lounges Archives - TravelSkills

Are airport lounges getting too crowded?

March 7, 2017

Waiting in line at the entry to United’s new Club at SFO Terminal 3 (Chris McGinnis)

Frequent travelers love airport lounges, but do we love them too much? Maybe.

Overcrowding is becoming a serious issue in airline clubs- so much so that members are rethinking annual memberships, or considering newer options.

During busy morning hours, the United Clubs and the American Express Centurion Lounge my home airport (SFO) are frequently more crowded than airport terminals. Club staff have difficulty keeping buffets stocked and tables cleaned.

Last time I was in New York-JFK, I had to squeeze onto a stool between two other travelers and peer out at the tarmac to mentally escape from the crazy-crowded Delta Sky Club where I’d just waited two-deep for a glass of chardonnay at the bar. In Istanbul last May I saw business class passengers wait in bathroom lines for 10-20 minutes at Turkish Airlines’ massive (but crowded) business class lounge.

When American Express announced that it was raising its annual fee for the Platinum Card from $450 to $550, I thought, “hmmm could Amex be taking a page from airline play books and jacking up fees to reduce crowding at Centurion Lounges?” Maybe. UPDATE: Amex has restricted the number of family members to two only.

And then yesterday, I heard from a reader reporting that Alaska Airlines clubs at Sea-Tac were turning away Priority Pass cardholders due to capacity issues.

Watching the sun and the planes from a pretty perch at Delta’s exceptional Sky Club at SFO (Chris McGinnis)

At one time, high fees and lack of publicity kept most airline clubs cozy, quiet and comfortable refuges from crowded airport concourses. But that started to change a few years ago, when airlines began offering one-time passes for $50. Then credit card companies got in on the act, offering membership or day passes to card holders. That started to swell the ranks of club visitors.

Then American Express saw a need for better airport lounges for its top tier Platinum and Centurion card members, and started to build lounges of its own. These Centurion lounges wowed members with chef-prepared meals, top-shelf bars, wine tastings, sophisticated design, and showers. The travel media fawned. But then Centurion lounges became overcrowded, too.

The main room of The Club at SJC (Photo: Scott Hintz)

One solution to overcrowding has been the growth of airline agonistic lounges like The Club, which charges $40 per visit and has locations at 9 airports in the US. In my experience, these lounges are rarely crowded, and relatively nice. There are also Escape Lounges in the U.S. and the U.K.

Technology can also help. For example, the LoungeBuddy app helps travelers determine which lounges have availability, how much they cost and if they have a “pay as you go” option for as little as $25. Founder Tyler Dikman credits much of his company’s recent growth to travelers frustration with with crowding, which he says has become worse in the last three years.

I don’t know about you, but with the help of PreCheck and Clear, I now feel that I’ve honed my travel skills 🙂 so well that I usually get to the airport without ample time to fully enjoy the airport club experience, so the perk is less valuable to me. Plus, many airports terminals are as nice as airport clubs these days (hello SFO T3E or T2 or Newark Terminal C, Los Angeles TBIT or Delta’s new C gates at LGA)

What about you? Have crowded conditions forced you to reconsider club memberships or credit cards offering lounge access as a perk? Please leave your comments below.

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Delta overhauls two Sky Clubs (photos)

February 25, 2017

Delta’s renovated Sky Club at Newark Liberty International. (Image: Delta)

Delta Sky Club members and guests will get a new and improved airport lounge experience now that renovations are finished for the clubs at Minneapolis-St. Paul and Newark Liberty International.

At MSP, the Delta Sky Club – located between Concourses F and G – now has an enhanced food service area and a self-service beverage area, along with Starbucks coffee. The amount of work space for members has been increased, and the seating area has been expanded. The 13,000 square foot MSP club has 340 seats.

Improvements at the Newark Sky Club include a new food and beverage area and the installation of more accessible charging ports around the facility. The Sky Club at EWR is post-security in Terminal B, offering seating for 160 travelers in 5,600 square feet.

The latest Sky Club improvements come shortly after the airline finished an expansion of its lounge at Raleigh-Durham International. Last year, Delta opened new Sky Club locations at Denver International, Atlanta’s Concourse B and Seattle’s Concourse A.

