I’ve got one last United Club pass that expires later this month and I want to find the right person to give it to.
No, I’m not going to have a contest or sweepstakes on the blog…at least not for this particular lounge pass. Instead, I want to make someone’s day a little brighter at LAX before my next flight.
While Chase has done away with paper club passes (they are instead affixed to your account on the United app), World of Hyatt still sent out two paper club passes earlier this year when I re-qualified for Globalist status. I used one, but still have one remaining that expires on 12/31. Thus, I can easily hand it to the right person.
But who is a worthy contender? A young student traveling home for the holidays? A stressed business traveler? Or maybe a mother with a baby? The difficulty will be in finding a solo traveler who has a layover long enough to justify visiting the lounge.
I’ve given away passes before and tend to give them to senior citizens. That’s easier when done in pairs, because it is rare to see an elderly person traveling alone…unless she is trying to defraud American Airlines.
I know airport lounges are supposed to be sanctuaries of solitude, but I cannot discount how helpful lounges are when we travel with little Augustine. Thus, I like the idea of finding a mother with child.
But we sadly in live in a trust-deficit world. Suspicions are easily aroused and I don’t want to be seen as the creeper inviting a young woman to a lounge when I will be there myself.
So I’m facing a bit of a quandary. What do you think?
image: United
Leave it in a gate area adjacent to the club. Let the universe and fate play it out.
I like the mother and child idea (pass says children under 2 are admitted free of charge, so the child would have to be under 2). I generally look for military in uniform, thank them for their service and tell them I have an extra that is about to expire and can’t use it today, so I would like them to have it to use on their layover.
I thought military members in uniform already have free access?
No. Military does not have free access to the liunge.
active military does have access according to UA
Actually UA changed their policy, or at least that’s what one of the agents said when I was in HNL. They said military *not* on active orders, whereas before it was *on* active orders, and even then it was subject to a $25 fee. Granted this may have been a local rule at HNL, and not exactly sure how they would really enforce this and not run into issues. I have a UA Club membership, so not all that concerned, but I do know something changed with respect to the UA Club Military policy
You are right, I did not know that (UA doesn’t seem to advertise it). I would go with your young mom idea.
Gift it after you leave the lounge. Creep avoided.
This is actually a great idea.
You won’t know Matthew. Thats the hard part. I’d give it to the United club agent on a day that you won’t visit. Let them let one lucky passenger into the lab, and you will be reasonably sure they’ll use good judgement.
+1
Chase just sent me two paper club passes. Are they useless?
Odd, I didn’t think they still sent paper passes.
If there’s a USO nearby in the airport, give it to them to pass to a traveling military member. Make sure they know it will expire soon. As for free military entry, I believe that’s only with American.
Desperate for blog material? Are you going to follow-up with a post about the chosen one? Don’t be a drama queen… just give it to someone and let a nice gesture go unannounced to the world.
+100
Hand it out after you are done visiting the lounge. Look for delayed flights and walk past those gates. Anyone sitting in that area most likely would have extra time and could really use a pick me up.
what’s wrong about being creepy? why would anyone feel creepy?
you are giving away something good w/o getting anything back, anyone receives it can benefit from it w/o losing anything.
I was in a similar situation and had to see a customer service agent, there were about 10 others in line that had a flight cancelled so they had a 3+ hour wait for their next flight, gave it to someone there.
Just write an intro on a little slip of paper.
“Hi, I’m Matthew. I have an extra pass that expires this month. I’ve decided to give it to someone I don’t know. I’ve chosen the 12th person that passes me to receive it. It’s you. Enjoy! (If you don’t use it, give it back to me)”
Don’t seek someone in the military or an elderly person. Make it random.
best idea
I really don’t think someone would find it creepy. Just find a mother with a young child and say “excuse me, but I have an unused United Club pass. I was wondering if you would like to have it?” Then wish them Merry Christmas and be on your way. It’s Christmastime, so I think most would view it as an act of holiday kindness, no more. If you’re that worried about the optics, then as a few others have suggested, leave the club half an hour earlier than usual and find someone to give it to on your way to the gate. Better yet find a flight that is delayed and find someone at that gate.
Ha! I did this very thing yesterday. At PDX. I landed home from GEG (my last trip of the year) and I had two Alaska Lounge passes that will expire Dec 31. I hovered around the screens announcing departures and it was 1:45pm. I overheard a couple say “3:45” so I asked if they wanted to spend the next 90 minutes in the lounge. I had my ‘non creepy’ spiel ready to go but did not need it. They immediately said yes. They were from California moving to Portland in a few months. It worked out!
The one thing that bugged me: the woman checking us in at the lounge said I needed to stay there with them and I said that did not sound right. She said “well, that will be the rule Jan 31.” I did not argue but if I need to be with them throughout, why use a pass and not just have them as my guests? I never heard that. In fact, that is the nice thing about the passes. I can be in NY but my girlfriend can use them in Oregon.