You may have access to United Polaris Lounge as a premium customer of one of the following airlines, or as an elite member of their frequent flyer program. airline?!. And by 3 p.m. or so, as many international departures drew near, it was difficult to find an open seat, period. United Polaris Lounge Houston (IAH) I am happy to report that the salad was fresh and flavorful. In short: Fly Polaris class. Most helpful comments ( as chosen by the OMAAT community ). In lieu of PA announcements, a dedicated team walks around the lounge to fetch passengers when international flights are about to board. The wireless internet in the Polaris lounge was fast and easy to access. 1. They feature everything from a la carte dining and buffets, to nap rooms and shower suites, to great decor, to cocktails and barista-made coffee. Amateur level service at the dining room, burgers that make you wish you had McDonald's instead. Extremely clean, expansive square footage, and superb amenities. Rather the only people who can access United Polaris Lounges are those traveling on a flight marketed as United Polaris, or those traveling in select markets in business or first class on a Star Alliance partner. If you find discrepancies with your credit score or information from your credit report, please contact TransUnion directly. But as the day wore on and more travelers sat down for a meal, the staff struggled to keep up with taking orders and seating new visitors. Amenities include a heavenly memory foam bath mat, plush Saks Fifth Avenue-branded towels, slippers, and Cowshed Spa bath products in wall-mounted dispensers. The menu was very complete with multiple options for drinks, small plates, entres, and desserts. Speaking of ORD, they're resuming a shuttle bus from T5 to domestic so arriving international pax will no longer have to reclear TSA: https://simpleflying.com/ohare-international-airport-restore-terminal-bus-transfer/. Review: The Woodward Hotel Geneva, Oetker Collection. Like all Polaris Lounges around the country, the Polaris Lounge in Chicago has a few standout amenities you can count on. Many of the credit card offers that appear on this site are from credit card companies from which we receive financial compensation. United's Polaris Lounge is fantastic, with all of the amenities that one could wish for, including showers. on long-haul international flights are allowed complimentary lounge access before departure, during connections and upon arrival. Money + Miles tickets arent upgradable with MileagePlus Upgrade Awards, either. At the back of the lounge you'll find you guessed it even more seating, like this long bench with tables. As I walked out of the lounge ahead of my 3:45 p.m. boarding time, the lounge was clearly near capacity. Back toward the entrance, you'll find the long like, really long corridor of single-stall restrooms, with about a dozen available. The service is especially valuable for travelers bound to Europe, since most flights are too short for a full dinner service and a restful night. The lounge is open daily from 7:15 a.m. until 9:00 p.m. There is also a complimentary full-service restauranta unique amenity among domestic carriers, which places United above the competition when it comes to ground services. I have my family as well flying on Economy Plus. Can I use the Polaris lounge on the 5th before my LAX-LAS segment? Does polaris have kosher food, But depending on when you arrive and how hungry you are you'll want to beeline it straight to the back corner of the line and queue up forThe Dining Room. It's great that these restrooms have lights to show whether they're open (green) or occupied (red). Your comment about connecting flights arent allowed for Star Alliance is a little confusing. The lounge is 12,000 square feet, making it the smallest Polaris Lounge. These lounges offer dining through a hot and cold buffet, as well as drinks like wine, spirits, craft beer and cocktails. ORD hours are incorrect; pretty sure Polaris at ORD opens at 6 AM. I'm a big fan of the single work pods that run all the way through the center of the main lounge area. Today, United introduced full service sit-down dining menus in the ORD Polaris Lounge. American has its excellent Flagship Lounges like the Dallas Flagship Lounge, another step up from your standard airline club. Worth the hassle? United Airlines opened its brand new Polaris lounge in October 2021, welcoming business travelers flying internationally. Clearing security might require a boarding pass departing from the terminal. With a sleek and modern design, this lounge features customMore, Terminal 1, Concourse C (Inside Security), Relax and unwind in the brand new Polaris Lounge. And there's also a toilet inside each suite. The pods are spacious, comfortable and pleasantly private. Alisha is a freelance writer and photographer. 