Category Archives for Lounges.
Way back in November 2015 I suggested that an American Express Centurion lounge would be coming to LAX. All signs were it was about to happen. And then just a few days later the airport told employees in their newsletter that a Centurion Lounge was coming “to the south side terminals (between terminals 6 & 7).”
Two and a half years later the airport is finally ready to move forward — with space no one else wanted in the Tom Bradley terminal.
They were more than generous, perhaps too generous, and out of step with much of the world. So this doesn’t surprise in the least. I just miss the idea that a valued customer is a valued customer each and every time and it seems a last little thread of that dies when this dies.
This is a really cool opportunity. The brand new San Francisco Polaris lounge will be opening April 30th. Before that happens there’s a preview day on Friday, April 27 where the lounge is fully operational. And any MileagePlus member can redeem for a visit.
Three weeks ago I cited Denver city documents that revealed an American Express Centurion lounge would be built at the Denver airport, and that a Plaza Premium Lounge was pending approval as well.
American Express is now sharing renderings of the lounge and some additional details.
The airline has said they expect the San Francisco, Newark, Houston and Los Angeles lounges to open this year — with the first three this summer.
And they’ve apparently learned their lesson with the Polaris debacle of overpromising and underdelivering seats and lounges, because it looks like they’re going to beat the summer opening projection for San Francisco — by a lot.
There are several oddball lounge relationships. There’s a lounge you can access with an American Admirals Club membership — or even a United Club or Delta Skyclub membership — that you won’t find listed on the website.
Reportedly there will be “an open ‘demonstration kitchen’ where chefs will whip up Malaysian and international gourmet dishes”
The highlight of The Private Room is the cooked to order menu, which you can take in the dining room or anywhere else in the lounge you wish. Servers come around to take orders and see if there’s anything they can get for you to drink as well. Service is a plus in the lounge.
United failed to open a single Polaris business class lounge in 2017. As American opened four of its own business lounges between June and December, United was left only with its first Chicago outpost.
At the end of the year the airline even removed the timetable for Polaris lounge openings.
Etihad has been on a crash course lately to stop the bleeding from unprofitable airline investments, cut costs, and monetize premium services where they can.
Now they’re selling Residence lounge access at New York JFK even though Etihad offers double-daily A380 service between New York and Abu Dhabi.
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 »
