This may be the strangest lounge review I’ve ever written. It combines two different lounges I did not visit (on this trip through the airport).
I’ve spent a bit of time recently in several lounges at New York JFK, from the Chase, American Express and Capital One lounges to the Virgin Clubhouse. But I stopped briefly at both the Air India and Hello Sky lounges – and did not enter.
The Air India Maharaja lounge is positioned above gate A5 across from Virgin Atlantic Clubhouse. One Mile at a Time wrote that the entrance “looks more like the entrance to a government office than an airport lounge.”
I’ve been to the Air India lounge before, though. I couldn’t go this time because
- They had the Priority Pass banner out in front of the lounge
- But they weren’t actually accepting Priority Pass
I went up to the lounge only to check whether they were actually allowing Priority Pass guests. It was morning time, after 10:30 a.m., and that’s before their two non-stop flights to India. I didn’t expect that they took Priority Pass customers when they had two of their own flights. The whole point of Priority Pass, from their perspective, would be to monetize the space they’re paying on anyway during the rest of the day when they’re not using it.
Still, it seems like they should say something on the Priority Pass website like ‘only accepts Priority Pass 11:30 a.m. onward’ and take in the Priority Pass banner before that. Several people were in line getting turned away, who oddly didn’t seem to know that the Virgin lounge right behind them was accepting Priority Pass (all were grateful when I sent them there).
The lounge itself has a basic design that’s pretty uninspiring – modest furniture, not in the best shape, though it offers natural light and clean bathrooms. The buffet is the best feature for those looking for butter chicken and chicken tikka masala, quiche, pastries, and salads and maybe Corona, Heineken, or Budweiser. This is a functional space, not one to seek out by any means.
The other lounge I did not visit was HelloSky, the former Primeclass lounge past security adjacent to gate A2. There was a line to get in, grumpy staff, and not much of a reward once you get past the check-in desk.
The lounge’s layout includes leather seats, booths, and a small dining area near the buffet. The space is… clean and functional. The space is very similar to what it was as Primeclass, but with blue paint.
There is nothing standout about it, except that it’s not the Swissport lounge at Chicago O’Hare. You’ll find muffins and packaged nuts along with coffee, tea, water, soda, beer, and wine. That’s about it. It’s a place you can use Priority Pass, and maybe it’s better than the gate though just by a little?
These two lounges are the archetype I think of with Priority Pass accessible lounges. Frankly a mid-$20s payout per passenger isn’t going to fund very much when you consider the need to cover allocated rent, staff, packaged snacks and beverages in a high cost airport environment. And since you’re paying the same amount for space and staff regardless of the number of passengers inside, the game is volume which each incremental passenger more profitable than the last.
Many of these lounges have become a joke. Long times to get in, being forced to be squeezed next to strangers as you’re in a coach seat, lines for the bathrooms, Wawa level food, loud, dirty. At least with an airline lounge you “might” get “service” if there’s irregular operations. Save your money and time and spend it at a nice restaurant while on vacation instead of a crowded lounge with a college keg party bathroom situation.
Oof, whether it’s the old Wingtips, the ‘red’ Primeclass, and now the ‘blue’ HelloSky, have some self-respect, and just avoid ’em. It’s worth waiting for Amex, Chase, (and soon enough) Capital One at T4. Of course, if you have access, DeltaOne, both SkyClubs, and Emirates lounges are obviously far superior. It’s just sad that Singapore has folks go to HelloSky or Air India at JFK. Like, if you’re flying Business Class on the ‘worlds longest flight’ or to Frankfurt, you should have something better. Sheesh!
@George I’d take a Wawa sandwich over a lot of lounge food out there these days.
SQ was offering the Air India lounge for biz class customers two years ago. I wasn’t impressed.
@Kirk — It’s absurd. SQ really should be ashamed. They only offer the Virgin Clubhouse to Suites and Solitaire PPS Club members. Pitiful. Boo…
@1990 rumor has it that SQ will now be sending its passengers to the new Capital One Lounge, which will obviously be a huge improvement. (And I assume that if the lounge is near capacity, they will prioritize SQ passengers over cardholders.)
@DWT — Well, Capital One supposedly opened that new lounge on June 19, 2025. Haven’t been by yet. If Singapore Airlines can get that done before 2026, I’ll be happy as a clam, because I have an itinerary on SQ23 again early next year.
Was there on 6/19 but not a C1 customer (yet?) so did not check it out, just popped in at Chase (good burger and real champagne!) and Delta A gates skyclub on the way to an A gate (new but eh). Great to have C1 as a potential future option. Could have gone into Amex I guess but prefer Chase. Walked by HelloSky – looked like a pass from the outside let alone the inside (thanks for the report!). So many good options in T4 though, really can’t complain, it’s a long road from Wingtips…
Anyone know why SQ is not moving to T6 along with the other star alliance airlines? Just curious – have not researched it myself.
I did the Air India lounge with the family last month before the nonstop flight to Singapore. I’d say your assessment is pretty much spot on. I was a touch let down by the lounge considering that Singapore is a pretty high quality airline. I guess there’s just no good choices in the area so you take what you can get.
@George: Don’t diss Wawa food. It’s better than most airport lounge food in my experience.
I was at the Air India lounge roughly 7 months ago. The food was actually really good, and the choice of spirits was much better than I found in the Air France lounge in terminal 2E at CDG a month later.
Maybe it got to flooded with priority pass members not that the Virgin lounges have started charging for alcoholic beverages from what I hear, so they have to resort to crowd managing.
I don’t get lounges. Why in the world would I wait in line for one of them? You can nearly always find a table of 4 at an airport restaurant (not always, LAX is a huge example, especially against the phantom gate for AA.) , and as long as you order a couple of things and tip well, the server doesn’t care. I think it’s funny that there is a whole population segment of the flying public who are willing to spend 3x the value of their time to get something ‘free’.