United Airlines Introduces Significant Alterations to Its Boarding Procedures

Later this month, United Airlines will make changes to its boarding procedure as it transitions to a system where passengers with window seats board the aircraft before their rowmates.

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According to United, boarding times have risen by up to two minutes since 2019. Airlines, which want to keep planes moving as much as possible and maximise their airport turns, suffer financially from lengthy boarding waits. The speed at which people board and deplane, load baggage, and load fuel are all extensively monitored by large airlines.

Groups 1 and 2 will only be available to passengers flying First or Business class, as well as Premier Platinum, Gold, and Silver members and holders of specific high-earning credit cards, according to an internal memo seen by travel website The Points Guy.

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Groups 3 to 5 will now be divided according to where in the row of seats a person sits, as opposed to the past practise of moving them down from Economy Plus to Basic Economy. Group 3 passengers in window and exit row seats board first, followed by Group 2 passengers in middle seats, then Group 5 passengers in aisle seats.