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Club member/one-time pass access changes Nov 1, 2019 (same day BP on UA or partner)

Old Nov 4, 2018, 10:34 am
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Last edit by: WineCountryUA
Effective November 1, 2019, United Club customers, including members and their guests, and one-time pass holders will need to provide a same-day boarding pass for travel on United, Star Alliance™ or a contracted partner for entry into all United Club locations. Admittance to United Club locations is permitted only at the departure and arrival airports for United, Star Alliance or a contracted partner operated flights.
https://www.united.com/web/en-US/con...e/default.aspx

"Contracted partner" appears to refer to non *A partners and those flights will need to be on a UA ticket to qualify.
*A partner flights also qualify even if not on a UA ticket.

"Admittance to United Club locations is permitted only at the departure and arrival airports for United, Star Alliance or a contracted partner operated flights" appears to mean that passengers are only permitted to access the United Club at the airport(s) at which their same-day flight either arrives or departs.

This requirement also applies to guest(s).


Originally Posted by WineCountryUA
This thread has had two parallel discussions, which will become even more confusing as the new UC access policy is implemented, so the original thread has been split into two separate threads.

Lifetime Member Edition: UC access changes Nov 1, 2019 (same day BP on UA or partner) will be for the discussion of if UA should offer an exception to the new UC access policy (only with same day BP with UA or partners) for Lifetime United Club members.

This thread will continue as the discussion thread for the base policy and issues in its implementation. But please discuss the lifetime membership concerns in the other thread.

WineCountryUA
UA coModerator
Related thread Starting 18 Aug 2016: United Club Access (including members) Only w/ Same-Day BP
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Club member/one-time pass access changes Nov 1, 2019 (same day BP on UA or partner)

Old Apr 20, 2019, 4:55 pm
  #166  
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Originally Posted by FlyingHighlander
Not sure why I'd keep the card if that were me. I'd pay cash entry once or twice instead.
you’d pay cash for a United Club? Oy.

which UCs do you frequent? I can’t fathom paying for SFO or EWR.
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Old Apr 20, 2019, 10:09 pm
  #167  
 
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Ime DEN dragons require bp for guests too... Recent guest's F9 BP scanned no problem (presumably for an additional charge).
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Old Apr 21, 2019, 10:18 pm
  #168  
 
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Just hit up the LAX club with an AS boarding pass. Still peeved about this change; but not looking like they’re even thinking about reversing it.
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Old May 5, 2019, 12:51 pm
  #169  
 
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Originally Posted by Kacee
They absolutely will not let anyone in to the HKG UC without seeing a departing BP.
That situation is a bit different, as it's not possible to get to the HKG UC without having a departing BP. So the new rule is already in effect there, implicitly due to the way the airport is operated. That being the case, it may be easier to just have a rule that every BP gets scanned. It certainly gives them a complete dataset as to the passengers, and I can see that is being useful.
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Old May 5, 2019, 1:06 pm
  #170  
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Originally Posted by Steve M
That situation is a bit different, as it's not possible to get to the HKG UC without having a departing BP. So the new rule is already in effect there, implicitly due to the way the airport is operated. That being the case, it may be easier to just have a rule that every BP gets scanned. It certainly gives them a complete dataset as to the passengers, and I can see that is being useful.
I was referring to them not letting me in based on my arrival UA Polaris BP, which should have been enough. They wanted to scan my departing BP so they could charge the stay to another carrier (in this case, TG).
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Old May 5, 2019, 5:01 pm
  #171  
 
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Originally Posted by Kacee
I was referring to them not letting me in based on my arrival UA Polaris BP, which should have been enough. They wanted to scan my departing BP so they could charge the stay to another carrier (in this case, TG).
Was your arrival BP the same date? (If you left from US it would have been one day earlier). If so then the following rule listed in https://www.united.com/ual/en/us/fly...es/access.html say your should be able to enter, because you just need a boarding pass of the same day not necessarily one that has not been used. I have often used SFO UC after I arrive, to get some water or use the bathrooms there, before I go to baggage claim.

A boarding pass for same-day travel with valid United Club membership number listed

OR

A valid United Club membership card and boarding pass for same-day travel

OR

A valid United Club membership number and boarding pass for same-day travel
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Old May 5, 2019, 6:02 pm
  #172  
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Originally Posted by PanAmWT
Was your arrival BP the same date? (If you left from US it would have been one day earlier). If so then the following rule listed in https://www.united.com/ual/en/us/fly...es/access.html say your should be able to enter, because you just need a boarding pass of the same day not necessarily one that has not been used.
Yes I am well aware of that and explained it to the lounge dragons quite clearly

My point is the UC agents don't follow the rules at HKIA, likely because they want to stick another carrier with the lounge access charge.
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Old May 13, 2019, 7:57 pm
  #173  
 
