United Club membership now $650 effective 8/13/19
Jun 18, 2019, 12:29 am
#46
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: Honolulu Harbor
Programs: UA 1K
Posts: 15,016
If the United Club were a stand along business yes. But its not. It is designed to drive travel to United. if 15-20% of Club members drop, and then start to fly UA less (e.g. get a AMEX card and use it flying on DL or AS or an airline at an airport that has a centurian lounge)...
Aside from that, I’m saying there’s a $ level where a Club membership doesn’t make sense for me relative to the times I’d use it. I’d still be a UA 1K for years to come because (from Hawaii to where I need/want to go) UA makes the most sense. I’d still have access during int’l itineraries. I’d still get access to *A at LAX. I visit LAS is often, but the airport is so efficient, I’m managing to minimize my time there, so loss of lounge access wouldn’t be a big deal. The big hole for me would be at SFO, but I ain’t paying $650 for the 10 times or so I might use it.
Jun 18, 2019, 12:38 am
#47
Join Date: Feb 2015
Programs: united
Posts: 1,636
My reading is that airlines (and not just United) have their hands in too msny revenue streams and thst screws up the lounge issue.
They sre now dealing with this by having multiple lounge tiers (UC/Polaris, Admirals/Flagship), so tbey can offer a premium experience to a smaller group of travelers who are a higher profit center. But the reason they have to do this is it is so darned profitable to sell lounge access to CC holders and as one day and one trip passes.
But the more they sell lounge access, the more crowded and less exclusive the lounges are, and the greater incentive to scrimp on service in the lounges because so many non-high value flyers are in them.
They sre now dealing with this by having multiple lounge tiers (UC/Polaris, Admirals/Flagship), so tbey can offer a premium experience to a smaller group of travelers who are a higher profit center. But the reason they have to do this is it is so darned profitable to sell lounge access to CC holders and as one day and one trip passes.
But the more they sell lounge access, the more crowded and less exclusive the lounges are, and the greater incentive to scrimp on service in the lounges because so many non-high value flyers are in them.
Jun 18, 2019, 12:46 am
#48
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Jun 2005
Posts: 57,568
My reading is that airlines (and not just United) have their hands in too msny revenue streams and thst screws up the lounge issue.
They sre now dealing with this by having multiple lounge tiers (UC/Polaris, Admirals/Flagship), so tbey can offer a premium experience to a smaller group of travelers who are a higher profit center. But the reason they have to do this is it is so darned profitable to sell lounge access to CC holders and as one day and one trip passes.
But the more they sell lounge access, the more crowded and less exclusive the lounges are, and the greater incentive to scrimp on service in the lounges because so many non-high value flyers are in them.
They sre now dealing with this by having multiple lounge tiers (UC/Polaris, Admirals/Flagship), so tbey can offer a premium experience to a smaller group of travelers who are a higher profit center. But the reason they have to do this is it is so darned profitable to sell lounge access to CC holders and as one day and one trip passes.
But the more they sell lounge access, the more crowded and less exclusive the lounges are, and the greater incentive to scrimp on service in the lounges because so many non-high value flyers are in them.
Jun 18, 2019, 2:20 am
#49
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: Hawai'i Nei
Programs: Au: UA, Marriott, Hilton; GE
Posts: 7,139
Jun 18, 2019, 2:46 am
#50
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Join Date: Aug 2003
Programs: UA 1K 1MM (finally!), IHG AMB-Spire, HH Diamond
Posts: 60,173
So for the folks dropping Club Card, what is your daily driver CC for general spend (NOT travel or dining - those go to Sapphire Reserve). I am talking bills, auto servicing, mall shops, etc?
Jun 18, 2019, 4:28 am
#52
Join Date: May 2011
Location: NYC (LGA, JFK), CT
Programs: Delta Platinum, American Gold, JetBlue Mosaic 4, Marriott Platinum, Hyatt Explorist, Hilton Diamond,
Posts: 4,893
Many Centurion Lounges are packed, sometimes worse than UCs. The lounge at SFO is a particularly stellar example of overcrowding. AMEX has recently reduced access—no more entry on arrival unless connecting. And access only three hours before departure. It has helped—a little.
The United membership increase is long overdue. AMEX needs to hike the price for the platinum card too.
Outright buying club memberships doesn’t make much sense to me as all of the airlines offer discounted access with credit cards. Hadn’t make sense for several years
Delta still offers one day $29 access passes with the very popular Amex Delta Gold/Platinum cards. Many a traveler access this way, especially during IROPS
Last edited by WineCountryUA; Jun 18, 2019 at 12:26 pm Reason: merging consecutive posts by same member
Jun 18, 2019, 4:53 am
#53
Join Date: Nov 2012
Programs: BA Bronze, United 1K, HH Gold, SPG Platinum, Marriott Platinum
Posts: 3,477
Question: Why is the warning sign in French?
