United Airlines Overhauls Lounge Access Policy, Raises Membership Prices

United Airlines has overhauled its lounge access policy and–in some circumstances–dramatically raised membership prices to its network of United Club lounges.

United Airlines Announces Two Lounge Membership Tiers, New Pricing For United Club Access

While not quite as draconian as Delta’s recent changes, United Airlines is introducing two lounge tiers, limiting access, and raising prices for lounge membership.

Before today, annual membership to the United Club ranged from $550 to $650 per year, with discounts offered to United MileagePlus elite members:

That membership included access for two guests.

Effective today, however, United is rolling out two tiers of United Club membership:

United Club Individual Membership

Priced at $750/year (or 94,000 miles) with no discounts for MileagePlus elite members, this membership will only allow access to United Clubs (no Star Alliance partner lounges) and will not allow complimentary guest access (guests will cost $59 each).

United Club All Access Membership

Priced at $1450/year (or 175,000 miles), this membership will allow access to United Clubs for the member plus two guests and also allow access to “all” Star Alliance lounges worldwide.

MileagePlus Premier members can purchase this membership at a discount:

• Premier Platinum – $1,300 or 163,000 miles
• Premier 1K members – $1,200 or 150,000 miles
• Global Service members – $1,000 or 125,000 miles

The new prices are effective immediately, but current members will only see the price increase on their date of renewal. When your current membership expires, you’ll be offered a choice between individual or all-access membership (and be charged accordingly).

Annual Fees Go Up For Lounge Access Via Credit Card

United is also raising the annual fee of its Chase co-branded United Club Infinite card and United Club Business Card from $450 to $695, which offers entry for the primary cardmember and one guest and any dependents under 18.

Cardmemebrs can upgrade to an “All Access” membership (meaning they can bring in two guests) by earning Premier Gold status or spending $50,000 in eligible purchases.

I’ll outline United’s new card and updated co-branded credit card products in a separate post.

New Three-Hour Time Limit

Passengers using a one-time pass to enter the lounge will be limited to lounge access only three hours or less prior to departure. This does not apply on a connecting itinerary in the connecting city if the layover is longer than three hours.

Time limits will not be placed on those accessing via other means including class of service, status, or membership.

Thankfully, this policy is not nearly as restrictive as Delta’s policy…

CONCLUSION

United Airlines has overhauled its lounge access membership with prices going way up for those who tend to travel with guests. With Delta making even more restrictive changes to its lounge access policy, I saw it as only a matter of time before United would raise prices…

This is bad news (especially because United Clubs do not tend to be as crowded as Delta lounges)…but it could have been far worse.