How you can get United Membership lounge entry: From bank cards to paid lounge memberships

Airport lounges can function oases from a busy, crowded or outdated terminal. Some lounges, like Precedence Go, belong to a membership community; others are airline-specific, just like the United Membership lounge.

Should you’re a loyal United Airways flyer or frequent one of many service’s largest hubs, visiting a United Membership lounge might be already in your radar. Nonetheless, the airline not too long ago made some main entry modifications, affecting most flyers.

So, maintain studying to search out out extra about entering into United lounges.

How you can entry United Membership and Polaris lounges

The Chicago-based airline presents a community of ordinary lounges, dubbed United Membership, and unique ultra-premium lounges for worldwide long-haul enterprise vacationers and Star Alliance premium cabin, often called Polaris Lounge. Lounge entry supplies vacationers with complimentary drinks, snacks and high-speed web, and choose lounges provide facilities, equivalent to non-public leisure areas and showers.

So, how does one acquire entry to United’s community of lounges?

Identical-day boarding move requirement

Although United introduced a number of modifications in terms of accessing its lounge community, one requirement that is not altering is that you’re going to nonetheless want a same-day boarding move. This can be a same-day boarding move for a Star Alliance companion airline, like Lufthansa or Swiss.

Associated: Greatest United Airways bank cards

Paid United Membership membership

United now has two tiers of paid membership for entry to the Membership.

United Membership particular person membership

Worth: $750 or 94,000 miles

This membership presents limitless entry to all 45-plus United Membership areas for the first member solely. There are not any reductions accessible for United Premier members. Particular person members can pay to carry visitors into the lounge on a one-off foundation; you may have to pay $59 for a one-time move per visitor.

Particular person members don’t have entry to Star Alliance companion lounges.

United Membership All Entry membership

Worth: Varies relying on Premier standing

All Entry members can get pleasure from limitless United Membership entry for the first member and as much as two visitors, or one grownup and two dependents underneath 18 years outdated.

This membership additionally consists of entry to all Star Alliance member lounges, in addition to different choose companion areas. All Entry members can use any Star Alliance member carrier-owned or Star Alliance-branded lounge.

Whereas these new membership plans are already efficient for brand new sign-ups, present members who signed up earlier than March 24 will not see any modifications till their membership 12 months expires. Upon renewal, members should select between a person or All Entry plan (and pay the related greater charges).

Be aware that lifetime United Membership members have been transformed to All Entry plans.

TPG values United MileagePlus miles at 1.35 cents every, per our March 2025 valuations, so your greatest guess is to pay the annual membership payment with money as a substitute of miles.

Entry United Membership lounges with a Bank card

Having an eligible cobranded United bank card will be essentially the most cost-effective technique to persistently enter the United Membership.

You may get lounge entry with the next playing cards (notice that some playing cards solely provide one-time passes):

*Beginning Might 1, one-time passes can solely be utilized by the first cardholder, a licensed consumer or a visitor touring with both cardmember; moreover, passholders can solely use the move inside three hours of their scheduled flight departure.

**The knowledge for the United Membership Enterprise Card has been collected independently by The Factors Man. The cardboard particulars on this web page haven’t been reviewed or supplied by the cardboard issuer.

Be aware that lounge membership earned through a cobranded bank card presents a singular entry coverage that features entry for major cardmembers, one visitor and any dependents underneath 18 years outdated.

Cardmembers can unlock an All Entry membership membership (bumping up the visitor allowance to 2 folks and unlocking entry to companion lounges) in one in all two methods. The primary is to earn Premier Gold standing or greater in a given 12 months, and the second is to spend at the very least $50,000 on eligible purchases on their cobranded card in a calendar 12 months.

For the reason that annual payment on each the United Membership Card and the United Membership Enterprise Card is $695, having a bank card to enter the lounge stays a extra enticing possibility than outright shopping for a membership.

Moreover, the United Membership Card and the United Membership Enterprise Card provide 4 one-time passes yearly when cardmembers have a licensed consumer on their account and have unlocked an All Entry Membership.

Should you’d want to keep away from the hefty annual payment, you may go for the entry-level United Explorer Card or the United Enterprise Card, each of which embrace two single-use United Membership passes every year. Be aware that these day passes do not embrace visitor entry, nor can they be transferred to pals or household who aren’t approved customers or accompanying a cardmember into the lounge.

Entry United Membership lounges with Elite standing

Choose Premier members can use United Golf equipment at any time throughout their journey journey.

United Premier Gold (and better) members have entry to United Golf equipment when touring internationally on any Star Alliance service, no matter their class of service. They will additionally carry alongside one visitor departing on a Star Alliance service from the identical airport (notice that the visitor have to be touring on the identical flight).

Star Alliance Gold members who maintain standing with one other companion airline can use the United Membership with any same-day Star Alliance boarding move, together with throughout home United journey (once more, visitors have to be touring on the identical flight because the elite member).

Since Jan. 1, 2021, United’s invite-only World Providers members can get pleasure from lounge entry on all United-operated flights, together with these working solely throughout the U.S. Be aware that this new perk solely covers the World Providers member — you may solely have the ability to carry a visitor into the lounge with an All Entry membership, eligible cobranded bank card or when flying internationally.

