United Polaris Lounge Newark Expanded, With New Dining Room

United Airlines is known for its network of Polaris Lounges, intended for long haul business class passengers. While the lounge network is already pretty “mature,” that doesn’t mean the airline has stopped investing in these facilities.

We recently saw the Polaris Lounge Chicago expanded considerably. Now we’re seeing the Polaris Lounge Newark get a bit of a glow-up, adding seating capacity in a way that passengers will no doubt appreciate.

United Polaris Lounge Newark gets larger dining room

On Saturday, June 21, 2025, the United Polaris Lounge at Newark Airport Terminal C will see an expansion go live. The lounge is getting a larger dining room, which features nearly 60 additional seats, increasing the lounge’s overall capacity by around 10%. With this addition, the lounge is now over 30,000 square feet, in total.

The expanded dining room has a variety of seating options, including tables that seat everything from solo travelers to large groups (which is smart, because there are lots of solo travelers, but historically tables have accommodated at least two people).

The expanded dining area also reportedly boasts views of the New York City skyline, so it may have among the best views in the lounge.

This is separate from the buffet area, which is in the main part of the lounge. The dining room is specifically for travelers looking to order from the carrier’s a la carte selection, with table service. Current menu options include everything from crab cakes, to the signature Polaris Burger, which is now also available with an Impossible patty.

Here’s how Aaron McMillan, United’s Managing Director of Hospitality Programs, describes this development:

“We’re bringing an elevated dining experience to Newark with the opening of a larger dining room at our Polaris lounge. Newark offers business class travelers ample opportunity to travel across the Atlantic, and we’re excited to offer them more room to dine before or after their long-haul flights. For years, we’ve been investing in our club and lounge portfolio at Newark, and it’s our first hub to fully reflect our new designs and amenities.”   

This is in the space of the former Classified Restaurant

How was United able to expand its Polaris Lounge Newark, given that space comes at such a premium at airports? Well, the new dining area is in the space of the former Classified Restaurant. For those not familiar, Classified was United’s invitation-only restaurant at the airport.

However, in late 2024, the airline decided to close down the restaurant. It’s not entirely clear if that decision was made because the economics of the restaurant no longer made sense, if United wanted to prioritize an improved Polaris dining experience, or a combination of both.

Admittedly Classified opened in 2017, predating the Polaris Lounge. So I imagine that at the time, that was largely targeted at premium international travelers who wanted a nice meal before their flight. Hopefully the Polaris Lounge can now fit that bill.

Bottom line

On June 21, 2025, the United Polaris Lounge Newark is getting an expanded dining room, as a roughly 60-seat extension is added to the existing lounge. This boosts the lounge’s overall capacity by roughly 10%. That’s definitely needed, given how much United’s long haul operation has grown over the years.

It’s especially nice that so much of the added capacity is coming in the form of an amenity that many customers value, and for which there was often a long waiting list. Here’s to hoping the facility is also staffed properly.

What do you make of the expanded Polaris Lounge Newark dining room?