United Club Lounge Passes Are Getting a Major Makeover in 2025 — Here’s What You Need to Know

For frequent flyers and casual travelers alike, airport lounge access can be the golden ticket to a stress-free travel day. United Airlines’ one-time United Club passes—often handed out as perks with their co-branded credit cards—have long been a favorite for this very reason. But come May 1, 2025, the rules are changing, and if you like sharing those passes with friends or family, you're going to want to pay close attention.

What’s Changing?

Until now, those with cards like the United Explorer Card or United Business Card received two one-time United Club passes per year. These could be used flexibly: for yourself, with a travel buddy, or even handed off to someone else entirely.

But not anymore.

Starting May 1, 2025:

1. Passes will be tied to your flight – You can only access the lounge within three hours of your scheduled departure.

2. No more gifting to others – Only the primary cardholder, an authorized user, or a guest traveling with one of them can use the passes.

3. No access to United Club Fly locations – Those grab-and-go lounges are now off-limits with these passes.

   
   

Why Is United Doing This?

Two words: crowd control.

United has been upgrading its lounges, investing in newer, better-designed spaces to elevate the experience. But with that comes the desire to manage who gets in. By tightening pass restrictions, they can keep lounges less packed and encourage travelers to either fly solo or pay for an upgraded membership.

And speaking of paid options…

A Shift Toward Monetization for United Lounge Pass

Shortly before this change was announced, United also hiked the prices of their annual memberships and added a premium All Access membership for travelers who want to bring guests regularly. The message? If you want flexibility, you’ll have to pay for it.

So What Does This Mean for You?

If you've been the generous type, sharing passes with friends, colleagues, or family who weren’t flying with you—those days are numbered.

Likewise, if you’ve benefitted from someone else’s unused United lounge pass, those lounge invites might start to dry up. Spontaneous gifts and last-minute passes won’t be an option anymore unless you’re flying together.

On the flip side, if you're a solo traveler who already uses these passes just for yourself, the impact might be minimal—except that you’ll have to keep an eye on that three-hour window now.

Bottom Line

This change might feel small on the surface, but it signals a broader shift in how airlines treat lounge access. What used to be a fun perk is now more exclusive—and potentially more expensive.

So if you’re sitting on unused United Club passes, check those expiration dates and plan to use them before the new rules kick in on May 1, 2025. After that, your gifting days are over.

And who knows? Maybe it's time to reconsider whether those premium memberships (or even switching to a card with Priority Pass access) are worth a look.