United Airways debuts huge new membership in Denver

Denver has simply change into the second United Airways hub to get pleasure from a totally refreshed suite of lounges.

That is as a result of United is taking the wraps off its long-awaited renovation and growth on the B West United Membership, which can open to passengers on Thursday.

The B West United Membership, positioned close to Gate B32, has been closed since 2023 as a part of a serious lounge overhaul that United underwent at Denver Worldwide Airport (DEN).

Journey perks: 9 home lounges which might be value going out of your method for

The airline has already closed, renovated and expanded the B East United Membership, and it additionally opened a brand-new outpost within the A Concourse again in 2023.

Moreover, the airline’s first-ever Membership Fly opened in DEN in 2022.

However as DEN continues to retain its title as United’s fastest-growing hub, the airline wished to breathe new life into the B West outpost as properly.

Now that it is prepared for flyers, DEN can have 4 United lounge outposts — all of that are both new or newly renovated. The one different hub with completely new or newly renovated golf equipment is Newark Liberty Worldwide Airport (EWR).

In complete, United now has greater than 100,000 sq. toes of United Membership house in Denver, with sufficient seating for almost 1,600 visitors. (Extra shall be added with the forthcoming opening of the Polaris lounge within the coming years.)

Upfront of the B West United Membership opening, I received a preview of what flyers can anticipate.

Whereas not essentially revolutionary, this renovated and expanded house is a welcome enchancment for United vacationers passing by Denver. Here is why.

United Membership Denver B West entry and site

United’s new lounge is open from 5 a.m. till 9 p.m. day by day.

The doorway to the United Membership outpost hasn’t modified since earlier than the renovation. You may nonetheless discover it positioned throughout from Gate B32.

The lounge’s foyer and reception space are on the terminal stage, and, assuming you are admitted, you will take the escalator (or stairs) as much as the lounge itself. (Word: There’s an accessible elevator entrance on the facet of the lounge.)

For full entry particulars, take a look at TPG’s information to United Membership entry.

United Membership Denver B West structure

The brand new United Membership takes on a really related design and structure to those in B East and Concourse A.

The house is cut up into two ranges, with largely related facilities and seating configurations on each ranges.

Once you enter the lounge, you will be on Stage 3, which can even most likely be the busiest, provided that some vacationers, particularly those that do not learn up on the brand new lounge, could not notice there’s one other ground.

As you ascend the escalator, you will see the lounge’s signature hearth and lounging space. Quite a lot of seating choices, together with particular person recliners and sofas, encompass the (fake) hearth.

Behind the fireside is but extra seating, together with a bunch of two-top cubicles constructed into the wall.

Talking of seating, there’s loads of it on this lounge. All over the place you flip, you will seemingly discover house to plop down and calm down. United says that there are over 600 seats spanning greater than 33,000 sq. toes, making this among the many largest golf equipment within the community.

As soon as it opens, overcrowding should not be as a lot of a priority — at the least, that is my hope — provided that it considerably expands the United Membership footprint in Denver.

For those who flip left from the fireside, you will be in one of many lounge’s essential buffet areas. Right here, you will discover a bunch of two-top eating tables, in addition to loads of barstools and high-top seating constructed into counters and freestanding room partitions.

You may discover a bunch of extra particular person workstation pods alongside the perimeter of the eating space, although I would not essentially advocate making an attempt to lock in on some work right here, given how a lot foot site visitors will seemingly go by this house searching for the buffet.

In the meantime, if you happen to as an alternative flip proper from the fireside, you will discover one of many lounge’s two signature bars.

This house is designed with extra of an industrial really feel due to the uncovered ceilings.

The bar itself is sort of fashionable and feels very on-brand for what United was going for right here — an area designed to resemble a comfy cabin.

Adjoining to this room is one other house good for catching up on work. Open workstations line the aisle, however watch out with the marble desks. They’ve sharp edges — sharp sufficient to (sadly) rip my denims.

Lastly, there’s one more separate seating house behind the bar with extra tables and benches.

This house additionally has floor-to-ceiling home windows overlooking the B and C concourses. For those who’re an aviation fanatic, be sure you convey your digital camera — you will catch numerous nice airplane photographs from these home windows.

Once you’re able to ascend to Stage 4, you may take the steps, elevator or escalator.

