United Polaris Lounge Reviews

We got to the airport early planning to take advantage of all the perks that United has advertised for their new Polaris service and lounge. We were very disappointed. The lounge was so incredibly crowded, we couldn't even find seats. After a long wait, one of the room attendants finally found us some seats in the lobby area before you enter the lounge. In order to take advantage of the a la carte menu, it turns out you have to be seated at specific tables designated for this service. Unfortunately, there are very few tables available. We put our name on the list for a table so we could order food and after 90 minutes, they still couldn't accommodate us. This is completely unacceptable. They would not allow us to order food anywhere but the few tables that are reserved for that use but yet those tables never opened up and most were only for 2 people and we had 3 in our party. The buffet was picked over and not frequently replenished. There were lines at the bar and it was very hard to even get a drink. The lounge is much too small and is not set up to handle the crowds. It is a big downgrade from the old First Class Lounge which was quiet and always had sufficient space to find seats.

We flew Lufthansa business and were offered access to this amazing O’Hare lounge. Beautiful wine glasses, high end wines (really nice), full dining if desired, wonderful buffet of appetizers, full bar with top notch cocktails- well made and substantial. I would fly United business just to get to this lounge again. Far surpasses the first class lounge it used to be. Urban chic decor, very comfortable seating, lots of nice spots to ‘plug in’. Wonderful service, too. United certainly got it right this time!

With so much pre-launch hype about the Polaris lounge, I wondered if it would live up to its promises. After one visit, I can say the answer is a definitive Yes. Great showers, plenty of space, nice food, fabulous free bar... well done, United! Now let's hope they keep their promises of having more of these lounges around the world.

We stopped in on Xmas Eve during our return trip from Dubai as we had 2-3 hours before our return flight home. The lounge is spacious and fortunately, it was nearly empty as there were only 10 patrons, so we were able to grab any seats. Check in was quick and we got a quick tour since we had never been to this lounge before. By comparison, SFO, LAX and IAH Polaris lounges are smaller. LAX is definitely the most intimate whilst SFO is also packed given the numerous international flights. We used the IAH Polaris lounge on our outbound flight and that seemed to be full as well and the wait staff there were overwhelmed. Conversely, ORD lounge was huge, and the waitstaff were extremely friendly and attentive. We dined in the dining room while my kids got some food from the buffet. For an airport lounge, the food is far superior than what one would find in an airport. And, the Palomas we ordered were strong. We also showered as they have ample shower facilities. I'm a big fan of the Polaris product as finally an American carrier has something to tout as compared to Singapore, Emirates, etc. To that end, while the Emirates lounge in Dubai is huge with a variety of offerings, I enjoyed the ORD Polaris lounge much better.

We only had a short layover in ORD so we had to stop by the brand new Polaris lounge on our way back from Europe. The location was very central in the C terminal right near the escalators. Access was controlled at the front desk and after scanning our boarding passes we were green lit for access. Inside the lounge was big, bright and empty with nice views from most window seats. Furnishings were in similar style as the Polaris lounges. Staffing levels were minimal given the hour and customers. The buffet breakfast spread was fully stocked but we would've really liked to dine in the restaurant area if we only had more time. I always preferred the lunch and dinner options more than breakfast. Bathrooms were clean and lots of rooms available. Didn't have time to use the showers suites nor the sleep rooms but good features to have. Will try to stay longer next time.

We took United Airlines Polaris flight from Hawaii to Paris. That's how I am going to fly from now on. The best. Very comfortable. On time, good service, attention to each matter. Will absolutely recommend.

This sets the standard for international business class lounges, even if things are not perfect as a 5 star restaurant, but it has a lot going for it. United has nailed this concept. If you want to avoid the sub standard, reheated food and average wine which usually accompanies your flight, eat and drink here first and sleep on the plane. For starters, the beverage selection at the bar is top class. The wine list brings top bottles and champagne, the beer selection is very strong and there are also top liquors and cocktails available. This alone is worth the stop. There is a sit down restaurant, open for breakfast and then lunch starts around 11 am. There are a good set of options. The tuna tataki and the beef carpaccio are nice, very small but tasty appetizers. The burger is a good choice for a main- deliciously juicy. The beef ribeye is quite ok as well, served with black rice and vegetables with a ginger sauce. For dessert, simply a chocolate/vanilla ice cream mix or the decadence chocolate dessert is a great combination of textures. Having been a couple of times, it would be nice to see things change up a bit, but this is a small ask. Service is really wonderful at the bar and at the restaurant - very friendly staff. There is also a good buffet with higher end dishes and options. The breakfast buffet has bagels, breads, smoked salmon, nice egg frittata options and a range of cold options (yogurts, granola, cereal, fruit , etc). Seats are mostly private single seaters with integrated tables and plugs for working and eating. Bathrooms are all private, spacious and nice amenities. A really good product which stands out and makes the start (or interim) of a journey pleasant.

Nice decor and layout as well as general amenities. The food selection was pretty good. They may be a bit slow at refilling things but otherwise good. Beautiful bar with a back lit alabaster counter. Full service selections. The individual semi private pods or hybrid cubes, if you will, for one person to sit at without someone leaning into your space, has half walls on two sides and a big comfortable club chair in leather. There is an individual light as well as a pull out tray to give you more work space. The service staff is very attentive and picks up plates and serving items frequently. Nice bathrooms - all seem to be large individual ones. I did not try the relax lounge but i understand they have darker areas in which you can nap. You must be traveling in First of Business internationally on United or a Star Alliance partner to gain access, but it is sure worth the distinction. It is located near gate C18 and replaces the old United Global First lounge space.

This 1st class lounge situated in Terminal C offers a couple of seats with maximum privacy - the dishes and the beverages (wine, liqour) was of high quality.

Considering that I Paid over $6000 for a business class ticket, the experience was underwhelming. Although the food was good for an airport, it isn’t any better relative to many of the offerings outside on the gate area which really has many options for good food. It was very uncomfortable for the waiter to be asking for tips as part of the experience and particularly since they were soliciting them which actually made me very uncomfortable. Considering that typically in airplanes the staff does not ask for tips (and according to United‘s description of the Polaris lounge, it is intended as an extension of the airline and flight experience and therefore tips would not be expected). Quite frankly you’re better off buying your annual admission to the regular lounge and save the money, not buying business class tickets, since most of the planes for United airlines are old and decrepit and many of them don’t even have comfortable seating or are broken. To me the whole Polaris experience is a sham; first replace the entire fleet with newer and more comfortable planes and then build the Polaris experience around it rather than flying in old uncomfortable planes to then have the experience on the ground. The whole concept is backwards. I do not recommend buying these seats for the kind of money that they’re expecting you to pay.

