Airline Lounges?

[Guest IndyMedic2006]

Anyone here on the forum a member of Delta's Sky Club or American Airlines Ambassador's club or USAirways Club? Is it worth having if you are doing alot of travel? I am considering one of these as a gift, but I know enough about any of them to decide which one. Any feedback?

[cany10011]

yes!

 

Absolutely recommended if the person you are purchasing it for travels a lot. Definitely worth it. You might want to ask him/her which airline they use most as some may or may not have reciprocal benefits. The lounges provide a "slightly" nicer place to rest up before you catch your flight. Free wifi, snacks, paper, etc... I had a flight delayed 7 hours once and it was a pleasure just to go back into the lounge and relax a bit. Also, instead of memberships, I think you can purchase day passes which are relatively inexpensive.

 

 

 

 

 

Anyone here on the forum a member of Delta's Sky Club or American Airlines Ambassador's club or USAirways Club? Is it worth having if you are doing alot of travel? I am considering one of these as a gift, but I know enough about any of them to decide which one. Any feedback?[/font][/b][/color]

[edjames]

I always use the AA Ambassadors Club at London's Heathrow whenever I am there. It is a great place to relax, have a drink or food before departure. It's quiet, peaceful and has free internet service. Highly recommended!

 

ED

[+ deej]

In addition to finding out which airline your friend uses, ask which airports they pass through most often. Not all airlines have clubs at all airports. It would really be a bummer to have the membership but nowhere to go at their most frequently used airport!

[JT Brooklyn]

NO Private Club in the Airport? There will always be a space against a wall on the floor when your flight is cancelled.. Just ask me to move over! LOL

[Poolboy21409]

I gave mine up years ago because I just never seemed to use them as the connections were so tight in most cases. Delta Crown Room used to be great - free drinks - now fee. Just had to ask. But that was ages ago. I used Baltimore almost entirely and you are basically slave to Southwest with no room. So..the day pass idea is great option but if I weren't tied to Southwest I would definitely opt for a membership.

[Diverdan]

I have a "lifetime" pass on both United Airlines and Northwest Airlines. With United's merger with Continental, I can access both. Since Delta bought Northwest, I now also have a Delta Club card. If you are giving a membership as a gift, please follow the advise of earlier posters. I also used to have a TWA Card and an American Card, but I travel less on American now than I once did. The airlines no longer sell the "lifetime" passes, as they were losing tons of money on those privledges. I have done a lot of International Traveling, and the United Card has been a lifesaver in many ways, as is their program for elite travelers. So, the home airport of your colleague for whom you are going to buy the card, as well as his preferred airline will help you make a decision on which club to select. The day pass option is nice if you are stuck in a city that does not have a club with your regular airline. I find I use my United Club on almost every trip I make, and if you have long connections, they are especially nice, or if you have problems, the agents in the Club seem to have a lot of pull in rebooking, etc. I am sure your friend will truly appreciate that gift if he is a frequent traveler.

[shadowcatzxxx]

Hi! I tried to post this earlier, but apparently it didn't stick.

 

Two other options:

Upgrade an American Express Card to Platinum status. That gives you access to Delta, American, and US Air clubs if you have a ticket on any of those airlines. The platinum fee is $450 annually, not much more than the outrageous annual fees now charged by each airline club separately.

or

Depending on where your buddy is and where he goes, Priority Pass has a reasonable annual fee, and a list of participating airline lounges around the world, and you do not need to be holding a ticket on one of them. Check out Priority Pass on the web.

 

As others have said, it depends very much on your buddy's home airport and where he likes to (or needs to) travel.

 

As ever, your mileage may vary ...

[Guest IndyMedic2006]

My friend is definately a frequent traveler. He doesn't really have an airline preference so my thought was to get him a couple one days passes for each three that I mentioned above that way he could see which one was a better fit for him. I just wanted to see if any of the gentlemen here could tell me if one was better then then the other. But I didn't realize that United had a club as well.

[Guest IndyMedic2006]

no private club in the airport? There will always be a space against a wall on the floor when your flight is cancelled.. Just ask me to move over! Lol

 

lol

[cany10011]

They are pretty much the same. They serve pretty much the same snacks, drinks, some have showers along with ironing service, etc.. For me, I really value the quiet spaces they have to catch up on some reading or work. I don't really take advantage of the food as I don't like to eat before a flight.

 

The only difference you may find are the ones in the specific city where the hubs are located (i.e., Chicago- United; Newark- Continental) may be bigger/ better situated than others. There are several big consortiums, like Star Alliance (United, Continental, Air Canada, etc..), SkyTeam (Delta), Oneworld (American) that will honor other airlines' club members within the group so you may want to check online to see which airlines are represented to get the maximum value for the membership for your friend. Otherwise, day passes are good to go without a large membership fee.

 

 

 

 

My friend is definately a frequent traveler. He doesn't really have an airline preference so my thought was to get him a couple one days passes for each three that I mentioned above that way he could see which one was a better fit for him. I just wanted to see if any of the gentlemen here could tell me if one was better then then the other. But I didn't realize that United had a club as well.

[BaronArtz]

If your friend has American Express Platinum, he can bring a guest into these lounges, free of charge.

[+ FreshFluff]

American lets you into theirs if you're flying first class. I don't see the huge deal; there's not even free wifi access and it's often as crowded as the outside areas. There are no crying babies though, which is a plus.

 

Cany, ironing service?? Which one has that?

[+ bigjoey]

I can remember going with my grandfather in the 1950's to the TWA Ambassador Club in Kansas City and it truely was a fantastic place; long before "mass" travel and like a real private club. I started using them in the 1960's when I traveled to college and they were still great places with the TWA club at Kennedy one of the most beautiful places at any airport (along with the entire building).

 

Today, the clubs have too many people, no glamour and the "freebies" are the bare bones BUT still better than the regular terminal. The only really good clubs are the foreign airlines like Cathay or Singapore in Asia and Lufthansa in Germany. In the US, I have started using Southwest a lot as their service seems to be better than the other American carriers which have long ago abandoned the concept of service to the customer. Only foreign airlines seem to understand that how you treat a customer is important.

[adriano46]

BigJoey has an excellent point -- it seems only the foreign airlines that do long halus have really above-average lounges. I like the ones in Asia a lot, Erope, well it depends. The US -- by the time I get through the strip-searches, the long lines, the over-crowdedness around all this mass, and get to the gate, I am too tired to even consider a lounge, especially as most have hardly anothing more that the lounge does not already offer.

[seeker630]

I can remember going with my grandfather in the 1950's to the TWA Ambassador Club in Kansas City and it truely was a fantastic place; long before "mass" travel and like a real private club. I started using them in the 1960's when I traveled to college and they were still great places with the TWA club at Kennedy one of the most beautiful places at any airport (along with the entire building).

 

Today, the clubs have too many people, no glamour and the "freebies" are the bare bones BUT still better than the regular terminal. The only really good clubs are the foreign airlines like Cathay or Singapore in Asia and Lufthansa in Germany. In the US, I have started using Southwest a lot as their service seems to be better than the other American carriers which have long ago abandoned the concept of service to the customer. Only foreign airlines seem to understand that how you treat a customer is important.

 

In our more affluent society, the domestic carriers today are more like the Greyhounds/Trailways of the mid-20th century.