Review: United Club at Raleigh-Durham International Airport

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In 2019, United became the third airline (after American and Delta) to open a lounge at Raleigh-Durham International Airport (RDU). The United Club at Raleigh-Durham International Airport was the 49th United lounge and the first it had opened in 15 years at the time of its opening.

Raleigh-Durham International Airport is North Carolina’s second-largest airport, after Charlotte (CLT), and saw a record 14.5 million passengers in 2023. RDU is a hub for American Airlines, and American serves nearly 30% of passengers flying through RDU.

True to form, however, we flew on United when we had a wedding in Durham in the fall. Once we’d booked our flights, P2 wondered, “does Raleigh-Durham airport have a United Club?” Well, they do. And, thanks to P2’s United Club Infinite Card, that meant we could check out yet another United Club.

Table of Contents

Where is the United Club at Raleigh-Durham International Airport?

The United Club is located in Terminal 2, across from Gates D1 and D3.

What are the hours of the United Club at Raleigh-Durham?

The United Club is open from 5:00 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. every day.

How do you access the United Club at Raleigh Durham (RDU)?

There are a few ways you can access the United Club.

First, you could purchase a $59 day pass. You also can buy an annual United Club Membership pass, which costs $650. Or, if you hold the United Club Infinite Card, you get the annual membership included in the $525 annual fee.

If you have the United Explorer card, you get two club passes per calendar year, which you could use to access the lounge. Keep in mind that not all lounges accept one-time passes at all times, so be prepared it may not be accepted. When we visited the United Club at Raleigh-Durham International Airport, they were accepting one-time passes.

All about the lounge

We got to the lounge around noon on a Sunday, and it was relatively empty. The United Club reports seats for 93, but there were less than 10 people there when we visited. To be honest, if it was at capacity and there truly were 93 guests in the lounge, it would have felt very cramped. There were the typical wide, deep seats with tables in-between that included outlets and USB plugs. There is a bar with seating as well as some high-top options for guests. The staff was very nice and kept asking if we needed anything.

Drinks

As mentioned, there is a bar where you can order a drink from the one bartender working. The bar was not busy at all when we visited. As with many United Clubs, there was a Coca-Cola Soda Mix Machine. They also had a small station for water and a section where you could get coffee / tea from a machine.

Food

Of all the lounges we’ve visited this year (nine and counting), the food spread here was probably the most disappointing. They had tortellini with marinara sauce, roasted potatoes, and broccoli cream corn soup as the main offering. There was an edamame carrot corn wrap and a quinoa green goddess salad as well. They also had make your own salad with limited fixings. For dessert, they offered blondies and pumpkin pie with mascarpone.

Bathrooms

Because of its smaller size, there were only two gender-neutral bathrooms. In larger lounges, there are full size restrooms to accommodate all the guests. The bathroom I went into did have a changing table for any parents bringing their little ones needing a diaper change.

Conclusion

Compared to other lounges we’ve visited, the United Club at the Raleigh-Durham Airport was somewhat underwhelming. This is to be expected at a smaller airport as opposed to a hub like O’Hare or Denver International Airport. While it was not our favorite lounge, it’s still a nice space to relax in prior to departing from North Carolina.

Wondering about other lounges? Check out some of our other posts:

Want access to all United Club Lounges with just one card? Check out the United Club Infinite!