Category Archives for Lounges.
Chase announced today that they’re introducing their own network of airport lounges, though little details are provided on forthcoming “Chase Sapphire Lounge® by The Club” products. To date Chase has relied on Priority Pass to offer lounge access to its premium Reserve cardmembers. They’re the third card issuer to build a network of lounges in U.S. airports.
British Airways has a new nap lounge called Forty Winks” which opened on Monday in the First Class lounge at London Heathrow airport, which is currently open to business class passengers as well, and will also be a feature in London’s Concorde Room and at New York JFK.
Their sleep pod with Restworks (so there’s a revenue stream) feature “the world’s first chair designed exclusively for power napping.”
Qatar Airways is the largest owner of British Airways’ parent company, yet Qatar’s CEO says BA has become a ‘2 out of 10’ low cost carrier.
That image is solidified with news that the airline will not re-open Elemis spas in its premium cabin lounges.
The Lufthansa business class lounge at Washington Dulles is now part of Priority Pass. That’s a great new option in the airport.
There are already other lounges on the B concourse that are part of the program, like the Turkish Airlines lounge, but in normal times that gets so crowded they cut off Priority Pass access. Another lounge should help equalize the traffic and make it possible to get into your preferred location.
American Express plans to open a new Centurion lounge at Washington National airport at the end of 2022. It will be at the southern end of the B concourse, and by the time it opens B, B/C and C will all be connected post-security through a combined checkpoint (“Project Journey”).
The lounge will be 11,500 square feet. The lounge will offer shower suites and “floor-to-ceiling windows will offer airfield views ”
A report suggests that American Express will be building out a new Centurion lounge at Washington’s National airport. It also notes significant planned expansion at both San Francisco and Seattle, which matches what I already know.
The future of American Airlines premium lounges is in question. Their international business class Flagship lounges have been closed for 9 months, and won’t re-open until international business class demand returns.
Inside three of American’s Flagship lounges are Flagship First Dining facilities, sit down dining rooms with cooked-to-order menus and private bars for first class passengers. They served Krug champagne, but the Krug is being sold off at a discount in nearby Admirals Clubs.
Thai Airways has opened a refurbished Royal Orchid business class lounge in Bangkok. It’s an international departures lounge on level 3 of the Suvarnabhumi airport E concourse. It’s a strange time to be making capital investments and opening a lounge when the airline is not generally selling international flights leaving the country.
A couple of weeks ago I called on Centurion lounges to open or at least for American Express to speak to its plans for re-opening. They’ve now done so. American Express tells me that on October 5 they will re-open their Philadelphia and Seattle lounges “with more locations to follow.” They’ve also detailed plans for 5 new and expanded lounges.
The argument that food and beverage is key to the Centurion lounge experience, but is hindered by Covid precautions, is a cop out. Far from being another reason to keep lounges closed, fewer passengers makes it easier to deliver individual portions. Airlines and independent lounges are re-opening. American Express needs to speak to a timeline for bringing Centurion lounges back on line.
Gary Leff is one of the foremost experts in the field of miles, points, and frequent business travel -- a topic he has covered since 2002.
Co-founder of frequent flyer community InsideFlyer.com, emcee of the Freddie Awards, and named one of the "World's Top Travel Experts" by Conde' Nast Traveler (2010-Present) Gary has been a guest on most major news media, profiled in several top print publications, and published broadly on the topic of consumer loyalty. More About Gary »
