United Airlines Increases Lounge Access Fees and Introduces New Membership Tiers

United Airlines is making it more expensive than ever to get into its airport lounges.

United on Monday announced a slate of changes to its loyalty and co-branded credit card program with Chase, including a new marketing campaign with Emmy award-winning actor Ty Burrell.

The biggest change for United’s frequent flyer is a new two-tiered membership system that will drop benefits for some members, and require others to pay more to enter some United Clubs.

The first membership tier is an individual membership that will now cost $750 (up from $550 previously) or 94,000 miles. That membership will get individuals unlimited access into United Club locations.

The second is an All Access membership that will run members $1,400 or 175,000 miles, and will get them, along with a guest, into all clubs and all Star Alliance and partner clubs.

At the same time, United is bumping the credit card fee for those Chase-co-branded cards to $695 for both the United Club cards and the United Club Business cards. Previously, the annual fee for the United Club card was $525 and $450 for the business card.

United Club card members will also no longer get unlimited complimentary guest passes for Star Alliance and partner lounges—instead, they’ll only get those passes at United Clubs. However, cardholders can unlock All Access membership if they spend $50,000 on their cards each year or if they are elite status holders with the airline.

The changes are effective immediately for all new members. Current members won’t see changes until their next membership cycle.

United’s changes aren’t the first major changes that make it more difficult or more expensive for flyers to get into airport lounges.

Earlier this year, Delta Air Lines implemented its own set of changes to its SkyClub access, particularly affecting American Express cardholders. Delta SkyMiles Reserve and Reserve Business American Express cardholders are now limited to 15 SkyClub visits per year, while American Express Platinum and Business Platinum cardholders are allowed 10 visits annually.

Delta specifically called out overcrowding issues in SkyClubs, exacerbated by a surge in Diamond status fliers since the pandemic, as the reason for its changes, a mission that United ‘s changes are also working towards.