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I have actually been contemplating keeping my United Club Visa card and just using the UA lounge at PDX even though I'm mostly flying AS now. There are rarely more than five people in the whole UA club while the AS lounge is packed. In fact, the UA lounge at PDX often has more employees than guests when I am in there. I guess they will solve that overcrowding problem by getting rid of me.
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Old May 14, 2019, 5:49 am
  #174  
 
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Originally Posted by elCheapoDeluxe
I have actually been contemplating keeping my United Club Visa card and just using the UA lounge at PDX even though I'm mostly flying AS now. There are rarely more than five people in the whole UA club while the AS lounge is packed. In fact, the UA lounge at PDX often has more employees than guests when I am in there. I guess they will solve that overcrowding problem by getting rid of me.
Or they will just close down the lounge outright and someone will get a bonus for the cost-cutting initiative.

After all, they need an over-crowded, dirty, disgusting environment full of high-paying customers to justify the extraordinary added cost of having... let's say... a plate of salami to offer.
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Old May 22, 2019, 10:19 pm
  #175  
 
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I have a club membership and I am not happy. My renewal just came up and I coughed up the $550.

I live in Austin, so there are many places where United doesn't offer non-stop options (BOS, CLT, MIA, SAN, PHL, SEA).

I am tempted to buy refundable tickets to gain access and then canceling once I am inside.

I am a leisure traveler, so I don't use the lounge as often as business travelers, so I feel a little bit cheated since I pay the same amount, yet I am being deprived of the access.
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Old May 22, 2019, 10:23 pm
  #176  
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Originally Posted by coltonatx
I am tempted to buy refundable tickets to gain access and then canceling once I am inside.
This is a fantastic way to get your MileagePlus account closed and your United Club membership revoked.
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Old May 22, 2019, 10:25 pm
  #177  
 
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Why can’t united provide a few one-time anytime passes each year to members or something?
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Old May 22, 2019, 10:37 pm
  #178  
 
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Originally Posted by jsloan
This is a fantastic way to get your MileagePlus account closed and your United Club membership revoked.
I can imagine this is an issue for those people who do it regularly.

I fly out of AUS 10-12 times a year, most of it being international and premium cabin, which entitles me access to lounges automatically.

The reason I keep the UA membership is to access the lounge when I fly WN domestically as they offer more non-stop destinations than any other carrier out of AUS or when I fly a *A partner back from Europe, but connecting in EWR, IAH, ORD, IAD.

Originally Posted by jsloan
I assure you -- UA knows exactly how many passengers use the club on days they're not flying *A.


That would defeat the purpose. UA is clearly trying to address peoples' complaints about the clubs being crowded.
They could really reduce overcrowding issues by tightening these very relaxed rules:

"United Premier Gold (and higher) members have access to United Clubs when traveling internationally on any Star Alliance carrier, regardless of their class of service. They are also allowed one guest who doesn’t even need to be traveling on the same flight; as long as that guest is traveling on a Star Alliance carrier and departing from the same airport, he/she is welcome into the lounge with the Gold member.

Note that this benefit extends to Star Alliance Gold members from other frequent flyer programs as well, though it’s even more lucrative in this case. These travelers can access United Clubs with any same-day Star Alliance boarding pass, including domestic travel on United. The same guesting rules apply."

Last edited by WineCountryUA; May 22, 2019 at 10:51 pm Reason: merging consecutive posts by same member
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Old May 22, 2019, 10:46 pm
  #179  
 
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Originally Posted by coltonatx
I have a club membership and I am not happy. My renewal just came up and I coughed up the $550. ... I fly out of AUS 10-12 times a year, most of it being international and premium cabin, which entitles me access to lounges automatically. ... The reason I keep the UA membership is to access the lounge when I fly WN domestically
Check your math. You have use the UA club based on membership (e.g. not because of premium cabin travel) at least 10 times a year before membership makes sense over just buying day passes when you need them. It sounds like you use it far less often.
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Old May 22, 2019, 10:48 pm
  #180  
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Originally Posted by coltonatx
I can imagine this is an issue for those people who do it regularly.
I have no idea how aggressive UA intends to be with this; I just thought I should point out that it's a specific violation of the contract of carriage.

Originally Posted by coltonatx
I fly out of AUS 10-12 times a year, most of it being international and premium cabin, which entitles me access to lounges automatically.

The reason I keep the UA membership is to access the lounge when I fly WN domestically as they offer more non-stop destinations than any other carrier out of AUS
So, you're paying $25 or more for each club entry? I wonder if you'd be getting your money's worth even if they hadn't changed the access rules.

I love AUS. The best part of the airport is that I can get from my car to the gate in 20 minutes. I'm not a member, so I only get lounge access when I'm on an international itinerary, but I still don't think I've ever spent more than 15 minutes in the AUS UC.

Originally Posted by coltonatx
They could really reduce overcrowding issues by tightening these very relaxed rules:
Not easily, as allowing access to *G members is part of the *A agreement.
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