A confusing and complex boarding process at the airport can simply ruin the start of your trip before you even get to board the plane. However, many airlines don’t seem to acknowledge this as a significant problem or don’t consider fixing it. All of this implies that they don’t care enough about making the boarding experience smooth and hassle-free for the passengers.
Fortunately, the United Airlines Boarding Groups and process are considered by some to be an improvement over traditional methods. It aims at speeding up the “getting on a plane” course, which results in a streamlined experience.
Since the process of boarding the flight is different for every airline, passengers have to thoroughly research their airline’s boarding process and the group they come under, especially if they don’t fly often. This page has discussed every inch of United’s boarding process so you know exactly when to line up at the gate and embark on the plane.
Different Boarding Groups of United Airlines
To make the boarding less complex and easily understandable to passengers, United Airlines boards their flyers in groups. They divide them into different groups based on factors like their united ticket classes, seat location, and loyalty program status. The group is clearly mentioned on the boarding pass collected after successful check-in. If you have booked United group travel and are flying in economy, you will be allotted the earliest applicable boarding group.
Presently, United Airlines has seven boarding groups, starting with the pre-boarding group, which is numbered 1 to 6 (the assigned numbers are the positions allotted to every passenger). After that, Groups 1 and 2 get on the line to board the plane. Once these passengers are successfully embarked on the flight, the agents will call Groups 3 to 6 to line up!
Boarding The Plane With United Airlines
You must wait to line up at the gate until the agent calls your assigned boarding group. Till then, stay seated and check which group is currently boarding on the screens near the gate. When it is time to embark on your plane finally, follow the blue and green signs to the correct boarding lane based on your group.
Let’s understand each United Airlines Boarding Group one by one:
Pre-boarding
United Airlines’ pre-boarding group includes passengers with special assistance, active military members, and United Global Services members. They get to board the plane first. Eligible passengers that come under this category are as follows:
- Customers with disabilities.
- Unaccompanied minors.
- Anyone flying with two-year-old children or younger.
- Active military members.
- Global Services® and Premier® 1K® members.
Group 1
After that, the United Airlines boarding process starts with Group 1. It is assigned to passengers holding specific statuses or flying in premium travel class. They will board the plane right after pre-boarding members are seated on the plane. These passengers are:
- The ones holding Premier Platinum and Gold membership.
- Those having the Star Alliance™ Gold membership.
- Travelers flying in United Polaris, United Airlines First Class, and United Business cabins.
Group 2
United Airlines Boarding Group 2 includes passengers with silver tier membership and those who have purchased specific status to get on this boarding category. Plus, those having airline co-branded cards also come under this group. The following list will help you understand the type of passenger this group is assigned to:
- Premier Silver members
- Star Alliance™ Silver members
- Travelers with United Premier Access or Priority Boarding
- United Explorer Card, United Quest Card, United Club Infinite Card, United Business Card, United Club Business Card, United MileagePlus Awards Card, United Presidential Plus Card, and United Presidential Plus Business Card
Group 3
From there on comes the third group, which is specifically for passengers with window seats, exit row seats, and nonrevenue passengers. They can be holding Economy Plus or United Economy travel class tickets.
Group 4
The fourth category of the United Airlines Boarding Groups is for Economy Plus or United Economy passengers seated in the middle seats. Also, for non-rev pax, who are passengers who fly on discounted or free tickets and are not producing revenue for the airline
Group 5
Right after that, passengers with booked aisle tickets will get to board the plane. These are specifically the passengers flying in the Economy Plus or United Economy.
Group 6
Lastly, United Group 6 passengers get on the plane, which is for basic economy travelers and those without a boarding group number. This group is only used on domestic flights and selected short-haul international flights. So, if you want to board first, then avoid purchasing a seat in the basic economy.
What Does Priority Boarding Mean?
United Airlines Priority Boarding is a service offered by airlines that allows passengers to board the plane ahead of the general boarding groups. You can purchase this option as an add-on to your ticket, getting earlier access to the plane compared to those without priority boarding.
