United Airlines has announced significant updates to its lounge membership offerings, impacting both pricing and access. Here’s a breakdown of the key changes:
Membership Tiers
United is introducing two distinct tiers for its lounge memberships:
- Individual Membership:
- Price: Increased from $650 to $750 per year.
- Access: Exclusive to United Clubs only, with no access to partner lounges.
- Guest Policy: No guest access included; members can bring guests for $59 each.
- All Access Membership:
- Price: Set at $1,400 per year.
- Access: Includes United Clubs and Star Alliance lounges.
- Guest Policy: Allows entry for up to two guests.
There are some (minor) discounts for some elite members for the All Access Membership (but not the Individual Membership). The following elites would now pay:
- Platinum Members: $1,300
- 1K Members: $1,200
- Global Services Members: $1,000
Bottom line
These updates mark a substantial increase in membership costs while reducing the benefits associated with the basic membership. For frequent flyers, this means a higher investment for lounge access – 1k members are effectively being asked to pay $1,200 when they used to pay $550!
