United Airlines has just opened a new United Club at Newark Airport, and it’s the biggest (and probably) best in the system.
In this post:
Details of new 30,000 square foot United Club Newark
United Airlines has just opened its newest United Club, which is located at Newark Airport, in Terminal C3, near gate C123. At 30,000 square feet and with seating for close to 500 guests, this is the largest United Club ever opened, and certainly adds much needed lounge capacity for the airline at one of its biggest hubs.
What’s impressive here isn’t just the size of the lounge, but also the design and amenities. As it’s described, the lounge features “a new design and reflects a modern take on the United Club experience,” so hopefully this is a model of what we can expect going forward.
Among other things, we can expect the following amenities at the United Club Newark:
- The lounge has six spa-like showers, featuring products from Sunday Riley
- The lounge offers a coffee shop experience, as there’s a full-service coffee bar staffed by a barista, offering illy espresso-based drinks
- The lounge has a modern, “Newark-inspired” design,” with views of the Manhattan skyline, locally-sourced furniture pieces and decor, two murals from The Newark Museum of Art and Gallery Aferro, and a new design and color scheme that will be rolled out in future new and refurbished clubs
- The lounge has self-scan entry for quick access
See my guide to United Club access. As a reminder, these are United’s “standard” lounges, which are open to members, Star Alliance Gold flyers, those with day passes, and select other premium passengers. This is separate from the United Polaris Lounge Newark, which is for long haul business class passengers.
Below are some pictures of the new United Club Newark.
And below is a video tour of the lounge, which gives you a full sense of the layout.
This United Club looks great!
Historically I’d say Delta Sky Clubs have been better than American Admirals Clubs and United Clubs, but this new United Club looks fantastic, and it’s exciting that this will be used as a prototype for lounges going forward.
I’m particularly excited to see one of the “big three” US airlines introduce barista-made coffee in a membership lounge for the first time. Among US airlines, this is something that Alaska Lounges and United Polaris Lounges offer, but it’s nice to see this concept spreading.
Even beyond that, I think the decor of this lounge looks significantly nicer than the standard American Admirals Club or Delta Sky Club designs. I’m looking forward to checking out this lounge myself.
Bottom line
A new United Club has just opened at Newark, which is exciting on many levels. Not only is this the largest United Club ever (meaning it will add much needed lounge capacity at the airport), but it also has a new design that will be used as a model for United Clubs in the future. The lounge even has barista-made coffee and improved shower suites, so this should be a real treat for United passengers.
What do you make of the new United Club Newark?
Beautiful lounge. United has some of the best lounges in the country and their Polaris lounges are some of the best in the world. Very impressed with the upgrades they have made in the last few years, especially in catering and airport facilities.
After a groundstop at EWR caused a diversion and a missed connection, I was left with a lengthy sit time. I was very impressed with the newly opened United Club near gate 133. Multiple staff approached me throughout my time there in a friendly and professional way. I was able to eat, shower, and recharge my phone and myself before the last leg of my trip. After so many flights were cancelled/delayed, it was crowded, but able to accommodate the number of passengers.
I understand that United offered early access for you to review/promote the new club at Newark. Please go back and review it in real life operation. I agree that Newark clubs were always a disaster, but this one is also a disaster and there’s probably no hope. I’ve been there twice now, not a lot by your standards but that means you can do us a real service by visiting again after your initial glowing...
I understand that United offered early access for you to review/promote the new club at Newark. Please go back and review it in real life operation. I agree that Newark clubs were always a disaster, but this one is also a disaster and there’s probably no hope. I’ve been there twice now, not a lot by your standards but that means you can do us a real service by visiting again after your initial glowing review.
My first visit was so bad I gave up. No seating anywhere, or at least no seating that wasn’t occupied by either luggage, people’s feet, or whole bodies laying on chairs and couches. The employees were not doing anything to establish order or provide corrective actions. In fact, they seemed pretty much to have given up. Same thing with the long, long lines at the food service. You showed us the empty service area but who thinks it makes sense to have plates at one end and a long single line of foodstuffs that is apparently engaged as a “all you can eat, buffet line” - Vegas style but without the discipline or quality.
