Every airline lounge is suffering from overcrowding problems. The expanded access to credit cardholders has meant that the existing lounge networks can’t handle the number of passengers who have access. This problem is most notable for American Express Platinum and Delta Reserve cardholders who have access to the Centurion Lounges and Delta SkyClubs. While access to these lounges has been restricted to cardholders unless you spend $75,000 for guesting privileges, the club lines can still stretch through the terminal.
Even lounges that are part of the Priority Pass network are suffering from overcrowding, as we found when we tried to enter The Club MCO lounge at Orlando Airport and had to be put on a waiting list.
While we haven’t paid attention to the United Club as we avoided the airline for years, they are apparently having the same problems with overcrowding.
During Sharon’s first trip on United, she was gifted a club pass that she used at SFO before a redeye flight to Orlando. On our next flight home from San Francisco, I used my AMEX Platinum to visit the Centurion Lounge. If I had access to the United Club, I would have used it because the Centurion Club closes before many late-night flights depart SFO for the east coast.
But for my other United flights, I couldn’t visit a United Club unless I paid for a membership because they weren’t allowing non-members to enter the club.
Even if Sharon and I had a pass from the United co-brand card or wanted to pay for a one-time pass, the United Club at Orlando Airport wasn’t accepting one-time passes.
This was an identical sign to the one I found outside of the United Club at Newark Airport. The lounge agent was very nice and explained that they put the sign out every afternoon and on days when there were significant flight delays from Newark as the lounge frequently often hit capacity.
At EWR, I could blame that on one of the large United Clubs being closed and members being directed to a pop-up club with limited capacity.
Instead of paying $50 for club access, I paid $30 for a beer and a hamburger from the airport vendor while sitting across from my gate.
I used the airport Wi-Fi to work on my laptop. Did I get a similar experience while saving $20? Maybe. But if I paid for the United co-brand card for 2 club passes, I might have felt differently when I wasn’t able to use them before my flight.
Delta is giving preferential treatment to their co-brand cardholders with lounge access over their most frequent flyers. On the other hand, United is blocking access to those who pay for access in favor of those who pay for club memberships. As long as United is going to block access for those with single-use passes, there’s no reason for me to consider the United co-brand card which offers two club passes as a yearly benefit.
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14 comments
I’m a United Club member and haven’t had any issues flying out of ORD. Now, I’m not surprised at SFO being overcrowded but I’ve had issues there at TSA too. But that doesn’t seem to be typical of United Clubs around the system. That said, I’ll admit that their offerings aren’t as generous as Delta’s clubs – but those seem to be mobbed wherever I go. AA’s Admirals Club is no better than the UC, FWIW.
It is a problem… but of course the bloggers are making it out to be WAY worse than it actually is. click bait 😛
I’m United 1K. My United Club membership is through the Chase card… so I have a REAL membership, but that aside. I’ve found myself in Denver way too much lately. In Denver, one of the clubs is closed… and the line to get into the other main club can be long.. but only about 5 minutes… and then once in, there is room… keep in mind, most people go in and out.. and most people holding up the line don’t have a membership or even a 1 time pass…. user error is what we call that…
I’m not going to comment on Delta’s issue because of AMEX… I got one of those cards… but I do stay away.. but I’ve never had a problem as a 1K getting into a club @ EWR, DEN, IAH, IDA, SAT, AUS, LAX, SFO, SAN, LAS, LGA…..
At the end of the day…. prices will rise until demand and supply aline… but I’m not sure my experience and these articles I read aline on where that intersection point is today….
Depending on the Chase card, but the Chase infinite card is a “Real” membership as it’s the same price as if you didn’t have the card…you just get miles on top of the annual membership. I very much find overcrowding in Denver and Houston. Until they get both clubs up and running, Denver will be overcrowded at times. I do love the Grab and Go Denver offers…very cool. Houston is bad in the C terminals. E still seems to be okay, although still busy. I’ve walked in and out of the two C clubs multiple times with no place to sit.
I’m not sure if there’s a right answer but your actions seem sensible enough.
Exact same bad experience at Denver last week
United gives a one time pass then doesn’t allow you to use it
Looking for a new airline…
Denver has weather problems this time of year so United Lounge gets full. But being denied entrance when I chose that route (and lounge time) before flying to Germany sucks. McD’s is no substitute.
Get your new lounge up and running ASAP !!!
Somebody please invent a small privacy tent where we can sleep on the floor next to our carryon bags (alarmed and terhered to us) until the carrier announces their next delay or cancellation, in the middle of the night.
I’m a dedicated united flyer (I prefer to keep my miles on one airline), 1k, with a club membership. I’m in clubs multiple times a week, at hubs and non hubs and this isn’t a real problem for united. Occasionally they don’t allow one time passes, true. But, 9 times out of 10, they do. This is just a hyperbolic post. Delta, in the other hand, I’ve only seen one sky club without a line in the past 3 months.
Demand your Airport get (@yourgate)
Simple access and food and beverage delivery from anywhere in the airport. No brainer and you don’t have to join anything
Just use it when you want it
Fast and easy.
I have an annual pass for the United Club which I used 75,000 miles to purchase and I have been in the clubs in Honolulu, San Francisco, Chicago and Newark.
I have never had an issue or negative experience in any of the United Clubs
Bad experience with United lounge wait list. Newark airport as a one time pass holder through United Milage Plus explorer card. Was treated as second class citizen. Was not even put on the waitlist. In my eyes the one time passes are not worth anything if they don’t allow the same privileges as a club member and should not be advertised.
Same experience as us. I contacted chase customer support asking for compensation.
We were at Denver with a 5 hour layover last week. Of course, the time we really want to use the lounge it was closed to single day pass holders. These passes are allegedly a benefit for signing up for a Chase credit card. Sure feels like a bait and switch.
In ORD with delay after delay… 7 hours. Have a Chase card, paid for First Class, have one time pass, still will not let me in. Said it’s full. I call BS, people leaving all the time.