Entry United lounges with Ticket sort

Premium-cabin Star Alliance vacationers also can use United Golf equipment, although the precise phrases and visitor privileges differ by ticket sort, as seen beneath.

United Membership One-time move

Should you do not journey sufficient to decide to an annual membership, you too can buy day passes for $59 at United Membership areas or by way of the United cell app. Simply notice that day passes do not assure entry throughout peak crowding intervals.

Beginning Might 1, vacationers utilizing a one-time move can solely enter a United Membership as much as three hours earlier than their scheduled departure time. This solely applies to departure flights, and there’s no time restrict for entry on connecting flights.

Be aware that grab-and-go Membership Fly areas now not settle for one-time passes.

It’s also possible to earn one-time passes without cost with choose cobranded bank cards, together with:

• United Explorer Card: Two single-use United Membership passes every year
• United Enterprise Card: Two single-use United Membership passes every year
• United Membership Card: 4 one-time passes yearly when cardmembers have a licensed consumer on their account and have unlocked Membership All Entry Membership
• United Membership Enterprise Card: 4 one-time passes yearly when cardmembers have a licensed consumer on their account and have unlocked Membership All Entry Membership

Different United Membership entry

United’s lounges are open to some different vacationers, together with:

• Energetic U.S. navy personnel: You may have to journey with a sound navy I.D., a same-day United boarding move and be wearing uniform, or carry your depart orders or relaxation and recuperation papers.
• Air Canada Maple Leaf Membership members: Maple Leaf Membership North America members can use any home United Membership location, whereas Maple Leaf Membership Worldwide members can use all areas worldwide and convey a visitor for every go to.
• Virgin Australia Velocity Gold, Platinum and VIP elite members: Members could go to United Golf equipment by presenting a same-day boarding move for a global United or Virgin Australia flight departing from the identical airport. You’ll be able to carry one visitor if you happen to’re touring with United.

United Polaris Lounge entry

In fact, Star Alliance premium-cabin passengers even have entry to United’s Polaris lounges, which supply trendy furnishings, non-public spalike bathe suites and elevated culinary experiences.

Three kinds of passengers are eligible for Polaris lounge entry:

• Vacationers in United Polaris enterprise class: Accessible at departure, connecting and/or arrival airports (no visitors)
• Vacationers in Star Alliance top notch: Solely accessible on the departure airport for a long-haul first-class flight (one visitor)
• Vacationers in Star Alliance enterprise class: Solely accessible on the departure airport for a long-haul business-class flight (no visitors)

United Membership Fly Entry

Along with United Golf equipment and Polaris Lounges, the service operates a grab-and-go lounge idea referred to as “Membership Fly.”

The primary such area opened in Denver in November 2022, and a second one opened in Houston in early 2025. Eligible vacationers can enter Membership Fly by scanning their boarding move on the self-serve entry gate.

When you get inside, you may raid the snack bar that is stocked with packaged and ready meals, and you too can order a espresso from the barista.

Given Membership Fly’s concentrate on effectivity, the entry insurance policies are a bit completely different. All vacationers eligible to enter a United Membership or Polaris Lounge can go to Membership Fly, however they can’t carry any visitors. (This excludes energetic U.S. navy personnel, one-time passholders and Air Canada Maple Leaf Membership members.)

United Membership lounge Areas

You may discover a plethora of United Golf equipment within the service’s predominant hubs, together with:

• Chicago’s O’Hare Worldwide Airport (ORD): 5 areas — three in Terminal 1 (close to gates B6, B18 and C10), plus two in Terminal 2 throughout from gates E7 and F9
• Denver Worldwide Airport (DEN): Three areas — one close to Gate B32, one other close to Gate B44 and a 3rd close to Gate A25; United Membership Fly will be discovered close to Gate B60
• Houston’s George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH): 5 areas — one in Terminal A (throughout from Gate A9), one in Terminal B (south mezzanine), two in Terminal C (close to Gate C1 and towards Gate C33) and one in Terminal E (between gates E11 and E12); United Membership Fly will be discovered close to Gates B12-20
• Los Angeles Worldwide Airport (LAX): One location adjoining to Gate 71A
• Newark Liberty Worldwide Airport (EWR): Three areas — one in Terminal A close to Gate A27 and two in Terminal C close to gates C74 and C123
• San Francisco Worldwide Airport (SFO): Three areas — two in Terminal 3 (close to Gate E4 and Gate F11) and one within the worldwide terminal (between gates G6 and G9).
• Dulles Worldwide Airport (IAD) close to Washington, D.C.: Three areas within the Midfield Terminal (close to gates C7, C17 and D8)

Aside from DEN, the entire talked about airports have Polaris lounges.

Many of the different golf equipment are scattered throughout the U.S., together with in airports equivalent to Dallas Fort Value Worldwide Airport (DFW), Philadelphia Worldwide Airport (PHL), Phoenix Sky Harbor Worldwide Airport (PHX), Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta Worldwide Airport (ATL) and Minneapolis-St. Paul Worldwide Airport (MSP), amongst others.

Try United’s web site for a whole checklist of the airline’s Membership and Polaris lounge areas.

Backside line

United presents a wide range of methods to entry its United Golf equipment, each for premium-cabin frequent flyers and for these with a membership.

Should you incessantly journey with United, it is value analyzing which choices provide the very best bang in your buck to unlock a soothing lounge expertise.

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