Here are more photos of the renovated club at Newark:

(Image: Delta)

(Image: Delta)

And here’s the overhauled Sky Club at Minneapolis-St. Paul:

(Image: Delta)

(Image: Delta)

(Image: Delta)

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AmEx expands Centurion Lounge network

February 4, 2017

Spacious seating area at the AmEx Centurion Lounge in Miami Airport. (Image: American Express)

American Express unveiled plans to add two more locations to its Centurion airport lounge collection this year – including its first international one — and to expand an existing location.

The first Centurion Lounge outside the U.S. will be at Hong Kong International Airport. The 8,000-square-foot Hong Kong lounge will be in Terminal 1, but AmEx provided no other details except to say it will offer “a unique selection of premium amenities, food and beverages.” The company noted that Hong Kong is one of Asia’s most popular destinations for premium AmEx cardholders.

The other new lounge this year will be in Philadelphia International’s Terminal A West. That 6,300 square foot facility will have a complimentary premium bar and a food menu with “Philadelphia favorites,” as well as floor-to-ceiling windows, bathrooms with a private shower suite, and free Wi-Fi.

AmEx did not give estimated opening dates for the new lounges. Centurion Lounges are available at no charge for AmEx Platinum Card holders with reservations for same-day travel; other AmEx cardholders can access the lounges with a day pass that costs $50, subject to capacity limits. Click here for details on the lounges.

Seattle's new Centurion Studio- small but nice (Photo: Amex)

Seattle-Tacoma’s Centurion Studio is getting bigger. (Photo: Amex)

Meanwhile, the company said it also will expand its Centurion Lounge in Seattle-Tacoma International’s Terminal B from the current 3,100 square feet to 4,500, adding a private shower suite, additional restrooms, extra seating, a full premium bar, and “spectacular views of Mount Rainier.” Work should be finished in the first half of this year, AmEx said.

I sure wish they’d find a way to expand the Centurion Lounge at SFO— nearly every time I go, the lounge is a mob scene and I turn around and leave.

Besides Seattle, existing Centurion Lounges are in Dallas/Ft. Worth International, Las Vegas McCarran, New York LaGuardia, San Francisco International, Miami International and Houston Bush Intercontinental.

What do you think of Centurion Lounges? Have you experienced crowding issues? Please leave your comments below.

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Airport news: Newark, JFK, San Francisco, Baltimore, Miami

November 25, 2016

A fast screening lane like this one at Atlanta has opened in United’s Newark Liberty International hub. (Image: Delta)

In airport news, Newark is the latest facility to start using automated TSA screening lanes to speed up the inspection process; British Airways plans a big upgrade of its terminal at New York JFK; healthy snack machines are coming to San Francisco International; Baltimore/Washington International opens a new connector between two concourses and a new security checkpoint; and Miami International adds a bunch of new shops and restaurants in its North Terminal.

United Airlines and the Transportation Security Administration have opened the first of 17 automated screening lanes coming to United’s hub at Newark Liberty International. Like the other automated lanes popping up around the country, the Newark lane allows several passengers to load their items into bins simultaneously; has an automated conveyor belt that pulls the bins into the x-ray machine instead of requiring travelers to push them; shunts questionable items off onto a separate belt for more detailed inspection without slowing down other passengers; and offers bins that are 25 percent larger than other lanes. The new automated lanes are expected to reduce screening wait times by 30 percent.

British Airways announced plans to spend $110 million improving its airport facilities in the U.S., and the bulk of that amount – more than $65 million – will be spent on its Terminal 7 at New York JFK. The airline said the JFK terminal will get an overhaul of check-in, security and gate areas as well as upgrades to its first class and business class lounges. The rest of the funding will be used for improvements to British Airways’ airport lounges at San Francisco, Boston, Chicago, Miami, Houston and Seattle. (A BA spokesperson told TravelSkills that there’s no current update or timeline for the long-awaited expansion of its lounge at SFO’s International Terminal A.)

Healthy snack vending machines copmingto SFO will accept smartphone payment systems. (Image: Gillys Vending)

Healthy snack vending machines coming to SFO will accept smartphone payment systems. (Image: Gilly Vending)

Want to grab a quick snack at San Francisco International? You’ll get more healthy choices starting next year thanks to the airport’s new contract with Gilly Vending. The company said its vending machines will be stocked with “organic, gluten-free, low-salt, sugar-free and low-calorie” product selections. “The offerings in the new multi-year contract will highlight only‎ premium quality snack products from recognized brands packed with an abundance of nutrients and antioxidants which are proven to boost energy and stamina such as dried fruits, coconut chips, carob, quinoa, chia, nuts and whole grains,” Gilly said. Yum! What’s more, the machines will accept cashless pay systems including Google, Android and Apple Pay.

