Shower Availability at SFO
 

Hey FTers,

I will be arriving in Frisco in several hours after a long flight (UA 2 from SIN -> SFO) travelling as a Gold in Y. I've got an outbound INTL flight SFO->YYZ the same day on AC. My understanding is that there's no shower action at the UC in SFO. Given that, would I be able to access either the arrivals lounges or the Polaris lounge at SFO to avail myself of a shower? Are there other lounges/areas in the airport where I could get a shower (I've got Priority Pass c/o of my credit card and approx 3 1/2 hours to burn given my Global Entry status and lack of checked bags).

Safe Travels,

James

First off, don't call it Frisco. :-P

Unfortunately, if you're in Y, I think you're out of luck. Both the SFO arrivals lounge and the Polaris lounge require a J ticket. You can get into a United Club, but they don't have showers.

If you have an Amex Plat card, the Amex lounge does have a single shower. In my experience, nobody ever uses it, so its easy to get into.

No access to Polaris, or to the Intl Arrivals Lounge - that is just not going to happen, and I wouldn't waste your time trying. I would suggest asking Air Canada what options you have - other than Amex, there are no lounges with showers available in the G concourse - if your flight leaves from A, then AC might have a lounge arrangement over there. In my experience at the Amex lounge, the shower has been booked with a very long wait.

If you don't have an Amex Plat, there are showers accessible to all passengers at SFO: https://www.flysfo.com/content/showers

I thought all the hipsters refer to SF as Frisco! In any event, I'm an AmEx Gold (UK and Canada) cardholder. Any idea if they would let me buy into the lounge?

My outbound flight should depart from International Terminal G which has a UC (I know that 'cause I visited the UC "Global First class lite" lounge last year in SF). Will check around with AC but given there's no MLL it may be hard to find someone at AC who knows what they're doing (already a challenge at the AC hubs like YYZ!). It's really a shame the lack of * lounges at SFO. Had I arrived in LAX I would have had a plethora of lounge options to choose from including the *A lounge which I hear has a couple showers!

Safe Travels,

James

Thanks for the heads up! $25 seems a bit steep for a shower tho! In the UK I could grab a shower at Kings X or Edinburgh train stations for 5 quid!

-James

There's no lack of lounges at SFO. United has 6 lounges at SFO, 5 of which are *A lounges, and 4 of which you have access to.

Your problem is that the only ones with showers are the two that you don't have access on for this itinerary due to you being in economy. (Arrivals by United and the United Polaris lounge)

While there may not be a lack in the quantity of lounges there sure is a lack in the quality of lounges. I don't mind being at airports that have 1 good quality * lounge (i.e. MLL @ YYZ). When food consists of edamame and a can of coke you've got to seriously question the lounge situation. I just wish UA invested as much in the facilitates of their outstation airports like SFO, ORD and EWR as their flagship airports like LHR.

Safe Travels,

James

The lack of showers at domestic has been extensive hashed over in https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/unit...ted-clubs.html

As for SFO, there has never been *G accessible showers. Previously it was just the GFL and Arrivals lounges. Today it is Polaris and Arrivals lounges.

The Freshen Up and Amex lounge have been alternatives for UA flyers.

+1
This should be basis for immediate thread closure.

What about the SQ lounge at SFO? Whilst I never had the opportunity to use it, apparently there was at least one shower at the lounge!

Safe Travels,

James

Zero access for *G on domestic departures and unreliable access for *G international departures if not on SQ and very limited hours -- generally not a significant option.

https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/unit...-domestic.html
https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/unit...er-access.html

SQ lounge no longer exists along with the BR lounge. UA took over the space for Polaris.

Frisco is absolutely acceptable and what most of the natives/locals will call it outside the "rich" neighborhoods. :p Just don't call it San Fran...

I wouldn't dream of it less I be mistaken for Danny Tanner :p

AC has operations in the G concourse of the INTL terminal only at SFO.

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