United Airlines operates two gas station minimarts inside of their hub airports. They are branded “Club Fly” and open to United Club members. The first one is in Denver near gate B60 and it opened nearly three years ago. A second one opened earlier this year on Houston Intercontinental’s B concourse. I visited the one in Denver last week.
To be clear, there’s nothing wrong with a gas station minimart. Those – along with 7/11’s – are big business! They meet a need in the marketplace. But that’s the best way to think of their “grab ‘n go” operation for club members.
It’s a place to pick up packaged food, like chips, veggies, fruit and sad salads. What people like best is (1) the barista made coffee, and (2) free food since you really aren’t supposed to take food from United’s regular clubs (but people still do).
- United’s Club Fly doesn’t take guest passes. It’s open to individual members, Club Card cardmembers with one guest, and All Access club members with two guests.
- Eligible premium cabin international travelers can also do the grab ‘n go (but the food isn’t as good, even, as what you’ll get on the plane).
The space isn’t designed for lingering, though there’s some seating, some electric outlets, and it’s attractively designed.
There was literally nothing I wanted here. I didn’t take a single item. That said, you can live on it in a pinch.
The space creates an interesting conundrum, though? How much can you take?
- They don’t provide bags! That’s probably intentional!
- Probably fine to take as much as you can carry.
- But not to fill up a backpack or even laptop bag?
Entry is all self-serve. There are no agents to assist with bookings (the primary benefit of an airline club lounge in many ways). The space is small and designed for a quick pop in, just like a convenience store.
American Airlines had similar offerings on a pop up basis when lounges were being renovated several years ago, such as the A club at DFW and also at LaGuardia (but with agent assistance). Delta has offered grab ‘n go for those foregoing actual lounge entry as a way to reduce lounge crowding.
Air Canada has a similar concept. But the food isn’t close to as good as Capital One’s to go section of its lounges (even though I think those have declined since first being introduced four years ago).
It meets the needs of some customers, and that’s great. Certainly a family on the go can do better here, at a better marginal cost ($0) than loading up at the newstand. The club member goes in while the family waits outside, and returns having hunted and gathered with a big haul.
If you see the value here, how much do you think is fair to take with you?
A single drink, piece of fruit and a single snack item being held in hands as you leave. Max. Period. That is a welcome member benefit. Anything more from other is seen as an ending to this benefit and deserve shaming. People can’t have good things these days and the freebie crowd are the worst.
once you involve America’s favorite 4 letter “f” word, FREE , all bets are off. Greed kicks in and self control takes a hike.
I’ve laughed more than once going into a Costco at the beginning of summer when they put out the patio furniture. I saw a family seated at a patio display table 5 kids , 3 adults having a meal made of samples from all the departments in the store.. they weren’t shy about getting 3rds and 4th helpings..
Since my most traveled route on this selection is DEN – ORD (from a connection that lands in the regional ghetto of B concourse), if I’m in Y, I grab two cans of Coke, a bag of chips, and one item that catches my attention. I don’t attempt to do my weekly shopping in there.
How much is too much? Depends how much you can eat (or carry). Define your policies more specifically if you want exact results… and also… LeT tHe FrEe MaRkEt DeCiDe!
I have an addiction to cookies, and those are still ones I’d pass on. Shelf stable cookies are the worst.
That said, is that cous-cous? I’d try that, along with the grapes and cheese (presumably, cheddar).
Also, if you’re going to offer packaged potato chips, why be so cheap with the selection? Just cart them out and place 20 varieties around the space to be picked over, like the fresh fruit apparently were.
The chicken Caesar salad and the chicken pesto wrap are pretty good!
We seen adequate evidence over the years that a segment of the users would happily take everything there if they could cart it off.
Why anyone thinks a comment on free markets is relevant here is puzzling.
I prefer eating a United Airlines sad salad instead of United Airlines sad sushi. I enjoy the barista-free push-button crappachino machine. Pro tip: Take a can of a cool refreshing beverage like a Coke or Fresca that you will leave with your departure gate agent as a token of your appreciation for them working your flight and not mandating you gate check your carry-on..
It’s so curious food stuff that folks would never buy becomes a value when it’s free. I understand we nibble on questionable meals in flight from boredom but other than water I don’t see the excitement in this. My title company offers an international candy shop (can’t figure that out either) but you’re invited to hoard pricey chocolates like Halloween candy. And yeah, I’ve done just that!
Alaska has something similar in PDX
The Club Fly in IAH has MUCH MUCH better food… fresher, better sandwiches, better salads, pastries, cold quiche-like things, etc.
I’m intrigued how people think this stuff is “free”
Regardless of how you get it, club access is far from free
@ Gary — This and urban sprawl/car dependence is why Americans are so fat. When taking a recent l trip, it struck me how constant the “free” food is. Two meals per day is enough, and no we don’t need snacks between meals. It is out of control. Furthermore, alcohol in any quantity is bad for your health and high in calories, yet Americans don’t hesitate to guzzle the “free” booze.
The same assholes who take blankets and pillows.
The sandwich, salad and chips were 100% better than anything in coach. We went through Terminal B in IAH last week. It’s no lounge, but not horrible choices.
