Editor’s Note: This is a recurring post, regularly updated with new information and offers.
Airport lounges can be an oasis in the middle of a busy, crowded or outdated terminal.
Some lounges are part of the member network, such as Priority card. Others are airline-specific, like United Club.
If you’re a loyal United passenger or frequent one of the airline’s biggest malls, here’s what you need to know about visiting United Club.
Same day boarding pass required
America’s “Big Three” airlines – American, Delta and United – all require same-day boarding passes to access their lounges. That means you can’t use Club United when flying with Americans.
Related: Best credit cards to fly United
For starters, you’ll need a United day boarding pass or a star alliance partner airlines to get into the United Club.
Credit
The United Club Infinite Card is the newest (and potentially the most affordable) way to access United Clubs for frequent travelers. The pass comes with a lounge membership that entitles the primary cardholder and two accompanying adults (or one adult and any dependent children under the age of 21) to United Clubs for as long as you hold the card.
The United Club Infinite Card has an annual fee of $525, which is lower than a discounted lounge membership with Premier elite status (see below). The card currently offers a sign-up bonus of 80,000 bonus miles after you spend $5,000 on purchases in the first three months of account opening.
Sign up for our daily newsletter
Business owners can open a United Club Business Card, which provides the same United Club access as the United Club Infinite Card. However, this card has slightly different ancillary benefits and a lower $450 annual fee.
The United Club Business Card information has been independently collected by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
If you want to avoid the huge annual fee, you can choose the entry level United Explorer card, including two United Club tickets used once per year. Note that these day passes do not include guest access.
Paid Membership
You can pay for your United Club membership with cash or miles, although rates vary depending on your location. United Premier Elite Statuswith the following ratio:
| MileagePlus Premier status | Senior Member |
|---|---|
| joint member | $650 or 85,000 miles |
| Premium Silver | $650 or 85,000 miles |
| premium gold | $650 or 85,000 miles |
| Premium Platinum | $600 or 80,000 miles |
| prime minister 1KZK | $550 or 75,000 miles |
While the top elite members (Premier Platinum and Premier 1K) are discounted, the price is still quite high. TPG worth United MileagePlus miles at 1.21 cents each, so your best bet is to pay the annual membership fee in cash, rather than miles. (Of course, open United Club Infinite Card is an even better deal.)
If you don’t travel enough to commit to an annual membership, you can also purchase a day pass for $59 at United Club locations or through the United mobile app. Just be aware that day passes do not guarantee admission during peak crowded times.
As of January 1, 2021, United’s Invitation-Only Global Service members can enjoy lounge access on all United-operated flights, including those operating within the United States only. Note that this new privilege only applies to Global Services members — you will only be able to bring guests into the lounge as a separate member or when traveling internationally.
elite status
Some Premier members can use United Club at any time during their travel itinerary.
United Premier Gold (and higher) members have access to airline lounges when traveling internationally on any Star Alliance carrier, regardless of their class of service. They can also bring a guest departing on a Star Alliance airline from the same airport. Note that as of May 3, 2021, guests must travel on the same flight.
Star Alliance Gold members with another partner airline can use United Club with any Star Alliance boarding pass on the same day, including on United domestic flights. The same guest rules apply. As of May 3, 2021, star alliance require guests to on the same flight as an elite member.
(Note that Premier elite cannot use service provider’s services Polaris’ loungebecause those locations have separate entry requirements, which we’ll discuss later.)
Ticket Type
Star Alliance luxury travelers can also use United Clubs, though the exact terms and guest privileges vary by ticket type, as seen below.
Visit another United Club
The United lounge is open to a number of other travelers, including:
- Active military personnel of the United States. You will need to travel with a valid military ID, same-day United boarding pass, and wear a uniform or carry a leave order or rest and recuperation papers.
- If you’re an Air Canada Maple Leaf Club member, you can access Club United as before any Star Alliance member’s same-day flight.
- Maple Leaf Club North American members can use any United Club domestic location, while Maple Leaf Club Global members can use all locations worldwide and bring follow one guest per visit.
- Virgin Australia Velocity Gold, Platinum and VIP elite members can visit United Clubs by presenting a same-day boarding pass for a United or Virgin Australia international flight departing from the same airport. You can bring a guest if you are traveling with United.
Access to the United Polaris . Lounge
Of course, Star Alliance premium cabin passengers also have access to United’s Polaris lounges, which offer modern interiors, spa-like private showers and fine dining experiences.
Three types of passengers are eligible for Polaris lounges:
- United Polaris business class passengers: available at departure, connecting and/or arrival airports (no passengers).
- Star Alliance First Class Passengers: available at departure airport only for long-haul first class flight (single passenger).
- Star Alliance Business Class Passengers: only present at departure airport for long-haul business class flight (no passengers).
Visit United Club Fly
In addition to United Clubs and Polaris Lounges, the airline operates a new lounge concept called “Flying Club.”
The first such space opened in Denver in November. based on the concept of take and take. Eligible visitors can enter Club Fly by scanning their boarding pass at the self-service entrance.
Once inside, you can break into a snack bar stocked with packaged and prepared foods, and you can also order a coffee from the bartender.
Due to Club Fly’s focus on efficiency, the access policies are a bit different. All travelers eligible for United Club or Polaris Lounge can visit Club Fly, but they cannot bring any guests. (This does not include active duty US service members and Air Canada Maple Leaf Club members.)
Location
You’ll find a wide variety of United Clubs at its main hubs, including:
- Chicago O’Hare (ORD) — Four locations: three in Terminal 1 (near Gates B6, B18 and C10) plus another in Terminal 2 across from Gate F9.
- Denver (DEN) — Two locations: one near Gate B32 and the other near Gate B44. United flying club can be found near Gate B60 and there is a temporary pop-up club near Gate B59. Two new and renovated clubs is scheduled to open in Denver in 2023.
- Houston (IAH) — Five locations: one in Terminal A (opposite Gate A9), one in Terminal B (south mezzanine), two in Terminal C (near Gate C1 and towards Gate C33), and one in Terminals E (between gates E11) and E12).
- Los Angeles (LAX) — a site adjacent to Gate 71A.
- Newark (EWR) — Three locations: a “pop-up” in Terminal C (near Gate C93), plus a full club in Terminal C (upper floor, near Gate C123). Two new and renovated clubs is expected to open in Newark in 2023.
- San Francisco (SFO) — Three locations: two in Terminal 3 (near Gate E4 and Gate F11) and one in the international terminal (between gates G6 and G9).
- Washington Dulles (IAD) — Four locations in Midfield Terminal (near gates C4, C7, C17 and D8).
With the exception of Denver, all of these airports (Chicago O’Hare, Houston, Los Angeles, Newark, San Francisco And Washington DC) has a Polaris lounge.
Most other clubs are scattered across the United States, including airports such as Dallas Fort Worth International Airport (DFW), Philadelphia International Airport (PHL), and Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport (PHX). ), Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL) and Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport (MSP), among others.
For full details on all these locations, including operating hours, you can visit this page.
bottom line
United offers a variety of ways to access its United Club, for both frequent flyers in premium cabins and passengers with memberships.
If you frequently travel with United, you should analyze which options work best for you to unlock a relaxing lounge experience.