My second visit was maybe a bit better because I had longer to spend before my delayed flight. I circled round and round until I spotted a newly empty and dirty table. I’m willing to buss dishes and wipe away crumbs so I got a place to sit and do some email with a light snack. The lines were manageable, if not efficient, and the food was better than past Newark clubs and much better than Denver clubs, but no where close to the LA club. (Actually, that’s the club you should visit … it’s well designed, lots of single person spaces to sit even as parts of group settings, and no couches that encourage encampments of apparently homeless travelers.)
While you are reviewing clubs, it might be time to consider the usability of clubs and ask the question of whether or how the purpose of these clubs has changed. I have a few choices with membership at AmEx clubs, Priority Clubs, and United Clubs. I use to kick myself for now buying the lifetime United Club memberships 20 something years ago when that was a deal, but I was committed enough that I paid my membership through the pandemic although I rarely had the opportunity to use them (even when they were eventually opened). Appreciated when United thanked me for my loyalty and offered a partial rebate (NOT). The clubs were always part of my work to get work done while avoiding crowded gates or working in endless substandard airport restaurants/bars.
Well, now the restaurants and bars are looking pretty good and clubs (at least the United Clubs) are overrun with unsupervised kids that would not happen in a restaurant, except maybe a Chucky Cheese with video games blaring as bad as the business people who think its ok to hold their Zoom calls on speaker phone in the club. According to the club employees, they have apparently been told that families can do what they want. Also had a similar experience in a Polaris club where a staff member at least apologized and told me that the flight for the kids playing ball in the club would be leaving soon. Maybe United is trying to be nice because the kids won’t be able to blare their video games once they get on the plane, or maybe this is the precursor to the next iteration when even on the plane everyone will have boomboxes and headsets will be the way of the past.
This is not a tirade about kids, we take kids and grandkids to United clubs (and appreciate that unlimited numbers of them are free) but we also were aware to be courteous to others around us. And I have never thought it would be a good idea to take up 4 seats by sleeping on an airport club couch. That’s where this started … please revisit the United Newark club and tell us how it’s working out in real lift in contrast to the review setting that you photographed and wrote about. An accurate review could actually make a difference as United redesigns more clubs. You might help them avoid more mistakes.
At the same time, maybe there is a business opportunity to put Chucky Cheese outlets in airports. Or tell us it already exists and review that.
Very disappointing. It looks like the student lounge at an inner city community college or like someone cleaned out their mothers basement and sold everything to United. I would like to know who fell for this scam.
That is exactly what I thought, but apparently we're in the minority.
“Inner city community college”
Very interesting, not at all loaded, choice of words to describe Newark’s lounge.
lol EWR. That's all I'm saying.
Unimpressed
Ben-so this will be the only domestic regular Club with a shower inside...after they closed/took them out in all other lounges? What’s the plan to bring these back in other U.S. cities? And will they renovate the other United Club in C1 outside gate 74?
Nothing can be "gorgeous" at EWR...
And i assume, this gorgeous lounge with barista coffee is still accompanied with dry cheese, crackers and dry hummus for food options. Wish they can marginally improve the food in these lounges.
Showers? In a non-Polaris lounge? That might motivate me to keep my United Club membership.
Today I was in IAH new C United lounge. It has dozens, if not hundreds, of outlets. It is nice, but small, with no showers. United also lacks reclining chairs like many Admirals Clubs have and the Alaska Lounge SEA N has in bunches.
In a few weeks I will be in the Polaris Lounge at IAH and may try to reroute through EWR on my way back from AMS to check out this new lounge.
In the promo pics of this article POC work as bartenders/servers at the lounge while most passengers are Caucasians. So much for United’s diversity strategy.
hmmmm..... perhaps you can go back and look at the pics again? Are you blind?
We just flew out of EWR on Thursday afternoon and tried to use that new lounge but there was a sign that it wasn’t open yet. We tried to go to the other lounge all the way on the other side of the terminal but it wasn’t taking day passes that day. We ended up sitting at an unused gate to pass the time as we waited for our flight to Barcelona. Just missed it by a day!
The lounge looks beautiful, but it doesn't change the fact that while EWR has some built in advantages (the only true major hub under a single roof in the NY Area), it is a delay prone mess, and so is United.
United is a much better ran operation than AA or B6, and comparable to DL. It's NYC service is superior than any other airline.