The new D/E Connector and security checkpoint at BWI. (Image: Baltimore Washington Airport)

Baltimore/Washington International Airport has opened a new secure connector linking its Concourse D with its international Concourse E. The $125 million expansion project also includes a new security checkpoint for domestic and international passengers, as well as new passenger concessions and restrooms. The airport plans to eliminate the old security checkpoints for the D and E concourses. Other aspects of the project include an outdoor patio with airfield views, and a children’s play area. The connector will serve as an art gallery for displays of the work of local artists. Officials noted that BWI’s passenger traffic hit a record 24 million in 2015 and is continuing to grow this year.

Officials at Miami International have cut the ribbon on the North Terminal Marketplace – a collection of 10 new restaurants and shops intended to give travelers “a multi-cultural taste of Miami,” the airport said. Located between Gates D-26 and D-29, the marketplace includes a pizzeria; a Caribbean specialty restaurant; singer Gloria Estefan’s Estefan Kitchen Express; a farm-to-table restaurant called Fig and Fennel; an empanadas outlet; a seafood deli; and retail shops selling cigars, Miami Marlins merchandise, designer porcelain dolls, and fashions from Perry Ellis.

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Dive into Delta’s newest Sky Club

October 24, 2016

New Delta Sky Club at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (Photo: Scott Hintz)

Last week, Delta opened a new Sky Club lounge at its growing Seattle hub. And what a club it is. We had a chance to preview it before it opened last Friday and we were impressed.

This new club is located in the main terminal between Concourses A and B, near gate A1. It’s the second Sky Club at SEA, complementing the existing lounge in the South Satellite terminal near gates S9 and S10. But this new lounge is far larger, newer and nicer — and definitely worth going out of your way to visit if you have enough time, even if you are flying out of the satellite terminal.

New Skyclub location between Concourses A and B at Sea-Tac airport

Entrance to new Skyclub near gate A1 at SEA

The new Seattle Sky Club is one of the largest in the Delta network at over 21,000 square feet and with enough space to seat over 400 visitors. (Compare that to the new Atlanta Sky Club with 25,000 square feet and room for 500.) The design is modern and sleek, quite similar to the design of the also-new Delta lounge at SFO. It felt more like something you’d experience at a BA lounge at Heathrow or maybe a Cathay lounge in Hong Kong in terms of it being large, light and airy, and packed with a lot of amenities. Kudos to Delta for really upping its game here.

Speaking of amenities, here are the highlights: Comfortable seating and power ports galore. You have a choice of long, partitioned benches; individual club chairs; sleek modern curved benches that feel like they belong in the mod, vintage TWA terminal at JFK; dining table/chairs; connected seats with high walls for privacy; quad-seat cubes facing away from each other; desk workstations; private pods with work lighting and swivel table/desk; and many other varieties of club chairs. There is truly a comfortable seat for everyone in this lounge. And all seating had power outlets integrated or adjacent to the seat. Even the dining section had clever power-port “towers” so you can charge up while enjoying the food (more on that below).

Elegant and functional seating at the new SEA Sky Club (Photo: Scott Hintz)

Private workstations are one of the many seating options at the new SEA Sky Club (Photo: Scott Hintz)

Power ports are everywhere, including these “power towers” throughout the dining area (Photo: Scott Hintz)

A gorgeous two-story space with lots of natural light and great views of the tarmac and Mount Rainier off in the distance (or so we’re told — it was cloudy on the day we were there). Delta has incorporated local design elements throughout such as a glass wave design in room partitions, natural wood, and colors that evoke the Pacific Northwest. There’s also a beautiful mosaic-style mural of the famous Pike’s Place market sign made by the same artist who did the similar Golden Gate bridge mosaic in the SFO Skyclub. See our review of the SFO Sky Club! This will be a very comfortable place to kill time or get work done at SEA.

