An expanded Polaris Lounge will open at Chicago O’Hare International Airport (ORD) next spring as United Airlines upgrades the very first lounge in its premium network.
Opened in 2016, the Polaris Lounge at O’Hare is an elevated area exclusively for business class travelers on long-haul international flights. The area offers an extensive buffet, restaurant-quality a la carte meals, work booths, shower suites, day beds and a bar serving alcoholic beverages and barista-prepared coffee.
But like other premium lounges, this space is overcrowded due to the boom in international travel as a result of the pandemic.
Photo: Polaris Lounge, Chicago. Courtesy of United Airlines
Because United operates more than 20 long-haul international flights daily from Chicago and offers over 60 Polaris seats, there are potentially hundreds of passengers who have access to the lounge. The lounge does not have enough space to accommodate them all, especially in the afternoon.
Amenities like shower suites and day beds are available on a first-come, first-served basis, so travelers can expect long lines and wait times during peak times. The dining room has just ten tables, making it one of the most coveted reservations in Chicago.
The upcoming renovations, which were announced in an internal memo that The point type and confirmed by United, will allow the lounge to accommodate crowds more comfortably. The lounge’s area will increase from 16,000 to 25,000 square feet, while seating will double, including private areas and workstations.
United will also offer “new spaces and amenities that reflect customer feedback,” but has not yet revealed what those amenities will be.
Photo: Polaris Business Class. Courtesy of United Airlines
It’s unclear where United will get the extra space to expand the lounge, although it’s possible the space will be diverted from the neighboring United Club, its general-access lounge.
Construction work will begin in the lounge area on September 3. During this time, the lounge will still be partially open, but with reduced capacity. In addition, the dining room will be temporarily relocated to the seating area.
As renovations continue, the lounge will close completely in early 2025. Passengers will be redirected to the four United Clubs in the airport, including the location next to the Polaris area in Concourse C.
The United Club Lounges are less luxurious, but Polaris passengers can receive premium drinks at the bar by showing their boarding pass.
The expanded Polaris Lounge will then reopen sometime next spring, before the summer travel season.
Photo: Polaris Lounge, San Francisco. Courtesy of United Airlines
United also operates Polaris lounges in Houston (IAH), Los Angeles (LAX), Newark (EWR), San Francisco (SFO) and Washington, DC (IAD). Currently, Denver (DEN) is United’s only domestic hub without a Polaris lounge, although the airline says it plans to open a lounge there in the next few years.
