Big changes in the lounge scene at Boarding Area G – lower center of this map (Image: SFO)
United’s new Polaris concept will bring radical change to the airport lounge scene at San Francisco International over the next two years.
Here’s what United has revealed to TravelSkills:
United Polaris Lounge
>The new United Polaris lounge at SFO will be located in the space now occupied by the existing United Club in Boarding Area G (near security) and will be one of the largest United Polaris lounges. UPDATE: The new lounge is expected to open in late 2017 or early 2018 according to a United spokesperson.
>The new Polaris lounge will have two levels. It will encompass the existing United Club space (upstairs) plus the footprint of the adjacent existing Singapore Air and Eva Airlines lounges (downstairs). The new United Polaris lounge will welcome these airlines’ passengers under the same entrance requirements for United passengers. (This represents a long-awaited upgrade to Singapore Air’s dated lounge at SFO.)
>Only customers traveling in United Polaris business class or United Polaris Global First on long-haul international flights, as well as customers traveling in international first or business class cabins on Star Alliance partner airlines will have access to the United Polaris lounge. This includes super elite Global Services members who are not flying business or first class- we asked United for clarification on this and they restated the strict policy: Customers ticketed for United Polaris business class or United Polaris first class, as well as customers traveling in international first or business class cabins on Star Alliance™ partner airlines will have access to the United Polaris lounges.
Don’t miss! Details on Polaris lounge dining, sleeping rooms & more!
The new Polaris Lounge will be located near gate 92A- upper right of this image. New United Clubs will be on both sides of corridor near gates 93 and 94. CLICK for larger map (Image: SFO)
United Clubs
So, what about United Club members who are not traveling in business or first class? Where will they lounge in Boarding Area G? United’s got you covered with TWO new United Clubs located near gates 93 and 94.
The first new United Club will open by Gate 93 in mid-2017. Although unconfirmed by United, I’m assuming the new space currently houses the rarely used #Converge@FlySFO meeting room- a relatively small room. But fear not small spaces! United will renovate the current Global First lounge (across the corridor by gate 94), convert it into a United Club by early 2018. After that, United will continue to operate both Clubs, according to a spokesperson.
The current Converge@SFO space likely to be converted into United Club (Image: SFO)
What else does United have planned for the SFO lounge scene?
>While no hard date was provided, United says that the old-school United Club in Boarding Area F will be renovated as part of a larger renovation program for the terminal.
>United is looking at options for additional space for its newest United Club in Boarding Area E– which is a nice new addition (opened 2015), but is small and frequently overflowing.
>United will continue to offer its arrivals lounge on the lower level on Concourse G.
Thoughts? Questions? Please leave ’em in the comments and we’ll try to elicit answers from United.
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