United Global First Lounge

The United Global First Lounge at Chicago O’Hare airport, discreetly located at the center of concourse C — there is no obvious sign, and that’s intentional — is one of United’s few worldwide clubs reserved for Global First (international First Class) passengers and Global Services customers (United’s top spenders) flying in business class.

United Global First Lounge ORD design

Considering that Chicago is United’s hometown and also one of the airline’s major hubs, one might expect to find a flagship, luxurious facility. Instead, the space surprises by its simplicity. In fact, it is United’s smallest Global First lounge worldwide, comprised only of a single small rectangular room, with partitioned off reception and buffet areas.

The décor is minimalistic but slick, with recently refreshed furniture including Arne Jacobsen Egg chairs, and power outlets and USB ports at every seat.

A window wall lets natural light in and offers great views of the tarmac and parked aircraft. If you’re lucky, you’ll witness a Boeing 747 pull into gate 16: a sight to behold.

Despite its small size, the Global First lounge is typically quiet and private. Thanks to the restrictive access policies and the shrinking number of international first class passengers, patrons might occasionally have the lounge to themselves, although the facility does get busy at peak departure times.

United Global First Lounge ORD amenities

The food and beverage selection is a huge step above the United Club fare. The buffet offers a selection of snacks, appetizers, and cold dishes such as sushi and salmon plates. Cooked to order food is also available, including delicacies such as surf and turf and prawns. While the portions are small, the food is tasty and the selection suitable enough for a quick meal on the ground.

Unfortunately, the presentation and lack of staff cheapen the experience. Most buffet items are presented shrink wrapped, and you’ll need to set your own table should you order cooked to order food. The staff is friendly but typically overworked. With often a single server working the room and coordinating orders, expect to wait to place your order and receive your food.

A range of wines and liquor is available for self-service, with a few highlights such as Grey Goose vodka. There is also Veuve Clicquot Champagne, though you’ll need to ask a server for a pour.

Beautifully appointed shower suites (shared with the adjacent United Club by gate C16) are available. The spacious suites are equipped with a sink, large shower, toilet, heated towel rack, and come with a full set of amenities including Cowshed bath products, towels, a toothbrush, a razor, and a hair dryer. The facilities are classy, but the plumbing is in dire need of an upgrade — don’t expect the handheld shower to work or the temperature control to be flexible.

Newspapers and magazines are available by the entrance.

A fun fact: there is an adjacent conference room which United uses as a VIP room. Indeed, the lounge itself, while intimate, offers relatively little privacy.

The bottom line

With a quiet and intimate space, cooked to order food, a broad selection of quality drinks, enjoyable showers, and helpful, personable staff, the United Global First Lounge at Chicago O’Hare stands out as the airport’s best lounge. Indeed, while O’Hare is a major hub, it suffers from a lack of real estate and even the more prestigious foreign airlines don’t offer true first class lounges (case in point: the closet-like SWISS First Class lounge.)

Yet, the United Global First Lounge pales in comparison with true premium First Class lounges around the world. It is primarily a quiet place to sit and enjoy a light meal, but don’t expect a trendy design, limousine rides or an escort to your flight.