Instagram user netgateofftherecord posted a “life hack” on May 1st that has garnered thousands of views, likes, and comments—most of which are negative. The hack involves taking complimentary food from flight lounges in airports in bulk to “meal prep.”
Lounge lunches
The creator begins the video by stating that he has an “insane life hack” to share: meal prepping at an airport. The creator claims that the food sourced from the lounges is healthy, which is a stretch. He says his method only costs him between $120 and $180 a month and then claims that people shouldn’t spend more than $40 to $50 weekly on healthy food.
Photo: The Club Airport Lounges – Charlotte
The user states that to take advantage of this life hack, people must get an
American Express Platinum Card
, which gives them access to many different lounges, including Delta’s Sky Lounge, American Airlines’ Centurion Lounge, and Escape Lounges. He claims that it isn’t difficult to get this card, and you need a credit score of only about 690 credit score. But there is a caveat: the card has an annual fee of $695.
The idea is to buy the cheapest flight ticket at your closest airport with a participating lounge, which the creator says he routinely gets for roughly $20, and then head in and pack as much food as possible.
Debunking the claims
Food at airport lounges is made for taste and is not intended for frequent consumption. Food made in commercial kitchens can contain preservatives, copious amounts of butter, fat, and other flavor enhancers. Unless the food at the lounge is specifically advertised as healthy, there is a good chance it isn’t.
Healthier foods, like organic vegetables and foods that don’t include high-fructose corn syrup and trans fats, tend to be more expensive because the ingredients and farming methods used to produce the food are more expensive.
Photo: Delta Air Lines
While the idea seems sound, airlines have policies to prevent people from abusing these privileges. You might not even know what policies you are breaking if you don’t read the fine print, as purchasing the ticket is equivalent to signing a contract between the airline and yourself. Given the severity of the offense, you could be banned from the lounges or the airline itself.
Finally, the cost of the food isn’t simply the cost of the ticket and the card’s annual fee. Popping into an airport isn’t the simplest thing. You have to get transportation to the airport, which can be expensive. Even if you have a vehicle, parking at airports isn’t cheap. In addition, to get to the lounge, you must go through security, check-in counters, and more. The time and effort spent would be better spent elsewhere.
Good advice or ragebait?
The video’s comments section is split between people who find it useful and those who criticize the creator. Some comments include:
- Viajestamriel said, “This is why they’ll take even more lounge access away.”
- Insomni40 said, “If people actually do this, I am sure the lounges will quickly implement a policy that will not allow anyone to do this anymore.”
- Just.joshinnnn said, “Dude, just go to Costco.”
- Angelbagatella said, “Dude, come on. This is borderline homeless guy activity. Don’t be this guy.”
Many users find the advice incredulous and are embarrassed for the creator. They must be desperate if they are going to such lengths to get decent food. The irony is that this creator’s other posts almost exclusively feature them partying, which must cost way more than a simple run to a grocery store.
Related
Which Airport Lounge Has The Best Food?
Lounges allow airlines and airports to show their best side to the most discerning of passengers. Many legacy airlines, including American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, United Airlines, Virgin Atlantic, and Qantas, operate extensive networks of lounges. Individual airports and third parties, including credit card companies, also run airport lounges worldwide.
The quality of lounges varies significantly, even within airports and lounge chains. Premium carriers like Air France invest heavily in their lounges, while other lounges seem to do little more than fill space. Food and beverage offerings are one of the key ways brands can differentiate themselves, with the likes of Emirates offering multiple buffets, as other lounges serve only light pre-packaged snacks.
Select airlines even upcharge for hot food in addition to the lounge entrance fee, which can impact the experience when the food inside the lounge costs more than a decent meal in the airport concourse. Which airlines or program