How the United Club is becoming the office I no longer have

HOSTED BY: 1 AIR TRAVEL

I haven’t had a real office since November 2019.

Yes — I’ve been working from home longer than most have. Yes, it has its perks (I wouldn’t have this job I love at TPG if we didn’t allow remote work). But also, yes, I do miss working out of an office.

As a United Premier 1K member who lives near the airline’s hub at George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH) in Houston and travels multiple times a month, I finally moved from a United Explorer Card to a United MileagePlus® Club Card in the past month. With that card comes a United Club membership.

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I’m already putting it to good use. The United Club feels like the office I no longer have.

Since I’ve had the card, I’ve twice arrived at the airport more than four hours early for a flight, and I’ve found that I’ve had some of the most productive work in a while.

Clear a month’s long backlog of expenses? Check. File a 700-word story? Check. Start writing this story? Check.

Being outside of my home simply makes me more productive — even when I’m in a busy lounge. I love the phone rooms that are available first come, first served — where I can take meetings and call sources. I’ve seldom had much of an issue claiming one, and have found that most people are respectful of the space and don’t “camp out,” making them available for others.

While the food options at the United Club aren’t what you’ll find in a Polaris Lounge, let alone the Lufthansa First Class Terminal, they’re tasty and will fill you up. Common options these days include breakfast sandwiches, packaged burritos, salads and deli sandwiches — not gourmet by any stretch of the imagination, but they hit the spot. I’m also a fan of the Illy coffee machines that are installed in United Clubs.

More: The ultimate guide to United Club access

Light meals, snacks and caffeine — the perfect fuel for productive work.

United Club membership costs $650 a year for general members, Premier Silver and Premier Golds. For Premier Platinums, it’s $600, and for Premier 1Ks, it’s $550. With the Club Card’s $525 annual fee, you’re getting anywhere from a $25 to a $125 discount on club membership, depending on your status.

To me, it pays for itself.

Featured photo by Ethan Klapper/The Points Guy.