…the big club in Terminal 1
The United Club in Terminal 1 at O’Hare, by gate B6, is the largest United Club at the airline’s Chicago home. It’s a huge space that defiantly sports the airlines mid-2010s aesthetic. If you like faux marble, whites and beiges, clean lines and not a lot of color – this lounge is for you. Given the importance of Chicago to United, this lounge should be overhauled like the large lounges in some of the other hubs.
This lounge reflects the mid-2010s uniform aesthetic of clean lines, faux marble, and lots of white and beige. However, this design is beginning to look a bit tired.
The lounge is in Terminal 1, near gate B6. After presenting your credentials at the manned reception desk, lounge patrons ascend up a short escalator and enter a large attractive seating area – maybe my favorite part of this lounge. The ceiling is high and sports familiar chandeliers. The room has a mix of seating, including several blue egg chairs, which has some of the only color in the lounge. The room is backed by some wonderful vintage United photographs. A blue translucent divider separates this area from other parts of the lounge. This area also houses the lounge’s customer service desk.
To the left is a series of private phone rooms. Not only are these rooms enclosed, but they are in an almost hidden area. They are perfect for phone calls or zoom meetings – though signs suggest staying in these rooms for no longer than 30 minutes.
Also in this area is the secondary buffet, which was just being set up so early in the morning. It seemed like basic breakfast fare plus coffee. Adjacent to this buffet was communal table style seating.
Turning to the right, you really enter the main seating part of the lounge. It’s one very long room, with more high-top communal tables and outlets than I have ever seen in the lounge. I don’t know if I have ever been in a lounge with so many outlets! There are plenty of smaller table seats as well as traditional lounge chairs – in beige of course.
Keep walking, you will pass the entry to the washrooms and enter the main buffet area. For breakfast, there were hot and cold cereals, eggs, sausages, potatoes, fresh fruit and a variety of baked items. There was also an espresso machine and a soda machine. Across from the buffet were plenty of traditional style tables, some of which were placed along a very long sofa.
Past the buffet was the attractive main bar, which completely epitomizes the aesthetic of the lounge. It opens at 7AM. Adjacent to the bar was the regular coffee station, additional tables and typical lounge chairs. Windows of this area overlook the B gate concourse. And while not as enjoyable as tarmac views, a lot of light manages to get into the lounge.
If you need to work, recharge your device, or catch up on emails – this lounge is perfect for you. If you are looking for a hearty meal (at least at breakfast), or a colorful place to sit – this lounge is not for you. For many reasons, this lounge pales in comparison to its counterpart in the C concourse. The lounge has held up well, but the design as noted seems dated and does not reflect Chicago. This lounge needs to be a showcase for United. It needs to be redone – similar to what the airline has done in Denver and Newark.
…The details. Date – May 8, 2025. Rating: Worth the visit. Access: United club membership
..What I like: The offices, outlet availability, the sheer size of the lounge
..What I don’t like: The décor seems very dated nowadays.
