Airline lounges used to be a guaranteed way to escape the airport chaos. Comfortable seating, decent food and drinks, power outlets, and a quiet atmosphere made them a welcome respite. But these days? Overcrowding and restrictive access rules are turning many lounges into just another frustrating part of the airport experience.
Most lounge networks have been overwhelmed by demand, largely driven by credit cards that offer access as a perk. We’ve seen this with Centurion Lounges, Delta Sky Clubs, and Priority Pass locations. But if there’s one lounge system that’s become especially frustrating to deal with, it’s the United Club.
United Is Making It Harder—Even If You Have a Pass
Once upon a time, holding a United co-branded credit card that came with two United Club passes per year felt like a solid value. But not anymore. As of May 1, 2025, United has implemented new restrictions that make those passes much harder to use:
- They can only be used within three hours of your scheduled flight departure.
- They’re not valid at Club Fly locations (United’s grab-and-go lounges).
- They’re non-transferable, so you can’t share them with a friend or family member.
That means if you were hoping to use your pass during a long travel day or give it to someone else, you’re out of luck. And even if you play by all the new rules, you still might get turned away because the lounge is full.
I’ve personally seen signs at multiple airports, including Orlando and Newark, saying that the lounge isn’t accepting day-pass holders due to capacity. It’s frustrating, especially when you’ve made plans around having lounge access, only to be denied entry.
The “Upgrade” to Paid Membership Isn’t Much Better
United also introduced two new tiers of lounge membership in 2025:
- Individual Membership: $750/year (or 94,000 miles), United Club access only, no guests allowed.
- All-Access Membership: $1,400/year (or 175,000 miles), includes two guests and access to Star Alliance lounges.
If you hold the United Club Infinite Card ($695 annual fee), you do get lounge access for yourself and one guest. But if you want All-Access level benefits, you’ll need to either have Premier Gold status or higher, or spend $50,000 on the card annually. That’s a steep price to pay for lounge access.
Meanwhile, Other Lounges Aren’t Exactly a Bargain Either
United isn’t alone in tightening access. Capital One just announced major changes to its lounge access starting February 2026. Venture X cardholders will lose complimentary guest privileges unless they spend $75,000 a year on the card, and authorized users will cost $125 each per year to provide lounge access. Lounges are harder to access, more expensive, and more crowded than ever.
Final Thought
With all the restrictions and uncertainty, I’m not interested in chasing United Club access anymore. Whether it’s a “free” pass from a credit card or a paid membership, the value just isn’t there for me. I’d rather grab a seat near the gate, pay for a burger and a beer, and avoid the hassle of waiting in line just to be told the lounge is full. At least that way, I know what I’m getting.
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15 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.
Ill informed comment = There is no TSA at SFO, they contracted that to Covenant Aviation Security years ago. I have never seen a line of customers waiting to enter a UC – BUT I have seen the queues a DSL. The only SFO Club I have ever witnessed with a queue was the Centurion – which is currently closed for refurbishment.
Anything you write after your mis-leading statement needs to be taken with a grain of salt. “Generous offerings” of a club that is mobbed. “The food is great, but you can’t get in”
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.