After an early morning flight, it was so nice to have a place to relax before the next leg of our trip. We enjoyed brunch in the full-service restaurant. The restrooms are clean, private, and spacious. Jan, the bartender, was the highlight of our visit. He kept the champagne flowing and had great stories to tell.

We had a good stay in the lounge. It was not full and the service was good. The morning buffet was offering fresh fruit and cereal selections. They have good Italian branded coffee ☕️. We enjoyed the relaxing hour. I will for sure enjoy it again.

I walked into the Polaris lounge with much skepticism. Seeing as United's changes with Polaris up to this point had been a new pillow and a choclate with your pre-flight drinks...I wasnt expecting much, but the Polaris lounge was truly amazing. There was someome waiting out front to greet me, once shown inside I was asked by the front desk if I wanted a tour and if there was anything they could help with on my travel itinerary. I was there at the end of breakfast so didnt get to see too much food, but the little I saw looked good. The drinks and spirit collections were truly exceptional. The best I've ever seen in any lounge anywhere in the world. Servers were all very friendly and the lounge as a whole felt super quiet and elegant. I can't wait to go back.

Typically I am flying KLM to the Netherlands, but due to schedule constraints i changed to United this time. And the new Polaris concept really provides again some appreciation when travelling business class. The lounge itself has a restaurant, where you can have a proper dinner before boarding (so for a night flight you do not have to loose time eating on the plane). The food is well done, and service provided excellent. Overall United has won my heart going to the USA.

Much needed hot shower and rest! Super clean facilities with excellent staff. This is what makes the Polaris experience worthwhile

Such a great loubge. We loved everything about it, from the cleaning robot to The dining room. Our exceptionally nice waitress from Ukraine that we had was a true gem of a woman. One of the best lounges in the world

United lounges have long been the laughing stock of frequent travelers. The United Club is still a joke, but at least UA has upped their game for business travelers. Still not as good as some reviews might make it, the Polaris Lounge has one-upped the standard business lounges of most European carriers.

This place is definitely the best airport lounge I’ve ever been in anywhere. Buffet is mediocre but the appetizers and entrées that you can order off the menu are fantastic. Dessert was also good. Showers are great big spacious and very comfortable. There are a lot of charging stations around all the seats and it’s very comfortable environment. Alcohol selection is nice also. From what I am told this is similar to Amex Lounge.

Yep, better than the Tokyo First or Business lounge. Marginally better than typical United club. But is that saying much? I was quite excited to check this place out. The new Polaris lounge in United's big US hub. If you want to get some booze and shoot the poop, then this place is good. Staff is fantastic, but not enough. Buffet is OK. If you want a latte... you'll have to wait in line at the bar. This can really slow down the process. There are no espresso machines available except the ones operated by the bar staff. Yeah, really - not a lie. Although it looks like a nice machine. My latte was pretty good. Just hate waiting in the booze queue. Table service is weird... there are certain places to sit if you want to order food off the menu. The acoustics are horrible. Very loud. If you need quiet I guess check out the nap suites. They looked nice, although I did not try. Nice showers. Warm towels. Really tough to find a place to work. They have these little cubby areas, but not practical for much except setting up an iPad. You'd be best to pull two round tables together. I'm waiting to get in trouble for this, but so far so good. Within the United network the First Class lounge is still the best overall lounge. The best business lounge also goes to Heathrow. The worse business or first lounge, definitely Tokyo. If you have found a worse first class lounge, would love to here about it. United is almost caught up to Air India in overall quality, but I don't think they will ever make the catch. As far as Emirates, Qatar, Malaysia, Singapore... that will just never happen. Being US based, my loyalty to United is driven by United's safety and network. I guess that's all that really counts. All the rest, is just a bonus.

The showers are a treat after a long flight. The one major hiccup is that the restaurant closes at 8:30, ridiculous under any circumstances but especially inane in an international airport with lots of flight delays. At a minimum it should be open until 10:00, but I’d suggest midnight.

The United Polaris International First Class lounge at O'hare is unbelievable. It is the first and only Polaris lounge. San Francisco and Newark will be next. Lots of attendants to service you. In addition to the beautiful staffed bar, I really liked the small private bar area with top-of-the-line liquors for self-service. I did not have a menu-ordered meal but I observed several others and the food looked like it came from a 5-star restaurant. The snacks were plentiful and very interesting. The private single seat rest/work areas are a great feature. They are well designed. There are several private rooms to sleep and of course showers to refresh. Every thing is complimentary. Polaris goes way beyond standard airline lounges.

The Polaris club is available when you Fly Polaris. I guess some people don’t get that. Anyway, as a super frequent traveler I can say Polaris is a step above the standard United Club. I think there’s basically Been club escalation where too many people have access to the standard club, which gets overfilled. So, yeah, if you’re flying Polaris, visit this club.

Food and drinks are excellent. Really enjoyed the salmon. Staff are welcoming and friendly. Facilities clean. The choc chip cookies are a must try - so delicious!

I have been travelling world wide and have been to many lounges, the Polaris lounge is in a class by it self. Excellent food, excellent private sitting areas, private baths, shower and friendly staff. It is simply the best except, may be few first class lounges.

The lounge is really nice. It even has a restaurant. You can order whatever you want at no additional charge. It has a full bar. It could use additional seating later in the day but it’s real nice when traveling.

Great place to escape the airport crowds between flights. Friendly greeting as they verified if we had the “privilege” to enter the Polaris lounge. We used the buffet rather than the dining room. Brisket had three barbecue sauces to select from. Still cannot decide if the baked beans or the chili beans were best. I was able to get a Diet Coke from the refrigerated case and a glass full of ice from the bar. The bar had a nice selection of alcoholic beverages and the staff was very helpful. Best note, the Polaris Lounge provides a respite from the airport chaos.

Acceptable. Good buffet in the foyer, fresh and many different options for both appetizers and lighter meals. "The dining room" is, as usual, good and varied food. Good champagne but it took an awfully long time to get what you ordered. We had to ask the waiter 3 times for new drinks. One of the waiters needs to wash his clothes more often he had dirty stains that don't give a good impression.