Beautiful two-story, 30-foot space with lots of artwork and nods to the Pacific Northwest (Photo: Scott Hintz)

Pixelated mural of Pike Place Market by artist Craig Alan McMillan, the same artist who did the Golden Gate Bridge mural at the SFO Sky Club (Photo Scott Hintz)

Views from the expansive 30-foot windows in the Skyclub. Mount Ranier is supposedly visible on clear days (Photo: Scott Hintz)

Views from the expansive 30-foot windows in the Skyclub. Mount Rainier is supposedly visible on clear days (Photo: Scott Hintz)

Six private shower rooms with Malin+Goetz toiletries. There are three “standard” size rooms and three larger ones that we’re told can accommodate families if you are traveling with kids; but even the smaller rooms were large and impressive. The room has a private toilet, sink, and of course, shower area. The design is very high end and just feels luxurious. Well done, Delta.

Private shower rooms includes shower, toilet, and sink with Malin+Goetz amenities (Scott Hintz)

Delta’s first foray into a spa integrated into a Sky Club. It’s run by Asanda and offers chair massages and relaxation treatments, all for a fee. I tried a 10-minute sample chair massage and it was great (normal pricing is 20 minutes for $50 or 45 minutes for $100). I also tried samples of two of the relaxation treatments where you lie in a zero-gravity chair, but honestly, didn’t care for either of them. The first is called Nap26 and you basically listen to white noise on headphones to relax, but I could still hear outside sound and the white noise just felt a little annoying to me. The other one I tried is the Deepak Chopra Dream Weaver, where you listen to a little bit of Deepak himself speaking in a calm voice to guide you to a relaxing “other” world, then you wear glasses with embedded LEDs that blink in various colors and formations to create hypnotic visual images (you keep your eyes closed and just pick up light and patterns). The blinking LEDs sort of freaked me out and made me stressed and anxious, the opposite of the intended goal. Maybe others will like it, but I would urge caution.

Chair massage and relaxation chairs at the SEA Sky Club spa (Scott Hintz)

Chair massage and relaxation chairs at the SEA Sky Club (Scott Hintz)

Enhanced food and drink It seemed that there was more food on offer here than I’ve seen at other Sky Clubs, not quite the full buffet you might see at a foreign carrier’s lounge, but getting close. Delta says it’s partnering with chef Ethan Stowell to provide food that has a local flair to it, in addition to a mac and cheese dish from Beecher’s Cheese, which is a Seattle institution (and we can attest to it being delicious). As far as beverages, it was the standard Sky Club setup of free and premium offerings, but here Delta will have Washington State wines, as well as spirits and beers from local makers. THE BAR at Delta Sky Club offers a variety of premium and complimentary options including Washington wines such as Chateau Ste. Michelle, cocktails from local distilleries including Glass Vodka, Westland Distilleries and more, Georgetown Lucille IPA craft beer, and freshly brewed Starbucks coffee.

Mac and cheese and other hot food options at the SEA Sky Club (Scott Hintz)

Salads, crudite, and other food options at the SEA Skyclub

Salads, crudites, and other food options at the SEA Skyclub

All in all, this Sky Club is a fantastic new space that will be welcomed by frequent travelers. It also ups the game considerably in terms of lounge experiences offered by U.S. carriers — so American, United, and Alaska should pay attention, but even foreign carriers are put on notice. It definitely shows how much effort Delta is putting into growing its Seattle hub.

For west coast flyers, Seattle is an increasingly viable option for international journeys. Delta flies nonstop to five cities in Asia from SEA (Beijing, Shanghai, Tokyo/NRT, Seoul, and Hong Kong) and three cities in Europe (London/LHR, Amsterdam, and Paris), with most of those airports offering tons of connections on Delta partners to get you almost anywhere you want to go. And Seattle is a somewhat efficient routing, as most west coast flights go up the coast over the Seattle area anyway to get to Asia or Europe.

Sky Club members and certain American Express cardholders have unlimited access the club. Non-members can pay a one-time fee of $59.

What’s Next for Sky Clubs? A renovated Club in Raleigh-Durham is scheduled to open in late November and will offer additional seats, more accessible power and a new food and beverage area. A new Club expansion is coming to Newark in late 2016, including a redesigned bar and more food options.

