What Are The Benefits Of United Airlines Priority Boarding?

Are you a regular United Airlines traveler? If so, you might be familiar with the benefits of their priority boarding option. Priority boarding on United Airlines enables passengers to board before others in the regular boarding group. United Airlines Priority boarding enables passengers to get on board before other passengers. Travelers will get the perk of avoiding busy lines and reaching their seats sooner. Interestingly United Airlines Priority boarding is not an inclusive feature for all flights. So what does priority boarding mean on United Airlines? Let’s find out.

Who Gets United Airlines Priority Boarding?

There is a particular hierarchy to determine who gets priority boarding on the plane first. 

How to Get United Airlines Priority Boarding?

However, active US military members or families having children 2 years old or younger have the advantage to preboard by default. Travelers with elite status are also among the people to get priority boarding. Passengers who use United credit cards have access to priority boarding on a complimentary basis. Travelers can buy priority boarding with a starting price of $15. However, the prices vary for different cabin classes and are subject to change.

There are certain ways through which travelers can get priority boarding status:

•     Earn Elite Status: Passengers with elite status also enjoy complimentary priority boarding on all their flights. Travelers can earn elite status by completing a certain number of flights with United Airlines.

•     Purchase a Higher Fare: Travelers who purchase a higher fare ticket, such as United Polaris, United First & United Business Class, get group 1 boarding.

•     Get Elite Status With Partner Airlines: Passengers can also get priority boarding through United Airlines’ partner airlines, such as Star Alliance. Moreover, once the passengers get elite status with the partner airlines, they can enjoy it with United Airlines too. 

•     Active US Military Members: Military personnel can also enjoy the preboarding status by just showing their military ID.

•     Get a United Airlines Card: United MileagePlus card and United Explorer card enable passengers to enjoy priority boarding status. Moreover, this also enables other companions traveling on your reservation to board with priority boarding status.

How To Use Your Credit Card To Get United Airlines Priority Boarding? 

The procedure to get priority boarding status through credit is very simple. The travelers just have to:

•     Buy a United Airlines Credit Card
•     Utilize the credit card to buy a United ticket, and also include your MileagePlus number while making the reservation.
•     With this procedure, you will automatically get a Group 2 priority boarding for your reservation.

Terms & Conditions For United Airlines Priority Boarding

•     Priority boarding is only applicable for flights in operation by United Airlines & United Express.
•     The status of priority boarding is only available for specific routes and flights.
•     Priority boarding perks are only applicable for the particular flight ticket and not for other flights.
•     Travelers who are boarding in Basic Economy Class cannot buy the Priority Boarding.
•     In case of voluntary changes to an itinerary, the priority boarding status will be transferable to the updated flight. Also, the flight should be operated by United Airlines or United Express.
•     Such change is only applicable subject to availability.
•     In case of canceling the itinerary status completely, the priority boarding status cannot be refunded.
•     For involuntary schedule changes or flight cancellations. United Airlines will transfer the priority boarding status to the latest itinerary. However, if the passengers request to cancel the status prior to the flight change, the amount will be refunded.
•     The status of priority boarding does not exempt the time boundary for check-in time limits.
•     If the travelers desire, they can also buy priority boarding status for multiple people on their reservation. Moreover, the status should be purchased for each individual for them to enjoy the benefits. This feature is only applicable subject to availability.
•     Make sure that ‘Priority Boarding’ is displayed on your ticket after you purchase the status. Without this, the passengers might not be able to enjoy the benefits.
•     The feature of ‘Priority Boarding’ is within the discretion of United Airlines and is also subject to change and termination without any due notice to the travelers.

FAQs

Where can I buy Priority Boarding?

Priority boarding is available through various means, such as the United mobile app, the official website, and at the airport itself during the time of booking. However, people traveling on a basic economy cannot get this benefit. Also, priority boarding is subject to availability. 

How to tell the airport authorities that I have purchased Priority Booking?

Passengers have to show their printed or mobile tickets at the time of boarding to get Priority Boarding status and enjoy the benefits.

Is my Priority Boarding status applicable for all segments of my flight or just one segment?

Travelers can buy priority boarding status for all segments of the flight wherever available. Also, they have the liberty to choose it for specific segments as well.

Can I buy Priority Boarding status with a Basic Economy ticket?

Sadly, passengers who are traveling under Basic Economy booking cannot purchase the Priority Boarding status.

What is the availability of Priority Boarding?

Priority boarding is available only for United and United Express under United Airlines’ priority boarding regulations. This feature is also subject to availability. Also, passengers can experience this status on selected routes only.

Is the status of Priority Boarding refundable?

In general, Priority Boarding status is non-refundable. However, in cases of flight cancellation by the airline, a refund is applicable only when a rescheduled flight is not available. The policies may vary for different situations under United Airlines’ priority boarding.