After getting a first class ticket using airline miles, I found myself with a 6 1/2 hour layover in Chicago’s O’Hare Airport. With a first class international ticket though, a long layover is a good thing. It gives you enough time to enjoy the United First Class Polaris lounge.
The lounge is only open to business and first-class passengers on United Polaris or Star Alliance partners. You can’t buy your way in as you can with some other lounges, and airline status isn’t enough.
Despite my first class ticket, I stopped at the reception desk to make sure I was allowed. It felt a bit like I cheated since I paid less than $50 for my ticket. It was fine though, they didn’t care if I was only there because I got a good deal!
In the Lounge
The lounge has different areas. There are places for eating, a bar for drinking, semi-private seats for working or relaxing, along with showers, sleeping rooms, and private restrooms.
To start, the lounge is open and spacious, with a variety of seating options. I made myself comfortable with a cup of tea in one of the comfortable work cubbies.
Food in the Polaris First Class Lounge
There was a large selection of food, both hot and cold. I was there for both breakfast and lunch, so I got a nice variety of food.
Restrooms in the Polaris Lounge
There is a hallway that leads to the private restrooms. Overhead is a starry sky, or at least lights that make it appear that way.
The restrooms are luxurious and private. Each one is individual – no sharing here or standing in line. This is a much better experience than what you get in the regular airport restrooms!
Take a nap!
The lounge also features nap rooms – a semi private, shaded room where you can rest up before your international flight. The room was equipped with an eye mask, pillow spray, ear plugs, two small bottles of water, and a noise machine. There is no door so anyone else going by your room could see in, but the hallway outside is only for the sleeping rooms and as far as I could tell, I was the only one using them.
Inside the nap room in the Polaris First Class Lounge at O’Hare. 
Nap room amenities – Pillow spray, eye mask, water, and noise machine 
View from the nap room bed
Take a shower!
After you’ve had a nice rest, you can get cleaned up in the lounge showers. The showers are amazing! They are first-come, first-served, as are the sleeping rooms.
The shower facilities in the United Polaris Lounge at O’Hare 
There are two options – regular and rainfall. 
The most plush bath mat I have ever seen
Have a drink!
After getting cleaned up, there was one area of the Polaris Lounge I still hadn’t checked out – the bar. The drink menu has airplane-themed drinks, and they even come with a little plane clipped to the side. The bar was nearly empty, and was a great place to relax with a drink before the long flight.
Time to board
I stayed in the bar until nearly time to board. As I went out to the gate, I was reminded of why lounge access is such a great thing. There were almost no available seats because nearly everyone at the gate had their luggage on them. I was happy to have spent my long layover resting, showering, drinking (for free!), and sitting in comfort. The lounge access alone was worth the $48 (plus points) I paid for the ticket.
