swimmerbabe11 said:

---

In December, I'm flying to Bali with a layover in Dubai, how do I avoid the Taliban in our Afghani airport? Been a while since I have flown international.

---

What airline? If you are flying United, check in and clear security at B, then ride the train to the terminal you are flying from. If it is an airline only going out of CDE, you might just have to bite the bullet and go early. You could get dropped off at B and ride the Disney train in the basement over to your terminal, but with as slow as that train is, you might not save any time.

gougler08 said:

---

txags92 said:

---

gougler08 said:

---

txags92 said:

---

TriAg2010 said:

---

The people using the United lounge at IAH aren't taking their business to Southwest. The people with lounge access are a very specific type of traveler distinct from the general public. If there was real competition for those travelers, then United lounge would be nicer.

---

That may have been the case before United and others started putting out their club CCs that gave the everyday riffraff access to the clubs. But the idea of SW stealing club traffic from United at IAH wasn't the point I was (somewhat jokingly) trying to make. I was somewhat jokingly saying that United was shunning IAH for upgrades because they are still mad at Houston for the international expansion at Hobby. SW can and has stolen some of United's Latin America and Caribbean traffic out of Houston and forced them to be more competitive on price, which has next to nothing to do with how many people use the United Clubs at IAH.

---

United club card is $600/yr so definitely not the standard riff raff

---

$525 for club card, $450 for business club card, and free for military personnel.

---

I've never heard the free for military personnel part, that's surprising to me

---

Pretty much all of the major travel credit cards with annual fees are free for military personnel: Amex Platinum, Amex Gold, Chase Sapphire Reserve etc.

Flew Delta out of A this past weekend. Man, that was a nice break from the United area chaos.

Ive definitely walked in a handful of times and walked right back out. I do everything out of B now, so if I have time to kill I will just go to B lounge then take train to my gate when it gets close, rather than deal with C or E clubs. I wish the new D pier had a new club, but oh well.

My opinion, if you're getting a credit card for lounge access it's a waste of money. I have Amex and used to go to the airport early just to go to the lounge. It's generally a **** show now. I still have the card, but for other reasons. The lounge "benefit" adds $0 value in my eyes.

I've seen some platinum lounges, like Vegas, with a line of people several 100' long waiting to get in. Absurd.

We will probably drop down to just the explorer card next year. 6 flights and no upgraded seats as of yet. Looks like the Explorer will do everything else we use it for.

Status thresholds on United are going up next year as well.

Jock 07 said:

---

Status thresholds on United are going up next year as well.

---

But the amount of PQP's you can earn with United Club and Business Club are rising too! I should be able to get to 1K with just credit card spending in 2025.

htxag09 said:

---

My opinion, if you're getting a credit card for lounge access it's a waste of money. I have Amex and used to go to the airport early just to go to the lounge. It's generally a **** show now. I still have the card, but for other reasons. The lounge "benefit" adds $0 value in my eyes.

I've seen some platinum lounges, like Vegas, with a line of people several 100' long waiting to get in. Absurd.

---

While the united lounges can be crowded, I've never been unable to find a seat and can normally work just fine. It's definitely worth it to me but I have a ton of connections through hubs during the year so I spend a lot of time in them

Anybody make an airport run today? Daughter's flight lands at 7:00pm at terminal C. Should I have her trek to A or B? For pickup?

I might be able to let you know right before. I should be leaving grounds right about 7.

sushi94 said:

---

Anybody make an airport run today? Daughter's flight lands at 7:00pm at terminal C. Should I have her trek to A or B? For pickup?

---

It was a cluster at C last night when I got in at 7, I'd have her avoid it

Thanks - she lands E-4 so having her take the sky tram to A

C baggage was light just now and got off grounds with ease.

I've never done the club thing, really. so I'm pretty sure this question is really dumb, but whatever.

i think ive seen people sell their club access? would it be worth buying, since I have 8 hour layovers in dubai?

Not sure about other clubs but centurion only allows you to go 3 hours before your flight. Not sure on international clubs.

A new (lower) level. Arrived on a United Express flight at terminal B tonight to find the terminal is now down to one baggage belt for all arriving flights as part of the renovation, and that one was not working. Took a long time to get our bags - the team there was doing their best to manually distribute all of the arriving checked bags, but it was a zoo. Have traveled around the world and not seen such a pitiful set-up. I feel bad for the workers.

Jusy got home from IAH. Google maps had maroon back to JFK for CDE. I landed at C and we were stopped over the road for a minute and you could see the traffic jam. I took skyway to B as usual and got out just fine, but that was an epic traffic jam going the other way.

swimmerbabe11 said:

---

I've never done the club thing, really. so I'm pretty sure this question is really dumb, but whatever.

i think ive seen people sell their club access? would it be worth buying, since I have 8 hour layovers in dubai?

---

Not worth it.

Plenty of nice places in Dubai airport you can pay to have a better meal and ambiance than inside the clubs. My favorite is Hardrock cafe.

It's also doable to leave the airport with an 8-hours layover and see some sites like the Burj Khalifa / Mall of Emirates.

sushi94 said:

---

Not sure about other clubs but centurion only allows you to go 3 hours before your flight. Not sure on international clubs.

---

3hrs before flight unless it is a layover. No time limit on layovers/connections. I believe it has to be on the same itinerary too

htxag09 said:

---

My opinion, if you're getting a credit card for lounge access it's a waste of money. I have Amex and used to go to the airport early just to go to the lounge. It's generally a **** show now. I still have the card, but for other reasons. The lounge "benefit" adds $0 value in my eyes.

I've seen some platinum lounges, like Vegas, with a line of people several 100' long waiting to get in. Absurd.

---

It seems as if AMEX's new minimum spend restrictions for allowing guests has worked, I have been to the Centurion lounge in Houston a lot this year and have always been able to get a seat. Sure, it might be crowded, but Im always able to get in. Compared to last year when there would be huge lines and long wait times to enter.

Also, you have access to priority pass lounges which tend to be less busy from my experience.

Less amenities too usually.

Funny reading this as i am currently I. the SFO international United lounge at the moment and it is worse than the IAH C lounge (C1 side) that I left from. They definitely haven't spent any money on this place for a while despite being their gateway to Asia and home of Silicon Valley.

aggiepublius said:

---

Funny reading this as i am currently I. the SFO international United lounge at the moment and it is worse than the IAH C lounge (C1 side) that I left from. They definitely haven't spent any money on this place for a while despite being their gateway to Asia and home of Silicon Valley.

---

I thought I remembered SFO being ok but I guess I haven't been there in probably 7 years either, sucks though

flight out of terminal C today. drove in from bw 8/jfk and didn't have to slow down until stopping for the parking garage - no cars waiting to enter. Lot was pretty full though. UC about half full - probably more than 50% seating available.

Now fly back on Sunday and let's see that review!

no doubt! (luckily will avoid that cluster)

5pm arrival this evening was a breeze. Not sure how but it was.

I have a priority pass from an unrelated work benefit. Sometimes it's a total bust (wait or no access for whatever reason) but sometimes it's a great backup for when you walk into the United lounge and it looks like a Royal Caribbean boarding line or a Target store threw up on a Saturday morning after soccer practice.

Just landed at D. Waiting for ecopark at C. It's absolute gridlock. Cars aren't moving.

Line's backed up. Supposedly 2 buses on their way.

Only positive is there is a nice airport employee helping people and making sure no one cuts in line.

Wheels down to ecopark exit 1 hour and 14 min.