United Airlines is set to open its latest Polaris Lounge this Friday (June 29) at George Bush Intercontinental Airport in Houston, Texas – the airline’s fourth facility under its new Polaris design concept.
The Houston lounge, located in Terminal E adjacent to Gate E12, joins similar facilities in Chicago, San Francisco and Newark/New York.
Offering space for up to 191 people (seated), the Houston facility has noticeably less capacity than the San Francisco and New York/Newark lounges, which each have seating for about 440 people.
That being said, it still has a number of other facilities similar to its counterparts, including six rainfall shower suites (these come with Soho House & Co’s Cowshed Spa products)…
…two private daybeds with Saks Fifth Avenue bedding…
…and a private dining area with table service that’s able to cater to up to 28 people.
And while the lounge’s seating capacity is just 191, power points are plentiful with 324 power outlets and 264 USB ports available throughout. Guests can also make use of the personal valet services and garment-steaming service.
As with United’s other Polaris Lounges, there are a few local touches as well. Houston-based artists Shane Tolbert and Terrell James created 11 unique pieces of contemporary art for the new space.
Meanwhile, the lounge’s culinary offerings include a Texas breakfast skillet alongside more international fare such as Cajun andouille sausage and chicken etouffee, Argentinean roasted chimichurri chicken, tres leches bites and, as with all other Polaris Lounges, the United Polaris Burger.
Cocktails are also available, notably the Caliente on the Rocks that features Casamigos tequila, orange juice and a homemade sour mix, and Brazilian caipirinhas cocktails that are made using muddled lime, sugar and cachaca. The lounge’s own star anise-infused vodka and oolong tea-steeped bourbon are also available.
“As we continue to increase momentum of the roll-out of United Polaris, we’re thrilled to bring this industry-leading lounge concept to Houston, where the lounge décor, food and drink are all a reflection of the city,” said Mark Krolick, United’s vice president of marketing.
“We specifically designed this United Polaris lounge location to feel like a boutique hotel, with dedicated spaces for relaxation, refreshing and dining, and we’re confident that our Houston customers and those connecting through this award-winning airport will enjoy a best-in-class lounge experience.”
United’s rollout of its new lounges has undeniably been slower than it originally planned. The facilities were set to coincide with the launch of the airline’s inaugural flight of its Boeing 777-300ER aircraft, which features its new fully flat Polaris business class seat, on its San Francisco-Hong Kong route, but delays pushed back their openings.
Nevertheless, the airline is now going full steam ahead with its new lounge launches, with the Houston facility the airline’s third to open this year (the San Francisco lounge opened at the end of April, while the New York/Newark facility opened at the beginning of June).
United plans to open one more Polaris Lounge this year at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX), with the space set to welcome guests some time in autumn. Its remaining pipeline then includes lounges at Washington Dulles, Tokyo Narita and Hong Kong scheduled for 2019, followed by a likely 2020 opening of a Polaris Lounge in London.
