One of the main benefits of airline alliances is that elite members of one airline have access to lounges when traveling on partner airlines. The general lounge access rules are quite uniform across all three alliances (SkyTeam, Star Alliance, and Oneworld). You can access Star […]

One of the main benefits of airline alliances is that elite members of one airline have access to lounges when traveling on partner airlines.

The general lounge access rules are quite uniform across all three alliances (SkyTeam, Star Alliance, and Oneworld).

You can access Star Alliance here.

Star Alliance has made some updates to the alliance wide access rules:

1. Polaris Lounges Excluded

International First Class Customers

1. As an International First Class Customer, you have access to International First Class and any Star Alliance member carrier’s own lounges at the airport where your flight departs (not including ultra-premium exclusive lounges*) if the following conditions are met:

• You present a boarding pass in International First Class on a Star Alliance member airline operated flight.
• Your flight departs on the same day of your visit or latest by 05.00 AM next morning.
• The lounge shows the Star Alliance Logo at the entrance.

*Some member airlines offer exclusive lounges for their own ultra-premium customers: including but not limited to: Lufthansa HON/First Class Lounges in Frankfurt and Munich; SWISS HON/First Class Lounges in Zurich and Geneva; Austrian HON/First Class Lounges in Vienna; Thai Airways Spa Lounge in Bangkok; Singapore Airlines The Private Room in Singapore; United Airlines Polaris Lounges (subject to change).

2. Customer is entitled to one Eligible Guest travelling on a Star Alliance flight departing from the local airport.

United Polaris Lounges are now considered ultra-premium, exclusive lounges, and First Class passengers traveling on Star Alliance airlines don’t automatically have access to them (remember, United doesn’t have first).

2. Star Alliance Gold Members

Star Alliance Gold Customers travelling in any class of travel

1. As a Star Alliance Gold customer travelling in any class on a Star Alliance member airline operated flight, you have access to any member airline’s Business Class lounge at the airport where your flight departs, if the following conditions are met:

• You present your boarding pass of a Star Alliance member airline operated flight which departs at the same day as your visit or latest by 05:00 AM the next morning.
• If your boarding pass does not carry the Star Alliance Gold indicator, you will need to also show your valid Star Alliance Gold card.
• The lounge displays the Star Alliance Gold logo at the entrance.

2.You may also be entitled to access any member airline’s First Class lounge (excluding ultra-premium lounges) if you are travelling in First Class.

3.You are entitled to bring one eligible guest travelling on the same Star Alliance flight departing from the local airport.

4. If you are a United MileagePlus Star Alliance Gold customer, you may only access the United Clubs within the U.S. when departing from that airport on an international Star Alliance flight, not when departing on a domestic flight with United.

The update clarifies that Star Alliance Gold members have access to the Business Class lounge based on their status and to the First Class lounge when traveling in First (some lounges excluded).

Conclusion

I find it quite laughable that United Polaris lounges would be considered “ultra-premium exclusive lounges” where FIRST CLASS passengers traveling on airlines that actually have first class, as United doesn’t, would be denied entry.

The change to the Star Alliance Gold section is merely a cleanup of the text.

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