United business class lounge question.

Just need some clarification....
Looking at flying business class on United from Vancouver to Cancun.
As there would be connections required, we would get lounge access, correct?

Thanks,

kenie

Found by Googling:

United Club airport lounge access questions are ones I get frequently from my Award Booking Service clients and readers. Here are the top ways to gain access, along with a FAQ for the questions I most frequently get asked.

1. Book an International Business Class or First Class Award Ticket or Revenue Ticket

One of the best ways to gain access to the United Club (and better, international first class and business class airport lounges) is by flying on an international United first class or business class award ticket. Note that you will need to produce your international United first class or business class boarding pass, since domestic United business or first class (except for United's p.s. service) does NOT get you into the United Club.

Deleted. Duplicate post.

Are Canada and/or Mexico considered "international" for these purposes? I did not think they were. I know flying between the U.S. and Canada is not considered "international", and when I flew from Acapulco to the United States it was not either.

That would be awesome doublespeak. Mexico. International. No free
cchecked bags with that credit card. Domestic only. Mexico not Iinternational for lounge access!

Thanks for asking the question, Kenie. I'd been wondering the same thing since it's been quite a while since I've flown BC internationally. Have a trip coming up and will be going BC.

kenie said:

Just need some clarification....
Looking at flying business class on United from Vancouver to Cancun.
As there would be connections required, we would get lounge access, correct?

Thanks,

kenie

Click to expand...

Yes, UA considers Vancouver to Cancun international.

The question is if you are flying on UA metal for the international leg (flights operated by UA and NOT codeshare partners). UA has an expanded access policy that those traveling same day International Business or International First on UA operated flights can access the United Club at any connection airport.

If you are flying on UA metal on same business day in International Business or International First:
Access at all United Clubs including connection airports.

If not:
You will only have club access for the airport where you are DEPARTING from in International Business or International First.

Added note:
If you are flying YVR-[Insert US Connection City Here]-CUN in international business, both legs are considered international so you should have access to both clubs in the departing airports.

-ryan

This is a little bit confusing, and maybe my use of the term "international" was not precise enough. The United web site explains the perks of United Business and United Business First. The locations discussed in this thread (Canada, Mexico, Caribbean) are ones served by United Business and there is nothing listed in the perks for that class of service that provide for club access. That was also my experience the last time I flew one of those itineraries, which admittedly was a few years ago. By contrast, United BusinessFirst includes "most flights to Africa, Asia, Europe, India, the Middle East, South America and the South Pacific, and flights between Tokyo and Seoul and Singapore." United BusinessFirst allows club access according to their web site. That is also a long-standing policy. I would really love to be wrong about this one. Can someone show me where club access is granted on flights in UnitedBusiness?

BocaBoy said:

This is a little bit confusing, and maybe my use of the term "international" was not precise enough. The United web site explains the perks of United Business and United Business First. The locations discussed in this thread (Canada, Mexico, Caribbean) are ones served by United Business and there is nothing listed in the perks for that class of service that provide for club access. That was also my experience the last time I flew one of those itineraries, which admittedly was a few years ago. By contrast, United BusinessFirst includes "most flights to Africa, Asia, Europe, India, the Middle East, South America and the South Pacific, and flights between Tokyo and Seoul and Singapore." United BusinessFirst allows club access according to their web site. That is also a long-standing policy. I would really love to be wrong about this one. Can someone show me where club access is granted on flights in UnitedBusiness?

Click to expand...

If you are flying Business on an international flight (which I term "International Business" for short), you have access to the club subject to the rules I previously posted above. International is the key word here -- not domestic.

United BusinessFirst is a separate and distinct class from United Business class. I agree it is confusing, but when Continental and United merged, Continental didn't have Business, they had Business First and for some reason the combined company merged it in. I think it depends on where you are going and the cabin layout -- all of the BusinessFirst cabins are international flights (I think). Business can be domestic or international (but domestic will always be Business and not BusinessFirst). Yuck -- I reread that and I'm not sure it is clear.

Here is the link to the official United site on club access:
http://www.united.com/web/en-US/content/travel/airport/lounge/access.aspx

Under "Cabin", see the definition for when United Business is allowed to use the United Club:

Customer must present a boarding pass for travel within 24 hours on a United Business international flight.

