airport lounge access

How to Decide If Airport Lounge Access Is Worth Paying For

Holly Johnson — Tue, 29 May 2018 08:30:43 +0000

If you fly the friendly skies often, you already know just how stressful airports can be. Listening to loud voices on the intercom while milling through hoards of people can make waiting for your flight an unpleasant experience. You may not even have internet access at your gate unless you pay for it, which means you could be missing out on work or other productive tasks you could be doing, all while in a relative state of discomfort.

Now, consider how different your experience could be if you had access to an airport lounge. In place of the plastic chairs around your gate, you may find comfy couches, desks appropriate for working, and reading corners where you can curl up with a good book. Free internet service and power outlets are plentiful, and many airport lounges have a decent selection of snacks. Some of the better lounges even offer partial or full meals and free alcohol, including beer, wine, and liquor. (See also: How to Get the Most Out of Airport Lounge Access)

Is paying for airport lounge access a good deal? It can be, but only if you travel often enough and know you can take advantage. Here are some steps to help you determine whether airport lounge access is worth paying for, plus how you may be able to get it for free.

Run the math based on how often you travel

The value of airport lounge access depends heavily on how much you'll be able to use it, which is why it's important to gauge how much it costs and how much you actually travel. Imagine you're considering a Priority Pass membership, which will grant you access to more than 1,200 airport lounges around the world. This network offers three main membership tiers: a $99 Standard membership that allows you to enter Priority Pass lounges for $27 a visit, a $249 Standard Plus membership with 10 free visits and $27 visits thereafter, and a $399 all-access Prestige membership with unlimited visits and $27 visits for guests. There's also a highly popular Priority Pass Select membership, which you can only qualify for through a U.S. financial institution. More on that in a minute.

If you fly several times per month and feel like you could hang out in an airport lounge 30-40 times per year, breaking it down into a per-visit cost can help. If you paid $399 for a Prestige membership and visited an airport 40 times per year, that breaks down to $10 per visit.

The $99 Standard membership may seem like a better deal upfront, but don't forget that you have to pay $27 per visit on top of the annual membership fee. Same goes for the Standard Plus membership. For $27, you could sit down at a restaurant and have a decent meal each time you're at the airport instead. You won't get the free power outlets and Wi-Fi, though, and lounges can be more peaceful than busy airport restaurants.

Your calculation should also take into account how much you plan to eat and drink and how long your layovers tend to be. Paying $27 per visit for an airport lounge can be a bad deal if you don't drink, but it can be a great bargain if you drink a ton and have layovers that last several hours or over mealtimes.

Regardless, running the math to see how often you travel can help you decide whether the average price per visit makes sense for what you get in return, which normally includes peace and quiet, food, drinks, and a place to work and recharge your devices.

Figure out which airlines you fly with most, and if it matters

While Priority Pass is the most popular lounge network available, it's not the only one. If you always fly with a specific airline or your airport is a major hub of one you're familiar with, you can also check out airline-specific airport lounges that you know you can frequent often and get some value from.

Let's say your airport has a fancy Delta Sky Club in the terminal you normally fly out of. You could buy your way into Delta Sky Clubs at a rate of $495 or 47,000 Delta miles for a one-year Individual Membership. Guests aren't free with this membership, however, which is why some travelers opt for Delta's Executive Membership for $745 per year so they can bring two guests along. American Airlines Admirals Clubs also offer annual memberships, with the price for individuals starting at $550, or 85,000 AAdvantage miles. Discounts are also offered to frequent flyers with elite status.

Is the juice worth the squeeze when it comes to paying for these airline-specific lounges? It really depends on how often you can take advantage and the type of value you get in return (i.e. how much you eat and drink).

Another advantage of being in an airline lounge is having access to airline staff, who can answer questions about your flight and keep you updated of delays. If your flight gets canceled, you've got a lot better chance of being rebooked quickly by using the staff in the lounge rather than competing with the hordes at the gate for the two or three airline staff there.