One of the best lounges I have ever visited. I especially enjoyed the a la carte dining with a great variety of starters and entrees. The service was excellent, very attentive and fast. Compared to other airlines, this lounge stands out of the crowd.

The concept - United has rebranded to distinguish international first and business-first from the domestic offering. United club is now for domestic business travelers getting even more crowded an less featured. Polaris lounge is essentially a less-exclusive global first experience shared with business first. The experience is similar to a Lufthansa Senator lounge with a few differences. First the good news. With a polaris flight, you get lounge access coming and going at each stop. This means if you connecting through any airport with a polaris ticket, you have lounge access, even on multiple domestic hops before the international leg. The lounge has good food and drinks, with menu service and large restrooms. Definitely a great product, with international-level quality. Wi-fi was quite good even during peak hours. I could stream from hbo-go without issues. Bad news is that the lounge is too small for the number of people during peak hours. International departure are mid-afternoon through early evening. I visited for long layovers and saw the traffic rush happen both times. Over a two hour period, people came in and saw no seating. Without doubling in capacity, the lounge will be capacity constrained indefinitely. Keep in mind that the Chicago lounge is the test lounge, before any other locations open up. United will see what works, what doesn't and fix along the way. Giving the entire business-first cabin access to open menu is clearly not going to work long term. Separating international from domestic travelers is clearly a winner. Creating more seating is an absolute priority at this point.

This Polaris lounge is by far the best airport lounge in the US. Amenities, marble restrooms with showers and hot floor, high end food, private cabins, rest rooms. Lots os space and comfort.

The Polaris lounge is excellent. Service outstanding. The bar is "top" shelf. Having travelled internationally for 20 years and been in the best lounges around the globe, I am impressed. The upgraded lounge adds to the "experience" of your flight. This makes me look forward to fly United vs. Other options.

This is the Newly Expanded and redone concept in United Lounges that “tries” to emulate the Middle Eastern Lounges like on Qatar Airways in Doha... They have the right idea, but still needs to be BIGGER, but in the other hand this Polaris club beats the United Club hands down by 10 fold.... There is a special seating area for dinners that want to “order” items like burgers and such. I just with when you are new to this lounges someone would explain these things....ana why is there only one TV in the entire Lounge. Food selection was good, not superb - but descent and amble. Here are my photos...

This was the first Polaris Lounge to open by United, now there are several all over the US. I haven't been in a couple of years, I was there this past week. I do enjoy its spaciousness, the varied seating and the choice of a really well done buffet and a place now in the way back to get a plated meal. There is no charge for the food by the way. This trip, I went for the buffet and it had a nice spread. Lots of varied salads such as egg, chicken and tuna salad, and even brisket sliders too and ravioli. Nice mixed salads, fruits and desserts. There is a bar of course and also a variety of canned drinks too. Right in the middle of the C gates where all the International United flights go out of. I do look forward to going there when in Chicago. I was there on a Friday evening for 4 hours and saw no overflow crowds or chair shortage

You have to love the comfort of this remodeled lounge!! The food is good and the drinks easy to get!! Good thing my wife is a member!

After all the hype over the remodeled United lounges at O'Hare, I was interested to finally get a chance to see them for myself. I am sad to report that while they look nice, there is more improvement to be done. Specifically in housekeeping. The tables were not bussed at any frequency. For the hour I sat there, nothing around me was cleared. Whoever designed the toilet facilities should be shot. It is a nice concept to have single unisex stalls, but the reality is they are massively inefficient. There was no organization so you could be waiting a long long time to go as if you guess incorrectly someone at the other end can swoop in. The food is fine. The bar is adequate, but good luck getting a drink if it is busy. I gave up. All things considered, the lounge does not measure up against comparable lounges at major international airports.

The club experience was awesome at Newark. I fly international from Newark to Germany and united does a great job before I even leave the ground,I don’t pay,I just show ny business class boarding pass. The food and drinks can’t be beat. And it is a very spacious and uncrowded ave comfortable lounge

Six stars—-everything is exceptional! International cuisine. Great variety and service. And it was not crowded in early afternoon.

I don't know why I expected more except that United markets this lounge experience to be the ultimate lounge. Instead, I found the lounge to be on the same level as Centurion Lounges I have frequented., although a little less crowded. The food was nothing to write home about - I like soup but I like it hot and that doesn't seem possible here. The bartender made a good spicy Bloody Mary but you can get that anywhere.

I arrived at 1:50 pm on Friday 9/27/2019. I waited first 5 minutes at the entrance before being seated even though 4 tables were free and set-up. The crew seemed disorganized and overwhelmed. I then sat down and ordered immediately my lunch (I had already read the menu while standing). I waited then 30 minutes for my lunch to be served, asked the waitress 3 times to check if the order was being prepared, but she didn’t check. Then when I asked the 4th time, I heard her in the kitchen saying that she forgot to place the order and they should do it as soon as possible... I decided to leave. The server did not offer any apologies or anything. Terrible service.

One of the best Airport Lounges - food and wine choices extensive - comfortable private pods perfect for a solo traveller

Beautifully designed lounge with a very nice buffet spread with an ala carte dining area on the side. The food is quite good and the private work stations are perfect for the business traveler. Great service staff and a great bar tender!

Just arrived at the SFO Polaris lounge. Not only it is beautiful but the food is extensive. Everything is complimentary with a full bar and dining room. Haven’t checked out the showers. It really feels like the business and first class compliment.

Wasn't this lounge supposed to be an improvement? The old United BusinessFirst lounge at ORD was much better! The Polaris lounge was so crowded on 6/8 at 16:30 that we could not find two seats together. The self-serve food and drink looked nice, but offered a more limited selection than in the past. The a la carte service might have been better, as advertised, but we couldn't try it because the servers were all too busy. The lounge was so loud and hectic, we fled to the gate for a more restful layover.

