United Airways will renovate and increase its Polaris Lounge at Chicago’s O’Hare Worldwide Airport (ORD), including extra space to the first premium lounge it opened in its now-extensive community.
It is no secret that airport lounges are busy nowadays.
Though airways have taken a number of completely different approaches, among the best ways in which airways and bank card issuers have been capable of deal with the crowds is by increasing their lounges — assuming they’ll discover extra space.
The plan to overtake the Chicago Polaris Lounge was outlined in an inside memo, which TPG noticed and confirmed with a service spokesperson.
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The Chicago Polaris Lounge in Concourse C of ORD first opened in 2016. It covers roughly 16,000 sq. toes and has been topic to overcrowding throughout peak durations in recent times.
The enlargement and renovation will add extra seats — together with enjoyable “premium” areas — together with extra restrooms and facilities resembling non-public seating and workspaces, United mentioned within the memo.
As soon as full, the house will span practically 25,000 sq. toes, which represents a greater than 50% improve in house. United mentioned the variety of seats will even double. The airline promised to “provide new areas and facilities that replicate buyer suggestions.”
The mission is slated to start Sept. 3.
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United didn’t distribute any renderings or drawings, so we’ll have to attend till the enlargement opens to get a way of the upgraded house.
Whereas the completed product will undoubtedly be an enchancment, the method to get there will not be easy crusing.
When the renovations start subsequent month, United will shut a part of the prevailing house. The total suite of Polaris facilities will likely be out there throughout the development, however United warns that vacationers might encounter crowding because of diminished capability. (United will quickly relocate the eating room into the seating space throughout the mission.)
United will shut the lounge altogether in early 2025 as a way to full the mission, the airline mentioned.
The airline expects the refurbished and expanded lounge to open subsequent spring, forward of the busy summer time journey season.
Throughout each the partial and full lounge closures, Polaris flyers can go to any of the 4 United Membership areas at ORD (two in Concourse B, one in Concourse C and one in Concourse F).
The airline mentioned that each one United Golf equipment at O’Hare will provide improved premium beverage choices complimentary for Polaris company. These will embody key components of the prevailing Polaris Lounge expertise, resembling Lanson Pere brut and the Prisoner pink mix.
The Chicago Polaris Lounge was the airline’s first business-class-only lounge to open in 2016. Since then, the airline has grown the Polaris Lounge community to 5 outposts, together with areas in Houston, Los Angeles, Newark, San Francisco and Washington Dulles.
The airline will even debut a Polaris Lounge in Denver within the coming years.
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