Almost every regular traveler knows that the line-up at the boarding gate is one of the most frustrating parts of flying, and almost everyone is sure they know how to make it better. Airlines think that, too, and from time to time they throw the dice on another method.
This time, it’s United, with a plan that adds yet another boarding group, for a total of seven, and splits the last three into subgroups based on where in the row passengers’ seats are.
Even there, it’s not quite the same as the favorite of logicians, who argue for seating all the window passengers back to front and then doing the same with middle and aisle seats—a system that fails in practice because it requires family members to board separately.
United’s plan has some of that problem, but predictably, it’s only applying that part of its scheme to the lowest-priced, lowest-status seats, from Group 3 down to Basic Economy. Here’s the plan:
Preboarding
- Customers with disabilities
- Unaccompanied minors
- Active military members
- Global Services members
- Anyone flying with children 2 or younger
- Premier 1K members
Group 1
- Premier Platinum and Gold members
- Star Alliance Gold members
- Travelers in United Polaris, United First and United Business cabins
Group 2
- Premier Silver members
- Star Alliance Silver members
- Travelers with Premier Access or priority boarding
- Select cobranded credit card holders
Group 3
- Window seats
- Exit row seats
- Nonrevenue travelers
Group 4
- Middle seats
Group 5
- Aisle seats
Group 6
- Basic economy customers (in eligible markets only)
