United boarding process

[Letsbgoofy]

Can anyone tell me whether United flights board from the front or back (after all the "special" seats board). Last year I was on a USAirways flight, they board from the back forward, and those of us sitting near the front had to check our carry on luggage because there wasn't enough room in the overhead bins. Not a big deal except it was late at night and I had no checked luggage and didn't plan to have to go to baggage claim. On my connecting flight (a prop plane) they were overweight and left the people with seats in the front in Philly - these were not people who volunteered!

I fly United every few years, but always international. The flights I have been on board from the front back (whcih truly makes no sense and takes more time). Is this how domestic flights board as well? Trying to decide if it's worth upgrading to economy plus as I am not checking luggage again this year.

 

[Bucketfoot]

United does not board either back to front or front to back, they board by boarding groups.

I know that when traveling alone getting a window seat gives you an earlier boarding group, but I don't know how they do groups.

 

[Letsbgoofy]

When I said "back to front" I meant that the boarding groups are called from the back to the front.

I have never seen boarding groups that are random people throughout the plane (like a group with window seats in various parts of the plane). It would make sense in a way, to get the window people seated first...

 

[2Tiggies]

We haven't flown with them for over a year now but the last time they boarded the business first, and then the rest of the plane from back to front. I don't know if it varies by airport/size of plane? We were boarded this way both at MCO and at EWR

 

[lost*in*cyberspace]

United does not board either back to front or front to back, they board by boarding groups.

Yes, they do board by boarding groups, as do all airlines!

UA's boarding order is:

Preboarding: Disabled passengers, Global Services and military in uniform

Group 1: Premier 1K, Premier Platinum, Premier Cabins

Group 2: Premier Gold, Star Alliance Gold, Premier Silver, MileagePlus Presidential Plus and Club cardholders, MileagePlus Explorer and Awards cardholders

Groups 3-5 are general boarding as follows:

Group 3: Window Seats

Group 4: Middle Seats

Group 5: Aisle Seats

The plane size doesn't matter and domestic and international flights all board the same.

 

[lost*in*cyberspace]

We haven't flown with them for over a year now but the last time they boarded the business first, and then the rest of the plane from back to front. I don't know if it varies by airport/size of plane? We were boarded this way both at MCO and at EWR

Odd, this must have been about the time they merged with Continental and there was a brief period when they played around with their boarding procedures, because UA doesn't and hasn't boarded back to front.

 

[2Tiggies]

Odd, this must have been about the time they merged with Continental and there was a brief period when they played around with their boarding procedures, because UA doesn't and hasn't boarded back to front.

You may well be correct as it was around the time they merged. I forgot about that

 

[Letsbgoofy]

Group 3: Window Seats

Group 4: Middle Seats

Group 5: Aisle Seats

A couple of questions then:

Are you saying that all window seats, no matter where on the airplane, will board at the same time/group?

If you are traveling with other parties and have seats in different positions, do you have different boarding groups?

I'm going to have to disagree about all flights boarding that way though. We flew to Mexico last May and all 4 of us had aisle seats in the middle of the plane. All the seats we passed were full, none of the seats behind us had people in them yet (we were amoung the first people on in our boarding group). We discussed how it made no sense to board the front people first because everyone stood waiting while the people who boarded before them, and were seated in front of them, put their luggage in the over head bins.

 

[usrtyz]

We flew from Chicago to Orlando last year and boared by group. That was it. It didn't matter if you had a window seat or not.

 

[richmo]

Groups 3-5 are general boarding as follows:

Group 3: Window Seats

Group 4: Middle Seats

Group 5: Aisle Seats

The plane size doesn't matter and domestic and international flights all board the same.

Are you sure about that? That would split up all people traveling together!

Haven't been on United for awhile, but flew US Airways this summer and they had 5 boarding groups, but they seemed to be staggered throughout the plane. We were in the last group (5) and were seated roughly in the middle of the plane.

 

[lost*in*cyberspace]

Are you sure about that? That would split up all people traveling together!

Haven't been on United for awhile, but flew US Airways this summer and they had 5 boarding groups, but they seemed to be staggered throughout the plane. We were in the last group (5) and were seated roughly in the middle of the plane.