This is a good size club with a big bar.They are very attentive when it is busy and most the staff are Cubs fans. A lot Seating and not super close so you have your space. Plenty of AC outlets to charge. Full bar. Decent bathrooms. Better than the terminal. Happy Travels!♡

Polaris lounge was much nicer than the standard United lounge. Better seating, better food and snacks. Definitely a nice place to hang out when waiting for your flight

This was my first visit to the Polaris lounge in Chicago. It’s a bit smaller than the one in Newark but basically similar. They have a separate restaurant where you can order a la carte meals and also a separate hot and cold buffet section. Nice clean lounge with good service. Hope they open one in IAD soon. Certainly a lot better than the other United lounges.

I’ve stopped in a few times while waiting for my flight. Beautiful place. Great choices of food and drink. Private bathrooms and showers. Large selection of seating choices whether you need to work or just relax. Nicest club I’ve been in stateside. Very similar to lounge in Heathrow.

Yup!! The place might be nice and spacious with Plenty of food selections but really not great considering the hype of “Polaris” lounge. There are 3 types of frittata ( vegetables, bacon and cheese), congee ( plain rice porridge with sides of cilantro, soy sauce, crispy wonton wrapper strips) and oatmeal, bacon and sausage, smoked salmon, salads breads and bagel. Juices, water, soda, coffee and tea with a big bar dedicated to the wine drinkers.. this is of course better than the ordinary United lounges but can’t compare to the other airline lounges.I’ve been to other airline lounges which offered much better selections of food.

I´m using the Polaris Lounge quite often and am enjoying it every tim. Atmosphere is modern and clean, showers are great only the food seems to be the same every time. This could be definitely improved. And somehow they recently reduced the opening hours. Lounge is closing at nine and I´m usually taking the late Lufthansa flight to Frankfurt at 10:30 which forces me to change the lounge to the old less comfy one at the other end of the terminal...

This is a superbly designed and furnished airline lounge. I have been there twice, most recently this Tuesday afternoon at 5:00 pm. Both times, the lounge was jammed; so don't put food on a plate unless you have staked out somewhere to sit. Cocktails expertly prepared. Some of the hors d'oeuvres on the hot plate, like the mini Shepherd's Pies, were dry from excessive heating time. The individual bathrooms are terrific! Unfortunately, there isn't a regular United Club on that concourse if you are 'crowded out' of the Polaris Lounge.

This lounge is available to business/first class travelers booked on long haul international destinations. It is very nice upgrade. Let's face it the typical United lounge were not offering a great experience. In fact most were old, over crowded, with dirty worn seating and they charged for anything that was a cheap snack or beverage. This is new lounge with a new experience. All food and drink offerings are complementary. The choices are excellent, a buffet of very nice appetizer size choices, or sit down in the dinning area and order off a menu. The Eggs Benedict I can personally recommend. The drinks offerings look to be extensive and lots of top quality products. United got this one right.

Friendly staff, quick wifi, decent food and lots of seats -- this is a perfectly pleasant way to spend an hour or so in between flights at O'Hare.

The first time I went to this lounge it was open for about a week and it was absolutely fantastic. That said I don't think the food was that great and I found the new lounge at London Heathrow near gate 46 to be a lot better. In fact I would say that's probably the best lounge I've ever been to in my life and even better than Lufthansa's Munich lounges for senators. Sadly the lounge at London Heathrow will become a Polaris lounge which means limited access. The second time I went to the Chicago Polaris lounge was a huge disappointment. This was after they had the incident that is now so famous in the news about them dragging a paid passenger off one of their flights at Chicago. They are now super cautious about how much you drink and if you ask for more than three glasses of anything they're going to cut you off and tell you to leave the lounge and go to the gate for your connection. It's so sad that it's come to this.

Spent 3 hours before flight. We ordered off the menu and the food was delicious. Buffet also offered great options. Nice beverage bar. Do not drink alcohol but those who do seemed happy. I did not eat much, waiting for the flight meals. Big mistake. Food in the Polaris lounge far superior to airline meals. Clean, chic bathrooms.

We were here in June. What a disappointment. No seats available for us in the lounge seats. A table came available while we were there so we sat down, took 15 minutes for waiter to clear the dirty dishes and glasses. Tried to ask him questions about the menu, he had no interest in serving us, so we left. Won't be visiting there again anytime soon.

We went to the Polaris Lounge in Chicago and had a great experience. They had several different options for food, including vegetarian and vegan options, including alternative milk. I think I counted 5 different entrees, as well as an assortment of wraps, salad bar, and dessert options. Service was great, bathrooms clean, and the best part - no crowd.

I see some really positive reviews and some fairly neutral ones, but I will share only my own experience. This is arguably the nicest United Lounge we've been to. Although we had no need, the amenities including showers, a place to lay down for a nap and a restaurant were pointed out to us when we were welcomed in. In fact, I jokingly said we could have skipped the hotel stay, and the steward said "you should have, this is nicer!" I will say the Bloody Mary was the best I have ever had; perfectly balanced with just the requested amount of spiciness. The food layout is nice too, and since we had breakfast at the hotel I just lightly sampled, but it was all good.

I've never seen this lounge at capacity. Really quiet and spacious with some good food (by lounge standards). There's also a restaurant in the back. Service was a little slow but just flag someone down and they're really helpful.

United's new international first and business lounge is open in Chicago and is pretty cush. Sit-down, waited tables with short but nice, complementary menu are available, and there is a buffet for those preferring to serve themselves or move a bit more quickly. Quite nice selection of complementary spirits and wine, too. Comfortable and quiet, and thankfully not open to the credit-card masses.

