United Club change in terms?

[BCL]

Not that it would matter to me since I'm not going to make S+ again, but apparently United is changing the terms to requiring a same-day boarding pass (arrival or departure) to access the club starting this August. They say it's for all "customers" which I would assume means Amtrak S+/SE. Granted I would have qualified at SeaTac last July, but I'm not sure how they expect most people to get past security without a boarding pass. I have heard of people requesting a gate pass just to access a United Club. I suppose there's also the possibility of employees of another airline being members.

https://www.united.com/CMS/en-US/products/travelproducts/Pages/UnitedClub.aspx

Effective August 18, 2016, all United Club customers, including members, are eligible to access United Club locations only when they have a flight arriving or departing on any airline the same day, and must show a boarding pass for entry. Customers who are accessing United Club locations to use a conference room do not need a boarding pass for entry.

 

[jis]

Some airports do have a United Club on the land side. That dictum I think may be targeted more towards those.

 

[PRR 60]

They are basically saying that they will no longer honor requests for gate passes to allow someone not traveling to access an air-side club.

Previously, UC was willing to do that. For example, if a passenger was passing through a city, a UC member colleague from that city could request gate pass to allow a meeting in the club during the layover. There are also a surprising number of people who would request gate passes just to visit a home airport club and watch planes. UA is saying they don't want to be bothered with getting gate passes (maybe the TSA leaned on them?), so to access an airside club (most of them), you need to have a boarding pass for travel to pass through security.

 

[jis]

This also applies to the few land side clubs. I don;t believe there is any exception at least as far as I can tell.

 

[BCL]

This also applies to the few land side clubs. I don;t believe there is any exception at least as far as I can tell.

There aren't that many. Strangely enough, SFO has one and I didn't notice. However, getting to SFO without paying for parking is another matter.

https://www.united.com/web/en-US/content/travel/airport/lounge/locations/default.aspx

Looks like it's just these three:

Houston (Terminal B, South Mezzanine, above the United Express ticket counter).

LaGuardia (Concourse C, outside corridor behind Ticket Counter)

San Francisco (Terminal 3, baggage level - United Arrivals Lounge though - not sure if this qualifies for Amtrak club access)

 

[Palmetto]

I've begun flying American out of MIA-they "own" the place--and I much prefer United to American when it comes to premium service. Their credit card is better, too, IMO.

 

[BCL]

I've begun flying American out of MIA-they "own" the place--and I much prefer United to American when it comes to premium service. Their credit card is better, too, IMO.

The one time I flew out of Miami was on American, and the plane had issues. However, since it was Miami they had several in reserve, while at another airport we would have needed to wait for a plane to be repaired or for a replacement from another airport.

 

[trainman74]

San Francisco (Terminal 3, baggage level - United Arrivals Lounge though - not sure if this qualifies for Amtrak club access)

The United Arrivals Lounge is not a United Club. (A little more info)