I’ve already gained a ton of value from my United MIleagePlus Explorer card. I opened the card because of an enticing 70,000 MileagePlus mile sign-up offer, but have decided to keep the card open for now. I’ve decided to keep the card open because I believe I get enough value from the card to justify paying the $95 annual fee each year. The benefit which gives me the most value is the United Club lounge passes annually.
Each card member anniversary Chase and United mail me two paper one-time United Club passes. These passes give me (and me alone) access to any United Club location around the world. Without the passes I could purchases United Club access for $59 at the door. This means that I’m essentially receiving $118 from this benefit each year. That alone helps me justify paying the annual fee year after year!
Issues With Paper United Club Passes
I love the value I receive from the two United Club passes annually, but they continually frustrate me. Specifically, I have an issue with the way Chase/United distribute the passes. Each card member year, card holders receive a mailer with two United Club passes inside. To gain access to a United Club lounge, you must present a single valid pass at the door. This means that you have to physically carry this little piece of paper with you when traveling. Also, if you lose the pass, you’re essentially out of luck until your next card member anniversary passes arrive.
I’ve always wondered why I can’t scan my paper passes into my United mobile app. After all, you can purchases day passes through the app and save them, why can’t I scan and save my paper passes. This way I could scan my pass into the app for safekeeping and not worry about losing the paper passes. More importantly, by added the passes to the app, I’d alway have the passes with me. I wouldn’t have to deal with the frustration of arriving at the airport only to realize I’ve left the little paper passes at home.
United and Chase Introduce Digital United Club Passes
Luckily, Chase and United have decided to change this process. Beginning November 2017, United will deliver MileagePlus Explorer one-time United Club passes electronically! Going forward, Chase will send card holders an email within 4 weeks of each card member anniversary. That email will inform card holders that the United Club passes are available in their MileagePlus accounts. From there, MileagePlus members can access the passes via the United mobile app or print the passes themselves at home.
At face value this seems like excellent news. You’ll no longer have to remember a silly piece of paper when running out of your home to get to the airport. Instead, your one-time United Club passes will appear in your United mobile app. I personally like this aspect of this most recent enhancement.
Additionally, it’s still good news if you aren’t a United mobile app user. Customers still have the ability to print the one-time passes themselves and present these passes at United Club locations. However, the passes will reside in your account until printed. This part is important and hints at the BIG issue with this most recent enhancement.
United Reserves The Right To Remove United Club Passes!
Buried deep in the middle of the letter I received is the following statement from United:
Please note if your Credit Card account is closed, United and Chase reserve the right to remove the United Club one-time passes from you MileagePlus account.
This could be a big issue because I suspect United and Chase will promptly remove any unused passes from your account if you chose to cancel your MileagePlus Explorer card. In the past, with paper passes, it didn’t matter if you’re credit card account was open or not. In fact, you didn’t even have to be a MileagePlus Explorer cardholder to use paper passes. As long as you presented a valid paper one-time pass to the lounge gatekeepers you were in. You didn’t even have to fly with United! This meant that you could give passes to friends or buy unexpired paper passes of auction sites like ebay.
Are Digital Passes Tied To Your MileagePlus Account?
That brings me to my next potential problem with this improvement. What is not yet clear is if the new digital passes will have your name or MileagePlus number listed. This would mean only the primary MileagePlus cardholder could present and use the passes at a United Club.
In the past the paper United Club passes did not list your MileagePlus number or name. In fact, they weren’t tied to your account in any way. This made it incredibly easy to buy/sell/trade these paper passes. In many instances you could buy United Club passes online for a third of what they cost at the check-in desk. Going forward, the digital passes may list your MileagePlus number and name which means the primary card holder must be present to use the passes.
While I’m speculating here, this change would make sense. This would limit the buying/selling of these passes second-hand and prevent people from using passes after they’ve closed their account. Either way, I’d recommend immediately printing digital passes just in case they go missing before you get a chance to use them.
Final Thoughts
While the final point I make above is pure speculation, I’m overall torn about this new improvement. On the one had I welcome this change. It frustrates me that I have to keep these paper passes with me to use them. I generally don’t carry them to minimize the risk of losing them, but on two occasions now have found myself at an airport for several hours without lounge access. It would have been nice to sit back and relax in a United Club eating and drinking for free instead of paying for overpriced food and beer. For that reason alone I’m glad to see these passes will be digital going forward.
On the other hand I’m skeptical of this change. Given all of the negative changes we’ve seen from frequent flyer programs, I’m weary anytime I see a positive change. It gives me pause and consider the bigger picture. Potentially United is simply trying to limit the second-hand market for these credit card United Club passes and further restrict lounge access to primary cardholders. Perhaps that’s my inner cynic, but it’s definitely a possibility.
