United Airlines continues its popular grab-and-go lounge concept with the introduction of its second United Club Fly.
The Chicago-based airline will open its new United Club Fly at its Houston hub at George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH) next year. United began construction on the new lounge in recent weeks, though the airline has not yet begun promoting it.
The new United Club Fly will be located in Terminal B at IAH. United confirmed the plans with TPG but did not share further details about the new lounge.
In addition to the new United Club Fly, the airline said in a statement that it will “complement a new United Club in Terminal B, which is currently projected to be the location of the largest club in our network.” originally announced this new club last year, when it shared more details about Houston’s new North Terminal B).
So Houston will have two new lounges: a grab-and-go United Club Fly and a new United Club.
He The largest United Club in existence The new Denver club sits on a 3,100 square meter space with capacity for over 600 passengers. Passengers passing through the city of heights have been impressed with the new Denver club, which is probably a harbinger of good things to come for Houston.
It will also be good news for United passengers in Houston, who have only mediocre lounge options when flying with the airline. Only one of the existing United Clubs in Houston features the latest designs and this one, located near Gate C1, is often packed during peak departure times.
United did not share when the new full club in Terminal B will open, but does expect the Club Fly concept to open next spring.
At this moment, there is only An outpost of United Club Flyand is located at Denver International Airport (DEN). This space Open in 2022 as the airline’s first grab-and-go lounge focused on getting travelers in and out of the space in just a few minutes.
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There is no reception desk, no real seating area, no amenities (not even a bathroom).
Instead, there’s a coffee shop with baristas and plenty of coolers and drink stations stocked with snacks and sandwiches for passengers to quickly grab before their next flight.
This concept was originally implemented in Denver, given the numerous close connections United makes through the airport. That said, the space has gained popularity, with many passengers saying they love the idea of grabbing a quick bite to eat before their next flight.
In addition to Denver, Houston is another major United hub that serves as a key connection point for travelers. So, of all the airports where United could open this concept, it makes sense for the airline to open its second Fly Club in Houston.
Over the years, the grab-and-go lounge concept has become even more attractive as traditional lounges continue to suffer from overcrowding and airlines and their co-branded credit card partners want to continue to get people to sign up for their premium cards.
While there is a finite amount of space at existing airports to continue building larger lounges, the Club Fly concept fits into a much smaller space, so it should be easier for United (and its competitors) to find leases that support this type of club.
Interestingly, United is the only US airline that offers a grab-and-go lounge. Capital One has one Takeaway fridge in your own loungesand United’s Star Alliance partners Air Canada and Lufthansa also offer similar space outside the U.S.
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