450 dollars certainly sounds like a lot of money. However, let me ask you. How much did it cost you and your travel buddy to buy a meal and a drink with alcohol (why drink anything else while on holiday) at the airport? My guess is probably around 75 dollars…but wait! You have to return too so let’s multiply that by two and we get (eek I think) 150 dollars. Now multiply 150 dollars by the amount of times a year you travel….450 is starting to sound like a deal. I can assure Matt and I travel at least 20x a year between vacations and work and we save quite a bit of money by having lounge access.
Why am I posting about Lounges?
One of our mission’s here at Out and Abroad is to help make luxury travel more accessible and I think Lounges are a perfect way to make the airport experience far less miserable and more fun. Also is there anything more gay than free Mimosas in the morning? So, we are now within scope!
Let’s discuss Airport Lounges and how to access them!
Airport Lounge 101*
In my opinion the lounge is single handily the perk you should invest in if you travel enough to justify it. Plane delays? Now let me be frank, the food and beverages in these lounges are generally mediocre at best, BUT if you spend many hours annually at the airport it is still quite the money saver plus there are additional amenities. Airport lounges are either independently owned or run by specific airlines. While the amenities can vary most of them include the following.
- Free Snacks
- Free Alcohol (premium drinks are more expensive)
- Free better Wifi
- Usually more comfortable seating
- Usually showers (great for a layover)
- Nicer bathrooms
What are my big ‘wins’ for Lounge Access
- I like to get to the airport very early (yay anxiety) so having a place to relax for awhile with all the above amenities is wonderful.
- We travel internationally frequently and connect. After a long flight it is wonderful to shower and feel human again during the layover
- Matt and I aren’t big eaters so the snacks in the lounge are plenty for us.
- Matt and I frequently travel for work and taking calls in the lounge is much easier than the terminal.
- Delays are far less annoying when comfortable and have free booze and food
Who should NOT invest in lounge access
Let’s start with who wouldn’t find the above perks desirable.
- People who don’t consume alcohol: honestly if you don’t drink much (which yay good for you) I am not sure it is worth it unless you travel very frequently and want to quieter space to work or relax
- People who travel 1-3x a year. You probably will get better value (and food) at the airport restaurants.
- People with kids. You will be miserable, your kids will be miserable, I and the rest of the lounge will be miserable, everyone will be miserable (lol just stating facts, what are kids supposed to do in such a confined space). If it’s infrequent it’s doable but I wouldn’t pay for frequent access for children. 😂
- People who only travel from small regional airports. Your lounge accessibility will be limited unless you frequently connect at a major hub which the lounge will be a great resource for a layover activity.
How do I access a lounge?
There are multiple ways, but I will give you the consultant answer before I break it down, it depends!
- Day Passes: Many lounges (including airline lounges if you are flying with them that day) actually allow you to pay to enter. It can usually be anywhere between 40-70 dollars per person. Truthfully, I would only suggest this if you are arriving at the airport several hours before your flight, or if you are significantly delayed. Otherwise just go to a restaurant.
- Airline Annual Memberships: Airlines charge around 500-600 dollars annually for access to their specific lounge network (think Admirals Club for American Airlines, United Club for United Airlines, etc.) This isprobably my recommendation asf the way to go, but there are caveats
- you need to consistently fly this specific airline to make it worth it. For example, if you have access to the Delta Lounge than you have to fly Delta to access it. One cannot fly Spirit (ew please leave this blog, lol jk!) and use the Delta lounge, regardless of if you have their annual membership.
- Your home airport needs to have a this specific airline lounge otherwise why pay for this
- If you go this route, get access with an airline credit card (450 dollars that includes lounge membership with many more perks instead of paying for the 550 dollar for just the annual membership independently
- Priority Pass: Priority pass is a network of independently owned lounges (sometimes owned by the airlines too). This is something you can also buy directly through priority pass or as a perk through many credit cards. Heck some credit cards offer specific airline lounges AND priority pass lounges which is a steal. This is a good option if you fly several different airlines annually and/or your airport has a priority pass lounge. Feel free to go on the priority pass website and take a look at their locations
- Book Business or First Class International Flights: Flying in the front of the plane on international flights gets you access too. Totally the way to go if you are very wealthy and have no brand loyalty.
I am happy to chat further in the comments if you are still unsure or have any questions about airline lounge! I do hope this post helped you get more acquainted with the whole idea and reveal it is not a fortune to gain access and in a lot of ways can save you money. See you in the lounge!
Bon Voyage,
Andrew
*For the purposes of this post, I am referring to the standard airport lounge. I am aware airlines have fancy ones like Polaris, American Flagship and various other First-Class lounges which have even more luxury perks
Out And Abroad 
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