It is marketed towards passengers who do not have any elite status with the airline or a special credit card membership that grants early access to the boarding lane. In this scenario, “Priority Boarding” would allow the passenger to board with “Group 2,” which is a group that boards earlier than the general boarding groups but may not be the very first to board.
United Airlines encourages passengers to purchase priority boarding. If they wait until their original boarding group (Group 4 or 5), there might not be enough overhead bin space left to store their carry-ons, essentially forcing them to gate-check their belongings. This could also result in an additional fee.
This service starts at $15, but it can vary according to your booked flight, selected date and time of travel, and the day of the week. In simple words, the airline can put whatever price it wants on the service.
What is Premier Access in United? Does It Offer Early Boarding?
United Airlines Premier Access is known to provide a premium airport experience with its services, such as early check-in, exclusive security lanes, baggage handling, and the ability to board the plane earlier than most other passengers (“Priority Boarding”). This service will not only board you earlier but also provide a more streamlined and prioritized experience at the airport compared to standard economy passengers.
The following are the passengers with specific United ticket classes or membership status who get the benefit of premier access:
- MileagePlus Premier members.
- Passengers flying in United Polaris business class, United First, United Business, and United Premium Plus.
- Star Alliance Gold members.
- MileagePlus Club and Presidential Plus credit card members.
If you do not have any of the above-mentioned statuses, you can still purchase United Airlines Premier Access, starting at $24. You can get it for one part of your trip or the whole journey through the airline’s official website, mobile application, or at the airport kiosk.
Closing Statement
Even if an airline’s boarding process is complicated with multiple steps, it becomes ten times easier to navigate if you are familiar with the procedures before reaching the airport gate.
Fortunately, the United Airlines Boarding Groups have a clear, well-defined two-lane system that is consistent across most flights, allowing passengers to know exactly where they need to line up based on their boarding group.
Common Questions and Answers:
Pre-boarding in United Airlines means the boarding of passengers with special assistance, active military members, and United Global Services members before the group-wise boarding starts.
United Premier Access provides an up-leveled airport experience by offering services like priority boarding, baggage handling, exclusive security lanes, and early check-in.
Passengers can purchase the United Airlines Premier Access service starting at $24 from the official website, mobile application, or at the airport kiosk.
Premier Access on United Airlines is like an add-on service that provides priority check-in, security, and boarding to passengers.
Yes. United Airlines is one of the largest airlines in the world, and its services are excellent.
Yes. United Airlines first class benefits include priority boarding of passengers, which places them under the Group 1 category. These travelers get to board the plane right after pre-boarding.
United Airlines boarding groups are a system that helps identify which passenger will board the plane first. There are a total of six groups.
The boarding group 4 in United Airlines is considered average, as it is for passengers who have purchased the middle seats and not the earliest.
United Airlines boards passengers with window seats in Group 3. At the same time, the passengers in the middle seat get to board the plane in Group 4.
Group 4 on the United boarding pass means that you have been allotted a middle seat, and you will board the plane after the window seat passengers.
Passengers can get United priority boarding as an add-on service for $24 or automatically if they are MileagePlus Premier members or holding premium cabin tickets.
If you consistently get boarding Group 5 on United, then it means you’re not a frequent flyer, check in later than everybody else, or have purchased a basic economy ticket.
Yes. United Airlines boards families with two-year-old children or younger under the pre-boarding category.
Passengers with window seats are allotted boarding group 3 on United Airlines. They board the plane right after silver-tier membership and co-branded credit card holders.
The boarding group is mentioned on your boarding pass, which you get after completing the check-in option.
To get a better group for United boarding, try to earn United elite status (like Premier Platinum, Gold, or Silver), purchase Premier Access, hold a qualifying United credit card that offers priority boarding, or book a premium cabin ticket.
The boarding group is decided according to United ticket classes, the location of the seat, and the loyalty program status.
This means you have purchased a “Basic Economy,” which does not automatically assign you a seat. So, you have to see an agent for seat allocation.
