United Polaris Lounge Chicago Now Open!

Intro

Earlier this year, we saw United close its doors for a temporary period of time at the Polaris Lounge in Chicago to expand and renovate its first-ever Polaris Lounge. Well, it seems that they have made good headway, as the new Polaris Lounge is now open!

The Details

United Polaris Lounges are the airline's version of their "flagship lounge". Offering 6 lounges across Los Angeles, San Francisco, Newark, Washington, Houston, and now Chicago, it's good to see this newly renovated lounge open today, as of April 29th, 2025. Located by gate C18, passengers that are eligible will be in for a treat going forwards!

The United Polaris Lounge was closed for a few months at ORD

So, what has changed?

• The lounge has been heavily expanded from 16,000 square feet to 25,000 square feet, which was made possible by combining the former United Club that closed down next door in 2023.

• There is a larger dining room with the ability to accommodate up to 50 guests

• Much more seating throughout the lounge, as the capacity now sits at 350 guests

• A second bar, supposedly a speakeasy style, has been added

New United Polaris Dining Room Chicago

Good On United

I've gotta be honest, basing this off the pictures, this looks to now be the nicest Polaris Lounge in the network. It seems that United Airlines has gone for a more rustic feel instead of that traditional blue charm, but it should work quite well.

While it was certainly a shame to see United not give access to a premium lounge for the last few months, the airline handled it well, closing after the holiday season and opening before the summer travel rush.

Final Thoughts

United Airlines has just announced that their brand new Polaris Lounge at Chicago (ORD) is open as of April 29th, 2025. Based on the pictures, the lounge looks stunning, offering a rustic feel and a huge capacity gain. I can't wait to check it out!