United Club Changes: Higher Membership Fees, New Guest Restrictions

United Airways has introduced important adjustments with regards to accessing United Clubs. This announcement comes on the identical time that Chase and United are overhauling their credit cards, which I’ve lined individually. Let’s cowl all the small print…

United Membership memberships now are available in two tiers

Up till now, United has bought a single kind of annual United Membership membership, with pricing decided by your elite standing, based mostly on the beneath chart.

Efficient instantly, United is introducing two tiers of United Membership memberships:

• A United Membership particular person membership affords entry completely to United Golf equipment (and never associate lounges), and just for the first member
• A United Membership all entry membership affords entry to United Golf equipment and Star Alliance lounges, for the first member and as much as two company

So, how a lot are these memberships? An annual particular person United Membership membership prices $750 or 94,000 MileagePlus miles.

In the meantime an annual all entry United Membership membership prices $1,400 or 175,000 MileagePlus miles. Nevertheless, for this kind of membership, reductions can be found for larger tier elite members. Premier Platinum members will pay $1,300 (or 163,000 MileagePlus miles), Premier 1K members will pay $1,200 (or 150,000 MileagePlus miles), and International Providers members will pay $1,000 (or 125,000 MileagePlus miles).

This new pricing applies efficient instantly or on account renewal (for many who are current members).

United Membership entry up to date for bank card members

We’ve simply seen major changes to United’s co-branded credit cards. The United Membership Card and United Membership Enterprise Card every have a $695 annual payment, and supply United Membership entry. What’s fascinating is how the United Membership membership being supplied with these playing cards has been up to date.

The playing cards gained’t be getting someplace between a person and all entry membership by way of guesting privileges. Those that have an eligible card will be capable to carry one visitor and any kids beneath the age of 18.

If card members need to unlock an all entry membership membership (which might enable them to carry two company, and entry associate lounges), they’ll achieve this in one in all two methods:

• By having United MileagePlus Premier Gold standing or above
• By spending a minimum of $50,000 on their eligible card in a calendar 12 months

United Membership three-hour time restrict for one-time passes

We’ve rising seen airport lounges introduce new entry restrictions, relating to how lengthy earlier than departure you’ll be able to entry lounges. United is doing that as effectively, although in a restricted manner.

As of Might 1, 2025, these utilizing one-time passes can solely entry United Golf equipment as much as three hours earlier than departure. Nevertheless, this doesn’t apply to these on connecting itineraries, and there aren’t any new restrictions for these accessing lounges based mostly on their class of service or elite standing.

My tackle these United Membership adjustments

These adjustments to United Membership entry are unarguably unfavorable. We’re seeing an enormous enhance in the price of a membership. I imply, a primary membership that doesn’t enable guesting or associate lounge entry now prices considerably greater than a full membership used to value. That’s clearly not nice.

That being stated, I can also’t say that I’m shocked by these adjustments, and this appears straight out of the Delta playbook:

• The aim is to get folks to get the United Membership Card or United Membership Enterprise Card, and use that to entry lounges, since there’s a lot extra income potential if somebody has a co-branded bank card
• Then there’s a further incentive to both have elite standing with United, or to spend on United playing cards, to have the ability to herald company

United has been lagging Delta with regards to income from its loyalty program, and clearly desires to vary that. Presumably that partly comes all the way down to the time the contract was final renewed, and in addition comes all the way down to how phrases have been negotiated. United is now going full steam forward with attempting to extend income by its playing cards, and we’ll see the way it works out.

One very last thing stands out to me. It’s fascinating how low United’s valuation is of MileagePlus miles if attempting to redeem miles for a United Membership membership. You get round 0.8 cents per mile, whereas each American and Delta allow you to redeem miles towards a lounge membership on the price of 1.0 cents per mile. That certain makes you surprise…

Backside line

United has made main adjustments to United Membership entry. The airline has tremendously hiked membership charges, all whereas introducing two tiers of memberships. Moreover, for these with one-time passes, lounge entry is now restricted to 3 hours earlier than departure.

These updates come on the identical time that United is overhauling its card portfolio. The aim is to get folks to entry lounges by co-branded bank cards, given the potential for elevated earnings that manner.

What do you make of those United Membership adjustments?