Click to expand...

And here is the specific language with respect to Mexico, Canada and the Carribean (plus a few others):

*International
International refers to any destination outside the 50 U.S. states and Washington DC. Destinations in Guam, the Caribbean, Canada, Mexico and Central America are treated as International flights.

Click to expand...

And then add the long standing United rule that allows domestic connection airport UC access if the International Business flight is on United metal (i.e. NOT Star Alliance). Otherwise only domestic United Club connecting airport access allowed will be where the Star Alliance International Business flight is departing from. (sorry, I can't find the citation for that rule, but this has been the case in my experiences)

We just flew DC to Cancun on United. We purchased economy seats, but were upgraded to business. We were allowed to use the United lounge.

Quite a deal for us!

tiel said:

We just flew DC to Cancun on United. We purchased economy seats, but were upgraded to business. We were allowed to use the United lounge.

Quite a deal for us!

Click to expand...

Well, the proof is in the pudding, as the saying goes.

What about bringing along guests if you're traveling United Business/First international? From the link SJSharkie posted, it appears we can't do that, if I read that right. When I was a Premier Executive level, they usually allowed me to bring in traveling companions--a few times, I brought in 3 (DH and another couple).

MuranoJo said:

What about bringing along guests if you're traveling United Business/First international? From the link SJSharkie posted, it appears we can't do that, if I read that right. When I was a Premier level, they usually allowed me to bring in traveling companions--a few times, I brought in 3 (DH and another couple).

Click to expand...

Star Gold Alliance members get 1 companion assuming that companion is flying out of that airport on a Star Alliance flight. (And Premier Silver doesn't count.) Otherwise no dice.

Depending on the gate agent and capacity levels, I've seen people break the rules but this is obviously YMMV. And if you are Global Services they bend over backwards for you, so that might come with a whole different set of rules.

It pays to know the rules yourself , because sometimes you get a UC agent that doesn't know all of the rules. Sad but this has happened to me on occasion (not often).

-ryan

sjsharkie said:

Star Gold Alliance members get 1 companion assuming that companion is flying out of that airport on a Star Alliance flight. (And Premier Silver doesn't count.) Otherwise no dice.

Depending on the gate agent and capacity levels, I've seen people break the rules but this is obviously YMMV. And if you are Global Services they bend over backwards for you, so that might come with a whole different set of rules.

It pays to know the rules yourself , because sometimes you get a UC agent that doesn't know all of the rules. Sad but this has happened to me on occasion (not often).

-ryan

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Thanks, Ryan.

By the way, this assumes you don't have a UC membership -- the rules are different if you are a card carrying member.

-ryan

I do use my UA credit card & will for payment for the trip, if that's what you meant.

BTW, I had to look up Global Services as I hadn't heard of it (as I said I've been away from the Road Warrior lifestyle for some time ). GS sounds pretty elite and for the miles it requires, they can have it.

tiel said:

We just flew DC to Cancun on United. We purchased economy seats, but were upgraded to business. We were allowed to use the United lounge.

Quite a deal for us!

Click to expand...

Excellent, how did you get so lucky???

MuranoJo said:

I do use my UA credit card & will for payment for the trip, if that's what you meant.

BTW, I had to look up Global Services as I hadn't heard of it (as I said I've been away from the Road Warrior lifestyle for some time ). GS sounds pretty elite and for the miles it requires, they can have it.

Click to expand...

No, I meant if you pay for United Club membership -- different rules apply for guests when you hold a membership in the Club.

Yes, Global Services is a unique product. There are no published mileage requirements and reportedly it is achieved by crossing a certain revenue threshold. I know people who have been GS -- one person I know reported having the plane held for them when they were late for a connection -- literally holding a plane for one person. Crazy!

-ryan

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radmoo said:

Excellent, how did you get so lucky???

Click to expand...

My DH is MR Platinum elite, so he receives United Silver status. This status gets us the first checked bag free, as well as eligibility for spade available, complimentary upgrades 24 hrs out.

This was our first time flying United after this reciprocal agreement was put in place, and we got very lucky.