Don't let empirical bias get in the way of statements. People love to have a bad experience or two with a single airline and then blanket deem that airline far worse than the other Big 3.
The DOT actually collects real data across all airlines at all US airports and they say that United's operation trails Delta on a systemwide basis by more than 5% and DL's operation at JFK is 9% better than UA at EWR while even DL's LGA operation runs more on-time.
United cancels more flights (although they are improving) and gets consumer complaints at a rate 3X higher than Delta.
So, no, United's operation is not comparable to Delta - not according to the US DOT
Sea is getting a new United Club (where the current Amex lounge is) next year. Will be an outstation with one of the best lounges, lol.
As a 1k and United Lounge member, I always enjoy the moments I can bring guests into the illusive United Lounge. Chicago, Denver, LA, SF, NY, Boston, Houston, or anywhere. They quickly realize it’s better to stay outside in the terminal. The food is not even gas station quality, the people are generally despondent, and I yet to find a working electrical socket anywhere in the world.
If I did not write off the...
As a 1k and United Lounge member, I always enjoy the moments I can bring guests into the illusive United Lounge. Chicago, Denver, LA, SF, NY, Boston, Houston, or anywhere. They quickly realize it’s better to stay outside in the terminal. The food is not even gas station quality, the people are generally despondent, and I yet to find a working electrical socket anywhere in the world.
If I did not write off the lounge fee than I would have disputed the charge on my United Credit Card. It takes effort for United to cut that much costs to make it such a sad experience. Delta & AA are much better. And Every foreign airline is actually worth the price.
Never been in Polaris Lounge, but I imagine it looks nice from the outside then Airport Blight inside.
With such a demonstrably hyperbolic and bogus statement, the attempt to demean United Club lounges just falls and has no credibility with anyone who's ever been in a United Club.
Moreover, a UA 1K who has never been in a Polaris lounge probably has too limited globaltravel experience to be pontificating about UA lounges "anywhere in the world".
G'day.
The new LAX lounge is huge and very nice.
"Illusive"
People are "despondent" in an airport lounge? Must have missed where United Clubs are refugee camps.
Echoing above...a 1K who has never been in a Polaris Lounge (yet still feels the need to trash them) and calls themselves a "United Lounge" member despite United not using that terminology makes me awfully suspicious of your claims.
Clearly you have not been to LGA or LAX United Clubs, or you use some fancy gas stations.
"Illusive," "despondent"? Choose words you know!
They're remodeling one of their two main lounges at DEN. I wonder if these design queues will show up there.
They also have that other grab and go concept opening at DEN.
Wow, this lounge looks great. United is really stepping its game up.
Between their incredible international route network, large premium cabins (787-9 with 48 seats), Polaris lounge and strong order book with 737-10 and 321XLR. Untied is sure the airline to watch over the next few years.
Delta will have to stay on watch, especially from NYC airports. Over the next 1-2 years it will be so clear to customers that United is...
Wow, this lounge looks great. United is really stepping its game up.
Between their incredible international route network, large premium cabins (787-9 with 48 seats), Polaris lounge and strong order book with 737-10 and 321XLR. Untied is sure the airline to watch over the next few years.
Delta will have to stay on watch, especially from NYC airports. Over the next 1-2 years it will be so clear to customers that United is superior to American.
United has already started up gauging aircraft this summer, and I am sure that shareholders and customers will soon be seeing the benefits.
I’m not sure who’s really excited about UA’s 737MAX deliveries…
“Untied is sure the airline to watch over the next few years.”
LOL!!!!!1!!
Great design, but with the only other lounge in the awful A terminal, it's going to get crowded quick. Still, the size should help and if they limit access when necessary it ought not be too bad. Might take some of the edge off flying through EWR with all the delays and what not.
Isn’t there also the dismal lounge in one of the other C concourses that’s been open all this time? I’d probably use that one if I had a flight from that side.
It is now closed for refurbishment.
Ah, didn't realize. It certainly needs it.
I'm sure it will be ready by 2031.
Gate C74 was the only one open for awhile. They had some mobile versions at times. But C74 is a long walk on tighter connections if going West Coast to Europe.
terminal A is being replaced by the new Terminal One that's being built so I'm sure the new lounge is going into the built from the ground up terminal.