You can only enter a Polaris lounge if your on a international flight ticketed business or above. The Houston Polaris lounge was terrific. I missed my connection and spent all day inside. Also on my way back I visited again. The Houston location was never crowded ever. The seating was very comfortable and had plenty of power sources for charging your mobile devices. The staff was super friendly. I had the buffet and I also sat at the dining area and ordered from one of the servers. They didn’t mention tips or ask for one. I think it is a good idea to tip someone as a courtesy though. The food was excellent. The private bathrooms are amazing. The other United club is right outside of this lounge in case it gets too busy or if you have a friend sitting in economy that can’t join you. I think it’s a great addition for international business travelers. There should be different entrance standards as if everyone was allowed in it would ruin the experience and be crowded. I’m sure there is more room in the regular United club now that the business travelers have their own Polaris lounge. Sometimes when I’m traveling just economy plus I have to walk by it like everyone else. You have to pay to play. United doesn’t owe you anything for flying on their airline. You have a choice when you choose your ticket, your fare class, and your airline. Some of the reviews I have seen complaining about expected more from the Polaris lounge make me laugh. Or i was allowed in but my friend wasn’t. Or it was crowded. People it’s a airport lounge! Like a place you hang out in between flights for a moment. Rules are rules. If you have a business ticket and your friend doesn’t then oh well. Your friend is on ice and has to walk 15 feet to the other lounge. I know heartbreaking right? Someone has to put your friend on suicide watch now because he wasn’t where he was suppose to be in the first place. Or the food was bad haha. Then take your picky snobby self outside and pay for what you might think is good. The food is amazing for airport lounge for FREE with your own server to cater to your needs. Unreal expectations from some people. If you paid 6 large for a ticket then that’s on you. Why are you complaining about an airport lounge? I think you should be mad at yourself for purchasing a 6 thousand dollar ticket not the Polaris lounge amenities. No airline is perfect and there are going to be delays and mess ups. In case your not up on current events this stuff has been happening for years. Enjoy the perks and only complain if there is reason too. But I find that the type of people flying on those fare classes tend to be the most unreasonable,picky,snobby,folks I have ever come across. Not all of them but you know who you are. Let’s end this with understanding we are reviewing an airport lounge dedicated to its Business and up international travelers. I think United did a great job providing this for them and it was a great idea. I only spent the whole day in one because of United making me miss my connection with mechanical issues. So I’m not defending United . I’m defending common sense and reality.

When United changed my flight from Vancouver I was stuck with what I thought would be a dreadful 5 1/2 hour layover in Chicago. However, the new Polaris lounge turned this into a first class experience in relaxation and culinary delight. If this was a club in Chicago i would honestly join up just to get away from it all and spend a relaxing afternoon nibbling, sipping wine, and chilling out on a day bed!

Nothing beats being able to relax and recharge. We came in on a Friday so it was a bit packed but we did luck out to find a place for both of us to sit together. The food a drinks are good and the bar staff is of course awesome. Jan does a great job at the bar and if you're not sure he'll provide a recommendation.

We spent a lot of time here on a bad connection from Heathrow. The food was very good. The agents wouldn't help us with problems either on the outbound trip (when equipment was changed unexpectedly and our seats moved) or the return (when there was a strange flight delay and we wanted to get on another flight). The women at the check in counter were particularly rude.

We visited this lounge when we flew to Bangkok on United Polaris Class in December 2018. This is an excellent lounge. It is very spacious and has good food selection. The best part is that you can order A La Carte off their menu instead of the continental. Excellent food choice and quality. It has nice shower room and also sleeping quarter. Very refreshing after the visit and prepared for the long haul flight. Will visit again.

I was traveling to Europe in United Business Polaris Business Class and their new lounge in Terminal C was pretty good! The only downsides to it were that it was incredibly busy and one of the bartenders should have stayed home - she just did not want to be there and had had enough that day. It was too bad because being positive can lead to fun engagements with travelers but instead she acted as though she could not be bothered. It's really too bad that one bad apple gives the rest a bad name as everyone I encountered on my trip with United were excellent!

I have been visting the Polaris Lounge quite a bit lately. It still cannot handle the crowds. I was literally trying to eat some items I got at the buffet standing up when a kind gentleman offered me his seat so I could at least have a place to put my drink and sit while I had something to eat. There is no self-service at the bar so there can be long waits for drinks when it is busy. Wine pours are quite stingy so you have to wait in line again to get a refill when it would be much more convenient to just get a decent amount the first time so you don’t have to waste more time waiting in line. Not sure why you need to have to interact with a bartender to get a drink when self-service would be much more convenient. There were no seats to take advantage of the a la carte dining menu. This could be a nice club but it is much too small and can’t handle the crowds. It has been open for almost a year and still no improvement.

Very nice. Private restrooms that are well appointed and clean. Large bar with fun bartenders. A must when traveling through O'Hare.

This is real good. At the level of Singapore Airlines and Emirates at their main hubs. Fine alacarte dining (complimentary of course) and exclusive wines. Superb staff with friendly service at its best. Only negative I can think of is that the check in didn’t open earlier so I could enjoy it longer. Thanks United for spoiling me like this.

The United Polaris Lounge at Chicago ORD is available for first and business class ticket holders. You cannot buy a membership. My wife and I had a 6 hr layover in ORD on our way to Hong Kong. We had breakfast and lunch. There's a full breakfast cooked special available or you can pick what you would like from a "buffet". I use the word "Buffet" in quotes because it's not a typical buffet. You don't scoop your food from a big pan onto your plate. Instead, United has individual servings of a variety of bteakfast items. It was very good. There's also water, cold and hot tea, soda, beer, and a full bar available. All of which is included with your plane ticket purchase...no money is needed for anything in the lounge. Every seat has a power outlet and wi-fi is free. There are also nice and clean individual bathrooms for privacy. The United workers are extremely pleasant and helpful with all our questions and with navigating the lounge and its amenities. There are also showers and nap rooms available (also included). If you're stuck at the airport for hours on a layover, the Polaris lounge is by far the best place to relax.

It's my first time to United Polaris Lounge, Chicago ORD. It's very nice & warm decoration. Big bar is offered, plus several kinds of food served. I'm impressed the shower room most, sak fifth clothes & toiletries. Very good service & attentive. Seatings are variety, solo seating, bar chairs, or sofas are up to own comfortable. Comparing to asian airline's lounges, Cathey Pacific, ANA, EVA, THAI etc. These Asian leading airlines put efforts on foods rather than other facilities. I give a 'Thumb up' to The Polaris Lounge 👍👍👍

I have been to the first class lounges with Singapore Airlines, Lufthansa, ANA, Thai, air Canada and saw Emirates and others. Now I have been to three Polaris lounges and awesome. The food and staff is at a high level. Amazing bathrooms and quiet areas. Now I have been spoiled with Polaris and all other lounges are just okay. Do not listen to any of the negative comments because I can say with experience Polaris is at the top with Lufthansa Frankfurt lounge. I wish they would serve the same food on the Polaris flights. United finally crushed the lounge competition and all I can say is WOW!