You may arrive at a small hallway with extra seating that connects the 2 sides of the lounge.

Turning proper will convey you to a different buffet space flanked on one facet by extra eating tables.

There’s even an auxiliary eating room house that options the most important high-top shared workspace desk I’ve seen in any United Membership. It has seating for 14 flyers.

As you stroll from the eating space to the opposite facet of the lounge, you will go by one other rest house with a central (fake) hearth to seize your consideration.

There’s loads of seating across the hearth, and I beloved the wood-lined ceiling that helped promote a way of tranquility amid the chaos of one of many world’s busiest airports.

Behind the fireside are 5 navy blue recliner chairs that look to be among the many comfiest locations to sit down within the lounge. That is positively the place you will discover me enjoyable when passing by Denver.

Lastly, if you happen to proceed happening the hallway with the fireside, you will end up within the lounge’s second bar space.

This house feels extra elevated than the commercial feeling of the bar downstairs. Right here, you will discover checked carpeting, wooden ceiling therapies and a wood-lined bar, once more, all designed to resemble a comfy lodge.

Even the colour palette used right here feels extra homey than the remainder of the house.

General, this membership shares most of the similar design parts as the present outposts in DEN. It has two ranges, fake fireplaces and many seating.

The design right here feels a bit of extra elevated than the others, however to the typical flyer, the largest enchancment with this outpost will merely be all the extra seating.

Denver is the fastest-growing United hub, and the crowds in any respect the opposite lounges present it.

United Membership Denver B West meals and beverage

United and fantastic eating have not not too long ago been synonymous … and that is not altering with this lounge opening.

The meals choices that have been displayed on the buffet in the course of the preview occasion largely resembled what you’d discover in another United Membership. Anticipate sandwiches, some salads, two soups and some different decisions.

The airline’s catering positively covers the fundamentals, however this is not the elevated choices you’d discover in Delta Air Traces’ Sky Golf equipment, which proceed to impress with one of the best meals service in any membership lounge.

For those who’re trying to quench your thirst, there are two beverage stations lining the partitions close to each buffets. Right here, you will discover loads of nonalcoholic decisions, together with espresso machines, drip espresso and Coca-Cola freestyle fountains.

Each bars can be found to whip up your favourite cocktail or pour a glass of wine. Simply be aware that solely home decisions are complimentary with entry. Any of the fancier pours will price you further (both in miles or money).

United Membership Denver B West facilities

United’s new lounges do an important job of masking the fundamentals, and this outpost isn’t any exception. You may discover loads of seating, an upscale design, quick Wi-Fi and many energy shops.

You will not discover telephone cubicles, spas or assembly rooms right here — facilities largely reserved for credit score card-branded lounges or business-class-only outposts just like the Polaris lounge.

United did, nonetheless, construct a small sport room on the higher stage close to the bar with a wood shuffleboard desk etched with the United Membership emblem into it.

I’d’ve most popular one other sport or two, however at the least this could maintain these of us who’re children at coronary heart entertained.

You will not discover any showers on this lounge — not one of the United Golf equipment in DEN provide showers, which is a disgrace given all the brand new long-haul routes the airline has been launching from the Mile Excessive Metropolis in recent times. (I am advised the Polaris Lounge will, unsurprisingly, provide bathe suites.)

The lounge does provide two units of gender-specific restrooms with loads of stalls and urinals.

There are additionally two wellness rooms geared up with child altering tables, in addition to two stand-alone all-gender restrooms.

Backside line

The brand new B West United Membership is a welcome opening for these passing by Denver. It considerably expands the airline’s lounge footprint in its fastest-growing airport and gives flyers a much more modernized house than the one it replaces.

That stated, provided that that is the third newly designed United Membership at DEN, you will not essentially discover too many surprises inside. The design of all three is sort of related, and lots of vacationers most likely will not be capable to inform them aside.

But when meaning getting a comfortable seat with out individuals on high of you, properly, that’d be a sufficiently big improve for a lot of frequent flyers to rejoice.

I simply want United, which has been making an attempt to compete extra fiercely for premium site visitors in latest months, would study what Delta — its chief competitor, in response to CEO Scott Kirby — does with its Sky Membership eating and facilities.

A number of telephone cubicles and a few extra intensive meals choices would go a good distance in elevating its lounge community.

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