The United Polaris Lounge at San Francisco International Airport (SFO) opens on April 30, 2018. We were lucky enough to snag a few United MileagePlus Exclusive tickets to experience the lounge before it officially opens.

Where to find the United Polaris Lounge

The United Polaris Lounge is located in the SFO International Terminal, right past security near Gate G92.

Who can access the lounge

Access to the United Polaris lounge is restricted to passengers traveling in the following cabins:

• United Polaris first class
• United Polaris business class
• Star Alliance long-haul first class
• Star Alliance long-haul business class

You must have a same-day boarding pass to access the lounge.

United Polaris Lounge highlights

• The United Polaris Lounge at SFO spans two levels across more than 28,000 square feet
• There are more than 440 seats, and 19 different types of seating
• 492 power outlets and 492 USB ports
• 8 shower suites
• 5 private day beds
• Private dining room experience

Level 1

The first level of the lounge includes an impressive library area with (real!) books, seating, and a hydration station.

There are plenty of seats, and the chairs are comfortable. Each seat is accompanied by charging outlets. I'm impressed by the overall design aesthetic of the lounge.

If you walk to the back, you'll find quiet rooms for napping, shower suites, and restrooms.

Quiet rooms

There are five quiet rooms available on a first come, first serve basis. Each quiet room includes a Saks Fifth Avenue pillow, a speaker for tranquil noise, water, slippers, chocolate, ear plugs, eye mask, and essential oil. If the room is too bright, you can adjust the curtains and lighting.

Shower Suites

There are eight shower suites available on a first come, first serve basis. Each suite comes with amenities like shampoo, conditioner, body wash, and towels.

The towels are from Saks Fifth Avenue.

Level 2

Take the escalators up to level 2 to experience the bar, dining area, the buffet spread, customer service, phone booths, and the studio.

Customer service

The customer service area is available to assist with your flight.

There are 3 quiet work rooms available.

Various types of lounge seating is available.

The Studio

The area leading up to The Studio is one of my favorite places in the lounge for the views of the runway.

The Studio can be transformed into an event space and host an additional buffet spread.

Check out the view behind me. If you like watching planes, this is the perfect spot.

The Bar

The bar features cocktails inspired by the Bay Area, including the Mai Tai and Pisco Punch. All drinks are complimentary.

There's a diverse list of spirit and wine offerings.

Below is the Mai Tai (L) and the Paper Plane (R).

Buffet

The bistro-like buffet features a DIY ramen bar, hot food, salads, and desserts.

The Dining Room

The Dining Room is a full service restaurant with complimentary food. If you plan on enjoying a full 3-course menu, be sure to reserve at least one hour to eat.

For starters, we had the crab bisque and the shrimp cakes. Both were delicious, highly recommend! The crab bisque had real crab lumps, and the shrimp cakes were nice and crispy.

For the entree, get the hand-cut pappardelle pasta with mushroom ragout. The quality of the pasta was superb, and you could taste the freshness of the noodles. It's something you would expect if you dined at a high-end Italian restaurant. Serioulsy, you won't regret it.

The cioppino is San Francisco-style with fish, mussels, and shrimp.

The United Polaris burger comes with an egg, bacon, cheese, lettuce, tomatoes, and a side of chips.

The katsu bento box comes with rice, egg rolls, and a salad.

For dessert, we had the tiramisu and profiterole.

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