United Airlines has (finally) added lounge access for business class passengers traveling from New York JFK.
United Airlines Will Use Alaska Airlines Lounge For JFK Business Class Passengers
Recently, both British Airways and Alaska Airlines lounges re-opened. The Alaska Airlines lounge is the former home of a United Club and United International First Class lounge. The Alaska Airlines lounge is also part of the Priority Pass network.
However, Star Alliance partners All Nippon Airways (ANA) and LOT Polish use the British Airways lounge for their premium class passengers.
United Airlines has chosen to partner with Alaska Airlines and passengers traveling in business class from New York JFK will now enjoy lounge access there. This is not a Star Alliance Gold lounge, so Star Gold passengers will continue to lack lounge access in Terminal 7, unless traveling in a premium cabin (however, there are Lufthansa, SWISS, and Air India lounges available in other terminals). Note: passengers in Premium Plus (premium economy) do not receive lounge access.
While not spectacular, the Alaska Airlines lounge is a nice space with friendly staff and even a Batista available to make the coffee drink of your choice. It’s a huge improvement over no lounge at all.
The lounge is located on the mezzanine level just above the security checkpoint and is open each day from 5:00 am – 9:00 am and from 2:30 pm – 10:00 pm. That works out well for United’s four daily flights from JFK, two of which leave in the morning and two in the evening.
CONCLUSION
If you arrive early for your United flight or find your flight delayed, this is a respectable lounge to wait in. It’s about time United found a lounge partner at JFK, though in fairness the lounge only recently re-opened after over a year of closure.
Not traveling in business class? You can also use Priority Pass to gain access to this lounge or you can purchase access at the door for $50, though eligible Alaska Airlines Visa cardholders can purchase a day pass for 50% off.
image: Alaska Airlines
I don’t understand why United does not simply give up on their JFK ambitions. Partnering with Alaska Airlines buys them lounge access for their premium passengers but for how long? JetBlue is still moving forward with demolition of Termination 7 and once that happens where does United go?
United has no permanent home at JFK, they only have a handful of slots, they don’t have their own lounge, why continue to throw money down the drain when there is no prospect of United turning JFK into a respectable line station.
@ JPROSCHWITZ…Plot Twist, UNITED BUYS JETBLUE, new terminal notwithstanding… Ever heard of the old saying “ You never know who you’re working for…”?
United buys JetBlue LOL!!! I don’t see that happening at all but thanks for the laugh.
Never say never!
I don’t see how the DOT would ever sign off on a UA/B6 merger if either airline were to ever propose such a thing. And if the DOT were to sign off on it the concessions both airlines would have to make at EWR and JFK would be astronomical. The DOT would not allow a UA/B6 merger in their current or prepandemic form, such a carrier would totally dominate the NYC market.
I’m sticking with my statement a UA/B6 merger will never happen.
I think there’s a misunderstanding here of the goal of UA’s JFK service. It’s not really there to attract east NYC fliers – those fliers will pretty much always choose DL, AA, or B6. It’s to attract CA biz fliers and corporate contracts that need occasional access to JFK. The lounge, 767, and frequencies are just not that critical – they just want to be able to check the box they can get to JFK nonstop out of SFO and LAX when they need to, and UA’s basic 757 two flights/day service does that.
I have an upcoming flight to JFK that got switched from the 767 to 757-200. Does anyone know what the best business class seat is on the 757-200? I’m currently booked in 1F, is that a good seat? I thought row 1 might have a little larger footwells but I’m not sure.
1F is best seat. That extra room in footwell makes a big difference.
Will United ever do anything about their sh**hole terminal at IAD? Yeah, new Polaris lounges are okay but the place is such a dank old disaster. I suppose they will wait for another bailout from Uncle Sugar before building all new?
It is UA’s responsibility to build a new terminal or does that responsibility fall on to the shoulders of the MWAA.
Renovating a terminal is one thing, but IAD is far beyond needing renovation. Building a whole new terminal would fall to the city and the Airport Authority in this case Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority.
The Dulles midfield terminal was built as a temporary building for AA, UA, TW, BA and Presidential Airways. United’s original C concourse was a single building built for $25 million in 1986. It was supposed to last about ten to fifteen years. Since then, United has taken over the temporary buildings built for AA, TW and the now defunct PresidentIal Airways. When MWAA built the AeroTrain, it put the C concourse station in its permanent location to support the replacement C concourse. Today, some thirty five years later, the “temporary” concourse remains. MWAA has had the airport under constant construction since 1985. They already charge the carriers too much to operate there. And United cannot afford to pay for a new concourse anytime soon as the cost is in the hundreds of millions to built to the specifications dictated by MWAA. And yes, the terminal concourse is a mess. During operating banks it’s overcrowded and poorly maintained. MWAA did a nice job building the B concourse but it remains to be seen when concourse C/D will become a reality. For it being the international gateway to the nation’s capital, it’s truly an embarrassment. Now don’t get me started about the distance the new metro station is from the main terminal building and/or the continued use of the mobile lounges. Additional Reference: https://airlineweekly.com/2021/07/united-airlines-may-finally-get-a-new-concourse-in-washington/