United Polaris® customers and select Star Alliance™ travelers passing through Houston Intercontinental and New York/Newark now have access to the newly opened United Polaris lounges before boarding.
The New York/Newark lounge is located in Terminal C after security screening, between Gates C102 and C120. At Houston Intercontinental, the lounge sits between the Terminal E United Club℠ and Gate E12.
Each lounge reflects the character of its city through a distinct United design. For example, the New York/Newark location welcomes guests with a vibrant lighting installation inspired by zodiac constellations, created by Brooklyn’s Richard Clarkson Studio.
Both spaces provide expansive seating and dedicated work areas, with hundreds of seats and numerous workstations integrated throughout. Power outlets and USB ports are widely available, making it easy to charge devices or get work done before your flight.
The bar is a highlight of each United Polaris lounge, featuring cocktail lists that draw on regional flavors and the destinations served from each airport. New York/Newark’s menu includes the Fernet About It, a twist on the Cuba Libre, and the London Spritz. At Houston Intercontinental, guests can order the spicy Caliente on the Rocks or a Brazilian-inspired caipirinha. Every location also offers the United Polaris Star, a house-made, anise-infused vodka cocktail.
Dining is offered in private, restaurant-style areas with menus that blend international comfort foods and regional favorites. Sample options at Houston Intercontinental include chimichurri chicken and grilled gazpacho, while New York/Newark features items such as Moroccan-spiced braised lamb and curated charcuterie boards.
Private quiet suites and luxurious shower facilities enhance the rest-and-refresh experience. Quiet suites are furnished with plush Saks Fifth Avenue bedding, and shower suites include rainfall showers and toiletries from Soho House & Co’s Cowshed Spa. Personal valet services are available as well.
The lounges reinforce United Polaris’s focus on improving long-haul travel comfort, especially sleep. United plans to expand its Polaris-equipped fleet aggressively, adding roughly one aircraft with United Polaris seating every 10 days through 2020. Onboard, passengers receive a cooling gel pillow, and on departures from the U.S., United now offers a pre-arrival dessert: a white chocolate cranberry cookie from Christie Cookie Co.
The Houston Intercontinental and New York/Newark openings follow the initial United Polaris lounge debut in San Francisco in April. A United Polaris lounge in Los Angeles is scheduled to open this fall.