This post was written by TravelSkills contributor Scott Hintz

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United unveils new business class, dumps first

June 2, 2016

A typical window seat in United's new Polaris business class. (Image: United)

A typical window seat in United’s new Polaris international business class. (Image: United)

December 1 is the launch date for what United Airlines is calling a ”reimagined international travel experience” – the carrier’s long-awaited new business class, which will come with some new airport lounges as well.

United is calling the new cabins “Polaris Business Class” and they’ll start to appear in December on the airline’s 777-300ERs, and later on its new 787-10s and A350-1000s. United said its 767-300s and 777-200s will be retrofitted with the new cabins and that the fleet-wide retrofit is a “multi-year process” that we expect to take up to three years. United’s current first class product will disappear with the retrofit. So will those controversial rear-facing, four-across BusinessFirst seats.

Also on December 1, United will cut the ribbon on a new Polaris business class airport lounge at Chicago O’Hare, the first of nine such installations. Others will be coming at Los Angeles International, San Francisco, Houston Bush Intercontinental, Newark, Washington Dulles, Tokyo Narita, London Heathrow and Hong Kong, United said.

New business class seats will recline up to 180 degrees. (Image: United)

The new Polaris business seats, custom-designed for United, come in “forward-facing, suite-like pods,” the airline said. They all offer aisle access and 180-degree lie-flat recline. The seat dimensions are 6 feet 6 inches long and 22 inches wide. A spokesperson told TravelSkills that “bed length, width, side furniture and storage are all in line with Global First today.”

Passengers will find 16-inch high-def video screens, mood lighting, and the perfect level of seat recline achieved via a wheel instead of a button (something we first saw on the Hawaiian Air biz class rollout last week), along with multiple storage areas and surfaces for simultaneous working and dining.(Always a difficult feat to do both so will be interesting to try this!)

For those traveling with companions, the two seats in the center of the cabin will have electronic privacy dividers. And another nice touch: All seats have toggled do-not-disturb notifications.

Improved in-flight menus are designed by the Chicago-based Trotter Group. (Image: United)

Other enhancements to business class will include new custom-designed luxury bedding from Saks Fifth Avenue; free pajamas and “cooling gel filled pillows” on flights longer than 12 hours; new amenity kits; and upgraded in-flight menus and wine selections.

“In-flight service will also include made-to-order signature ice cream sundaes, a dessert cart with a variety of petit dessert options, chocolate truffles and wine flights. On daytime flights longer than eight hours and on all flights longer than 12 hours, hot mid-flight snacks such as lobster macaroni and cheese will be available,” United said.

Seats come with innovative storage spaces and new amenity kits. (Image: United)

The new Polaris airport lounges will feature new custom chairs, private daybeds, spa showers, and hot meals “served in a boutique restaurant setting” so travelers can dine before boarding if they want. Private seating stations in the lounges come with pull-out desks, induction chargers, AC/USB ports and table-mounted lamps.

Polaris lounges offer some private seating spaces for work and device recharging. (Image: United)

The airline has created a special website at www.United.com/Polaris to introduce all the features of the new cabins and lounges. It also offers a virtual tour of the cabin via YouTube video.

So dear readers…. what do you think? What do you like…or not like about this? Please leave your comments below.

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American’s new look for lounges (Photos/Video)

February 17, 2016

Rendering of seating area at AA's new and expanded Flagship Lunges. (Image: American)

Rendering of seating area at AA’s redesigned and expanded Flagship Lounges. (Image: American)

As U.S. carriers haul in record profits, they are reinvesting some of that money in an improved passenger experience – especially for premium customers. The latest effort along these lines is an announcement from American Airlines that it will overhaul and expand its top-of-the-line Flagship Lounges at key hubs, and make them accessible to more customers; add a new Flagship Dining experience with table service; and open new Admirals Club lounges.

American said it plans to “redefine” its Flagship Lounges – exclusive airport retreats for its first class passengers (and separate from its Admirals Clubs) – by renovating and expanding the existing facilities at New York JFK, Los Angeles International and Chicago O’Hare, and adding new ones at Dallas/Ft. Worth, Miami International and Philadelphia International. The work starts this spring.

Because the Flagship Lounges will be larger and in more airports, American said that starting in 2017, it will open them up to more passengers – specifically, customers booked in first class and business class on transpacific and transatlantic flights, as well as flights to “deep” South America and first/business class passengers on the airline’s transcontinental A321T flights.

