United Club Lounge at Chicago O’Hare International Airport Near Gate C10 [Full Review]

I passed a 6-hour layover in the United Club lounge near gate C10 in O’Hare’s Terminal 1, and it was better than I expected.

The lounge had multiple positives, from quality breakfast options to ample space and blazing-fast internet. Staff members were friendly, and the lounge was conveniently next to my departure gate.

As the day wore on, I was disappointed by the food options, and the lounge also became very noisy (I was thankful for my noise-canceling headphones).

Here’s what I liked and disliked during my lengthy mid-March 2025 visit to the United Club in the C concourse.

United Club Location

This United Club location is near gate C10 in Terminal 1 at Chicago O’Hare International Airport (ORD). The lounge opened in early 2023, replacing the much smaller United Club near gate C16.

Finding the lounge was easy, given the multiple signs in the concourse and the information provided in United’s mobile app during my layover.

There’s also a United Polaris Lounge nearby, at gate C18, though it’s closed for renovations. The Polaris Lounge at O’Hare debuted in 2016 and closed at the beginning of 2025 for updates. When it reopens (tentatively in spring 2025), it will nearly double in size. This is part of United’s vision for the future of its lounges.

Gaining Entry to the United Club

The United Club at gate C10 is open from 5 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily. With its automated, electronic gates at the entry, access was simple. I attempted to show my boarding pass to an agent at the welcome desk, and she told me to simply scan it at the gates. The machines opened automatically for anyone with access to the lounge.

Since I arrived from an international flight in United Polaris business class, a message appeared on the screen saying that I could ask the desk agents for vouchers for premium drinks at the bar. This perk is offered while the Polaris Lounge is closed, as Polaris Lounges typically offer these drinks for free.

It’s possible to purchase a United Club membership, providing an unlimited number of visits. These cost between $550 and $650, depending on your United MileagePlus elite status tier. Alternatively, you can pay between 75,000 and 85,000 MileagePlus miles for a membership. Members can bring 2 adult guests or an adult plus dependent children under 21 years old.

Those with one-time passes from certain United Airlines co-branded credit cards can also visit the lounge, but they can’t bring any complimentary guests. Club members and those visiting with a one-time pass must have a same-day ticket for a flight with United Airlines, a Star Alliance carrier, or one of United’s partners.

While they can’t bring any guests, those flying in United Polaris or business class on long-haul international or premium transcontinental flights can access the lounge. These travelers can visit the Club at departure, connecting (for those on international flights), and arrival airports. Premium transcontinental flights are those between Newark (EWR) and Los Angeles (LAX) or San Francisco (SFO).

Those flying first or business class with Star Alliance partners can also visit the United Club at their departure airport. Business passengers can’t bring guests, but first class travelers can bring 1 guest.

If you have United Premier Gold status or higher, you can access the lounge before your international departure with United or a Star Alliance airline and can bring 1 guest. Compare that to passengers with Star Alliance Gold status from another airline (not United), as they can access United Clubs before any flight, even if it’s domestic.

Lastly, active-duty members of the U.S. military can access the lounge if they’re flying with United or United Express in the next 24 hours, have a valid military ID, and satisfy one of these conditions: be dressed in uniform, have leave orders, or have rest and recuperation papers. These military members can also bring family members who have gate passes or who are traveling on the same flight.

Regardless of your access method, you’ll need a boarding pass, identification, and proof of any elite status you’re using to access the lounge.

Hot Tip:

If you don’t have elite status and aren’t flying in a premium cabin, it’s still possible to access the United Club with a credit card. The New United Club℠ Business Card and The New United Club℠ Card, for example, provide a built-in United Club membership for the primary cardholder. Meanwhile, the The New United℠ Explorer Card offers a pair of one-time passes to a United Club each year that you hold the card.

First Impressions

“Wow, chic,” I thought as I walked in the door. It was very obvious that the lounge had opened recently in January 2023. The colors, lighting, and fixtures appeared very modern. The lounge also felt bright, which was a welcome contrast to the United Club lounge I’d visited at Washington Dulles (IAD) the week before.

The automated entry gates provided another touch of modernity as I entered the lounge and found numerous seating types in front of me. And as I spent more time exploring the lounge, I realized there were even more options.

Seating

The lounge offered multiple types of seating in multiple areas, creating pods of seats throughout the lounge. Some had partitions, which helped reduce noise and distractions.

