How to
Access Airline Lounges for Less
Choosing the Best Membership Option for
You
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Airport lounges can be found in most places where planes
fly - even, as pictured here, in Cuba.
This is part 2 of a series on airport lounges - please
also visit
1.
Four Alternatives to Costly
Annual Airport Lounge Memberships
2. Choosing the Best Airline Lounge Membership Option
for You
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If you've decided that an
airport lounge membership is justifiable, which is your best
option?
Should you get an annual
membership, or should you just buy day passes on an ad hoc basis
as and when you need them?
How best to ensure that the
airports you spend the most time in will have convenient lounges
for you to access?
Choosing the Best Program for
You
There is no universal answer
to which is the best program. This is a subjective
evaluation that very much depends on
your travel patterns, and whether you'll even have significant
time at airports to spend in lounges at all.
Probably you have cities you
most commonly fly in and out of, and probably you also have
preferred airlines you most regularly fly. The first part
of the selection process is to see what types of lounges and
access plans are available at the airports you fly in and out of
the most, and which of your preferred airlines have lounges at
the cities you fly to/from with them.
You probably don't want to
buy more than one annual club membership.
In other words, don't be
tricked into simply comparing the differing numbers of lounges
offered by the differing airline programs. There's little
value to you if a lounge program offers 100 different lounges,
but they are all in places you'll never visit. You need to
prepare a list of places you fly and airlines you use to get to
and from these places, and look at the specific availability,
airport by airport, of the different programs.
If you travel mainly with a
companion, buying an airline managed annual membership will more
quickly be cost justified, because of the ability to have your
guest join you in lounges as a free guest.
If you travel mainly by
yourself, and anticipate fewer than ten days when you might
actually benefit from lounge access, then a day pass program,
purchased as and when needed, might be best for you.
If you split your travel
among several different airlines, then belonging to a single
airline's annual program is less likely to be universally
applicable, unless that one airline has reciprocal access
benefits with the other airlines you also fly.
If you travel a great deal,
but don't have super-elite status with one of the three
alliances, and don't always fly business/first class
internationally, then the Priority Pass programs may be of good
value.
If you already have an
American Express Platinum card, you might not need to join any
lounge program at all.
Integrating Your Lounge Choice
with your Frequent Flier Program
This might go without
saying, but just in case, you would normally choose to have your
lounge membership with the same airline (or, at least, alliance)
as you have your main frequent flier membership with.
Most airlines offer slightly
discounted lounge membership fees to their elite and super-elite
level frequent fliers (this is counter-intuitive because the
more frequent the flier, the greater their use of lounges!).
Super-elite members can also
access most participating lounges of other member airlines in
whichever airline alliance their main airline belongs to, for
all international flights, in all classes of service, without
needing to belong to a lounge program at all.
Do You Need a Spouse/Partner
Membership Too
Most programs offer a
discounted membership rate for a second person - either your
spouse or, in some cases, a nominated 'domestic partner'.
The reason that the second
membership is discounted (usually costing about $200-$250) is
because they figure that much of the time, this second person
will be flying with you and so would be able to enter the lounge
for free anyway (as your guest). It is only when they are
traveling by themselves that their own membership and access
rights would kick in.
So you need to also bear
this in mind, and conduct your own analysis of how often your
significant other will be traveling alone, and, in such cases,
are they better advised to buy day passes or to have their own
annual membership?
Maybe your significant other
has a different preferred carrier and flies for their own work
purposes to different cities. In such a case, there might
be no benefit at all in their having a membership in your
program.
Airport Lounge Hours
Here's an interesting issue
to keep in mind. Airport lounges are not open 24/7.
Usually they are open more or less in line with the portion of
each day that the airline in question operates flights, but
there can be exceptions for occasional very early or very late
flights, as well as for delayed flights.
And if you're flying on a
different airline but hoping to use an airline partner's lounge,
then the partner lounge hours may not be in synch with the
flight times of the airline you are using.
There's nothing more
frustrating than arriving at a lounge to find it closed.
So, when evaluating your lounge usage, keep an eye on their
opening hours too.
Individual Lounge Quality
Variations
Some lounges are wonderful
places - spacious, full of amenities and services, and never
full of people. Others are dismayingly dark and dank tiny
rooms that are always overcrowded with no available seating, and
with no business/computer work areas and little in the way of
food or drink.