22 minutes at a pretty decent clip each way from T7 to TBIT. Chris has years of marketing and hospitalityexperience, so running the social media channels and writing about family travel is a natural fit for him here at Upgraded Points. If you fly United Airlines, youre probably at least somewhat familiar with its comfortable and spacious Polaris class: lie-flat seats, elevated dining options, bedding and plenty of comfortable amenities. Chicago O'Hare (near Gate B6, near Gate B18, near Gate C16 and across from Gate F9). United Domestic First Class flying has also started being a disappointment. A professional journalist, he joined the company in November 2018 after five years covering state and national politics for The Associated Press and working at several newspapers across the country. They're located in Chicago-O'Hare, Houston Intercontinental, Los Angeles, Newark, San. Or can we? Check the Access rules tab for more details. What Airports Have the Polaris Lounge? Pretty sure the answer is yes but ORD to boston in premium economy (5 hour layover) then Boston-LHR in Polaris on same itinerary, we can use Polaris lounger's at ORD? Inquire with the valet behind the double glass door; should there be a wait, a staff member will come find you in person in the lounge when your shower is ready. (See full menu.) Can't say my first United Polaris flight was enjoyable. {"hide_search_input":"","hide_near_input":"","bg":"","mt":"","mr":"","mb":3,"ml":"","pt":"","pr":"","pb":"","pl":"","border":"","rounded":"","rounded_size":"","shadow":"","show":""}. Stay connected with the latest travel, aviation, and credit card news. Lounge Access. Forget top travel credit cards or even status they'll do you no good here. Starting with the lit-from-within check-in desk! At that time, there were just a few tables taken so getting in was a cinch. You can access United Polaris Lounges if youre traveling the same day on a United Polaris ticket: United Polaris Lounges are also open to premium cabin passengers traveling long haul on Star Alliance partners: The policy on connecting itineraries is an area where the Star Alliance lounge access policy is stingy compared to the oneworld lounge access policy. I recently connected through both of those airports and the connection time was somewhat tight and the Polaris lounges were much too far away. Overall our stay here has been one of the best lounge experiences we have had. The design draws its inspiration from the United Polaris Lounge at Chicago O'Hare with soothing blue, gray, and white tones, and . Essentials such as combs, toothbrushes, toothpaste, shower caps and shaving kits, are available upon request. Just don't count on getting much of it to yourself anytime soon. I have been given conflicting information as well. You want a travel credit card that prioritizes whats important to you. Specifically, it's in Concourse C of Terminal 1 at O'Hare, located near gate C18. You can also make yourself a coffee or espresso if needed. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Overall the United Polaris lounge at ORD was excellent and I cant wait to visit again. And they are truly excellent. This compensation may impact how and where products appear on this site (including, for example, the order in which they appear). Learn more: The best first class airline in the U.S. American Way, Hemispheres, CultureMap, JohnnyJet, and more. So then, who can access United Polaris lounge? See our Advertiser Disclosurefor more details. If not, any other options for them to accompany me like buying one time United Club pass? After a meal and a cocktail, you may want to rest before your flight. Fontina-filled . But you didnt come here to read about a buffet review, lets check out The Dining Room. There's also dedicated drink and dessert menus available in the dining room, though I forgot to snap a picture of those. Polaris Lounges are only accessible to business and first-class passengers flying United Polaris or business or first class on Star Alliance partners. The experience starts on the ground at the beautiful Polaris lounges. The dining room uses a waiting list to put your name down for a table as soon as it opens up, but that wait can be long depending on when you arrive. This information may be different than what you see when you visit a financial institution, service provider or specific products site. Most importantly, the water pressure was excellent. Very nice accommodations, beautifully laid out - great food and staff. Check to make sure before you book if youre hoping to upgrade. While you may not be able to purchase a day pass or flash a credit card to get into a United Polaris lounge, there are several ways to gain entrance by flying in Polaris class even if you didnt originally book a Polaris fare. United Polaris Lounge at Chicago, IL - O'Hare (ORD) welcomes: Note: A same-day boarding pass for an international flight in a premium cabin is required. Let me explain why. We never share or resell your information. "Sky's the Limit" at O'Hare by w4nd3rl0st from Flickr (CC BY-NC-ND 2.0) The Polaris Lounge is in the middle of Concourse C, near gate C20, in the location of the former United Global First Class Lounge . What has your experience been with United Polaris Lounges? A-la-carte service is only offered in the dedicated restaurant zone, but patrons sitting in other areas may help themselves from the buffet and order drinks from servers. What days are United Polaris Lounge open? Sign up and well send you Nerdy articles about the money topics that matter most to you along with other ways to help you get more from your money. The lounge features four relaxation suites that have custom-designed day beds. It is open daily from 7:00AM to 9:00PM. While under normal circumstances I would have easily ordered the United Polaris burger and washed it down with a Samuel Adams draft beer, I was showing self-restraint that evening for some reason. 