I consider the United Club Washington National (DCA) to be the most beautiful of all United Clubs. It transports you back to the golden era of travel.
United Club Washington National Review
This review is from my March 2020 visit and part of Africa trip report. Due to the pandemic, this lounge is temporarily closed. When it does re-open, it is unclear what kind of food and drink service will be offered, though I would expect something like this.
Location + Hours + Access
The lounge is located near Terminal B, opposite Gate 11. Normal hours are from 5:15am to 8:15pm. You can proceed up the stairs or take an elevator.
Access is reserved for Untied Club members, Chase United Club Visa holders, Star Alliance Gold travelers, and international business or first class passengers traveling on any Star Alliance flight. Furthermore, one-time passes from Chase are accepted or can be purchased for $59. Note that if you hold a Star Alliance Gold card from United Airlines (Premier Gold or higher), you can only access the lounge when traveling in conjunction with an international itinerary. Those who have a Star Gold card from other programs can use the lounge when traveling on any Star Alliance flight in any class of service. Also note that United does not give premium cabin passengers access on domestic flights.
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Beautiful Vintage Lounge
The main lounge area is a rotunda with windows on one side and a bar on the other. Beautiful lighting and a centerpiece in the middle make this lounge appear so vintage. Because it is vintage. It’s almost as old as the airport itself and has served as a lounge for decades. That’s a cool piece of aviation history that has been nicely maintained over the years.
Proceed down the hallway and you’ll come to another large room with windows and palm trees.
Check out these curtains:
United’s new lounge theme (like this) is not offensive, but I love this classic look. It is timeless.
Phone Room
There’s a pair of phone room for mobile phone calls or if you want a bit of privacy:
Food + Drink
A buffet offered soup, salad, hummus with pita bread, cheese, crudités, whole fruit, and chocolate treats (fudge + brownie).
Coffee, tea, and hot chocolate were self-serve while other drinks were available at the bar.
Snacks like gummy bears, Life Savers, pretzels, and trail mix were also available:
I had some very tasty tomato soup before my flight.
Restrooms
Restrooms are available. Proceed to the lounge entrance and you’ll find them just outside the door.
Expansion?
My flight to Newark was delayed and so I struck up a conversation with one of the staff members at the front desk as he monitored my flight. He noted that United is waiting from the airport authority for permission to expand the lounge and build an outdoor terrace. I wouldn’t count on it post-pandemic, though.
Clearly, there is space for it and it appears the lounge may have even once offered it. It would make a great area for planespotting.
Service
As I mentioned, I ran into irregular operations in this lounge and Michael provided amazing service closely tracking my flight and eventually putting me on another flight to Newark that departed just ahead of mine. This is the oft-overlooked value of airline lounges. It’s not just about quiet seating or food/drink, but about irregular operations. When your flight plans are interrupted, it is much easier dealing with lounge staff than waiting at the gate or calling United.
CONCLUSION
I love this beautiful lounge. It’s a masterpiece and I appreciate that is has been carefully preserved over the decades. It’s also a comfortable place to wait for your flight with great service.
How would you review the United Club Washington National?
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Somehow, I cannot place the location of this United Club. The rotunda design suggests to me Terminal A, the oldest parts of the airport, or the part of
Terminal A that has little foot traffic and connects the main terminal A building with Terminals B and C but the article mentions Terminal B.
Oh, do I miss traveling through literally 80-90 US airports. Now I am stuck on land. Even in the past 5-7 years, I’ve been traveling though just 10 or so different airports. Some day, the airport terminals that I’ve traveled through will just be a memory as it happening in Salt Lake City where the old terminals are being torn down.
It’s at the end of Terminal B at the far end of the United Gates and just upstairs (i believe gate 11). If you’ve ever been in the main historic gallery of the old/original terminal which is now used for special events, it’s at the top of those old art-deco stairs. The lounge used to be the old airport restaurant.
Thanks Bobby. It’s the only lounge at DCA I’ve never been inside and I was having trouble placing it as well. It looks like it could have been above the banjo based on its shape, but that didn’t make sense if you enter near gate 11 in terminal B. I love that this was part of the original airport. It’s almost like a window in the past.
Yes, love the architecture. And close to the gates UA uses (not many) at DCA. But same old UA lounge F&B. The Delta lounge I really the nicest at DCA. DCA being all domestic, it doesn’t have the luxe lounges like IAD does.
The mark of a true former DC resident: you call National by its correct name!
Not that I have anything against the name Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport or “Reagan Airport”, but I do prefer its original name!
How come the United website says the lounge is closed?
As I mentioned in my review, it is currently closed due to the pandemic.