A Comprehensive Guide To Airport Lounges: Access, Amenities & Etiquette

Airport lounges provide an alternative for those who would rather not wait for their next flight among a crowd or who would like a little pampering during a long connection. They can provide a bit of peace and quiet, an easy meal, or an even more luxurious experience like a massage, in the midst of an otherwise chaotic travel day.

For those who have not had the opportunity to utilize airport lounges, the concept may seem a bit foreign, though. Who can get in, and how? What is actually behind those fancy-looking doors? What should a person do once they are there? Lounges these days are open to many more people than in the past – and access is certainly not just for expensive paid premium cabin tickets.

Access to lounges through airlines

There are several different types of airport lounges and several different ways to access them. Broadly speaking, lounges can be categorized into two categories: lounges offered by airlines based on travel class or status and lounges managed by third-party companies with access independent of the airline you are flying.

Airline lounges are the most obvious type – and the ones that have been around the longest. Access is not as straightforward as you might think – it is not just for business and first class passengers. Ways to access the lounge include:

• Paid business or first class ticket. This is the traditional and simplest way to get into a lounge. Most airlines outside North America include lounge access with all paid business or first class tickets. There are exceptions, however. Most US airlines do not offer lounge access on domestic or regional First tickets. Also, more and more airlines are starting to sell discount or basic business class fares that exclude lounge access (Qatar Airways and Finnair are just two examples of this).

Photo: Sorbis | Shutterstock

• Access lounges based on elite status. Lounge access is a valuable benefit of mid or top tier status with most airline loyalty programs. Members with the right status level will get access to the lounge regardless of the cabin flown. With alliance membership, this benefit will extend to all airlines within the alliance. Again, there are exceptions here for major US-based loyalty programs (for own flights).

Photo: Sorbis | Shutterstock

• Join the lounge program (mainly in the US). US-based airlines tend to operate domestic and regional lounges differently. Instead of granting access based on cabin or elite status, they offer paid lounge membership programs. For example, with American Airlines, an annual AAdmirals Club membership costs $700 to $850, depending on the membership type. Premium co-branded airline credit cards may help here as well.

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• Pay for lounge access. The final option is to simply pay for access. This is usually an option with US airlines and their lounge program, but less common in other countries. Access to an AAdmirals Club lounge, for example, currently costs $79 (or you can pay with 7,900 AAdvantage miles).

Access to third-party lounges

Look around any large airport, and you will quickly notice that airline-branded lounges are not the only option. In some airports, there is a wide choice of additional lounges, which you access regardless of the airline or cabin you are flying. Access to these lounges is either based on a membership system or pay-as-you-go use.

• Pay per entry. The simplest way to access lounges is to pay per entry. This is possible in most airports these days, with several choices in major airports. As the popularity of lounges has increased, many have added advance reservations and premium payments for better services or seating areas.
• Lounge pass/membership. If you visit lounges more frequently, a paid membership would make sense. Several programs offer this – including Priority Pass, Lounge, Lounge Pass, and DragonPass. These have several options for multiple or unlimited visits. Priority Pass, for example, costs up to $459 for annual unlimited use.

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What is this program all about?

• Access as a credit card benefit. High-end credit cards, such as the American Express Platinum card or the Chase Sapphire Reserve, often offer lounge access as a perk. The American Express Platinum card, for example, offers an unlimited Priority Pass membership plus access to additional lounges, including Plaza Premium lounges and American Express-operated Centurion lounges.

Lounge amenities on offer

What travelers can expect to find in a lounge can vary widely. At the most basic level, an airport lounge will generally provide a space to sit that is more spacious and quiet than the gate in the terminal. Be sure to still research lounges ahead of time to get an idea of how crowded they might be, as on busy travel days, some can still get quite crowded.

Photo: Lufthansa

Most lounges offer some form of food, ranging from a basic selection of snacks to multi-course meal options. These often come in the form of a buffet, although some higher-end lounges offer sit-down food service provided by a waitstaff. Many lounges also offer a premium drink selection that may either be a cash bar, an honor bar, or, in premium lounges, an open bar.

Many lounges have their own separate bathrooms, and some even provide showers and places to change, which may be particularly appealing to those who are connecting after an especially long flight. Others offer desks, cubicles, or conference rooms to get work done in, play areas for kids, and even spa services and massages in some high-end lounges.

First class airline lounges are where it can get really luxurious. The top airlines have some amazing lounges at their hubs, accessible to first class tickets holders or sometimes top-tier elite members. Some examples include:

• Cathay Pacific’s first class lounges in Hong Kong. There are two lounges, with facilities including a full-length bar, waiter-service restaurant, message service, and cabanas with full baths. The gallery below has some pictures of these lounges.
• British Airways offers the exclusive Concorde Room at Heathrow, open to ticketed first class passengers.
• Qatar Airways’ Al Safwa First Lounge in Doha.

Lounge Etiquette

Since airport lounges can include such a wide range of offerings and because passengers often have the ability to choose between multiple lounges at any given airport, it is important to do a little homework ahead of time to decide which one to go to. Doing this will help avoid bouncing around between lounge desks, and will ensure the chosen lounge will actually meet expectations.

Also, be aware that lounge access granted by a business class or first class ticket will usually only be good before boarding the last flight of the trip. Although there is such a thing as an arrival lounge, most lounges will not grant access before leaving the airport after the last leg of a trip.

Photo: Singapore Airlines

After entering a lounge, it is a good idea to walk around the space. Some lounges can be relatively large and not every amenity may be right up front, nor may the best place to sit be right at the entrance. Take a moment to take it all in.

Once seated and comfortable, avoid spending any unnecessary time talking on the phone, and always listen to any form of audio using headphones or earbuds. Be respectful of others’ shared desire for a calm and peaceful environment.

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Many lounges offer free food, and some may provide free alcoholic drinks as well. While free drinks are certainly a nice benefit, only indulge to a reasonable point. Don’t be the guest who goes overboard and gets kicked out of the lounge or, even worse, denied entry on their next flight.

If enjoyed in a responsible and respectful way, airport lounge access can be a game changer for making long trips much more enjoyable and comfortable.

What do you look for in a lounge? Which lounges have you found to have the best amenities? Let us know in the comments section below.