Understand United Airlines Boarding Groups requirements and get on the top. Basic Economy tickets can also avail priority boarding.
United Airlines Boarding Groups- Enjoy Smoother Boarding Process
Are you worried about the hectic boarding process at the airport? Then, you can relax now. You can take advantage of
United Airlines Boarding Groups and easily get on the United Flight. Under this, airlines categorize the passengers into different groups depending on various factors. So, if you do not fly frequently, then you may find it difficult to understand the United boarding process. However, once you understand it, you will thank the process. Therefore, this article will help you understand the number of boarding groups on United and how you can get priority while getting on the plane.
How Boarding Groups Work on United Airlines?
United Airlines has 7 boarding groups: pre-boarding to group 6. The airline puts each passenger into one of those groups, which determines when they will board the flight. The boarding process starts 40-50 minutes before the flight. Further, United entertains the passenger by 15 minutes prior to the flight. Therefore, if you wish to complete your boarding smoothly, then understand about the
United boarding order below:
Boarding Groups Available with United Airlines
United Airlines assigns the group number on your boarding pass. Now, how does airline decide your group? Various factors decide your boarding group, such as
- Type of passenger
- Ticket type
- Seat location
- MileagePlus Status
So, let us understand what requirements you need to list in one of the following groups.
Pre-Boarding Group
United Airlines put you in this group when
- You have a disability
- You are traveling with kids under 2 or less age
- You have a membership of
Global Services Premier 1k
- You are Unaccompanied minors
- You are an Active military personnel
United Boarding Group 1
If you want to be on top in
United Airlines boarding groups, then group 1 is the best option. Are you thinking about who boards Group 1 United? Then, the answer is you can be in this group when
- You have a membership for
Premier Platinum Gold
- You booked premium cabins like
United Polaris United First United Business
- You have a membership for Star Alliance Gold
United Boarding Group 2
You can board a United flight in group 2 when
Star Alliance Silver or Premier Silver
Premier Access or Priority Boarding
United Explorer Club Presidential Plus
United Boarding Group 3
The airline will put you in group 3 when you purchase window/exit row seats in
- Economy Plus or
- United Economy
United Boarding Group 4
Passengers who purchase a middle seat in the following come in United Group 4
- Economy Plus or
- United Economy
United Boarding Group 5
United Airlines will assign you this group when you have aisle seats in
- Economy Plus or
- United Economy
United Boarding Group 6
Passengers with Basic economy tickets come in the last boarding group. However, they can improve their chances of listing high when they are a
- Premier Member
- Eligible Chase cardmember
- Member of Star Alliance Gold
Note: United Airlines will put you in the earliest possible boarding group when you have a group ticket in economy.
How United Airlines Allows Boarding on The Plane?
First of all, agents mention the
United Airlines boarding groups on passengers boarding passes. Therefore, once you reach the gate area, check out the screen for “Which group is boarding the plane.” Listen to the announcement carefully. Further, United Airlines provides boarding in two lanes: Green and Blue. You will see it on the screen in front of your group. Accordingly, move further through the marked lane during the boarding process.
- Passengers in Group 1: Blue Lane
- Passengers in Group 2: Green Lane
- Passengers in Group 3 to 6: Green Lane
But what if you qualify for two boarding groups? The airline will consider you in the higher of two groups.
- For Example, Suppose you have a Gold membership(Group 1) or Economy Plus (Group 3); then United will consider you in Group 1.
How to Use Priority Boarding at United Airlines?
If you want to use the
United priority boarding group 2, then you can use one of the following methods:
- Buy Priority Boarding
- Use Qualifying Credit Cards(United Airlines)
- With Silver Elite Status
Method 1: Buy Priority Boarding
- You can purchase it for $15 per person.
- Similarly, you need to buy it for every connecting flight.
- United Airlines also provides you with an overhead bin to carry one of your bags.
- Further, you can prevent the loss or delay of luggage.
Method 2: Use Qualifying Credit Cards
You can enjoy priority boarding with United Airlines when you have the following credit card.
- United Explorer Card
- United Quest Card
- United Business Card
For example: Usually, United Airlines places Basic Economy in group 6. However, with the above-mentioned United Airlines credit cards, you can get priority boarding even with a Basic Economy ticket.
Method3: With Silver Elite Status
You can get Silver Elite Status on United Airlines when you have
- 12 Premier Qualifying Flights Plus 4k Premier Qualifying Points or
- 5k Premier Qualifying Points
- To earn Premier Qualifying Flights: To earn this status, you need a minimum of 4 flight segments with
- Note: You can not earn PQFs when you have Basic Economy tickets.
- To earn Premier Qualifying Points(PQP): you can earn these points by using miles to buy an award ticket. For each 100 miles, United Airlines gives you 1 PQP.
Also, United Airlines has the following credit cards that can help you earn PQPs.
- United Explorer Card
- United Quest Card
- United Business Card
Conclusion
Hopefully, you have all the information on
United Airlines boarding groups to smoothly get on the flight. You can use the above-mentioned methods to improve your chance for priority boarding. However, if you still have doubts regarding your boarding order on United, contact its representative.