Going back to the subject of this thread. At the new price, I will have a harder time asking my employer to pay for my membership (they paid for it since I joined 3 years ago). I usually have 8-10 domestic trips per year. I always have to connect flights in ORD.
Going back to the subject of this thread. At the new price, I will have a harder time asking my employer to pay for my membership (they paid for it since I joined 3 years ago). I usually have 8-10 domestic trips per year. I always have to connect flights in ORD.
Last edited by StuckinITH; Jun 18, 2019 at 5:00 am
Jun 18, 2019, 5:00 am
#54
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Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: Los Angeles, California
Programs: United, American, Delta, Hyatt, Hilton, Hertz, Marriott
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AMEX only recently increased its fee to $550, I don’t see a further increase to the annual fee as sustainable given competition from Chase and AMEX.
Outright buying club memberships doesn’t make much sense to me as all of the airlines offer discounted access with credit cards. Hadn’t make sense for several years
Jun 18, 2019, 5:04 am
#55
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Join Date: Aug 2003
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Jun 18, 2019, 5:46 am
#57
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: 4,391
What a joke. I have an Amex PLT card, SO has one too, the AMEX lounges are far, far, far better than UA's lounges, are in most of the airports I frequently, and as long as I fly AS or DL, I can use my AMEX card to access the lounges on them (or internationally) as well. Costs me $550 x2, and I get a great credit card to boot. @:-)
The package UA is offering is just inferior, to go with an inferior lounge. These kinds of things just make UA non-competitive. Faced with flying AS the other day (lounge access) vs. UA (no lounge access) guess who I flew....
The package UA is offering is just inferior, to go with an inferior lounge. These kinds of things just make UA non-competitive. Faced with flying AS the other day (lounge access) vs. UA (no lounge access) guess who I flew....
Jun 18, 2019, 6:04 am
#58
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Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: Los Angeles, California
Programs: United, American, Delta, Hyatt, Hilton, Hertz, Marriott
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Jun 18, 2019, 6:10 am
#59
Join Date: Feb 2016
Location: ORD | LGA | 2E
Programs: UA GS 1.6MM UC | AA CK 0.7MM AC | Bonvoy Ambassador | Hyatt Globalist | Hertz PC
Posts: 1,053
My break-even for the number of times I attend a UC lounge (average 3 times a week) is a lot higher than $650. Agree with many in the thread above that the issue is more likely from credit card access and *G on INTL continuations. I gauge the latter by the fact that I always sit at the bar and it seems like 35-40% of customers have to do the "I'd like X... oh I have to pay for that kind?... then give me the free stuff".
When I was non-GS I appreciated the irrops help in the UC (especially in Chicago where I've found a few reps that remember me) but even as a GS when I deal with irrops over the phone, the most crowded UC* is still usually preferable to the gate/concourse for me.
*Exception being EWR where I don't even attempt to go into the lounges anymore, also SFO just because the in-concourse dining options are actually really good (IMO) and the square footage is large enough that it rarely feels crowded.
When I was non-GS I appreciated the irrops help in the UC (especially in Chicago where I've found a few reps that remember me) but even as a GS when I deal with irrops over the phone, the most crowded UC* is still usually preferable to the gate/concourse for me.
*Exception being EWR where I don't even attempt to go into the lounges anymore, also SFO just because the in-concourse dining options are actually really good (IMO) and the square footage is large enough that it rarely feels crowded.
Jun 18, 2019, 6:13 am
#60
Join Date: Feb 2014
Posts: 397
I am making a more fundamental point. For those who value a decent (and reasonably priced) lounge experience, United is more and more taking itself out of the running. Yes, if you are tied at the hip to United, then it really does not matter what they do to you, right. No need to worry if they are competitive.
But for a lot of fliers, and particularly people who have the AMEX PLT card, flying UA just gets to be less and less of an option.
The point of having lounges is to attract and retain customers. United is not a lounge provider, its an AIRLINE. It attracts passengers (or repels them) with its offerings, and jacking up the lounge price, while cutting their quality (a trend we know is going to get worse as more Polaris Lounges get rolled out) is going to have an impact.
I used to have a Club card, ditched it, and well, when I found that when I flew DL (and now AS) with my AMEX card I got lounge access in their lounges, while on UA I got bupkis, it started to steer yet more of my $$$ away from UA. I doubt I am the only one.
But for a lot of fliers, and particularly people who have the AMEX PLT card, flying UA just gets to be less and less of an option.
The point of having lounges is to attract and retain customers. United is not a lounge provider, its an AIRLINE. It attracts passengers (or repels them) with its offerings, and jacking up the lounge price, while cutting their quality (a trend we know is going to get worse as more Polaris Lounges get rolled out) is going to have an impact.
I used to have a Club card, ditched it, and well, when I found that when I flew DL (and now AS) with my AMEX card I got lounge access in their lounges, while on UA I got bupkis, it started to steer yet more of my $$$ away from UA. I doubt I am the only one.