Besides enlarging the Flagship Lounges, AA said it will refurnish them, add more connectivity and power outlets, and bring more hot and cold selections to their buffet food service.

Rendering of AA’s new Flagship Dining facilities, coming to major hubs. (Image: American Airlines)

Speaking of food, the airline also plans to create new Flagship Dining facilities starting in 2017 at its JFK, DFW, Miami and LAX hubs. Instead of the buffet service in Flagship Lounges, these new facilities will provide full table service, seasonal menus and locally sourced ingredients. Access will be limited to first class passengers on AA’s three-class international and transcon flights.

This month, American is also beginning an overhaul of its arrivals lounge at London Heathrow; the renovation includes private showers and dressing areas, food and beverage service, and a valet pressing service.

Design for American’s new Admirals Club coming to Orlando International. (Image: American Airlines)

As for American’s paid-membership Admirals Club airport lounges, it will open new ones in Orlando International and Houston Bush Intercontinental, and will continue to renovate existing locations. The first Admirals Clubs to get the new look and renovation were recently completed at Sao Paulo Guarulhos in Brazil and at Phoenix Sky Harbor. The renovation schedule includes 15 more locations over the next few years, starting with Admirals Clubs at New York JFK, Miami and Los Angeles.

The company has put up a Youtube video where you can get an idea of what the new and renovated facilities will look like.

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Restrictions on free-flowing airport booze?

February 20, 2015

American Airline’s self serve bar at its LAX Flagship lounge (Photo: Lounge Buddy)

It happened again yesterday. As I was putting this TravelSkills post together, yet another boozed up traveler described as “uncooperative and combative” was taken into custody at LAX and was dragged away “kicking and screaming.”

Headline from today’s LATimes.com

The US Federal Aviation Adminstration (FAA) deals with around 150 air rage incidents every year and over the past 20 years has had to take action against more than 4,000 passengers. Britain’s Civil Aviation Authority reported 114 air rage incidents (many fueled by alcohol) in the UK in 2014, up from 85 in 2013, 47 in 2012 and 39 in 2011 according to the Daily Mail.

It’s become so bad that the British Air Transport Association is now putting pressure on airport sales of booze. “Passengers are responsible for their own behaviour, but airport bars and duty free shops can play their part by making sure they sell alcohol responsibly,” said Nathan Stower, the association’s CEO, in The Telegraph.

As incidents like this increase, I’m wondering if we’ll soon see efforts to cut back on the “open bar” concept at airport lounges, because it seems that many of these incidents begin at the airport, and then play out on board.

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I also wonder what effect restrictions on free-flowing airport booze may have on the burgeoning business of airport lounges.

To help understand, I asked Tyler Dikman, the founder of the popular Lounge Buddy app about this. Here’s our Q&A.

Q: Are there regions where “open bar” is more prevalent/less prevalent or illegal?

LoungeBuddy: In some parts of the world, where alcohol consumption is not the accepted norm due to religious reasons, you may find far fewer open bars at airport lounges, or even a complete ban on alcohol sales and distribution. In general, most lounges around the world feature open bars with unlimited well drinks. Self-serve open bars are typically found in Europe and Asia, where high-end lounges are more prevalent, and there is less stigma against drinking. International airlines that operate airport lounges in the US, such as British Airways and Emirates, continue to provide self-serve open bars. While virtually all US airline lounges now have open bars, only a select few feature self-serve bars, such as the United Global First Lounges and American Airlines Flagship Lounges.

Bartenders on duty at Delta’s Sky Club in Atlanta (Photo: Chris McGinnis)

Q: Do you think that airport clubs may resort to more controlled “bartender only” drinks? Why or why not?

Internationally, we actually see the opposite. Upscale lounges such as the newly renovated The Wing First Class Lounge at HKG now feature a self-serve champagne bar. We see a continued liberalization of the self-serve alcohol policy across Europe and Asia, as well as Australia. In the US, domestic lounges remain tight-fisted with alcohol, keeping bottles behind the bar, and even charging extra for premium beer, wine, and spirits. We don’t see this policy changing in the near future.

Q: Does the drunk passenger situation seem to be more prevalent overseas than in the US

The short answer is no. With hundreds of millions of passengers passing through airports in the US each year, the likelihood of encountering the few bad eggs will of course increase. Air rage incidents can occur anywhere, and we’ve seen reported spikes in the UK, China, and other countries. Most of this, of course, can be attributed to the overall increase in passenger traffic over the past decade.

