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.
Few 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 Airlines
United 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.”