Decide if you're willing to splurge for convenience or relaxation

Paying $400 or more for a year of airport lounge access may sound absurd, but the value is often there for frequent flyers who need quiet and internet access for work. If your job has you flying all the time and you are tired of losing valuable work time at your airport gate, airport lounge access can even be a valuable investment.

It's also possible your employer would be willing to cover lounge access for you if you truly need it for work. They could balk at the request, sure, but you'll never know unless you ask.

Score airport lounge access for free

Finally, one way to get airport lounge covered without worrying about cost is by signing up for a travel credit card that offers airport lounge access as a cardholder perk. While different cards offer different levels of access, signing up can absolutely be worth it if you use the access and other card perks often enough.

Before you pursue this strategy, you should make sure the airport lounge access offered by a card you're interested in is unlimited and doesn't come with a surcharge. Some travel cards say you get access via their programs, but what you really get is a very basic membership where you still have to pay per visit.

Priority Pass Select is the most common airport lounge pass you can get with a credit card. This type of membership gives you access to unlimited Priority Pass lounge visits and traditionally lets you bring up to two guests.

Also keep in mind that several top tier airline credit cards offer access to their independent airport lounges for free along with bonus offers and other perks. If you fly with a certain airline often enough, these cards could be worth signing up for.

By scoring airport lounge access for free, you won't have to worry about what you paid or whether or not you're getting enough value in return. You can just show up, take advantage of the freebies, and relish in the fact you're in an airport oasis instead of languishing at the gate with everyone else.

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This article is from Holly Johnson of Wise Bread, an award-winning personal finance and credit card comparison website. Read more great articles from Wise Bread:

How to Get the Most Out of Airport Lounge Access

Carrie Kirby — Wed, 25 Oct 2017 08:30:11 +0000

I once averted my eyes when passing an airport lounge, and even stooped to literally lurking outside its walls to borrow the Wi-Fi signal emanating from within. But nowadays, there are a number of ways for us less-than-elite travelers to get through those doors. With a membership to Priority Pass, which gets me into more than 1,000 lounges worldwide, and a high-end credit card that gets me into others, I have the option to stop by an airport lounge almost every time I fly. Other travelers can get in by buying a day pass. Since these lounges typically offer free Wi-Fi, a calm atmosphere, comfy seats, and also free alcoholic beverages, coffee, and buffets, lounge access can totally change a day of flying for the better. (See also: 5 Best Credit Cards with Airport Lounge Access)

What I learned from this experience is that lounge life isn't as simple as showing up and preparing to be pampered. You have to keep a thing or two in mind to make the most of your lounge access.

1. Bring the right credentials

Some lounges require that you bring the credit card that qualifies you plus an ID, while others, like Priority Pass, will want to see your membership card. (Most lounges will also accept the digital version of the card on your phone.) You usually also need to show your boarding pass.

Even with the right credentials, note that not all lounge access programs get you in free. Some, like the basic Priority Pass membership, simply affords you the opportunity to enter participating lounges for a fee. Others simply offer a discount.

2. Know who you can bring in

The first time I flew with my fancy-schmancy credit card, I was excited to see that the company had just opened a new lounge at my airport. I was less excited when I found out that I could only bring in two guests, which was awkward since I was traveling with my three children. It wasn't exactly Sophie's Choice, but there was some bitterness afterward from my teen, who was left at a cafe outside the lounge for about half an hour while the rest of us checked the place out and stuffed our faces with fresh-baked cookies.

Since the lounge I visited was operated by a credit card I held, the staff were able to tell me exactly how many people I was allowed to bring in. But beware: Both individual lounges and lounge membership programs vary on how many guests are allowed, and the staff at the lounge may not know the details of your plan. What this means is that if you show up with a guest and your Priority Pass card, for example, you'll both be admitted, but your credit card might be billed an entrance fee for the guest later.

