Star Alliance: Gold Status Benefits for United Airlines Passengers
Star Alliance is an association which currently includes 26 airlines. The Star Alliance was founded in 1997 by United Airlines and other airline operators like Lufthansa, Air Canada and SAS Scandinavian Airlines, … as the world’s first airline alliance. Its objective is common route rights, the use of time slots, scheduled flights coordinated with the development of a global network and, of course, common and compatible offers for frequent travellers.
Why is there Star Alliance Gold status?
There are two different status levels within Star Alliance, Silver status and Gold status. Gold status is the highest status within Star Alliance and offers many more benefits than silver status. But why does this exist, who is entitled to this status and how to obtain it? After all, the Star Alliance as such does not have its own frequent flyer program. Instead, airline United, through its frequent flyer program MileagePlus, can first independently determine the status levels and benefits it grants to its own customers. However, this becomes more complicated when it comes to knowing what benefits are available to status holders of another alliance loyalty program.
Indeed, it almost doesn’t matter which frequent flyer program you use to achieve Star Alliance Gold status. If you are flying with United Airlines and you have priority check-in based on your Gold status, it does not matter if you flew with your Star Alliance Gold status rather than Miles & More Senator status or KrisFlyer Gold status. Star Alliance Gold benefits are still the same. It therefore makes sense to seek out the program within Star Alliance that makes it as easy as possible to obtain Star Alliance Gold.
However, one point should be noted: an airline like United Airlines is free to grant additional privileges to its own frequent flyers. The Star Alliance Silver or Gold sets only the minimum requirements. Example: Miles & More HON Circle status corresponds to Star Alliance Gold. But United Airlines grants its best customers; members of the HON Circle; more privileges than a Star Alliance Gold holder who flew under another frequent flyer program.
All benefits of Star Alliance Gold status at a glance
So what are the benefits of Star Alliance Gold status? After all, one or the other is ready to accept certain efforts and/or costs to achieve this.
– Access to the airport lounge
Topping the list of Star Alliance Gold benefits for most is free access to the Star Alliance Gold lounge at the airport. With over 1,000 Star Alliance Gold lounges around the world, you can be sure to have a lounge at almost any airport. The lounges are recognizable by the Star Alliance Gold logo, also visible in the photo above. It doesn’t matter what class of travel you’re traveling in.
As a Star Alliance Gold customer traveling in any cabin class on a Star Alliance flight, you have access to all United Airlines and other member airline lounges provided the following conditions are met:
You present your boarding pass for a flight on a Star Alliance member airline departing on the day of your visit to the lounge or no later than 05:00 the following morning.
If your boarding pass does not indicate your Star Alliance Gold status, please present your Star Alliance Gold card as well.
Additionally, you can bring another person with you into the lounge as a guest, provided they are also flying with a Star Alliance airline knowing that anyone over the age of 2 is considered a guest. When visiting contracted lounges, the guest must also travel on the same flight as the Star Alliance Gold member. You can find out which lounges you have access to using the Star Alliance lounge finder:
– Priority recording
With priority recording, you save waiting time during check-in. Even if you are flying economy class, as a Star Alliance Gold status holder you can check in at the business class counter, sometimes also at the first class counter.
– Reservation Priority/Priority Waiting List
If there are no more seats available on the desired flight, you will be assigned a better place on the waiting list. Incidentally, this does not apply to award tickets booked with miles.
– Priority in the waiting list
If a flight is overbooked, as a Star Alliance Gold status holder you will have a higher priority on the waiting list.
– Additional baggage allowance
You can take 20 kg of extra luggage or one extra piece of luggage.
– Priority boarding
Board with First and Business Class passengers when offered at the gate. This benefit for Star Alliance Gold customers allows you to clear security faster through separate processing. It is currently available in over 150 locations and will gradually be rolled out to other airports in our network.
All Star Alliance Gold customers, including those traveling in Economy Class and First and Business Class customers on a United Airlines-operated flight can use Star Alliance Gold Track.
Simply present your boarding pass to take advantage of the fast security check.