You probably should inspect
the key lounges you'll be planning on using - and at the times
of days you're planning on being there - before spending $400+
on a lounge membership (most of the programs don't offer refunds
once you've bought a one year membership either).
If you're relying on them
having reasonable food, to save yourself the cost of buying a
meal on a flight or at the terminal, see what their food choices
are. If you're planning on working for an hour there, make
sure there are work areas (and power points) and see if they are
all in use or if there is one or more free. If you think
you can get your annual fee in the form of free drinks, make
sure there's an open and well stocked bar. And so on.
Keep Current on Lounge
Locations, Hours, Features and Policies
Airlines will sometimes open
new lounges, move the location of existing lounges, and even
close down lounges.
They might add new features
(eg free Wi-Fi is now becoming de rigueur at most lounges) and
they might discontinue other features (perhaps the nature of
food, service times, and alcoholic beverage policies).
Your own flying might also
change from year to year. So, even though there is
typically a $50 joining fee, it might be a good idea to each
year do a quick review to confirm that your preferred lounge
program remains the one best suited for you and your travel
patterns.
Airline Lounge
Program Basics
The following two tables
list key features of the major North American airlines and their
lounge programs.
All information is in
summary rather than complete form, so for the most accurate (and
up-to-date) details, you should click the links which will take
you direct to the part of each individual airline's website that
deals with their lounge program.
Airline |
Init Fee |
Annual |
Daily |
Comments |
Air Canada
20 Maple Leaf Lounges; can access 50 lounges
total in North America and Europe |
|
C$425, or
$C639 with access to 235 lounges worldwide
15% discount
for Air Canada Prestige members
25,000
Aeroplan miles for 6 month membership |
Yes - $30 -
$45 depending on fare type domestically, $45 -
$55 internationally, must be purchased in
advance
Can only be used at one lounge |
Can use
priority checkin lines |
AirTran |
|
No lounge
program |
Alaska
6 Board
Rooms and 51 affiliate lounges (mainly DL
Sky Clubs) |
$100 |
$350
reducing to $295 depending on level of Mileage
Plan membership. |
$40 can be
used at multiple location, can buy at club or in
advance |
Can access
lounges
when not traveling
$250 spouse
membership |
American
27 Admirals
Clubs in US, 13 international, and 30 Qantas
clubs |
$50 |
$450
reducing to $300 depending on level of
Aadvantage membership.
Or 40,000 -
70,000 miles. |
$50 can be
used at multiple locations, can buy in advance
(for a specific named person) or at club |
Also has a
few Flagship arrival lounges.
$275 spouse
membership |
Continental
21
Presidents Clubs in US, 2 intl, plus affiliated
lounges |
$50 |
$425
reducing to $325 depending on level of OnePass
status |
$45; can be
used at multiple locations, can buy
books of ten at rates down as low as $32.50 per
pass, can buy at club or in advance |
Also have
lots of arrivals lounges with showers in intl
locations
$175 - $225
spouse m'ship |
Delta
About 46 Sky
Clubs in US, 4 intl, plus affiliated lounges |
$50 |
$450
dropping to $300 depending on level of Skymiles
status
Or 40,000 -
70,000 miles. |
$50;
reducing to $42 if bought in lots of 100, can
buy in advance or at club |
$200
'partner' membership.