I'm a UA 1K, and I am certain of the boarding procedures. US Airways is not United Airlines! If you're interested, here is their boarding procedure:

http://www.usairways.com/en-US/traveltools/checkin/airportcheckin/boarding_process.html

What difference does it make if people traveling together are split up while boarding? UA will let kids board with their parents and adults certainly can board on their own I have to add that my husband and I are always in Group 1, so I'm not sure if a couple with an aisle and window seat get in the same boarding group or not.

 

[lost*in*cyberspace]

A couple of questions then:

Are you saying that all window seats, no matter where on the airplane, will board at the same time/group?

If you are traveling with other parties and have seats in different positions, do you have different boarding groups?

I'm going to have to disagree about all flights boarding that way though. We flew to Mexico last May and all 4 of us had aisle seats in the middle of the plane. All the seats we passed were full, none of the seats behind us had people in them yet (we were amoung the first people on in our boarding group). We discussed how it made no sense to board the front people first because everyone stood waiting while the people who boarded before them, and were seated in front of them, put their luggage in the over head bins.

No, I am not saying all window (or other seats) board first. By the time preboards, and Groups 1 & 2 board (and Group 2 can be HUGE with all of the UA credit card holders), lots of seats will be taken all over the plane before general boarding.

Yes, if you are traveling with other parties (not on the same PNR), you can have different boarding groups. If you are on the same PNR (same reservation), I don't know, as stated in my post above.

It makes perfect sense to board the front first, if you are talking about first/business class. That is a perk for people who pay more for their tickets or who are elite frequent flyers.

 

[vnuzz]

I'm a UA 1K, and I am certain of the boarding procedures. US Airways is not United Airlines! If you're interested, here is their boarding procedure:

http://www.usairways.com/en-US/traveltools/checkin/airportcheckin/boarding_process.html

What difference does it make if people traveling together are split up while boarding? UA will let kids board with their parents and adults certainly can board on their own I have to add that my husband and I are always in Group 1, so I'm not sure if a couple with an aisle and window seat get in the same boarding group or not.

We just flew United from New Jersey to Orlando. We had a window seat, two aisle seats and a middle seat and we all boarded at the same time as part of group 3.

 

[lost*in*cyberspace]

We just flew United from New Jersey to Orlando. We had a window seat, two aisle seats and a middle seat and we all boarded at the same time as part of group 3.

Thanks, that answers my question! It appears that everyone on the same PNR gets in the same boarding group.

 

[Letsbgoofy]

It makes perfect sense to board the front first, if you are talking about first/business class. That is a perk for people who pay more for their tickets or who are elite frequent flyers.

No, talking about regular coach class. It had to be the longest boarding I have ever experienced. It was so unorganized it was almost funny.

Thanks for the information

 

[seashoreCM]

United has used the window-middle-aisle method for many years.

Delta often (if not always) uses a hopscotch method, that is, some in the back, then some in the middle, then some in the front, then more in the back, more in, etc.

Both of these airlines call you by zone (group) numbers so you don't really know what the exact method is unless you did some homework in advance.

 

[Chirple]

Continental used to board back to front. (JetBlue still does after the needs assistance-small children-paid extra legroom groups.) United boards by group. You can still have a seat close to the front, be in the last boarding group, and have no overhead space.

This happened to me recently on a business trip, and I paid for an extra legroom seat.

 

[lost*in*cyberspace]

Continental used to board back to front. (JetBlue still does after the needs assistance-small children-paid extra legroom groups.) United boards by group. You can still have a seat close to the front, be in the last boarding group, and have no overhead space.

This happened to me recently on a business trip, and I paid for an extra legroom seat.

If by an extra legroom seat you mean economy plus on United, paying for this gives you more legroom; it doesn't give you an earlier boarding group. Other airlines do give you an earlier boarding group if you pay for their premium economy seats.

 

[Chirple]

If by an extra legroom seat you mean economy plus on United, paying for this gives you more legroom; it doesn't give you an earlier boarding group. Other airlines do give you an earlier boarding group if you pay for their premium economy seats.

This was in reference to JetBlue only. I still had last boarding in United Economy Plus.

 

[lost*in*cyberspace]

This was in reference to JetBlue only. I still had last boarding in United Economy Plus.

Yes, as stated, buying E+ UA seats doesn't improve your boarding group.

Just found this UA boarding discussion on flyertalk.com:

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/unit...ding-process-wiki-revised-may-2013-a-218.html