JHake10

Walked into the Terminal C club near gate 120. It was so crowded and there was no seating. Not a chair next to someone you normally wouldn't take, nothing in the business center, nothing at the bar. Went into the bathroom and there was a line for that. First time at this club and was horrified. Is this the norm?

wxguy

On a good day, when there are no IRROPs and the weather if fine, yes. Add in delays, cancellations or weather? It's worse. Really.

Antonio8069

I visit this lounge often, and I rarely find it full. Bear in mind its a huge space and there are extra seats in the quiet area - as well as extensive seating in the biz. area (which is where I usually end up!).

I find the crowds come and go with the early morning departures aka one moment its full, the next its 1/2 empty.

Also, this lounge has 6 showers - a real plus.

JHake10

That's why I was shocked. The lounge space is one of the largest I've seen. Yet there were no seats, even if you wanted to share a table with someone. The business center was completely packed. There were even people standing against the walls so they weren't in the way. Seeing the line for the bathroom made my decision to just leave. As I was leaving someone who purchased a one time pass was arguing for a refund as there was nowhere to sit.

I'll be flying EWR-SFO every other week and hope it's not always this bad.

Eadward

No that isn't the norm.

davie355

I'm at this club right now. They were turning away all one-time passes and they said they do this daily (from 2-6:30, I think). A sign posted outside the entrance says they are not selling or honoring one-time passes due to ongoing renovations.

JHake10

The person I heard on my way out was saying "I paid to come in here, and there isn't anywhere to sit". I guess it was for a different situation.

Glad to see you got a seat

tarheelnj

During this time (2-6:30) you have every BF traveler (gates 101-138) on international and PS flights, plus all the regular members, trying to squeeze into the club. If you have a long time to wait, try the other club in C.

There's another option if there are no seats. Go to the desk and ask them to open a meeting room. I've done that several times. The agent has to call someone (Operations?) to get authorization. You're sharing the conference table with other people on their laptops, but I've found it a nice experience, since you usually won't get someone on a conference call with strangers in proximity and the people you meet are generally pleasant. In the old pre-merger days, CO only charged $25 or $35/hour for those rooms, so I would regularly book them for a couple hours when the Club was full. Prices have gone way up.

Delta3MM

that is *NOT* completely accurate. You can't get to terminal B from within security. However, ANY boarding pass for Any flight departing Newark that day will get you through security in terminal B. I know. I do this almost every week because I have 4 hours after work on Friday before my 9PM flight.

So, after I check in (terminal A), I head to Terminal B and go through security. No precheck there, but the time of day I get there takes 20 min max to go through security.

Then, after I finish at the LH lounge, I head back out security to terminal A. They also do not have Precheck. It usually takes about 15 min for me to get through that line at 7:45PM on a Friday night.

Billy

megalab

Thanks Billy. Next Friday evening I'll arrive on a domestic UA flight in TA and will connect to a domestic UA flight in TC. I could get into TB with my UA BP and use the LH lounge with my UC Club Membership?

764toHI

Just be sure to stop by the connection desk in Terminal B for a paper boarding pass - I don't think TSA for *A gates accepts electronic BPs.

blueman2

So which EWR club is best? Well, hard to know when there is not a seat in any of them. Here today, Sunday, June 5.

At 3pm, went to C120 and C74. Both full. Sat in gate area.

Went to LH lounge at 4:30pm. Full, warned by staff it was too full, but went in anyway. Not only were 100% of the seats taken (including bar seats and all eating table seats), but about 20 or so people standing as well. I left.

Then C120 UC again at 5:00pm. There were a few seats with people not in them, but all had luggage in/near them so had to assumed no open seats. about 25 or so people wandering around with luggage, looking for seats. I left.

Then UC across from C74. Again, I counted about 10 to 12 open seats, but all of those had luggage on them. Again, about 15 people I saw walking around with luggage trying to find a seat and looking very frustrated. I asked if either club would open up conference rooms for people to use, and they flatly said no. They are for paid use only.

So now I am sitting happily in the gate area across from C71. Lots of open seating here. Even a plug across the way from me.

Also of note, both C terminal UCs had notices that no 1 day passes are being accepted due to ongoing renovations.

Antonio, we must be in different EWRs. I arrived at 3pm. It is 6pm now. Been full the whole time.

What a mess!!!!


EDIT: 6:10pm. Just went back to C74 lounge again. Line of about 40-50 people waiting to get in. People leaving saying not a seat to be had, line for restroom, line for bar, line for food.

WineCountryUA

Summer travel season has started -- elites, club members traveling with their families, peak travel on weekends, and renovations limiting seats ===> trouble.

GSBEWR

Which EWR club is undergoing renovations? C1 or C2/3? Please don't tell me both (which I could believe would only happen at EWR).

Also, is there any indication as to where the new Polaris Lounge will be going? Will it be a completely new facility or will they split up the C2/3 club to make room?

dmurphynj

The final plan for the Polaris EWR club aren't done yet. Rumors are that they're considering a 2-story club, but nothing done yet. Will be interesting; can't wait for the clubs to be renovated, as EWR is my home club.