The United Polaris Lounge was the first lounge we had the pleasure of visiting on our latest international trip. While it was not the biggest, it was definitely the most well staffed, the cleanest, and the lounge with the best amenities. Despite the lounge being pretty full - tables and chairs were easy to find and most important CLEAN (something that can't be said for a lot of lounges... sadly)! Service was unobtrusive and efficient. My only complaint was that we didn't realize there was as full service restaurant until we had already picked over the hot buffet! Nevertheless, we still put our names down at the restaurant and were promptly seated after waiting for about 20 minutes. What a pleasure it is to sit down and eat a full meal at a lounge! The food was quite delicious and better than expected for airport food! The next time we're here, we're definitely going to be making a beeline to the back to go to the restaurant first :)

We arrived from Munich and were in the club between flights. This is a wonderful club. We had a complete dinner there.

The Polaris Lounge in Terminal C is almost worth booking a later flight and arriving early to the airport. A very nice buffet(we were there at lunch time) and if you have the time you can even get an almost private dining experience before you take off. We did not have the time, but I saw specialty cocktails and a steak as well as a luscious looking dessert with miles of whipped cream go by. Champagne is served in lovely goblets and the espresso machine at the bar even imprints the Polaris logo! Make time for this lounge at Chicago O’Hare.

This was our second time in the lounge and we enjoyed it again. The sit down dining room with menu ordering is a real treat. The buffet food is good but nothing really exciting there. They have other amenities that we didn’t use. For anyone flying Polaris I’d suggest getting to the airport early and clearing security etc and then relax in this space, which you’ve paid for in your ticket anyway. It gets crowded closer to flight time.

The updated and upgraded Polaris lounge in Chicago truly impressed. Think the new layout is fantastic with top-notch staff service for a great travel experience expected with premium travel. Found the new design of the restaurant to be yet inviting and comfortable for a sit down meal. The sitting areas are plentiful with multiple options for window seating group seating or nice quiet areas. For my next long-haul flight, I will definitely put ORD at the top of my list for the Polaris lounge.

This is United's first Polaris lounge and I hope to god they learn from their mistake here. It is well designed, but it is way, way too small. I'm here right now at 4pm waiting for a flight to Frankfurt. There are probably a dozen or more flights to Europe getting ready to go. Each of these flights has between 40 and 80 business / first class passengers that are eligible for this lounge - and maybe there are flights to Asia or SA as well at this time, I don't know. But this lounge can only hold a couple hundred people give or take - and most people arrive far enough ahead for international flights to use the lounge. You don't have to be a whiz at math to see the problem. Bottom line, this is not luxury when you have to stand next to your bags with your drink in hand because there are no seats. Who cares how cool the bar looks or how nice the bartender is if you can't find a space for your laptop to do work or charge your device. I just hope United doesn't make this error at Newark or other hubs - I means it's not like they don't have insane amounts of data about who uses their lounges.

Got to check out the Polaris lounge while returning home from a trip to Paris. It's really a beautiful location and leaves nothing to chance. The bar is top-notch with great drink options (top shelf). The restaurant was closed the day I was there due to an event in the lounge, so they had small plates of various food options. No worries there. The food was great. Enjoyed it very much.

The Polaris lounge at ORD is definitely the highlight of them, as it is a stark (positive) contrast over the Polaris at EWR. The service was fast, attentive, and friendly at all of the various points where interaction with staff was necessary. The perfect way to prepare for an overnight trip to Europe!

The Polaris lounge at the O’Hare Chicago airport sets a high bar and a tough act to follow. Dining room, day beds, full bar and buffet, exceptional service and plenty of friendly and helpful personnel - amazing! Try it if you have layover here!

This lounge is amazing. Great service. Place was empty on a Thursday Eve. Four or five delicious things to eat. A full restaurant to sit and eat if you choose. Friendly attentive staff. Great seating, comfortable, well spaced, mini worktable and power! This place is even better than some of the other international lounges I have been to (air NZ, Lufthansa). Sadly it is only for business/first international. However,what a wonderful treat! Thank you United!

Traveling to Rome on United Polaris today, my wife and I are both Global Service but we were not allowed to enter the Polaris lounge with our minor daughter who is traveling in Econ Plus. Super poor form United.

It’s a very nice lounge with good food and drinks .. all staff very polite it’s so nice to come to the longe after the terrible service at security cheque , very desorganizes.

This is a reivew for the new United Polaris lounge at San Francisco Airport. I believe it opened beginning of May, 2018. It now occupies 2 floors of what used to be the crowded and substandard United Club, as well as the previous adjoining Singapore Airlines Krisflyer and Eva Air's Business class lounge. This lounge is obviously much better than the United Club - you can enter if you're on their Business or higher class international flight or Star Alliance Business or higher (I flew ANA Business class). Compared to the United Club, food quality is way better and plentiful. Instead of finger foods previously in United Club, you can eat your fill now (more selections, better labels and they change dishes at least 3 times a day). They came to collect my cups and plates frequently, And there's more privacy in some of the seats with a partition and electric socket to charge devices (many lounge users weren't aware there are more of these seats in the lower level next to the showers). Many of the waitstaff were new on the job as I noticed the supervisors kept checking on them, instructing them what to do. There was a full-service bar that serves wines and beer (free). I think you'll have to pay for premium wines and liquor (they are free at other international airlines). The main lounge area on the 2nd floor was crowded and the touted partially-enclosed lounge seats were fully-occupied, so other lounge users had to sit on the open seats. I think they were unaware that there were a lot more of the partially-enclosed/partioned seats downstairs on the 1st floor, next to the showers. And there was an uncrowded food counter there as well. I had 3 hours to spare before my 12 hr flight to Narita so I used their showers downstairs. Towels were warm and shower stalls were new (see pic). You walk through a dimly-lit walkway (with specks of light resembling stars on the ceiling) to get to the showers and private prayer room. The entire 1st floor was only partly used and very quiet (3-4 seats taken out of 40+ available) while the 2nd floor lounge was fairly full. United should let users know more seats are available downstairs. Overall, the United Polaris club brings United's lounge up to the level as other International business class airline lounges. It is only on the same level (not better than others) if you've flown SIA, Qantas, Air France, ANA or Catha Pacific Business class, and maybe a cut above American Airlines' Admiral lounges.

Lovely bar (and friendly bartenders and great wine and cocktail selections) and superb buffet options made for a wonderful experience. Excellent seating, spacious, and let me tell you, the food was delicious! Some of the best we've had at an airport. The staff seemed to care, and that also was a plus. Kudos to United. Well done!

