Chicago O’Hare · Terminal 1, Concourse B, Gate B18 · Family Travel + Solo Work Trips · United Club Card / Star Alliance Gold
The smaller of the two United Clubs in Concourse B at O’Hare sits near Gate B18. It is not the biggest United Club at ORD, it is not the newest, and the windows do not look out at the tarmac, which my son Josh pointed out the first time we walked in. We have used it as a family before flights to Florida, and I have used it on my own and with colleagues plenty of times. It is consistent. It is not a destination. It is a perfectly fine quick stop that does what you need it to do.
This article is not sponsored. I paid for my own United Club Card and tipped my own bartender. Nobody at the club knew we were coming.
First Impressions: Smaller Than the Newer Clubs, Still Plenty of Room
You take the escalator up, walk past the entrance, and the lounge opens up in front of you. It is not big. There is a main seating area as you come in and another set of seating further down with some tables you can use for a quick snack with your family. It does not feel cramped when it is not busy, which is most of the time. When it is busy, you will find a seat. You just may not get the spot you wanted.
The Food, More Than I Expected
The food at B18 is more than the snack-and-cheese-cubes spread you sometimes get at the smaller clubs. There were hot skillets going when we were there. The Sweet Thai Chili Chicken was the standout, and there was a salad and grain-bowl bar with mediterranean flatbreads next to it. Cookies, cheese cubes, grapes, fresh fruit. There is also a Coca-Cola Freestyle machine, which immediately becomes the kids’ personal project.
The Bar, Fully Stocked With a Real Bartender
The bar is the strongest part of this lounge. It is a fully stocked bar, there is a bartender behind it who can actually mix you a handmade cocktail, and there is a TV running over your shoulder if there is a game on. Vika and I both got an Old Fashioned. They were good. For a small ORD lounge that I was not expecting much from, the cocktail program is honestly the thing that pulls it up a level.
PRO TIP: If you have more than thirty minutes before your flight and your gate is not in B, walk to the United Club in Concourse C. The food is better, the views are better, and it is our family favorite at ORD.
The Honest Downside: No Tarmac View
This lounge does not look out at the tarmac. The windows look out at a parking lot full of employee cars. There are no planes pushing back. No runway. Josh noticed it within the first five minutes of being in the lounge and he was right to. If watching planes is part of how you and your kids pass the time before a flight, this is not the lounge for that. The C lounge is.
My Verdict
The United Club at Gate B18 is not going to make any best-of lists. It is also not trying to. It is a clean, comfortable, well-stocked lounge with a real bartender, a real hot food counter, a Coca-Cola Freestyle machine, and a clean bathroom. If your gate is in B and you have a short connection, walk in, get a drink, grab a sandwich, and you are good. If you have time and your gate is flexible, walk to Concourse C instead. That is the move.
For families specifically, this lounge is fine for a quick stop. It is not where I would plan to spend two hours with the kids. The lack of a view is the real cost. If you want kids occupied at O’Hare before a flight, you want windows on a tarmac, and that means Concourse C.
Ready to See Inside?
I filmed the full walkthrough of this United Club. If your gate is in Concourse B and you want to know what to expect, watch the video below.
If you are finding this useful for your planning, I would actually appreciate a subscribe over on YouTube. I keep filming honest family-travel reviews from lounges, hotels, and cruises around the world.
What airport lounge should I review next? Drop your suggestions in the comments.
Want to see how this stacks up against the rest of the United Clubs at O’Hare? My United Lounges playlist on YouTube has every club walkthrough I have filmed.
