Category Archives for Lounges.
In airport lounges people shovel food and drink into their bags, and stick their feet up on the furniture, going to sleep on couches, and generally acting as though these ‘nicer’ spaces are U.N.-administered refugee camps.
One airline passenger saw another’s behavior, and decided to take reform into their own hands.
While I write about lounges a lot, I didn’t always have access. In fact the first time I ever entered one as an adult, I snuck in. It was a United Airlines lounge back 23 years ago, and it’s part of my early travel educating me about what airport lounges were all about and why I wanted to use them. It’s also the story of my first international premium cabin award redemption, which I used to visit my family in Australia, so my ‘sneaking in’ holds extra significance to me.
Everyday passenger behavior in lounges has gotten worse, from being draped over couches asleep (lounge couches aren’t nap rooms) to simply sticking bare feet up on the furniture. Would you do this at the home of an acquaintance – someone you know, but not well? Why do this in front of other passengers, and on furniture that doesn’t even belong to you? United Clubs don’t allow outside food, surely clubs can impose minimum standards like ‘no shirt, no shoes, no entry.’?
American Airlines has just re-opened its international first class lounge at London Heathrow, after closing at the start of the pandemic. And I’m not sure why. London Heathrow terminal 3 already has some of the best lounge options in the world.
Chase’s new Sapphire Terrace is now open in the Austin airport. It’s the bank’s first airport space in the U.S., though not officially a ‘Sapphire Lounge’. That’s because it’s unique, not a full lounge and mostly outdoor space. It’s also open to Sapphire Reserve cardmembers but not a part of Priority Pass.
The space has been really transformed compared to just a week ago when I looked in on it.
One thing that most people miss when visiting the Admirals Club on the E concourse at Washington National is the VIP Room. It’s tucked right behind the checkin desk on the right as you get off the elevator.
This space is unique among clubs, built because the airport sees a large number of Members of Congress, Supreme Court justices, heads of Executive Branch agencies, as well as visiting dignitaries from abroad. You and I aren’t be invited in (usually).
A Delta Sky Club in Charlotte will be great for Delta passengers but could also be good for American passengers as well as a result of competitive pressure, and would add to a Centurion lounge, The Club, and two Minute Suites locations at the airport.
American Airlines is getting a huge new Admirals Club lounge in Charlotte. In fact, it will be the airline’s largest lounge, but it will take a couple of years to come to fruition.
Last month I broke the news, based on an Austin city permit that Chase would be opening a space in the Austin airport, an indoor-outdoor space next to the Delta Sky Club< which takes over the public outdoor deck. It's opening this month and will offer grab and go food. Chase has shared that the “Sapphire Terrace” will open March 20, and be available to Sapphire Reserve cardmembers departing from Austin (no access on arrival) and offer complimentary local beverages (“like cider from Austin Eastciders and beer from (512) Brewing Company as well as non-alcoholic beverages”). There will be “shuffleboard, a giveaway, and more” and “artwork from Austin artist and muralist Rex Hamilton that’s inspired by the vibrant colors and native flowers of Texas.” Sapphire Reserve cardmembers will be eligible to bring two guests. The…
Delta has a close collaboration with Starbucks already. American Express has given out Starbucks gift cards occasionally in the past when denying cardmembers access due to lounge crowding. Surely they could team to buy these cards at a big discount, driving business to Starbucks and freeing up lounge space.
A Delta Sky Club Executive membership went up by $650 this year. The airline could allow members paying $1495 back into the lounge when traveling on a basic economy fare. That extra membership cost covers a lot of $8 gift cards purchased for some percentage off of that.
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 »
