Airport lounges

[mi000ke]

These CC companies have yet to make a dime off of me as I haven't had a balance in over 25 years...

Yeah we do the same. We are not their favorite type of customer. It's the ones who run a balance and actually pay the interest that keep them in business. We haven't paid for a flight in a long time.

 

[Snoweman]

Yeah we do the same. We are not their favorite type of customer. It's the ones who run a balance and actually pay the interest that keep them in business. We haven't paid for a flight in a long time.

Don't think the CC companies haven't made money on you. Every purchase nets them about 2-3%. It's not the 18-25% that they make off of you, but it's still enough to make a profit. Remember, for many, many years, Amex didn't allow carrying a balance.

 

[mi000ke]

Don't think the CC companies haven't made money on you. Every purchase nets them about 2-3%. It's not the 18-25% that they make off of you, but it's still enough to make a profit. Remember, for many, many years, Amex didn't allow carrying a balance.

Yeah - when I taught Competitive Strategy at the business school of a large university housed in a secret location in the Northeast, I used to do a case study with my MBA students on the credit card industry, and we focused on comparing Amex's revenue and marketing strategy to several other more traditional companies. It is generally based on what segment of the risk market you are aiming for. Amex made money by focusing on the low risk, high spenders, assuming they could make good money on the (highest in the industry) commissions plus member fees boosted by low write offs. It was a fairly simple strategy and did not require much in the way of analytics. Capital One in contrast focused on the subprime market (originally) and was searching for the sweet spot of high risk where you get lots of high balances, and enough folks paying high interest rates on those balances to offset the much higher write-offs. Cap one was also the most data/analytics-oriented cc company at the time (consistent with their strategy), and so was able to come up with some sophisticated analysis to actually find that sweet spot. They have over the years been a top performer, especially in down markets. Lots of ways to skin that cat.

In an earlier life, I ran a leasing company, and we employed similar analyses. Lots of fun (if you aren't losing money).

 

[tep]

Get the Lounge Buddy app for your phone. When you register the app, you go through the long list of cards that give you different lounge access, it then tells you which lounges you can use, based on where you are.

Hint - the US American Express is waaaay down the list, beginning with "platinum", not "american express platinum".

Also go into Lounge memberships and select "Priority Pass Select" after you register for it through the amex site.

I'm in San Diego, so I only get to use the lounge in T2, but that's across from the only international gate. I can go through security early (BA and JAL don't offer PreCheck), hang out in the lounge, and walk across to the gate when it's time.

I did get to use the new lounge in Heathrow last month. It was SO QUIET compared to the main concourse.

Also, if you are American, get Global Entry, which can (after a certain period of time, and a certain number of UK entries) will let you apply for preferred entry into the UK. My co-workers were 2 hours in immigration, I was through in under a minute. I was at my hotel in London before they got their bags.

 

[Hoag]

I can get into a lounge for free in almost every major airport in the USA and in many overseas airports as well, and it doesn't matter what credit card I have or what level my Frequent Flyer Program has me.

Ya gotta love the USO.

 

[Snoweman]

Get the Lounge Buddy app for your phone. When you register the app, you go through the long list of cards that give you different lounge access, it then tells you which lounges you can use, based on where you are.

Hint - the US American Express is waaaay down the list, beginning with "platinum", not "american express platinum".

Also go into Lounge memberships and select "Priority Pass Select" after you register for it through the amex site.

I'm in San Diego, so I only get to use the lounge in T2, but that's across from the only international gate. I can go through security early (BA and JAL don't offer PreCheck), hang out in the lounge, and walk across to the gate when it's time.

I did get to use the new lounge in Heathrow last month. It was SO QUIET compared to the main concourse.

Also, if you are American, get Global Entry, which can (after a certain period of time, and a certain number of UK entries) will let you apply for preferred entry into the UK. My co-workers were 2 hours in immigration, I was through in under a minute. I was at my hotel in London before they got their bags.

I can't find the app on android. The first selection that comes up as the priority pass app. After that, no "Lounge Buddy" or "loungebuddy".

 

[flyboy08]

LoungeBuddy, now with Android Pay | LoungeBuddy

 

[Snoweman]

LoungeBuddy, now with Android Pay | LoungeBuddy

Odd that it's not on the Google Play Store. What's the best credit card for lounge access, according to the app?

 

[KeithG]

Odd that it's not on the Google Play Store. What's the best credit card for lounge access, according to the app?

The app is for IOS only. No Android support

 

[tep]

The app is for IOS only. No Android support

Something strange going on. My phone is Android. I wonder if they pulled the app for some reason after I downloaded it last year.

I've got a note into LoungeBuddy support, if they answer, I'll post it here.