How can you avoid unexpected charges? Log into your membership account or check your credit card terms before you visit so you know exactly how many guests you can bring, and at what, if any, cost. Lounge rules also vary on kids, with some banning them and others allowing kids under a certain age free entry. (See also: 12 Travel Perks You Didn't Know Your Credit Card Had)

3. Know where the lounge is located in the airport

Airports are big places, and sometimes sheer distance could keep you from enjoying the lounge. Last time I flew out of San Francisco Airport, I had access to the Air France/KLM lounge, but I couldn't visit it because that lounge is in the international terminal and I was flying domestic. There is a secure passageway between the international and domestic terminals, but I didn't arrive early enough to cover all that ground. Another time, I wanted to visit a particular lounge on a layover, but the lounge and our gate were separated by a nonsecure area, meaning that we would have to pass through security in order to get back to our gate. With only an hour layover, that was a chance I couldn't take.

Find out where the lounge is in advance by checking the airport website or your lounge program site or app. (See also: 15 Airport Hacks From Professional Travelers)

4. Budget your time accordingly

Of course, even if the lounge is far from your gate, you should be able to take advantage of it if you budget enough time. You should also factor in activities that are available in the lounge, into your time budget. While a lot of lounges' main offerings are food, drink, workspaces, and Wi-Fi, some have showers, sleep suites, spa services, and even entertainment such as pool tables or a putting green. One good resource for figuring out the amenities your lounge has is LoungeBuddy, which has a website and mobile app full of lounge info.

Some lounges also impose time limits, so keep that in mind before arriving at the airport too many hours early or booking a flight with a 12-hour layover. If you belong to multiple programs or even just one great one, you might qualify to enter several lounges in one airport; airline perks geeks like me will want to schedule enough downtime to check them all out, if possible. (See also: 5 Smart Travel Hacks Only Frequent Flyers Know)

5. Be prepared hunger-wise

Travelers love sharing photos of airport lounge food. From Facebook, I know that some lounges leave tired travelers hungry, while others provide meals so good that first class passengers end up skipping the gourmet meals onboard.

Check LoungeBuddy or other online reviews before you go to figure out if you should expect a full meal from your lounge or just a snack.

6. Understand that some lounges are actually restaurants

This confused me at first, but my credit card app lists some locations as lounges that look like ordinary restaurants or bars. Here's the deal: Some lounge programs have partnered with eateries to provide members with a credit toward food and drink — effectively converting the restaurant into a lounge. For instance, Priority Pass members can get $28 worth of free food and drink from seven different establishments in the Sydney airport.

7. Know the rules

Some lounges post dress codes; Swissport Executive Lounges, for example, bans tracksuits and baseball caps. Other common rules include no outside food and drink, no sleeping in the seats, and no smoking. You might be allowed to bring your pet in — but your pup or cat probably won't be allowed to sit in a chair.

8. Realize that not everything is free

In the first lounge I ever visited, there was a price list behind the bar. At first I thought this meant I had to pay for any cocktail, so I got out my card when ordering a bloody mary. However, the bartender kindly explained that only the premium liquors cost money in this particular lounge; if I ordered my drink with a well liquor, it would be free.

9. Bring tips, just in case

Naturally, I wanted to tip the bartender who had clued me in on how the bar worked, but embarrassingly, I had to borrow two dollars from my little daughter to do so. Next time, I'll bring small bills for tipping the bartender. Some lounges have self-service bars, eliminating the issue.

Same goes for food. If there is only a buffet, you won't need tipping money, but if there's table service, you'll want to tip, especially if you're in the United States. Spa treatments are another service with tipping potential. Look up these details online in advance, and you'll know how much tipping money to bring, if any. (See also: Bookmark This: How Much to Tip in Almost Every Situation)

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This article is from Carrie Kirby of Wise Bread, an award-winning personal finance and credit card comparison website. Read more great articles from Wise Bread: