United Airlines' Latest Exclusive Lounge Change Is Causing A Huge Stir With Frequent Flyers

Airports aren't exactly places travelers want to linger longer than necessary — but if there's one thing that makes the stress and chaos slightly more bearable, it's the lounges. The world's best airport lounges are mini sanctuaries, offering everything from complimentary drinks and showers, and the most luxurious lounges even have champagne bars and bougie buffet spreads. But let's be honest: The best lounges are the ones you can slide into for free. Sadly, United Club lounges are not part of that fantasy anymore (not quite, anyway). In March 2025, United Airlines announced a massive shake-up to its lounge access policy — and let's just say travelers are not happy.

For years, United lounges (and many other lounges, really) have been packed to the brim — thanks to credit card freebies, airlines selling day passes like candy, and the surge in premium passengers looking for a quiet spot in a busy airport. Presumably to manage the crowding (and boost revenue, obviously), United introduced a new two-tier membership structure. Previously, an annual membership cost $650 or 85,000 MileagePlus points and came with guest privileges. Now, that's gone. The new Individual membership strips away guest access and will set you back $750 or 94,000 points. If you still want to bring family or friends, you'll need the All Access membership, which now costs a jaw-dropping $1,400 or 175,000 points. The airline claims that this is all in the name of "improving your experience," but most members see it for what it really is: paying more to get less.

It comes as no surprise that many have not taken the news lightly. Social media has been flooded with backlash, and many are questioning whether paying more is even worth it.

Once word got out that United Airlines was revamping lounge access, it didn't take long for loyal flyers to voice their disappointment. Even longtime members started questioning their loyalty, calling the price hike unjustified and the "enhancements" nothing more than smoke and mirrors. Oh, and it's not just annual members feeling the squeeze. Even travelers buying one-time $59 day passes are now limited to entering a United Club no more than three hours before they take off. So much for getting in early to unwind.

It's not a surprise that online forums lit up with frustration. "Where's the upside? No announcements about better food, improved drinks, or any actual enhancements for members. Just more rules and more pressure to spend money on their products," u/TechnicianHealthy455 on Reddit noted, with another named u/Kindofabig_deal venting about the ripple effect on their wallet. "This pisses me off, how are they going to increase the price and provide less benefits. Don't get me wrong I love, that united has lounges everywhere. But this really pissed me off espically insce [sic] it's a credit card and not a membership. You can't just easily close the card and call it a day," they wrote.

The only silver lining? If you're already a United Club member, you've got a temporary shield. These changes only apply to new memberships for now. Existing members get to keep their current perks until their membership renews. After that, it's decision time: Fork out more for the All Access plan, or downgrade to a guest-less experience at a higher cost. Either way, it's not the kind of "upgrade" most travelers were hoping for.