Immediately past the entrance gates, there were chairs facing a long row of bench seating along the wall.

On the opposite side of the hallway, there were blue cubicles with a 1-person bench and a table.

These were excellent for those who wanted to work without distractions. They had a pair of 3-prong outlets with USB-A and USB-C inputs.

In the middle of the lounge, there was a large seating area with leather armchairs and a long table with outlets and multiple chairs, which was set up like a coworking space.

Past the buffet and the bar, there was a small seating area with tables and chairs along the window and stools facing the wall with a high-top table.

The other corner of the lounge had an open seating area with floor-to-ceiling windows on 2 sides, providing views to nearby gates and the taxiway beyond. This area had tables and chairs, bench seating, and another coworking table.

Food and Beverages

Buffet

The lounge had a large buffet on the left side past the cubicles and restrooms.

When I arrived, the buffet had breakfast items, including muffins, scrambled eggs, and sausages.

There were also French toast sticks and individual-size frittatas.

I was beyond pumped to see that the French toast sticks were vegan. It was a challenge, but I left some behind for other visitors.

The buffet also had yogurt and oatmeal, including fixings like dried cranberries, raisins, and seeds.

While I loved the breakfast buffet, the changeover to lunch items was a huge bummer. Around 11 a.m., staff took away breakfast items and put mini tacos and sandwiches on the buffet. The only vegan option was some grapes.

Gluten-free options for those who needed them were also much more prevalent at breakfast.

Bar

In the back left corner from the lounge’s entrance, there was a full-service bar near the windows. Most drinks were complimentary for guests, though premium alcoholic drinks had a charge.

However, guests visiting before or after a long-haul Polaris business class flight could obtain vouchers at the welcome desk to show at the bar, entitling them to premium alcoholic drinks at no charge. That will change once the Polaris Lounge reopens.

There was also a robot charging nearby. The message on the screen said it was lost, and I never saw it in use to collect dirty dishes. Instead, staff pushed carts around the lounge to pick up dishes.

Drink Station

Past the buffet was a self-service drink station offering ice, water, Coca-Cola products, and coffee.

Amenities

Restrooms

The lounge had a men’s, women’s, and gender-neutral family restroom. These were bright, very clean, and modern. Each sink had an automated soap dispenser, faucet, and individual hand dryer. There were also paper towel dispensers between sinks and mirrors on the wall.

Wellness Room

The lounge had a wellness room, which was used repeatedly by travelers wanting to nurse their babies in private. It was locked, though staff could provide access if you asked.

Wi-Fi

The lounge had fast, reliable Wi-Fi for guests to use. I was impressed by the speeds: over 171 Mbps downloads and nearly 527 Mbps uploads. I test a lot of airport Wi-Fi speeds, and this is far above average.

Planespotting

Floor-to-ceiling windows at the back of the lounge provided excellent planespotting opportunities.

The views were most convenient for gates C12 and C16, but there were additional views as planes taxied to and from the nearby runway.

Departure Boards

In the center of the lounge, rotating advertisements and digital display boards showing flight departure information were updated in real time.

Customer Service Desk

A customer service desk was next to the departure boards. Staff members here could help if you had questions about your flight, the airport, or just needed access to the wellness room.

Staff and Service

Employees were extremely friendly during my visit. From the smiles when I arrived to staff members regularly circulating to collect dirty dishes, the service was helpful and genuine.

When I scanned my boarding pass at the electronic gates, a pop-up message on the screen said I could receive premium drink tickets from staff. Since I don’t drink alcohol, I told the employee who’d noticed the message that I didn’t need the tickets. He insisted that I shouldn’t leave empty-handed, and he offered to check the drawers for other items they could offer, such as candies. I appreciated the gesture, though it wasn’t necessary. It set a great tone for my visit.

I also noticed that staff members were helpful and kind when they were called in to help an inebriated passenger. Other guests in the buffet line were worried he was going to fall down, and staff seemed genuinely concerned about his well-being while helping him into a nearby seat.

Final Thoughts

During my lengthy visit, I was happily surprised by the United Club near gate C10 at Chicago O’Hare International Airport. After a disappointing visit the week before to a United Club in Washington, D.C., I was glad the O’Hare lounge was bright and spacious.

Staff members were friendly, the lounge had solid amenities, it provided ultra-fast internet, and the breakfast options were excellent. I was bummed about the lack of vegan options when the buffet changed to lunch items, and improving that aspect would make this lounge even better.