we are talking domestic F. The price differential between that seat and a seat in the back isn’t all that great, and I can understand that wanting to reward the excess and 1K members.
Now when you’re talking about a Polaris seat, which can be 3 1/2 to 4 times the cost of the seat in the back, your rationale is less compelling.
Sep 20, 2018, 12:43 pm
#1566
Join Date: May 2009
Location: Washington, DC
Programs: UA 1K 1MM, AA, DL
Posts: 7,418
Sep 20, 2018, 12:44 pm
#1567
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: Honolulu Harbor
Programs: UA 1K
Posts: 15,016
I agree with you position if we are talking domestic F. The price differential between that seat and a seat in the back isn’t all that great, and I can understand that wanting to reward the excess and 1K members.
Now when you’re talking about a Polaris seat, which can be 3 1/2 to 4 times the cost of the seat in the back, your rationale is less compelling.
Sep 20, 2018, 12:45 pm
#1568
Join Date: May 2009
Location: Washington, DC
Programs: UA 1K 1MM, AA, DL
Posts: 7,418
Most of this hoopla could be easily eliminated if UA addopted what Swiss does. This is from my flight last year.
Not only was it labeled but the FA strictly enforced it. A guy from coach dumped his bag up in the BC bin and as soon as we crossed the cabin divider, the FA got his attention and told him to remove it.
Not only was it labeled but the FA strictly enforced it. A guy from coach dumped his bag up in the BC bin and as soon as we crossed the cabin divider, the FA got his attention and told him to remove it.
Sep 20, 2018, 12:46 pm
#1569
Join Date: Jan 2016
Location: Medellín
Programs: LH SEN | UA 1K
Posts: 77
how many GS/1K are there? Lufthansa has >3k HON and >100k SEN
Sep 20, 2018, 1:08 pm
#1570
Join Date: Sep 2014
Posts: 553
I've flown F and J on UA, and it didn't bug me terribly to board with 1Ks and plats in the old process. As long as there was room for my bag, which there usually is (especially INTL J), I was fine. I've also accepted that all but very top spenders have to deal with lines and crowds in some form or another at the airport.
I know some people are unhappy about having to board with Plats/Gold in this new process, but if that is your biggest gripe with travel or life, good for you! Many people would love to be in your situation.
I know some people are unhappy about having to board with Plats/Gold in this new process, but if that is your biggest gripe with travel or life, good for you! Many people would love to be in your situation.
Sep 20, 2018, 1:12 pm
#1571
Join Date: Jul 2012
Posts: 1,115
Note that UA customers traveling on INTL J fares are still welcome to board among the first on almost every connecting *A partner. Not sure how those partners will react to UA breaking the reciprocity. Time will tell.
Last edited by mozilla; Sep 20, 2018 at 1:31 pm
Sep 20, 2018, 1:25 pm
#1572
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: where lions are led by donkeys...
Programs: Lifetime Gold, Global Entry, Hertz PC, and my wallet
Posts: 20,340
I'll press the smiley face twice then to negate it. 
Only kidding......
No clue, as a 1K, I will have boarded before them so can someone post what happens in that situation please? 
Only kidding......
I wonder what will happen the day a very very big VIP of another *A carrier travels to the US on INTL F for north of $10k and finds himself waiting for his domestic connection in an overcrowded UC in SFO, followed by being directed to board with the second half of the plane by the GA, followed by finding that the guy in 23A for some reason put his bag in the overhead bin space above his seat 1A.
Note that UA customers traveling on INTL J fares are still welcome to board among the first on almost every connecting *A partner. Not sure how those partners will react to UA breaking the reciprocity. Time will tell.
Note that UA customers traveling on INTL J fares are still welcome to board among the first on almost every connecting *A partner. Not sure how those partners will react to UA breaking the reciprocity. Time will tell.
Last edited by WineCountryUA; Sep 20, 2018 at 1:50 pm Reason: merging consecutive posts by same member
Sep 20, 2018, 1:46 pm
#1573
Original Member, Ambassador: External Miles and Points Resources
Join Date: May 1998
Location: Digital Nomad Wandering the Earth - Currently in LIMA, PERU
Posts: 58,598
People who fly paid premium don't have much appetite for being poorly treated. It's easy enough to take our business elsewhere rather than going through some sort of fraternity hazing in order to qualify for excellent treatment...after all that's why we are paying a PREMIUM price: for premium treatment. @:-)
Sep 20, 2018, 1:52 pm
#1574
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: San Francisco, CA
Programs: NZ *E
Posts: 345
People who fly paid premium don't have much appetite for being poorly treated. It's easy enough to take our business elsewhere rather than going through some sort of fraternity hazing in order to qualify for excellent treatment...after all that's why we are paying a PREMIUM price: for premium treatment. @:-)
If it weren't for the fact that UA dominates all routes out of SFO, I'd be shifting my domestic travel elsewhere.
Sep 20, 2018, 2:09 pm
#1575
Join Date: Jun 2014
Programs: UA MM
Posts: 4,118
People who fly paid premium don't have much appetite for being poorly treated. It's easy enough to take our business elsewhere rather than going through some sort of fraternity hazing in order to qualify for excellent treatment...after all that's why we are paying a PREMIUM price: for premium treatment. @:-)