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United Airlines has opened a “Club Lite” lounge concept called United Club Fly at Denver International Airport (DEN) between gates B61 and B63 in Concourse B East. At just over 1,500 square feet, the lounge takes up as much space as a small apartment.
What Can You Expect in the New Lounge Space?
Based on the size of the lounge, there are no restrooms inside, though there will be a few amenities:
Agent assistance, especially valuable during irregular operations or severe weather.
Limited seatings — there are only 16 seats in the lounge, so this is not a lounge concept where you’ll be able to stick around and work or relax. Expect to come in, grab what you’d like, and then exit back into the terminal.
A grab-and-go food and beverage selection, including packaged snacks, fresh sandwiches, salads, and beverages. This includes barista-made coffee, which is a nice touch in a grab-and-go lounge.
Interestingly, if you’re a guest of a United Club member, or are Star Alliance Gold frequent flyer, you will not be allowed access. Full-fledged United Club members will have access, however.
The lounge is open daily from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. MT.
Airport lounges take up a lot of room — a traditional lounge needs a large amount of space, room for restrooms, long buffet lines, bars, and other amenities. In areas where there may not be room for a full-service lounge, United can offer a smaller grab-and-go concept, where passengers can quickly take food and drink to-go, which is especially great for people on tight connections.
This concept is the first lite-style lounge for a U.S.-based airline, though it certainly isn’t the first in the world. Capital One operates a takeaway section in its Dallas-based Capital One Lounge, and Air Canada offers an Air Canada Café concept in Toronto.
Final Thoughts
United has just opened its United Club Fly lounge concept at Denver International Airport (DEN), the first of its kind for an American airline. The space is compact and offers limited, to-go-like amenities catered to travelers on the move, certainly enhancing the United Club membership package.