Is an airline lounge still a lounge if passengers can’t actually lounge? What if the food and beverage options in that lounge can only be consumed elsewhere? As United Airlines opens its second “Grab-and-Go” United Club Fly, this time in Houston, the answer is apparently yes.
Premium airline lounges in the United States are bursting at the seams and passengers line up and wait for extended periods. Against this backdrop, United and fierce competitor Delta have turned the airline lounge concept on its head with new spaces offering only the essentials, and only to-go.
Rather than a place to sit down and get comfy for a few hours, the United Club Fly locations — Denver, where the concept debuted, and now Houston’s George Bush Intercontinental Airport — cater to passengers on the go, including those who are quickly connecting between flights, or who might just want a coffee without the full lounge experience.
“Designed for on-the-go United Club members, Club Fly offers a club experience that matches the ways travelers’ needs have evolved, especially when they’re pressed for time,” said Alexander Dorow, head of United’s Club and Lounge Program.
“Not all customers travel the same way and that encourages us to constantly look at new opportunities to add value to our club program and support travelers throughout their entire journey.”
Whereas a traditional United Club lounge may offer a full hot buffet and bar, the United Club Fly locations offer barista-made coffee drinks, ready-to-go warmed pastries, wraps, salads, sandwiches, and a range of soft drinks.
United Club Fly is a particularly compelling option for passengers with United Club access, as each visit could avoid a pricey transaction at an overpriced airport shop for similar items.
United says more than 300,000 passengers have visited its first United Club Fly location in Denver since it opened in 2022.
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Featured image credited to to United
