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United confirms that Denver is getting a new — and very unique — lounge
Zach Griff
Senior reporter
Zach Griff is a senior reporter at TPG. He writes travel and product reviews, deep dives into loyalty programs, news about the airline industry and more.
Dec. 07, 2021
•
3 min read
United confirms that Denver is getting a new — and very unique — lounge
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The Denver International Airport is about to get its third United Club — but this one will be very different from the airline's two existing lounges in the B Concourse.
City planning documents, first reported by Twitter user @xJonNYC, show that the new club — internally dubbed a "United Club Lite" — will be constructed between gates B61 and B63 on the eastern end of Denver's B Concourse.
The lounge will be just 1,563 square feet, featuring limited seating and a customer service counter. The lounge's focus will be on grab-and-go food and beverages, as opposed to the traditional clubs which offer a variety of seating, a bar, a buffet and meeting spaces.
Based on the initial plans, there won't even be any restrooms in the new lounge.
United confirmed the new lounge concept is coming to Denver early next year, with the statement below. The airline didn't have any additional mockups or details to share at this time.
United plans to open a new club concept at Denver International Airport in early 2022 that will represent a new variation of what a club space can offer customers. We look forward to sharing more details in the coming weeks as we finalize our plans.
United's new grab-and-go lounge will join its two existing clubs in Denver, both of which were formerly Red Carpet Club outposts for the pre-merger United Airlines. With all the growth that Denver has seen — it's been one of the fastest-growing hubs in the airline's network — these two United Clubs have been some of the most overcrowded in the entire network.
United's third Denver lounge isn't the only new club coming to the Mile High City. Capital One plans to open one of its new lounges there (in Concourse A), and if the new outpost is anything like the issuer's first location in Dallas/Fort Worth, it'll also have a strong emphasis on grab-and-go offerings.
In recent years, we've seen a proliferation of lounges catering to grab-and-go offerings. Finding enough airport real estate for large lounges has historically been challenging, so this mini-lounge concept is a great way for airlines to open outposts in space-constrained terminals.
While United will be the first U.S. carrier to offer a grab-and-go food concept, its Star Alliance partner up north, Air Canada, recently opened a small cafe in its Toronto hub with a similar concept. Another United partner, Lufthansa, operates a "Delights to Go" service in its Munich hub, with a choice of boxed meals for its premium-cabin passengers and elite flyers.
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Related: First look at the brand-new Amex Centurion Lounge in Denver
All in all, this new grab-and-go lounge will likely be much more popular for those with short connections. After all, Denver is a heavily banked hub, and with limited time between connecting flights, many flyers will appreciate the option to simply grab a snack and a drink before their next flight.
It'll be interesting to see if this new concept is successful for United, and if so, where it expands to next.
Featured image by ZACH GRIFF/THE POINTS GUY
Editorial disclaimer: Opinions expressed here are the author’s alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airline or hotel chain, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities.
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Best for dining at restaurants
TPG Editor‘s Rating
Go to reviewCard Rating is based on the opinion of TPG‘s editors and is not influenced by the card issuer.
Rewards Rate
| 4X | 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. |
| 4X | 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. |
| 3X | Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com. |
| 2X | Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com. |
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You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after spending $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer.As High As 100,000 points. Find Out Your Offer.Annual Fee
$325Recommended Credit
Credit ranges are a variation of FICO® Score 8, one of many types of credit scores lenders may use when considering your credit card application.Excellent to Good
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)Pros
- 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.