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Newark United Club Closes November 7, Rebrands as Polaris Lounge

Nov. 01, 2017
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2 min read
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Newark United Club Closes November 7, Rebrands as Polaris Lounge
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The rollout of United's new Polaris Lounges has been much slower than most — including United itself — anticipated. After the first Polaris Lounge opened in Chicago (ORD) in 2016, the carrier laid out an optimistic plan for the opening of more of its lounges — Houston (IAH), Newark (EWR) and San Francisco (SFO) were supposed to be open by mid-2017, and Washington Dulles (IAD) and Los Angeles (LAX) were going to open by the end of the year. However, here we are at the beginning of November and ORD is still the only Polaris Lounge with its doors open to travelers.

The delay isn't news — we've known for a while that the next Polaris Lounge wasn't going to open until 2018. But now, we have some more details about when and where the Polaris Lounge at Newark will open. As Edward Russell of FlightGlobal tweeted, the EWR Polaris Lounge will be located in what is currently the United Club by Gate C120. The current United Club will close on November 7, so it can be refurnished and rebranded as a Polaris Lounge. Once the renovations are complete, the former United Club will reopen as a brand new Polaris Lounge in summer 2018.

We reached out to United for confirmation, but have yet to hear back.

The current United Club near Gate C120, which is also close to United's Classified restaurant, is one of two United Clubs in Terminal C at the carrier's Newark hub. The other is located on the upper level of the Terminal, close to Gate 74, so United Club pass holders will still have access to one lounge in the Terminal. The closing of the United Club by gate C120 is just six days away — not much warning.

Currently, the United Club offers the basics — snacks, beer and wine, showers, Wi-Fi and more. If the already-opened Polaris Lounge at ORD is any indication, the EWR lounge should be a huge step up from what passengers are used to seeing in the space.

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Why We Chose It

There’s a lot to love about the Amex Gold. It’s a fan favorite thanks to its fantastic bonus-earning rates at restaurants worldwide and at U.S. supermarkets. If you’re hitting the skies soon, you’ll also earn bonus Membership Rewards points on travel. Paired with up to $120 in Uber Cash annually (for U.S. Uber rides or Uber Eats orders, card must be added to Uber app and you can redeem with any Amex card), up to $120 in annual dining statement credits to be used with eligible partners, an up to $84 Dunkin’ credit each year at U.S. Dunkin Donuts and an up to $100 Resy credit annually, there’s no reason that foodies shouldn’t add the Amex Gold to their wallet. These benefits alone are worth more than $400, which offsets the $325 annual fee on the Amex Gold card. Enrollment is required for select benefits. (Partner offer)

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  • 4 points per dollar spent on dining at restaurants worldwide and U.S. supermarkets (on the first $50,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter and $25,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter, respectively)
  • 3 points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with the airline or with amextravel.com
  • Packed with credits foodies will enjoy
  • Solid welcome bonus

Cons

  • Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
  • Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
  • You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
  • Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
  • Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
  • Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
  • Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
  • Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
  • $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an American Express Card for your transaction. That’s up to $120 Uber Cash annually. Plus, after using your Uber Cash, use your Card to earn 4X Membership Rewards® points for Uber Eats purchases made with restaurants or U.S. supermarkets. Point caps and terms apply.
  • $84 Dunkin' Credit: With the $84 Dunkin' Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations. Enrollment is required to receive this benefit.
  • $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
  • $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings, sweet or savory, with the $120 Dining Credit. Earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. Enrollment required.
  • Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges* with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. *Eligible charges vary by property.
  • No Foreign Transaction Fees.
  • Annual Fee is $325.
  • Terms Apply.