Air Canada was the first to introduce this type of lounge. However, the Air Canada cafe is miles ahead of United’s 7/11 concept. Last time I was in Toronto at the Air Canada Cafe they had a barista/bartender (complimentary alcohol) stocked with fresh baked cookies, macaroons, greek yoghurt, fresh pressed juices and fresh cut and whole fruit, protein bowls, wraps, salads, veggies with dips plus they have a mini candy bar! And yes, they have paper bags with handles so you can take items with you!
Wish American would do this especially at airports without admirals club
Doug says: “I’ve laughed more than once going into a Costco at the beginning of summer when they put out the patio furniture. I saw a family seated at a patio display table 5 kids , 3 adults having a meal made of samples from all the departments in the store.. they weren’t shy about getting 3rds and 4th helpings..”
I largely aren’t into those, particularly because my wife is a marketers dream. She’ll buy a whole bag of something just from a single trial even if nobody else wants it. I see them: The costco shoppers who clog aisles to get a free chicken nugget. Sheesh! I have better use of my time. People who actually spend a day to pick up the samples? Truly, someone with nothing else better to do with their time.
We are all blessed to have food so abundant no matter what you may think of it
Lucia – instead you get the sad swipe a credit card cooler at select AC locations. Sad and cheap. But an excellent example of the current state of a once mostly great airline.
They can provide a small sack like a typical lunch bag for kids, a couple drinks, a bag of chips + one other item so people have a clue … as a diabetic, I always have some food item (that’s not just cookies) in case I’m stuck on the tarmac …
Given that the Denver Club Fly is at the entrance to the regional jet area, and that there are a whole lot of regional jet departures in the 9pm hour, the Club Fly really ought to be open until 9:30pm so that you can grab a snack to take on your sad 9pm CR2 departure. Instead Club Fly closes at 7pm so it is useless for the evening RJ departure.
Free food?! That’s why God made luggage carts.
The only thing I would want from a grab and go are: plain Greek yogurt, club soda or fizzy mineral water and decent coffee to fill my Hydro Flask if I have it with me. If I forgot to bring unsalted nuts, I might like some. If it is a short flight, coffee will be sufficient. I have been traveling from NYC to Istanbul regularly, so a short flight is one less than 5 hours.
I’m old enough to remember when some bitter little bootlickers would hang around the lounge snack station to scream grand theft Aquafina and that food and drink is for consumption in the lounge only… now they want us to just take it and leave?
It would be lovely if AA focused on keeping planes flying safely, keeping costs down, and not thinking up more rules to torture customers. Food on the move is rarely good, unless you bring your own or fly some of the foreign airlines.
Odd, that you’d refer to this as free food.
The drink offerings are decent, while the food is cheap, low quality.
I now have to pay$700 a year for access, which at 2 trips a week is $7 per club visit. For a high frequency traveler, assuming connection time even accommodates a visit every trip.
United cutting corners left and right to maximize profit, and they’ve got you fighting in the comments about proper etiquette while nibbling at the scraps they toss out while they take in hundreds of millions in profits?
The most I’ve taken is three items; a juice, veggie wrap, and cup of fruit. It’s not my business what other people take as I have no idea why someone may be talking 5, 6, or 7 items. They could have a health issue, dietary restrictions, or may be landing late at night going straight to see a loved one at a hospital.
Why does this make me think of Jimmy Buffet’s “Peanut Butter Conspiracy?”
Who’s gonna steal the peanut butter? I’ll grab a can of sardines.
Running up and down the aisles of the mini-mart, stuffing food in our jeans.
We never took more than we could eat, there was plenty left on the rack.
And we all swore, if we ever got rich, that we would pay the mini-mart back.
There is a basic economic principle that much of this country seems to have not learned. There is no such thing as a free lunch.
The H1B crowd that takes all 17 of their family members to Costco on the weekend to make a lunch out of the samples will abuse the shit out of this place.
It’s not free food at all. I’ll load up a large backpack . Why not . I am paying through the nose for access
Oink!! Oink!!
You probably don’t want it. Mostly garbage anyway. Be sure to wash any whole foods. Amazing how much real estate is provided for ‘snack food’.
Just a reminder United airlines makes multiple BILLIONS in PROFIT off of their customers to send to shareholders every year so I do not think there is any amount too much.
We fly often in this terminal and it’s a great spot to grab a coffee and a quick snack. We take enough to cover our current hunger level (and are usually eating it right there, yogurt mostly) and one or two drinks or food items for the plane since our next ride is short with limited amenities even if you are in first. I travel this route often and I’ve never seen anyone in DEN just pilfer the whole place. Also, tip your barista.
“Just a reminder United airlines makes multiple BILLIONS in PROFIT off of their customers to send to shareholders every year so I do not think there is any amount too much.” Just a set of facts. UAL has averaged under $1.2 billion (not multiple billions) over the last 13 years. While they netted over $3 billion recently, they lost over $7 billion a few years ago. During those 13 years, there were no dividends. But, yeah, go ahead and hate on an OK-performing firm in a not particularly profitable industry.
@This comes to mind — Good sir or madam, without such ‘performative online outrage’ that you so eloquently describe, what else do we even have left ‘in this economy’??
Here’s an interesting cultural experiment.
Copy the comments and paste them into ChatGPT or your LLM of choice.
1. Ask for a general summary.
2. Ask for a cultural commentary on the culture that would spark such comments.
3. Ask it to “Comment on how comments from people are or are not able to make critical comments about themselves. Contrast that with the types of comments that were made about others.”