Access for me but not for thee. The latest tinkering from United is on which of its partners get to access Polaris lounges with new rules.

The new United Polaris Lounge access rules

As reported by One Mile at a Time, United quietly updated its rules for access to United Polaris lounges:

• Standard or flexible fares in United Polaris business class
  • Lounge access at departure, connecting, and arrival airports along their same-day itinerary
• First class on Lufthansa, SWISS, or ANA
  • Lounge access only at the departure airport before their flight on these carriers
  • One guest allowed (this is the only cohort who can bring a guest)
• Any business class ticket on ANA, Air New Zealand, ITA
  • Lounge access only at the departure airport before their flight on these carriers
• Basic and flex business class tickets on Lufthansa, SWISS, Austrian, or Brussels
  • Lounge access only at the departure airport before their flight on these carriers

Previously, United Polaris lounges would admit any Star Alliance customer flying in business class. Now, the access is limited to Air New Zealand, ANA, and the collection of Lufthansa Group carriers.

The need to restrict access is real

Build it and they will come.

First of all, we can certainly understand the need to restrict access. United Polaris lounges have been popular in part because of all the features they have. When everyone has access, it can be a challenge to find a seat. In reality, we know that not everyone had access, but with planeloads of people in business class each flight, it can feel that way during busy periods.

It’s simple enough just to tell United to make the lounge bigger, but in reality space is limited at airports and it’s hard to expand. Short of increasing space, the only way to improve passenger experience is just to say goodbye to some. United took the route of protecting its joint venture partners (except Air Canada since no flight between the U.S. and Canada would be eligible for this lounge anyways).

In retrospect, it’s not a surprise that so many customers have access. United built these lounges–deliberately–in its hubs where its Star Alliance partners fly to. Of course it would have a lot of customers with access!

United needed to tweak access rules anyways with its restrictive Polaris fares they just launched. Clearly, United felt that this restriction on its own wouldn’t be enough to reduce crowding at Polaris lounges.

It’s now easy to be confused on whether your ticket includes access

Sure, restrict access, but now it’s not as easy to know if you have access or not.

• Flying Star Alliance carriers like Singapore Airlines, EVA Air, TAP, or Turkish? You won’t have access.
• Even in Singapore first class you won’t get in Polaris lounges.
• Flying on a basic Polaris fare? You won’t have access.
• But a basic business class fare with Lufthansa? Access granted!

At first glance, the rules seem inconsistent. It actually feels like United is shooting itself in its own foot with allowing basic business fares with partners and not on their own flights. Prices are generally closely aligned with joint venture partners since it enables them to not compete with each other. So at the same price, you get more of a benefit with partners.

And how odd is it that a customer paying first class on a premium airline like Singapore Airlines doesn’t get access but a basic business customer on Brussels does?

Passengers on these other Star Alliance carriers will need to access other lounges at these airports including United Clubs, Air Canada Maple Leaf lounges, and the like. It’s a steep downgrade for these customers, which is unfortunate.

Suggested reading:

• United Airlines Goes All-In: Get The Credit Card Or Suffer
• United Polaris SFO Lounge: Is It The Best?
• Why You Need to Collect United Miles