Club me

I assume for true VIPs and magnates, there are separate clubs

oh yes https://www.heathrowvip.com/s/

Yes, the lounges are really nice before a flight. We are Amex Platinum as well which allows us into a number of lounges, but then we also have Delta as well. The one thing that really strikes me is how much the lounges vary. At SEA, Delta is hands down the best, IME.

With Covid, I know there are some in which day passes are not being sold.

For me lounge access is an essential part of extended air travel. As an American Express Platinum card holder you

“...receive complimentary entry to The Centurion® Network, Delta Sky Club®, and Lufthansa Lounge. You can access the Centurion Network just by presenting your Platinum Card®, a boarding pass showing a confirmed reservation for same-day departing travel on any carrier and a government-issued I.D. within 3 hours of departing flight (excluding connecting flights). For Delta Sky Club access, the requirements are the same except the boarding pass must be for a Delta flight. For Lufthansa Lounge access, the requirements are the same except the boarding pass must be for a Lufthansa Group flight.”

Another credit card that provides lounge access at many locations is Chase Sapphire Reserve which comes with a Priority Pass membership. I frequently use this benefit. I like being out of the "hustle and bustle" of the main airport and having simple snacks.

One of the absolute best perks of lounge access is a reasonably good chance you’ll find a power outlet! ;)

Access to Delta's SkyClubs is a published benefit of the Amex Platinum—no "talking in" required.

https://www.travelandleisure.com/airlines-airports/lax-airport/lax-airport-lounge-ps-the-salon

For the deep pocketed, celebrities, sports stars etc. must be nice. Private TSA and immigration.

Don’t forget the arrival lounges. After an overnight flight it’s nice to be able to get a hot shower, properly brush my teeth and get a fresh change of clothes on.

"Access to Delta's SkyClubs is a published benefit of the Amex Platinum—no "talking in" required"

I find in travel, especially nowadays, nothing is guaranteed. So much is up to the discretion of the person behind the counter, YMMV is the rule.

Yes, I have a premium Delta AMEX that gets me entry, critical when I traveled for business, nice when I travel now, especially when limited flights from my regional airport means a long layover waiting for an overseas flight.

Decent free snacks and food, free drinks, comfortable seats, power outlets, great free wi-fi, clean bathrooms, decent security for your items, access to desk agents if you have a flight problem, all worth the extra expense (plus other benefits) of the card.

The KLM club at Schipol was also a nice change from the Delta club.

However, pre-pandemic, the Delta Clubs were turning into a zoo, and they started to tighten up access (raising day pass prices, eliminating some entry benefits), interesting to see if they will pick that up again once numbers go back up.

Per the Delta website "As of November 15, 2018 the sale of the $59/5,000 mile Single Visit Passes has been discontinued"

AmEx had the same issue with their Centurion lounges. I remember skipping by them as often as attempting to enter them, after seeing lines to get in or peering inside to see them packed to the rafters. Nothing remotely approaching a quiet refuge from the hustle and bustle of the the public spaces of the terminal, with how crowded and chaotic they were. So they began to crack down on number of +1s/guests, enforce time limits, etc.

Internationally, Lufthansa still appears to be selling one-time passes to some of its lounges at Frankfurt. The link I have is really ugly and I won't try to post it here. I don't know whether they also require a same-day boarding pass on a Star Alliance partner.