United has done this right. Don't even compare it to existing United Clubs (or President's Clubs). Everything is first class from the design and furniture to the food and service. From the moment you walk in, you are treated like royalty. I'm afraid I don't remember what I ordered other than I enjoyed it. The service everywhere in the club was perfect, far above what I would expect at a domestic (USA) carrier. It was not dissimilar to the service at the FCT in Frankfurt.

On this day, around 1630, the Polaris club was very busy and I took one of the last seats available, at the bar. The food and accommodations are an upgrade from the standard club. Big deal: all upgraded wines and spirits are included. But today they were struggling to keep up with demand. They had run out of knives, then plates.

So that was awesome. If you have a United Business Class ticket or International Star Alliance ticket you can enter the lounge (right near gate E12). You enter to a classic Polaris facade and take an elevator one level up to the lounge. Fully stocked buffet with Chili and regional fare, along with a sit down restaurant and fully stocked bar. This is easily one of the best business class lounges out there. Way to go United!

Not at all what they advertise it as. Air France food is better. The lounge itself does keep out frequent flyers. The food at Dulles was okay. The drinks were high end.

This is the best lounge of any US airline in the country. That being said, their food was great at the beginning but the quality has started to go down. The drinks remain excellent, no doubt. The four stars go for the drinks.

I have been now twice to the new Polaris lounge at Concourse C at O-Hare. Contrary to what other reviews state, both of my experiences were wonderful. Perhaps I got there when there were less crowds, but both times, I found seats easily and readily and had great service and food. Plus the price is right, free. People seem to forget that I think. You walk in, find a seat either at the single person chair/work stations or at the restaurant area. You can either opt for the buffet with real food which changes often and changes throughout the day too. Soups, great desserts and small plates. One time I opted for the buffet and the food was great. The most recent visit last week, I opted for the restaurant side, where you sit at a table, a server greets you, takes your order and brings out your food. In this case, I had a burger with an egg on top, with fries, both done right and came out quickly. The people next to me were having the steak feature and it looked great also. I also got some bread pudding which was quite good and even memorable. There are about 10 items on the menu. Again, the food is free which is a nice feature in the Polaris Lounge. I found the service to be prompt and attentive and friendly. I enjoyed my times there. A very nice upgrade over the normal US United Clubs, the international clubs have more food options, so this new Lounge is more like them, think Tokyo or even Hong Kong's United Clubs. Next, I understand that United is adding Polaris Lounges in San Fran and Newark and then Houston. I can't wait.

United recently opened it's Polaris lounge for business travellers in Houston. It's great, much better then the regular united lounges. Not quite as good as their Polaris lounge in Newark but that's probably growing pains. Great wine list, excellent food both buffet and off a menu. Service very friendly. Chairs to relax wonderful. Showers available too just like in first class Europe lounges. Only issue, they've done away with magazines and newspapers.

As a frequent traveller i have seen and been to many lounges. And i honesty i think USA in general are below average compared to many premium lounges in Europe, Asia and Middle East. But the Polaris lounge is really really good. Personally i used the concerge service and had a nice shower before departing. This was an excellent experience. The food was delicious and above lounge level. Where as the bar is one of the best equiped i have seen and i decided to order some drinks and the bartender new how to make them to perfection. Finally a good lounge experience in USA.

Hands down, this was a great experience. The staff was amazing from our first step into the lounge to the time they bid us farewell. At the staff suggestion we waited a few minutes for a table in the restaurant service area of the lounge. We ordered soup, salad and a burger while waiting for our flight. This burger was among the best I’ve ever had. While telling my wife of my thoughts about the food, the neighboring diner at the next table struck up conversation to tell us she agreed, and told us her fried chicken was the best she’d had. We laughed about this among each other because we were so pleasantly surprised. The staff was well trained and timely with service. If you have a chance to visit the new Polaris lounge, try to get a table in the restaurant (made to order food) section of the lounge, and I hope you have as great experience as we did.

I’ve frequented all the Polaris lounges with the exception of the one at IAD, and the SFO lounge is by far the worst. While it is large and spread across 2 levels, there’s never any seating given the volume of flights at SFO. My family of 4 dropped in at 930a this past Friday, hoping for a respite prior to our 1p flight to PPT. We had a difficult time finding seating for 4 throughout our duration. Further, the lines for the restroom were always long as I felt like I was at a ball game. Fortunately, the cleaning crew were triaging folks for the 8+ bathrooms. My 1 star is solely for the food quality at both the dining area and self serve bar. It’s certainly better than that on the plane and way better than that I’m the regular United Club. Although, I perceive the food at LAX, ORD, and IAH was far better. The service, particularly in the dining area was horrible. They took forever to collect an order and there was no host for 15 minutes to get seated. And when he did show up, the host was downright rude. I asked him later if my son could get the skillet cookie to go and he said no way as we had to be seated to even get one.

We came from Rio de Janeiro, arriving first in IAH, then, ORD, before the final destination GRR. We never had any problem other than the beds for a nap before a long, long trip like India, etc. Last March 24,before the arrival at IAH, I had omelet in the plane. In the IAH lounge, eggs. Again , in Chicago, I got eggs white from the buffet and cup of coffee. I had three times eggs or omelet! Before leaving we went to the restaurant to have a real meal. We sat (there was 3-4 tables opened, however the waitress told us that if we didn't make reservation we couldn't eat there. we never had this problem before! It was so rude, because afterwards , came a manager, trying to kick us off .My husband left, yet I stayed and said, I'm hungry, I had eggs all day so I need a meal. Another manager, a lady came to convincing me to leave. Well, as I would leave only by force or a gun point on my had, I could stay and eat. They gave up. I hated that new policy. Many people using the restaurant to extending their talk or computer work. I saw 3 or 4 tables. Moreover, a customer start to bullying me and asking to leave. Horrible. Detestable! Unfair for old and faithful 1K customers!

Of the many lounges I visited, this one really stands out in a positive way compared to the rest! I’m a Skyteam customer but used United now a couple of times and this lounge really makes it worthwhile to fly United. Spacious, great food selection; absolutely good enough to be able to skip dinner on the plane and go to sleep immediately. Furthermore very friendly staff who keep the lounge in top shape. Even if you only have a little time left before the flight, I would recommend going in if you haven’t been there yet. Please note that business class ticket is required.

