Denver United Club Lounge Review: A Mountain Retreat in the Airport

If you have a delayed flight at the Denver International Airport (DEN) or just need to escape the terminal, the United Club in Concourse B is worth a visit. United Airlines has multiple lounge locations in Denver, but this one’s the largest, clocking in at 35,000 square feet. Its distinct ski lodge design offers a cozy environment away from the hustle and bustle of the terminal below. Though the food and drink offerings feel a bit basic compared to other lounges in the Denver airport, there’s plenty of comfortable seating, which could come in handy if you need to work or have a long layover.

Select United credit cardholders can access the lounge for free, but United flyers can also purchase a day pass (assuming the lounge isn’t too crowded).

I visited the lounge using one of the two United Club day passes the United℠ Explorer Card doles out to cardholders each year.

This lounge is located in Concourse B near Gate 44. It’s open from 5 a.m. to 9 p.m.

People with a United Club membership get unlimited visits to all locations. Ordinarily this costs $650, but people with the $525-annual-fee United Club℠ Infinite Card will get a free membership. You can also purchase a day pass, which costs $59. The United℠ Explorer Card gives cardholders two United Club day passes each year — in exchange for the card’s annual fee: $0 intro for the first year, then $95. Keep in mind, though, United may not let people in with a day pass if the lounge is too busy.

Denver lounges are often confined to small, awkward spaces on the mezzanine level above the terminal. The United Club doesn’t have this problem. Once you check in and ride up the escalator, you’re transported to a large, mostly open space that feels distinctly not like an airport.

The United Club takes a cue from its proximity to the Rocky Mountains with a design you’d expect to find at a modern mountain ski lodge. Once you reach the top of the escalator, you’ll see two show-stopping features: a giant hanging purple and blue pinecone made from skateboards and a cozy sitting area surrounding a fireplace with decorative logs of wood for added effect.

The lounge offers two floors of table seating, bar seating, padded bench seating and booths, delightfully surrounding more fireplaces and other ski lodge design elements. If you ignore the giant windows overlooking the runway, you might forget you’re sitting in an airport.

The United Club lounge has two buffets, two bars and several non-alcoholic drink stations.

I visited the United Club lounge during breakfast and had the options of scrambled eggs, scrambled egg whites, potatoes, pancakes and sausage biscuits and gravy, and a yogurt bar. Aside from the gravy, which was delicious, I found the food to be underwhelming.

I’ll admit, I am picky about my breakfast food. But compared to the Centurion Lounge’s omelet station or the Capital One Lounge’s gourmet small plates, this breakfast left something to be desired.

Both levels of the lounge have a bar stocked with beer, wine and liquor, including many Colorado brands. Basic cocktails and lower-end wine and beer is free, but you will need to pay for craft beer and premium wine and liquor. The prices are fairly reasonable considering you’re at an airport (craft beer will only set you back $5). Still, given the entry cost and the lounge’s focus on local alcohol offerings, it would be nice if this were free.

The coffee and tea selection is relatively standard, though the automatic espresso maker is a nice touch.

The lounge also has a Coca-Cola Freestyle machine, so you can customize your choice of soda.

The lounge was fairly empty when I visited early in the morning, though it started to pick up by the time I left for my 10 a.m. flight. Given the square footage and ample places to sit, I’d expect guests would be able to find a seat even when the lounge is much more crowded.

It could be a little more difficult to take advantage of the lounge’s amenities, though. Even though the lounge still felt far from max capacity when I left, the women’s restroom had a significant line.

Denver has two other United Club locations, one in Concourse A near Gate 25 and United Club Fly, a grab-and-go option located in Concourse B near Gate 60. Depending on which credit cards you have, you could also visit AmEx’s Centurion Lounge in Concourse C or the Capital One Lounge in Concourse A.

If you’re a United cardholder who can get into the lounge for free or you’re willing to pay for a comfortable environment away from the terminal, the atmosphere of the United Club Lounge is really hard to beat. But people looking for a fancy meal or a grab-and-go section would be better off frequenting a different Denver lounge.