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United Airlines just unveiled its new grab-and-go lounge. Here’s what we thought ...
Kyle Olsen is the former points and miles reporter at TPG. He specializes in maximizing points and miles, elite status and credit cards so readers travel more comfortably and at a lower cost.
November 3, 2022 • 7 min read
The cards we feature here are from partners who compensate us when you are approved through our site, and this may impact how or where these products appear. We don't cover all available credit cards, but our analysis, reviews, and opinions are entirely from our editorial team. Terms apply to the offers listed on this page. Please view our advertising policy and product review methodology for more information.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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Quick summary
United has opened a new grab-and-go lounge concept, United Club Fly, at Denver International Airport, offering pre-packaged food and drinks for takeaway.
The lounge is designed for travelers with tight connections, allowing quick access to snacks, salads, sandwiches and specialty coffee without the need to linger.
Local Colorado brands are featured in the food and beverage selection, and the lounge offers a cozy, ski chalet-inspired atmosphere with limited seating and power outlets.
Guest access is restricted, with only eligible members, one-time pass holders and certain elite status travelers permitted entry.
What to consider
United Club Fly does not allow guests, unlike traditional United Clubs, and entry is strictly limited to eligible individuals.
The lounge is located near gate B61 and is best suited for those needing a quick stop rather than a place to relax during long layovers.
Some offers mentioned in the original article are no longer available.
What you'll miss from the article
A detailed walkthrough of the lounge’s amenities, design features and how the grab-and-go concept compares to traditional airport lounges.
Generated by AI with support from our editorial team.
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Between a new Amex Centurion lounge, Capital One's highly-anticipated lounge and now a new club concept from United, there's a full-scale lounge race underway at Denver International Airport (DEN). Today, United just played its hand by opening the United Club Fly lounge.
Unlike traditional United Clubs, which have developed a reputation for being packed to the gills with hit-or-miss food, the United Club Fly lounge will offer United Club members pre-packaged sandwiches, salads, snacks and non-alcoholic drinks for takeaway that be consumed outside the lounge on the go. Located next to gate B61, this is an entirely new lounge concept for the airline, and hopefully one that will catch on.
We got a sneak peek of the United Club Fly lounge before its public opening. Here's a look inside and what we thought of it.
A new concept
KYLE OLSEN/THE POINTS GUY
United’s Club Fly comes after the carrier first teased the grab-and-go concept last fall as part of the changes it implemented in its regular United Clubs during the height of the pandemic.
Now, while most United Clubs have returned to normal – or close to normal – service, the grab-and-go set-up will become permanent with the airline’s Club Fly location. It also follows Capital One’s rollout of upscale grab-and-go food in its posh lounge at Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport (DFW) that opened a year ago.
The move makes sense for United at this particular hub, too, since about two-thirds of its passengers there are making connections, some of them tight, so a grab-and-go option might be preferable to the traditional lounge experience, which can involve precious minutes hunting for a free seat or a spare power outlet.
The United Club Fly is adjacent to the temporary United Club pop-up at gate B59. To access the United Club Fly, passengers scan their boarding pass and enter through the subway-style glass gates, which electronically open. There's seating for about 10 passengers. You can order specialty barista-made lattes and cappuccinos, pick up a sandwich or refill your water bottle. The exit is on the other side of the lounge, allowing those with tight connections a quick trip through without having to double back.
KYLE OLSEN/THE POINTS GUY
The new lounge concept came in response to customer feedback, according to the airline.
“United Club Fly is all about elevated convenience. We know there are times when our members are in a hurry and use our clubs to sneak a quick drink or snack, so we’ve created this new format to make it easy for them to do that without sacrificing an upscale club environment,” Luc Bondar, United's MileagePlus president and vice president of marketing and loyalty chief, said in a statement. “In Denver, more than two-thirds of our customers are connecting to other places, making it the ideal city to introduce this concept.”
United partnered with Colorado-based companies to cater to United Club Fly customers. You'll find local options like Noosa yogurt — one of my favorite brands.
Other cold grab-and-go sundries include cereal (with two milk options), chips, cookies, muffins, hard-boiled eggs, freshly cut fruit and vegetables, two salad choices, two sandwich selections and a vegan wrap.
The coffee bar has americanos, lattes, cappuccinos, chai lattes, black and green (matcha is an option) iced tea and nitro brew. Customers can select from 2%, skim, almond and oat milk.
I enjoyed a latte with the face of United CEO Scott Kirby stenciled in the foam. KYLE OLSEN/THE POINTS GUY
All of these items are available to take away, meaning you could breeze in, grab a few dishes and be on your way in under a minute.
An inviting atmosphere
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Keeping with the local theme, United commissioned paneling with the topography of the Rockies as the backdrop for the United Club Fly logo outside the lounge.
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Although it does not have its own ceiling (rather, it opens up to the higher ceiling of the main terminal), the L-shaped lounge slightly resembles a Colorado ski chalet thanks to heavy wooden beams running above the space that form a sort of asymmetrical A-frame.
After scanning through the gates, your eyes will be pulled to the colorful Rocky Mountain Prairie painting. But the centerpiece of the lounge is the fireplace, which is actually an amber light under water vapor that creates the optical illusion of a fire, perfect for creating warm and fuzzy ambiance as you sip your oat milk matcha latte.
KYLE OLSEN/THE POINTS GUY
Even though there aren't many seats in United Club Fly, there's a coffee-bar style ledge with power outlets, USB and USB-C ports. It would work well for sipping your coffee and sending off a quick email, but if you have a longer layover, I'd head over to the United Club.
No guests allowed
KYLE OLSEN/THE POINTS GUY
Following the lead of American Express's crack own on guest access in the Centurion lounges, United Club members can't bring guests into United Club Fly. By contrast, United Club members can ordinarily bring two adult companions or one adult and dependent children under 21 years of age into regular United Clubs. If you try to hop the gate or follow your friend in, a foreboding siren will go off — a stark reminder not to bring in a guest.
While in the lounge, several customers were unhappy to learn they couldn't bring in their spouses.
On the other hand, travelers with one-time United Club passes can use them to access United Club Fly. To redeem a one-time pass, first scan your boarding pass and then the bar code on the one-time pass. Additionally, Star Alliance Gold members who earn their status with one of United's partners and MileagePlus members with Premier Gold or higher status traveling on international itineraries can also access United Club Fly.
United Club Fly is the airline's latest move to cater to guests on tight connections who don't have time to wait in line for a Starbucks coffee or forage for snacks at a United Club.
I walked out of the lounge impressed. If the new concept becomes more widespread, it might be another reason to consider the United Club℠ Infinite Card that currently includes lounge access.
While United hasn't shared if there are other United Club Fly locations in the works, we're happy to see that United Club members now have another Denver option with their membership.
Comments
By commenting, you agree to our Community Guidelines to help create a positive space for conversation. The responses below are not provided or commissioned by the bank advertiser, our partners, or The Points Guy (“TPG”). They have not been reviewed, approved, or otherwise endorsed by any of these parties. All responses are submitted by individual contributors, and neither the bank advertiser, our partners, nor TPG are responsible for ensuring that all posts and/or questions are answered.
