Airport Lounges – Relax before your flight

Regardless of whether you are traveling for business or leisure, once in a while or every week, lounge access can help you make the most of your airport experience and make you feel more comfortable.

With lounge access, you can get to the airport early with time to spare and relax with some complimentary beer or cocktails before your flight. Some lounges offer kids rooms providing a place for them to play and release some energy before that long flight. If you have a long layover or connecting after a long flight, using an airport lounge to grab a shower and a complimentary massage on their massage chairs can make all the difference.

, In the end, the question is, do you think your comfort is worth the cost. There are many ways to get lounge access, and I will go over some of them. Do understand the information provided is for informational use only, and I am not monetizing or linking to any of the options I provide, so you can consider this an unbiased review.

Status with your favorite Airline

Personally, my favorite way of getting lounge access is the traditional way – Status with my preferred airline and airline alliance. For me, this is Delta and the SkyTeam Alliance. I can get complimentary SkyClub and SkyTeam lounge access when traveling, thanks to my loyalty to Delta Airlines and its partners. By being a Platinum Medallion Member, I get complimentary lounge access when I fly internationally. With the status, I get complimentary Delta Sky Club Membership (through the medallion choice rewards).

The easiest way to get status with your favorite airline is to be loyal. This is hard for many people because they always see cheap flights. However, sometimes, when you add the extra costs and expenses from your “cheap flights,” you may realize you are paying more and flying less comfortably. A great example of this for me is when I fly Internationally with SkyTeam, whether it be to Asia, Europe, the Middle East, etc., I know that upon my arrival at the airport, I can easily get a shower and some great local cuisine with complimentary adult beverages at no cost.

Imagine being stuck at a layover for 4 hours and having to purchase airport food and drinks for each connection. The cost can easily add hundreds for your entire trip, depending on how many connections you have, and the food is mediocre at best. On top of that, most lounges have showers, free wifi (no ads), complimentary drinks, complimentary food (some with full service), newspapers, nap rooms, and no screaming kids. So consider getting status! If you want to learn more about getting status, please read my post on “Getting Delta Skymiles Status” here.

Credit Card Lounge Access

Most premium credit cards offer lounge access. You can see a list below of cards I have that give great lounge access through their lounge or a lounge membership program. Do understand that these credit cards usually have a hefty annual fee; however, it’s access to lounges you might not have access to if you are an infrequent flyer.

  • The Platinum Card from American Express – $550 Annual Fee
    • Amex Centurion, Delta Sky Club & Priority Pass Select Membership
  • The Business Platinum Card from American Express – $595 Annual Fee
    • Amex Centurion, Delta Sky Club & Priority Pass Select Membership
  • Chase Sapphire Reserve – $450 Annual Fee
    • Priority Pass Select Membership
  • Citi AAdvantage Executive World Elite Mastercard – $450 Annual Fee
    • Admirals Club Membership & Priority Pass Select Membership
  • United Club Card – $450 Annual Fee
    • Priority Pass Select Membership
  • Delta Reserve Credit Card from American Express – $550 Annual Fee
    • Delta Sky Club when traveling on Delta Marketed or Delta Operated flight
  • Delta Reserve for Business from American Express – $550 Annual Fee
    • Delta Sky Club when traveling on Delta Marketed or Delta Operated flight

Lounge Membership Programs

If you do not want to attain status to an airline or pay a hefty annual fee to get a membership, another option is to get a lounge membership such as Priority Pass. With priority pass, you will get access to a vast to arrange lounges. However, the lounges are not as awesome as those by the airlines direct, so depending on what you are seeing, check out the priority pass memberships on their website directly. I would recommend getting a credit card with the Priority Pass Select included as the cost will essentially be the same; however, you will have more benefits with a travel credit card. You can sign up for a priority pass here: https://chubit.info/3itSwDL

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About Me

Vincent Wong

My personal passion is to travel and see the world, and I would love to share that with you. I know how stressful it is to plan your vacation, so I am hoping with my experiences in the many...

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