United Restricts Polaris Lounge Access for Star Alliance Partners
United Airlines has introduced a new policy that sharply restricts access to its premium Polaris Lounges. Starting this week, the airline stopped allowing many alliance business and first-class travelers into these lounges. Instead, these premium spaces are now reserved almost exclusively for United’s own long-haul Polaris passengers and those flying with a select group of partners.
| Eligible customers | What you need | Where you can access | Guest policy |
|---|---|---|---|
| Standard or flexible fare in United Polaris | A same-day boarding pass. | Lounges at departure, connecting and arrival airports along their eligible same-day itinerary. | No guests allowed. |
| First class on Lufthansa, Swiss or ANA | A same-day boarding pass. | Lounges at the departure airport for their international long-haul first class flight1. | One guest allowed. |
| Business class tickets on ANA, Air New Zealand or ITA. Basic and Flex business class tickets on Lufthansa, Swiss, Austrian or Brussels Airlines. | A same-day boarding pass. | Lounges at the departure airport for their international long-haul business class flight. | No guests allowed. |
This shift leaves out passengers flying in premium cabin with carriers like Singapore Airlines, EVA Air, or Turkish Airlines. Those passengers are now being redirected to standard United Clubs, which are not on the same level as the Polaris experience.
United Polaris Lounges have seen overcrowding recently so United is trying to make them more exclusive by limiting access. Even some United customers travelling in Business class will no longer have access to these lounges.
HT: OMAAT
