I got a Chase Sapphire Reserve card last year when the signup bonus was 100,000 points. Card includes a Priority Pass membership, which until this week I had NOT been able to use (at Munich lounge cost was $27 per person, and we didn't have long layovers) However, we got to SFO with two spare hours before boarding and tried using the pass at the KLM/Air France lounge -- got free entry for myself and one guest with nice seats, coffee, croissants ... and then found the second room with enough good food for a full meal! And wine! I may have to renew this card and cancel my Chase Sapphire Preferred (cost difference after the $300 annual rebate of travel costs is only about $55) I was flying Economy, but the waiting time was definitely upgraded!
Posted by
Charleston, SC, USA
922 posts
Lounge access is a great thing! I have a credit card with Priority Pass as well but haven't used it yet. I have OneWorld status and can use lounges for free because of that regardless of class of travel. I really love the BA Galleries Lounge in JFK - it has showers and an outdoor seating area. Plus free wine. :-)
Posted by
San Francisco area
1806 posts
Thanks for the review. I'll have to see if I can get in on my next trip.
Posted by
L'Occitanie, France
10211 posts
That sounds like a lounge well worth it!
Air France at CDG used to be that good with full meals and bottles of cognac, but it's declined :( , probably due to moochers like me, while some in the States in domestic terminals offer mainly peace and quiet--hum, not so bad to have peace and quiet these days.
Anyway, hope you get to enjoy it again and again!
Posted by
Northern Rockies, British Columbia, Canada
533 posts
My experience is that many people are using the Priority Pass now, myself included, so much so that the lounges I've been at in the last while (Vancouver BC, CDG, AMS) have lineups of people queuing, with their Priority Pass in hand. I think there are so many credit cards offering these, and people are recognizing the benefits of getting out of the regular boarding lounges, they are very popular. The food is plentiful if not good, and of course there is the included wine and beer.
Posted by
50 posts
I paid the $300 Alaska Airlines Lounge for the first time this year. It's been well worth it. I travel a lot for work these days and get access to British Airway lounges and AK lounges which have made travel just feel a lot more civilized. I also have Precheck and am an elite tier frequent flier with Alaska which has gotten me upgraded on British and Alaska on longer flights which was sweet. The more you travel, the less civilized it all seems and the more these little perks make for a more tolerable experience.