Airport lounges
- Thread starter Dogbowl
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mi000ke
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It's not necessarily an either/or. We have both. Regarding Chase, with the $300 travel credit, Uber credit, and the $750 worth of travel points for signing up (was more when we got it) - not to mention the 3x travel points when you use the card, it's paid for itself each year. We use both cards to the point where the travel credits, mileage points, and use of lounge (as well as lots of other benies) pays for both cards. Remember, the credit card companies make way more on interest and commission than they do on annual membership fees. Their incentive is to get you to use the card as much as possible, and that is built into the fee structure. The more you use it, the less it costs you and the more the credit card company makes. And as an aside, I had my usual rental car accident this past year (seems like an annual occurrence .... because it is.) and Chase had a check to me to cover all of my costs in almost no time.
So you would hang out in the airport lounge in Cozumel when you could have spent that last hour having one last taco and a beer outside in the glorious Mexican sunshine? I don't mean to beat the dead horse on this, but lounges are good for waiting between connections, or if your flight is seriously delayed--period. If my hotel kicks me out of my room early, and my flight is later in the day, I'll find something else to do in a place like Cozumel, or most other dive destinations. There's almost always someplace with the local flavor you came for where you can hang out before having to go to the airport. The Cozumel airport is a 10-20 minute taxi ride from any hotel. But okay okay, I get it--not everyone likes what I like. Do what pleases you.
I have two Amex and one chase visa card...need a visa because Amex isn't accepted in Europe and many other places....
These CC companies have yet to make a dime off of me as I haven't had a balance in over 25 years....I use my Amex SPG card pretty much exclusively to add to my SPG points. When I retire in a few years, my wife and I will be able to enjoy a year or more of free SPG stays around the world....now that's what I'll call retirement
Most of the airports and airlines recommend getting to the airport well in advance of departure times to allow time for longer checkin lines, security screening and in some locations, US immigration and customs. Even if you cut the time close, if lines are short, there is still time to duck into the lounge for a bottle of water, coffee, check emails, etc.
As I mentioned that I have the Priority Pass benefit in question, I sure would like to find the time for that one of these days (without going out of my way to arrive extra early). So far, in dozens of trips it hasn't happened more than a couple of times. If the lounge is far from my gate, it's hard to just "duck in." I try to arrive 2+ hours in advance of departure time for international flights (and more like 3 hours at airports I'm not familiar with), and these days that's often how long it takes to get to the gate. I suppose the odds of being able to use the lounge depend on how often one flies; I really don't fly that often compared with the real "frequent flyers," and so the rare occasion that "lines are short" has to happen at an airport with a lounge on the PP list that isn't too far from my gate, and so forth. These conditions don't often line up for me.
Maverick17
Contributor
There is no requirement to spend an hour in the lounge. As mentioned, if you give a little extra time because of lines to and you end up behind security with more than 15 minutes to spare, why not? I stop in the lounge even if I only have 5 or 10 minutes to get/drink a water and grab an apple or some snack and use the restroom.
(Edit: seeing the post above mine now. I never arrive more than 2 hours early, usually try to get there about 75 - 90 minutes early for int'l, 60 for domestic so I'm surprised there isn't more time for some I guess)
For someone in ATL or maybe DFW, ORD etc, you can fly non-stop to tons of destinations. Most of us don't have that luxury, so the connection is the main point of it. I've stayed the night in lounges, showers after longhauls are great, and the food in some of the Asian ones is decent. I've saved hundreds of dollars on airport food by eating in lounges on my long itineraries. And the wifi can come in handy - I've had to watch a few Seahawks games in lounges. Also some airports now you get food credits, (can't remember if PP or my Prestige benefit) so you can eat at the restaurant they have an agreement with and have $25 covered.
But if you don't go often, you're not missing much. It is really more beneficial on long layovers. 3rd party PP lounges, i.e. Plaza Premium, won't help you much for delays or cancellations, but if you're in the AA lounge and you happen to be flying on AA, you're good.
Airline status lounges are nice, but I find PP more useful because I am not interested in just flying one airline anymore.
Finally, someone posted a pointsguy link. Please be careful and remember he's a salesman. He can give you some intro tips but each article will have about 30 links to credit cards he's selling. Flytertalk, the other link, is a much more accurate and thorough and unbiased resource.
(Edit: seeing the post above mine now. I never arrive more than 2 hours early, usually try to get there about 75 - 90 minutes early for int'l, 60 for domestic so I'm surprised there isn't more time for some I guess)
For someone in ATL or maybe DFW, ORD etc, you can fly non-stop to tons of destinations. Most of us don't have that luxury, so the connection is the main point of it. I've stayed the night in lounges, showers after longhauls are great, and the food in some of the Asian ones is decent. I've saved hundreds of dollars on airport food by eating in lounges on my long itineraries. And the wifi can come in handy - I've had to watch a few Seahawks games in lounges. Also some airports now you get food credits, (can't remember if PP or my Prestige benefit) so you can eat at the restaurant they have an agreement with and have $25 covered.
But if you don't go often, you're not missing much. It is really more beneficial on long layovers. 3rd party PP lounges, i.e. Plaza Premium, won't help you much for delays or cancellations, but if you're in the AA lounge and you happen to be flying on AA, you're good.
Airline status lounges are nice, but I find PP more useful because I am not interested in just flying one airline anymore.
Finally, someone posted a pointsguy link. Please be careful and remember he's a salesman. He can give you some intro tips but each article will have about 30 links to credit cards he's selling. Flytertalk, the other link, is a much more accurate and thorough and unbiased resource.
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I like the free booze before the flight. Comfortable seats and private bathrooms (or at least completely enclosed stalls) are nice, too.
2airishuman
Contributor
I've used the lounges in the past.
You use the lounge to wait for your flight after you clear security. So if you arrive and check in for your flight, say, 120 minutes before the departure time, then in most cases you'll actually get through security and be ready to head for the gate in far less than that. The idea then is that you go hang out in the lounge. You know where your gate is, you're all checked in, and you leave the lounge to allow just enough walking time to make it to the gate when your flight starts to board (15-20 minutes before departure). Typically that gives you around an hour.
Being in the lounge rather than the gatehouse eliminates a number of the inconveniences and indignities of that portion of the travel experience:
- The environment is relaxing, quiet, and conducive to reading, study, or quiet conversation. (This is achieved by eliminating most of the PA announcements, getting away from the foot and cart traffic, having sound-absorbing architectural materials, and policies that exclude passengers who are likely sources of disruptive noise, such as youth groups and people new to air travel)
- Amenities such as water, coffee, and snacks are provided, and it is not necessary to bring your carry on or have an assigned "bag watcher" to avail yourself of them.
- There are clean restrooms that are maintained to a higher standard.
- There are tables and desks and outlets, so you can reorganize stuff or charge your phone or whatever.
Whether it is worth it or not depends on your situation and the airports you use the most. I find that the concourses and gatehouses aren't as bad as they used to be. If you know the airport and are relatively mobile you can often find quiet waiting spaces without paying for a lounge membership. It varies from one airport to the next. I can usually find a rarely-used gate or some underutilized amenity or location if I want to.
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