Also has a
30 day membership for $90 (cheaper than 2 day
passes) |
JetBlue |
|
No lounge
program |
Southwest |
|
No lounge
program |
United
19 Red
Carpet lounges in the US, 8 intl and other
affiliates (Continental and Star Alliance) |
$50 |
$425
reducing to $325 depending on level of Mileage
plus status
Or 40,000 -
70,000 miles |
$50 at club, or $39
if prepurchased online
Can not be used at multiple locations |
$175 - $225
spouse m'ship |
US Airways
13 Club
lounges in the US, also access to UA, CO and
Star lounges |
$50 |
$450
reducing to $325 depending on level of Dividend
Miles status |
$40 - can
buy online or at club, can be used at multiple
locations |
$225 spouse
m'ship
Also has a
90 day membership for $120 which allows up to 2
guests per visit |
Virgin America
Access to
three Virgin Atlantic Clubhouses |
n/a |
n/a |
$35/visit -
can buy in advance or when checking or at club |
Must be on
premium ticket, sometimes okay if just Elevate
member |
Airline |
Init Fee |
Annual |
Daily |
Comments |
|
Airline |
Guests |
Wi-Fi |
Food/Drink |
Other |
Air Canada |
C$15/25 to
have guests arriving before/after 11am |
Yes |
Yes, free |
free access
for Executive First and Executive Class
ticketholders, Elite and Super Elite
frequent fliers, Red Carpet Club members, US
Airways Club, Star Gold members |
AirTran |
|
no lounge
program |
Alaska |
2 guests or
unlimited family members |
Yes |
Yes, free
(limit of 3 alcoholic beverages per day) |
Have 3 yr
memberships
First class
pax booked in F or A can also access
lounges
Can access
DL Skyclub lounges if on DL or AS flights |
American |
2 guests |
sometimes |
Softdrinks
and coffee, other beverages and food for
purchase |
free access
for trans-continental and international first
and business class passengers, oneWorld Emerald
and Sapphire members |
Continental |
2 guests or
unlimited family members |
Yes |
Yes, free |
Have
lifetime membership rates
Intl
business class pax can also use lounges. |
Delta |
2 guests or
unlimited family members |
Yes |
Snacks and
softdrinks |
|
JetBlue |
|
No lounge
program |
Southwest |
|
No lounge
program |
United |
guests
traveling with member |
Yes |
Snacks and
softdrinks |
Also have
international lounges for intl first and
business class pax |
US Airways |
2 guests or
unlimited family members |
Yes |
Yes, free |
|
Virgin
America |
no guests
free |
Yes |
Yes, free |
Have showers |
Airline |
Guests |
Wi-Fi |
Food/Drink |
Other |
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Alliance Policies and Issues
Most of the major carriers
are nowadays affiliated with one of the three main airline
alliances, and generally their fellow alliance members offer
lounge reciprocity rights, albeit sometimes with some obscure
exceptions and requirements.
The ability
to access a partner airline's lounge is not always as beneficial
as it may seem. If the partner airline's lounge is in a
different terminal, or even at the far end of the same terminal,
the extra time and hassle it takes to detour all the way to
their lounge, and then all the way back to your departure gate,
might eat into all your free time and detract from the
convenience/pleasure of the concept.
Star - Star Alliance Gold level frequent fliers can use Star
Alliance lounges regardless of their class of service (ie even
if flying coach class).
International first and
business class Star customers can access Star member lounges.
Domestic Star customers may or may not be able to access Star
lounges, depending on airline policies.
Star has 980 lounges worldwide.
Oneworld - Emerald and Sapphire level frequent fliers can
use Oneworld lounges when flying on a Oneworld carrier, and can
bring one guest with them.
International first and
business class Oneworld customers can access Oneworld lounges.
Arrival lounges are not included.
Oneworld has 550 lounges worldwide
Skyteam - International First and Business Class passengers,
as well as SkyTeam Elite Plus members traveling in Economy
Class, enjoy complimentary access to more than 415 worldwide
member lounges on the day of travel when flying on or connecting
to or from an international flight operated by a SkyTeam
carrier.
Elite Plus members can bring
a guest with them.
Skyteam has 415 lounges worldwide.
Summary
Airline and airport lounges
can offer you greater comfort while waiting for your flights.
They can possibly make you more productive, they can possibly
feed you, and can even possibly entertain you.
In addition to buying
traditional annual memberships, that typically cost you about
$400 a year and give you access to one particular airline's
lounges (and usually augmented by varying levels of access to
other airline lounges too depending on airline alliance tie-ins)
you can also access most lounges on a per visit 'day pass'
method. Priority Pass is a third party vendor of lounge
admission packages that have some interesting and sometimes
better value ways of getting into the lounges, and American
Express gives free lounge admission (primarily to AA, CO and DL
lounges) as one of the benefits of having their Platinum card.
Depending on your travel
patterns will depend on which approach is best for you.
Read more in the first part of
this article
This is part 2 of a series on airport lounges - please
also visit
1.
Four Alternatives to Costly
Annual Airport Lounge Memberships
2. Choosing the Best Airline Lounge Membership Option
for You
Related Articles, etc
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Originally published
23 Apr 2010, last update
30 May 2021
You may freely reproduce or distribute this article for noncommercial purposes as long as you give credit to me as original writer.
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