Chicago O’Hare ORD · Five United Clubs Across Concourses B, C, E, F · Polaris Lounge Pending · Family Travel + Solo Work Trips
O’Hare has five United Clubs spread across Concourses B, C, E, and F. There is also a Polaris Lounge for international premium passengers, which I have not visited yet but plan to. Chicago is our home airport, the kids have grown up walking through it, and over the years I have hit every regular United Club at the field, both for filming and just because of the way our travel works. This is the honest guide. Which one to walk to, which one to skip if your time is tight, and which one is actually the best.
This article is not sponsored. Nothing was comped by United, and nobody at any of the clubs knew I was coming. Nobody at any of these clubs knew I was coming.
Which United Club at O’Hare Is Best?
The United Club in Concourse C, between Gates C10 and C16. It is the newest club at ORD, the food is the strongest of the regular United Clubs, the bar makes a real cocktail, and the tarmac views are the best in the airport. It is the one our family walks to even when our gate is somewhere else. If C is too far from your gate, the big club at Gate B6 is a strong second, and if you are flying out of Concourse F, you do not need to leave the concourse. None of the regular United Clubs at O’Hare has a shower.
Where Each United Club at O’Hare Is
- Concourse C, between Gates C10 and C16, Terminal 1. After security, follow the signs for Concourse C, then up the escalator and make a left. The family pick.
- Concourse B, near Gate B6, Terminal 1. At the entryway end of the concourse, up the escalator from the checkerboard floor. The big one.
- Concourse B, near Gate B18, Terminal 1. Deeper into the concourse, up the escalator. The quick stop.
- Concourse E. The smallest of the five, with snacky food and a self-serve beer and wine bar. No full review yet.
- Concourse F. The one most people overlook, with a strong tarmac view and a real breakfast spread.
- Polaris Lounge. For premium international passengers. We have not been yet.
Want to see one of the O’Hare United Clubs in action? Here is a full walkthrough of the Concourse B club by Gate B16.
The Family Pick: United Club at Concourse C, Gate C10
If you have time, walk to Concourse C. It is the newest, it is the most updated, the food is the strongest of the regular United Clubs at ORD, the bar makes a real cocktail, and the tarmac views are the best in the airport. Big windows looking out over the runway, a Coca-Cola Freestyle machine, plenty of seating in multiple zones, communal tables for working, and small call pods near the entrance. This is the one our family actively walks to even when our gate is somewhere else. Full review here.
The Big B Lounge: United Club at Concourse B, Gate B6
The bigger United Club in Concourse B sits up the escalator at the entryway end of the concourse, near Gate B6. This is the one to pick out of the two B lounges. Modern flagship feel, signature starburst chandelier ceiling, blue glass divider walls, marble high-top communal tables for working, glass-walled phone rooms, multiple food bars with hot dishes and salads and a real dessert station, an Illy coffee bank, a Coca-Cola Freestyle, and a real bartender at the bar mixing cocktails. Out of the two B lounges, our family prefers this one. Out of all five United Clubs at ORD, I still rank Concourse C ahead of it for the views.
The Quick Stop: United Club at Concourse B, Gate B18
The smaller of the two B lounges sits near Gate B18, deeper into the concourse. It is fine. It is not big, the food is real (Sweet Thai Chili Chicken when we were there, salads, cookies), and it has no tarmac view (the windows look out at the employee parking lot, which my son Josh pointed out within five minutes). The bar is fully stocked with a real bartender. If your gate is in B and you have a short connection, this works. If you have time and flexibility, walk to C. Full review here.
The Tiny One: United Club at Concourse E
The United Club at Concourse E is the smallest of the bunch. They do not have much of a food spread. It is snacky food. What it does have, and what some people will actually enjoy, is a self-serve bar. A couple of beers on tap, a couple of wines, no spirits that I have seen. You walk up, you pour your own. They used to have these cool little pods you could relax in, but the lounge has since been remodeled and now there are nooks for taking meetings. If your gate is in E and you have twenty minutes, this is fine. If you have an hour, walk somewhere else.
The One People Miss: United Club at Concourse F
The United Club at Concourse F is genuinely a nice lounge and most people overlook it. The tarmac view is excellent, especially toward the regional jets at the gates. The food spread surprised me. Real breakfast service with eggs, sausage, oatmeal, a bakery counter, cereal dispensers, juice pitchers, and a yogurt and fruit bar. Beer taps with Samuel Adams, Blue Moon, and Miller Lite, plus chilled white wines. A signature graffiti-art ceiling at the entrance. A row of modern enclosed phone-booth pods toward the back. If your gate is in F, you do not need to leave the concourse to find a strong United Club. Our kids have not been to this one yet. They have only used the two B lounges and Concourse C. Out of those three, their favorite is Concourse C.
The One We Have Not Done Yet: Polaris Lounge
The Polaris Lounge at O’Hare is for premium international passengers, and we have not been there yet. It is the one I most want to visit at ORD. When we get there, the review will land here. Until then, no honest take to give you.
My Verdict, If You Can Only Pick One
Walk to Concourse C. If your gate is somewhere else and you have the time, the walk is worth it. Newest design, best food, best bar, best view, our family favorite. The big United Club at Gate B6 is a strong second pick. F is a real surprise if your gate is on that side. The smaller B18 lounge and E are situational. None of the regular United Clubs at ORD have showers, so if a shower is what you need, you are looking at Polaris.
Ranking, Best to Worst for a Family
- Concourse C, Gate C10. The family favorite. Walk here.
- Concourse B, Gate B6. The big one. Plenty of space, multiple food bars, phone rooms, real cocktails.
- Concourse F. Tarmac and gate views, real breakfast, self-serve bar, modern phone pods.
- Concourse B, Gate B18. Smaller, no view, fine for a quick stop.
- Concourse E. Tarmac and gate views, real breakfast, full service bar.
Other United Clubs We Have Reviewed
- United Club at Las Vegas (LAS), the Strip-view lounge worth adding to your departure day
- United Club at LAX Terminal 7, the one with the outdoor terrace
- United Club at DFW Terminal E, yes, there is carrot cake
- United Club at Newark Gate C123, one of my top 3 in the network
- United Clubs at Houston IAH, Gate C1 versus Gate C33
- United Club at London Heathrow Terminal 2, closer to a Polaris Lounge than any U.S. United Club we have used
Ready to Watch the Walkthroughs?
I have filmed inside the United Clubs at Concourse B Gate B18 and at Concourse C, Gate C10. The full walkthroughs are linked from each lounge’s individual review on the site. The big B6 lounge, E, and F are still on my filming list.
If you are finding this useful for your travel 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 lounge should I film next at ORD? Drop your suggestion in the comments.
My United Lounges playlist on YouTube has every club walkthrough I have filmed across the network.
Across all five, none have a shower and all get loud at peak. If you want to rest between flights, a set of Loop earplugs is the cheapest upgrade you can pack.
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