United Debuts Revamped Chicago Polaris Lounge
United Airlines reopened on Tuesday its newly renovated and expanded United Polaris lounge at Chicago O’Hare International Airport, offering travelers more space, a modern design with and Crate & Barrel furnishings and elevated amenities.
The United Polaris lounge is located in Terminal 1 at ORD near gate C18, and it’s open 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. CT daily. The lounge is now 50% larger and features nearly 25,000 sq.-ft. of lounge space, including more than 350 seats for travelers, 50 seats across a larger dining space, a second bar, six additional restrooms, and private spaces for relaxation or work.
“Our vast international network is one of United’s unique strengths, and our United Polaris lounges help set the tone for business class travelers before or after their long-haul flights,” said Aaron McMillan, United’s Managing Director of Hospitality Programs. “Customers are going to love our new Chicago lounge because it gives them more of all of the things they want most—more space, more amenities, and more dining options—and we’ll carry this new elevated design into future lounge openings and renovations across our United Polaris lounge portfolio.”
United opened its first Polaris airport lounge in 2016 along with its new long-haul, business-class cabin with the same name. The lounge is available to United Polaris business class passengers, as well as those flying first or business class long-haul flight with a Star Alliance partner.
The ORD United Polaris lounge now has a second bar with a menu of top-shelf liquor, premium wines, non-alcoholic beverages and more. The new bar is a speakeasy-style space with a selection of premium wine and champagne options, such as Laurent-Perrier La Cuvée Brut, and Chicago-inspired cocktails, including the Second City Sour featuring Rittenhouse Rye, Malort, Lemon, Egg White and Lingua Franca Pinot Noir.
The renovated lounge also features a larger dining area with more than 50 seats – nearly tripling the amount of dining seats – where travelers can order à la carte meals with curated premium food and beverages, including Prosciutto Parmigiano Crostini, Shrimp, Scallop, Spring Vegetable Risotto and Aperol Spritz cake.
In addition to a la carte dining, customers can enjoy a hot buffet with breakfast, lunch and dinner menus, mezze station with lemon honey whipped ricotta, flatbreads and more, and snacks served at both bars like premium nuts, mediterranean olives and a charcuterie board.
The dinnerware and decor is provided by Chicago-based Crate & Barrel, marking its first collaboration with an airline.