This review is for the lounge at LAX. I've had the good fortune of using the LAX and SFO Polaris lounges 9+ times, and by far, the LAX lounge is superior. Its a quaint and smaller lounge, and the intimate setting provides for very attentive service. Every server is sincerely friendly and checks up on guests unlike SFO where the service is completely spotty. For example, at SFO, the seated me in the dining room first but proceeded to take orders from guests who were seated after me before anyone gave me the time of day. LAX Polaris is never packed mid-morning to noon before flights to Asia. Conversely, SFO Polaris is always packed except in the afternoons. While Singapore and Cathay provide some of the best lounges WW, Polaris is a marked improvement over domestic lounges.

Having submitted several comments to United over years about the about the quality of their Business Class service compared with some of the European and Mid East Airlines, they have finally got it right with this concept. Excellent facilities and the waitress service and al la carte menu is very good. I am writing this review in the Singapore Airlines lounge at Changi and whilst it's OK, the Polaris lounge is much better. Making the Polaris lounge exclusive to actual travelers in Business class makes a big difference in terms of crowding etc. Good job United.

Most airline lounges are boring with a limited and uninspired food and drink selection. This lounge offers great food, a superb selection of drinks, wines, teas and coffee on top of ample seating space. Close to what far-east airline lounges are offrering on their home turf! Great !

I am really fortunate to live in Chicago and able to use the Polaris Lounge for all of my Intercontinental flights with United. Outstanding selection of beverages and food as well as relaxation facilities, such as nap/sleep rooms and showers. No other lounge like this one! Staff is really friendly and helpful with any questions I have about reservations or any other travel needs.

You practically walk into the lounge coming up from the tunnel. It is next to the large United customer service area at the gate C18, not open to general public though, invitation or biz+ needed. I spent a few hours in the lounge. Food was really good, variety of high quality options. Drink selection was not as good as some bigger lounges in Europe. Service people were quite busy. I didn’t need any special service, so can’t really judge their attitude or willingness to serve.

The major united hubs have a Polaris club lounge for those that are flying that class. It has a sit down dining room and great facilities.

When flying International from Chicago, we would typically start with a celebration in the First Class Lounge to start our trip. It was much smaller and intimate than the new Polaris Lounge. You could also pour your own Champagne. The Polaris Lounge has combined First and Business and has thus created a larger pool of people and a larger lounge. Don't get me wrong, it's still special, and a place to relax while waiting to board−but has 10 times as many people as in the prior First Class Lounge. Here's the news about the setup. Small tables are set up near the bar for wait service. You now can order larger portions created by one of my favorite chef: Art Smith (Oprah's chef over the years). He's known for his American Comfort food. And I must say the The Blue Door Kitchen Cheeseburger was a hit. I'm telling you this is a meal in itself. We've learned to share if ordering this in the future. Served with a fried egg on top, yummy bun. Creamy Carrot and Apple Soup was just a great as a squash soup. The Shrimp and Grits were creamy with a bit of a kick. Loved that too! Seared Tuna, was fantastic with Ponzu Dressing. We've been three times since the change in January 2017 and still like the special touches of a lounge. My photos show the bar in the old First Class Lounge.

We stopped two weeks ago on our way to Brussels. The club is elegant, spacious, beautifully designed with several different types of seating areas. Showers, sleep rooms, family rooms, a wonderful upscale bar, brilliant buffets and a sit down restaurant all included. The service is two steps above the typical lounge with smiling staff stopping at your cozy seating area to ask if they can get you a cocktail or drink. This is the new standard and most other clubs are far behind. Wow!

We have been looking forward to this trip for a long time. Got our business class tickets and were ready to go. We watched all the YouTube videos and we were ready to go. We landed and we immediately found the lounge, it was nice place. We went to partake in the sit down service, we were told it closed at 8pm it was 755 . Bad luck I guess. They told us go to the buffet, so we did almost all the food was empty, I asked the staff about food I was told guess it ran out, they could care less. If this is United best they are in trouble. There are a lot of choices out there and for this price and service I will spend my money some were else. In my opinion this was supposed to be one of the highlights of the flight portion of trip what a let down. I am a United club member and I pay a fee every year for regular club service. I am going to have to re evaluate my club services. I'm sure there are better clubs with good staff that would be glad I'm a customer . What a let down.

Great place. One of the best lounges I have ever been in. I have 4 million miles. This is fantastic. Great food great service. Had trout on a bed of wild rice, great salad. Very nice wines.

This was exactly what I expected from United’s new (ish) Polaris lounge in Chicago Lots of space, a nice view, a great bar, fantastic food, friendly service, all what you need before a long flight 8 of us descended on the lounge after a busy few days. The bartender was friendly and as one of the wines had run out, he told us to find a table and brought it over to us. Nice nibbles ahead of the main course where the staff had to wait to find a table big enough for us. Food was great for most. The avocado fries were a nice surprise (I normally avoid acocado) and all enjoyed their mains. I admit I tried the pho and wasn’t that impressed, not overly authentic but The Flight dessert made up for it. Will stick to western food next time...

Normally the flights to Europe depart during the evening which gives you the opportunity to get some sleep. In order to maximise your sleep the United Polaris lounge offers a dining room with a la carte service. The menu is small and I combined the soup with the salad. Both moderate portions were really tasteful and in combination with a Malbec red wine I maximised my sleep on the plane. The whole dinner took less than 25 minutes. Good choice.

Thanks for being there, but was really crowded on these afternoon. Missing some peanuts and chips. Cleaning should be a bit better if possible.

Due to cancellation of flights I ended up spending time in o hare airport. I booked into the lounge so I would be more comfortable and safe. The food was delicious and the surroundings were comfortable. The staff very help full.

Wow. I was so excited to access this coveted lounge only business class customers can access. So crowded that it made it unpleasant. So small! The upside is the free sit down to order foid, but what use is it if there is no place to sit down. The buffet was just so-so.

I liked the ambience and the service was fantastic. Good food. Great seating area. And the shower and rest rooms were super clean. There are two reasons I gave it 3 stars. 1. The front desk was an awesome person, friendly and accommodating. However, she made a big mistake on trying to upgrade one of my colleagues. Maybe it is this confusing new point system but it caused a lot of frustrations at the gate during boarding. 2. At the lounge, I wanted to get a printout of my speech so I could make edits on the plane. They don’t have one ?