E+ boarding
 

First time flying UA. I'm CO silver booked on UA PHX-ORD in E+. How is UA's boarding. Does E+ board seperate like before reg E, or do they do back of the plane and E+ goes last unless ur elite. Just wondering cuz I plan on carry on luggage and don't have status on them and was wondering should I prepare to gate check.

I believe as a Star Silver you will be grouped in boarding area 1.

United has the following boarding groups:
- First/GS/1K
- Premier Exec/Star Gold
- Group 1 (Premier/Star Silver/Buy-Ups)
- Group 2 (Window)
- Group 3 (Middle)
- Group 4 (Aisle)

UA's boarding is done via 2 lanes, a red carpet lane and an economy lane. The order is:

Red carpet boarding announced first for: Global Services, 1K, First/business class

Then economy lane boarding announced for Premier Executives, Star Alliance Gold, and then it proceeds by boarding group 1-4.

As a *Silver, you will be in group 1..so definitely still early in the economy boarding process and you shouldn't have any trouble finding space for your bag.

Being in Economy Plus doesn't change your boarding group... you'll be group 1 because of your *Silver status.

You will have plenty of chance of overhead space, so don't worry about gate checking your bag... Depending on where you'll be flying from, there may be less than 10-15 Zone 1 pax..

Or, from the other side, depending on where you are flying from/to, half to 3/4 of the plane could be in seating 1.

Or 3/4 of the plane might board before Seating 1 (like some SFO flights).

And in that case be ready to run as soon as 1Ps are cleared.