Q: How valuable is the “free” cocktails component of club membership?

We find that most travelers who purchase club memberships typically value comfort, privacy, and convenient business amenities the most. However, complimentary beer, wine, and cocktails are certainly a very popular aspect of the airport lounge experience as well. In terms of value, if you consider that a typical cocktail at an airport bar costs approximately $15 including tip, then just two to three drinks in an airport lounge can represent the cost of a standard one-time entry pass ($35 – $50). With an annual lounge membership, the value of these free drinks can be even greater. Of course, we don’t recommend purchasing a membership for the sole purpose of overindulging in alcohol at the airport lounge. However, we do find that alcoholic beverages remain one of the most popular amenities inside the lounge.

What do you think? Should airports restrict booze sales? If so, how would that impact your decisions around airline lounge use? Please leave your comments below.

–Chris McGinnis

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Feast your eyes on new United Club lounge in London (PHOTOS)

June 4, 2014

United’s big bright new Club at London Heathrow Terminal 2. CLICK ON PHOTO FOR SLIDESHOW

United Airlines moves into London-Heathrow’s spiffy new Terminal 2 (The Queen’s Terminal) today and will open up its posh new business and first class lounges to passengers for the first time.

Last month United invited a small group of media folks (including TravelSkills!) to London for a preview of its brand new United Global First Lounge and a United Club.

United is the first airline to operate from Terminal 2. Starting today it will finally bringing its 17 daily Heathrow flights – currently split between Terminals 1 and 4 – “under one roof.” Later this year, the operations of United’s 22 Star Alliance partners at Heathrow will progressively move to Terminal 2, the alliance’s new home at the airport.

The airport is moving airlines in slowly at T2– it does not want a repeat of the fiasco that occurred when British Airways moved into the massive Terminal 5 overnight.

Conversation nook in United Club along with vintage photos (Chris McGinnis)

Together, the two lounges occupy 22,000 square feet of space near United’s gates in Terminal 2’s T2B satellite concourse. Both feature floor-to-ceiling windows with views of runways, modern décor and walls adorned with vintage black and white photos from United’s archives. Like T5, the Queen’s Terminal is comprised of a main terminal (T2A) and a satellite (T2B) connected by an underground walkway.

Warm canapes from the elaborate United Club buffet (Chris McGinnis)

Both the Club and the Lounge will offer elaborate meals (unlike anything you’ll see stateside), plenty of high end booze, wine and, of course speedy, free Wi-Fi. It remains to be seen whether the quality and quantity of the spread laid out for the media will be the ongoing standard.

Nearly every seat in the joint is within a foot or two of a power outlet. And there are seven private “phone booths” set up with desks and glass doors for private conversations. See slideshow

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Global First Lounge

The United Global First Lounge is for United or Star Alliance customers traveling in first class. The centerpiece of the lounge is an oversized Big Ben-style clock in the tea lounge section. Other features include a buffet area, an intimate dining room, private phone booths and a quiet zone with loungers and privacy drapes.

United Club

The United Club is for United Club members, those traveling in business class and Star Alliance Gold members. It’s the first Club outside the U.S. to feature the new United Club design concept– which we’ll likely see at SFO when the new United Club opens by T3E in 2015.

The Club has a big bright and open layout with seating over 280 guests. Against a backdrop of runways is a 25-seat full service bar, two buffet areas, a TV lounge and seven private phone booths. See slideshow

There are eight well-appointed and spacious shower suites

There are eight spacious shower suites with complimentary toiletries and valet service– put your suit in the valet door while showering, and an attendant will press it and have it ready by the time you dry off.

While United executives would not reveal a dollar figure for the cost of the London clubs, they did say that this is part of a $50 million investment in club renovations across the system.

United operates 17 flights per day from Heathrow to six US cities: Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, New York/Newark, San Francisco and Washington, D.C./Dulles. See slideshow

United laid out quite a spread for the media— and we’ve yet to determine if food of the abundance and quality we saw (See slideshow) during the media visit will be the standard. Let us know what you see! Does the addition of lounges like this make you more likely to choose United when flying to London? Please leave your comments below.

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—Chris McGinnis

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