All products featured on Condé Nast Traveler are independently selected by Condé Nast Traveler editors. However, when you buy something through our retail links, Condé Nast may earn an affiliate commission.
Getty Images
Wild mushroom bisque and an Aperol Spritz isn't your typical airport meal—unless you've managed to snag a table at the new United Polaris Lounge dining room at Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR). I recently visited the restaurant on the third day of its operation, and as I watched dozens of taxiing planes backdropped by the New York City skyline, I was reminded why I've remained a staunch United and EWR loyalist over the years.
AdvertisementAdvertisement#«R15e4kr8lb2m7nfddbH1» iframe AdvertisementAdvertisement#«R25e4kr8lb2m7nfddbH1» iframeFew airports are as synonymous with one airline as the New Jersey hub is with United Airlines—the airline accounts for a whopping nearly 75% of the airport's flight traffic. As the closest of the three New York City airports to me, I’ve spent an inordinate amount of time hopping between every United lounge at Newark, the majority of which have been refreshed or debuted in the last three years.
While my go-to until recently had been United’s invite-only Classified restaurant, the airport speakeasy with only 32 seats and two private restrooms was sunsetted in October 2024. The space hidden behind the French brasserie Saison (en route to gates C120 to C139) has since been transformed into a new Polaris Lounge dining space, which opened on June 21, 2025.
It's the latest addition to Newark Airport's four United lounges, each open from 5 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily. If you're deciding where to park yourself as you await your flight or pass the hours during a delay, here's what to expect inside each lounge.
The United Club near gate C123 features a full-service coffee bar, premium bar, wellness room, and spa-like shower suites.Nathan Kirkman/United AirlinesUnited Club Near Gate C123 (Terminal C)
First welcoming passengers in May 2022, the 30,000-square-foot space with more than 480 seats puts design front and center. Past its self-scan entrance, there’s a distinct hotel lobby feel entering into the lounge with a wooden bookshelf lined with eclectic decor to the fruit-infused water station sitting on vibrant flooring. One of the first things travelers will notice is the wall art: United collaborated with the The Newark Museum of Art and Newark-based Gallery Aferro on murals by local artists including Gilbert Hsiao and Dahlia Elsayed, capturing the area’s musical and historical pasts. Each part of the lounge, which features a full-service coffee bar, premium bar, wellness room, and spa-like shower suites, has a distinct feel, mixing practical conveniences and connectivity with a chill pre-flight vibe. With chefs and servers stationed behind the buffet, the food—which includes a salad bar and entrees served in cast-iron skillets—tastes fresher than standard lounge offerings. Business travelers will relish in the sleek recessed workstation booths and plush couches—and the firm sense of place delivered by New York subway-style wall tiles and signage. As you take a breather from the chaos of the airport, be sure to peek out the vast windows for views of Manhattan's skyline rising in the distance. My personal favorite of the lounges, I once posted on Instagram: “If United sold United Club workspace memberships, I’d be at EWR every day.”
United's newest airport lounge at Newark feels proportionally less spacious than its slightly older counterpart near Gate C123.United AirlinesUnited Club Near Gate C74 (Terminal C)
Perched above the busyness of the terminal below, the United Club near Gate C74 opened in October 2023 and has a touch of the hip-hotel atmosphere mentioned above, but is far more practical—and frankly, feels less spacious. After all, its 18,000-square-feet has more than 400 seats, and is therefore proportionately less spacious for each passenger. The circular space reads more utilitarian overall, which makes sense since the look was inspired by midtown Manhattan, and even includes ceiling art that’s an ode to Grand Central Station. The buffet is broken up into a few sections (the gummy bears lured me straight to the snack bar), and I happened to catch the breakfast-to-lunch switchover when fresh chocolate chip cookies were brought out (I may have stashed away a few for the flight). While it also has a self-scan entrance, bar, and wellness room, my favorite part is sitting at the counter along the windows, looking down at the humming terminal below.
The United Club near Gate A27 has an airy loft-like feel that matches the high-tech vibe of the airport's recently renovated Terminal A.Andrew Glatt/United AirlinesUnited Club Near Gate A27 (Terminal A)
Anyone who has flown through Newark's Terminal A, which opened in January 2023, has surely found themselves raving about the high-tech vibes mixed with quality local food (including my personal favorite, Jersey City’s Bang Cookies), as well as its two calming sensory rooms. What this United Club, which opened in June 2023, does best is integrate itself with the airport, hovering just above the area near Gate A27. At 15,000 square feet, it’s technically the smallest, with about 300 seats—yet, without walls, there’s an airy loft-like feel. It comes with a buffet, bar, and wellness room, and the art is all locally sourced, including a striking mixed media mural by Newark-artist Antoinnette Ellis-Williams.
The most luxurious of the bunch, the United Polaris Lounge, is reserved for select cabin categories on long-haul flights.Wayne Slezak/United AirlinesAdvertisementAdvertisement#«R1je4kr8lb2m7nfddbH1» iframe AdvertisementAdvertisement#«R2je4kr8lb2m7nfddbH1» iframe United Polaris Lounge (Terminal C)
The United Polaris Lounge first opened in May 2018, but with the recent June 2025 makeover has expanded the space by approximately 20% to a total of 30,000 square feet. Undoubtedly the most luxurious of the airlines’ Newark lounges, it’s also now the largest in the Polaris network, and is reserved for those flying on the same day in the Polaris class on long-haul international flights, as well as first and business passengers on Star Alliance international flights.
The highlight is the lounge's full-service restaurant, included with entry. (United is the only major US carrier at Newark to offer an à la carte menu.) A reservation is required during busy periods, and I waited 15 minutes before being seated at one of the solo tables facing the tarmac. I started off with the small plates of lump crab cake and wild mushroom bisque. While the Polaris signature burger, available both with a short rib or impossible patty, looked delicious on the tables of both my neighbors, I opted for the seared scallops, and topped it off with a still-warm chocolate chip skillet cookie with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. I went with my comfort drink of Aperol spritz, though cocktail options include a classic Bloody Mary, as well as the airline’s own Polaris Star with gin, ginger honey, and lemon.
Utilizing the space that was formerly used by the speakeasy Classified, the Polaris Lounge expansion allows for broader views of the New York City skyline. The seating area features a mix of table sizes, ranging from those designed for solo travelers up to two-tops that can be pushed together for groups of eight (the former dining area is now part of the buffet seating). The rest of the lounge also received some light refreshes, most notably extra seating near the front entry under two United Airlines NYC Half Marathon art pieces. Other amenities on offer include private phone booths, showers, nap rooms, and a dedicated United help desk. Simply put, if you can get in, this is the place to be.
This story has been updated with new information since its original publication date.
AdvertisementAdvertisement#«R1qe4kr8lb2m7nfddbH1» iframe AdvertisementAdvertisement#«R2qe4kr8lb2m7nfddbH1» iframeOriginally Appeared on Condé Nast Traveler
The Latest Travel News and Advice
Want to be the first to know? Sign up to our newsletters for travel inspiration and tips
Stop Counting the Countries You Visit
How Safe Is Flying Today? 5 Things Experts Want Travelers to Know
The Best Places to See the Northern Lights Worldwide