5 ways to gain United Polaris lounge access, Things to know about United Airlines lounge access. For starters, these suites are massive, with more than enough space for a bench to lay out your luggage and get changed heck, you can even walk around. United Polaris Lounge is open Mon, Tue, Wed, Thu, Fri, Sat, Sun. United has enlisted the services of an expert: the former Head Concierge at the Drake hotel in Chicago, who also helped launch the St. Regis luxury hotel in New York City. 2. The Polaris Lounge welcomes exclusively United Polaris business and first class customers, as well as Star Alliance premium passengers departing on international flights (Canada and Mexico excluded.). Closed now : See all hours. And while our site doesnt feature every company or financial product available on the market, were proud that the guidance we offer, the information we provide and the tools we create are objective, independent, straightforward and free. Polaris is what United calls its premium travel product, which extends beyond class of travel to encompass the entire travel experience: a personal on-board suite, sleep-centric amenities, upscale dining options and of course Uniteds Polaris lounge access. Here are our picks for the best travel credit cards of 2023, including those best for: Flexibility, point transfers and a large bonus: Chase Sapphire Preferred Card, No annual fee: Bank of America Travel Rewards credit card, Flat-rate travel rewards: Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card, Bonus travel rewards and high-end perks: Chase Sapphire Reserve, Luxury perks: The Platinum Card from American Express, Business travelers: Ink Business Preferred Credit Card, About the author: Alisha McDarris is a freelance travel writer and photographer. If you look closely at the seating photos above, you will notice almost all of them have a nice spot to place a laptop and an outlet nearby. Another nice amenity offered at Polaris lounges is the option to use a daybed. The lounge offers showers, sleeping pods, food, drinks, and plenty of. Pair that with some strong Wi-Fi, and you could spend hours working in this lounge with no issues. You have to be a PAID business class passenger, no miles. We wish that United had included phone rooms in the design of the Polaris Lounge, in order to accommodate passengers who need to make phone calls. While any United passenger with a valid same-day boarding pass can buy a one-time pass for United Club lounges (or a United Club membership), not just anyone can get into the coveted Polaris lounge. Premier status and credit card upgrades on award tickets. There were also vegetarian and gluten-free options as well. We believe everyone should be able to make financial decisions with confidence. It is not the bank advertisers responsibility to ensure all posts and/or questions are answered. There is also a United Club lounge next to gate C16, so just be sure to not confuse them or you will likely be quite disappointed after reading this review! The Polaris Lounge was primarily designed with the solo business traveler in mind: a highlight of the lounge is the numerous semi-private seats that feature personal lighting, USB and power outlets, a coat hook, and a pull-out marble tray that can be used for laptops or eating. United Polaris Lounges are among the best lounges youll find in the United States, with a la carte dining, nice decor, great showers and rest areas, and generally friendly service. I've been traveling United business for around 10 years now. The United Polaris Lounge Washington is open daily from 5:30AM until 10PM, and its located in Concourse C, near gate C17. Since opening after the pandemic, they have become crowded, often not able to find a seat. There is also a United Club lounge next to gate C16, so just be sure to not confuse them or you will likely be quite disappointed after reading this review! No responsibility will be taken by the bank advertiser for these comments. Pressing service is available upon request: hang your clothes through the double door, and they will be returned to you wrinkle free while you freshen up. Your email address will not be published. United Airlines currently has six Polaris Lounges, located in Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Newark, San Francisco, and Washington. Opinions expressed here are the authors alone, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities. Complimentary Premier upgrades only include one companion; if there are more non-Premier travelers on your reservation than Premier members, book additional non-Premier members on another reservation or you'll lose your eligibility for the award. That left just enough time to take some pictures, have a few drinks, and enjoy a 3-course meal before boarding my flight to So Paulo. We have an extensive network of lounges around the world for you to visit. It was perfectly cooked, topped with a simple but elegant garnish, and drizzled with a tangy lemon caper butter sauce that really tied the whole dish together. At the end of the day, whatreally sets United Polaris Lounges apart from other airlines is dining. Learn more: Things to know about United Airlines lounge access. If you find discrepancies with your credit score or information from your credit report, please contact TransUnion directly. This site does not include all credit card companies or all available credit card offers. The lounge is 21,000 square feet, making it the third largest Polaris Lounge.