IAD Polaris Lounge to open 21 October 2021?
#76
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: Washington DC
Programs: Delta DM CO PE OZ GE AMTRAK
Posts: 524
brand new construction is more straightforward than retrofit of existing places. I believe even the interior portion will also go fairly fast.
#77
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: USA
Posts: 1,153
16 Aug 2019
No obvious changes, but the guy on the crane platform was welding something
I dont know if this is new or I've just never noticed it, but in UA Club at C17 they are advertising the new Polaris Lounge.
No obvious changes, but the guy on the crane platform was welding something
I dont know if this is new or I've just never noticed it, but in UA Club at C17 they are advertising the new Polaris Lounge.
Last edited by FlyingHighlander; Aug 16, 2019 at 12:20 pm
#78
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: DCA, IAD (not BWI if I can help it)
Programs: UA 1MM 1K, Marriott Gold, Hyatt Explorist, status-free on AA, AS, B6, DL, WN, Amtrak, etc.
Posts: 1,481
This afternoon's SFO-DCA flight went right over IAD, allowing this perspective (zoomed in all the way on my phone, hence the blurriness). It looks like the lounge will be wider than the entire C concourse at that point.
Last edited by DCA writer; Aug 18, 2019 at 7:08 am Reason: More precise comparison.
#79
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: IAD...and loving it?!
Programs: UA Platinum (1MM Gold), HH Diamond, Marriott Gold
Posts: 858
Entrance on the concourse also now marked by signage...
Hoping to see it open by next May (our next Polaris flight far enough in the future to be possible). Of course, this would be our second Polaris Lounge experience at Dulles since several years ago we attended the unveiling of Polaris service which included a mocked up, but functional Polaris Lounge.
#80
Join Date: Mar 2015
Location: NYC (Primarily EWR)
Programs: UA 1K / *G, Marriott Bonvoy Gold; Avis PC
Posts: 9,010
I've been to IAD before, but that really puts it into perspective how small the existing 'temporary' concourse is! That said, I do hope that means the IAD lounge will be sizable - there are plenty of TATL flights to support it, and given UA's stated desire to transit more connections via IAD v. EWR, this would seem to call for a lounge of similar size to EWR.
#81
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: NYC
Programs: UA-1K MM, AA-Gold, DL-Silver, AS-MVP
Posts: 2,509
I've been to IAD before, but that really puts it into perspective how small the existing 'temporary' concourse is! That said, I do hope that means the IAD lounge will be sizable - there are plenty of TATL flights to support it, and given UA's stated desire to transit more connections via IAD v. EWR, this would seem to call for a lounge of similar size to EWR.
#83
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: DCA, IAD (not BWI if I can help it)
Programs: UA 1MM 1K, Marriott Gold, Hyatt Explorist, status-free on AA, AS, B6, DL, WN, Amtrak, etc.
Posts: 1,481
The view from the Aerotrain entrance yesterday evening. I'm a little confused by the height of that framing two-thirds of the way up this structure; will the PL occupy only that upper level?
#84
Join Date: May 2009
Location: Washington, DC
Programs: UA 1K 1MM, AA, DL
Posts: 7,419
^ That's what it looks like. The lower level is for baggage sorting of some sort, right? And without windows, except maybe at ground level, it's clearly not going to be part of the PL. So I would assume the PL will have either an elevator or stairs to get into, as well as potentially 360 degree views.
#85
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: USA
Posts: 1,153
It was mentioned in this thread that the lower level is for a new baggage system (not sure of the source of that info), and the upper level for the Polaris Lounge.
Access to PL is shown here, next to C18. As the PL appears to be slightly above the current terminal level, perhaps there will be stairs and/or a ramp. Doesn't seem enough of a difference for an elevator to make sense.
Views seem uncertain. It's not clear to me if the PL will rise much above the new C18 walkway, Aerotrain entrance side, or terminal side. Only sure view would be out to where the aircraft at C18 would park.
Access to PL is shown here, next to C18. As the PL appears to be slightly above the current terminal level, perhaps there will be stairs and/or a ramp. Doesn't seem enough of a difference for an elevator to make sense.
Views seem uncertain. It's not clear to me if the PL will rise much above the new C18 walkway, Aerotrain entrance side, or terminal side. Only sure view would be out to where the aircraft at C18 would park.
#86
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2015
Posts: 11,470
^ That's what it looks like. The lower level is for baggage sorting of some sort, right? And without windows, except maybe at ground level, it's clearly not going to be part of the PL. So I would assume the PL will have either an elevator or stairs to get into, as well as potentially 360 degree views.
Perhaps there will be some kind of split level with, e.g., showers downstairs like at SFO.
I forgot to post photos from last week. Looks in a similar state to as in DCA Writer's photo. There is some kind of grey brickwork at the end.
#88
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Join Date: Aug 2015
Posts: 11,470
Departure / arrival from C20 would have the best view.
#90
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Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: Northeast Kansas | Colorado Native
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It seems much larger than I expected it to be when I saw it on my last trip to IAD. ^