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Airport Lounges – A Simple Guide

In this guide, we answer the many frequently asked questions about Airport Lounges. Hopefully, we can answer some of the questions you may have before travelling.

Airport LoungesPopular Questions:

What Are Airport Lounges

Who Can Use Airport Lounges

What Are The Benefits Of Using An Airport Lounge

Why Use An Airport Lounges

How Do You Gain Access To Airport Lounges

 

What Are Airport Lounges:

Airport lounges are private rooms located in the airport terminal, generally after Airport Security. They offer a secluded getaway from the busy hustle and bustle of the main airport terminals public Departures area. Airport lounges also provide passengers with a quiet and comfortable place to relax before their flight.  

Who Can Use Airport Lounges:

Regardless to what people think, anyone can use an airport lounge no matter what class they are travelling in. Many people believe that you can only access an airport lounge if you are travelling in Business or First class. However, this simply is not true and anyone can access the lounges! Even if you are travelling on an Economy ticket, you can still enjoy the luxuries of the airport lounges. Lounges available at most airports worldwide and to be honest, once you have tried one and seen what is on offer, you will be asking yourself why you haven’t used one before!

What Are The Benefits Of Using An Airport Lounge:

Airport lounges offer the ideal way to relax before your flight or when you have a little downtime between connecting flights. Unlike the main public Departures area at airports, an airport lounge offers a wide range of facilities. These facilities are deigned to help make your stay more comfortable.

Facilities In A Airport Lounge:

The list below is just a few of the facilities that are on offer to you:

  • You will be able to enjoy the quiet atmosphere and get away from the noise of the crowds in the main departure lounge
  • Meeting and conference facilities
  • Enjoy comfortable seating such as sofas and armchairs
  • Complimentary newspapers and magazines to read during your stay
  • Unlimited refreshments such as drinks and snacks for the duration of your time in the lounge
  • Many airport lounges offer Internet access
  • Tv’s and other forms of entertainment

All airport lounges vary, regarding what facilities are on offer and this can also vary with which airline you are flying with. Some lounges also offer shower and sauna facilities but in general, most will offer the majority of the facilities that are listed above.

Why Use A Lounge:

Due to the nature of air travel and having to check-in several hours before your departure time, there is generally a lot of downtime at the airport. Airports are not the best places to pass time and can be made even worse when faced with a delay.

Generally, the main public Departures areas are crowded, noisy and are not very comfortable places to wait for your flight. The price of food and drinks are at a premium and it is very easy to spend a large amount of money before travel. Moreover, this is just by getting a simple and basic bite to eat and a drink.

However, airport lounges are designed to make your wait much more comfortable. Likewise, utilising the facilities on offer makes more sense than not, especially when you take into account how much money it costs to use the airport lounge facilities!

For Example:

If you wait in the normal public Departures area and you buy a sandwich or meal and then have a drink, you probably wouldn’t see much change from £10 – £15. Imagine if you then go for a couple of drinks in the bar, that is another £10 spent! If you are unfortunate to incur a delay, the chances are you will need to buy another meal and drink, which would cost another £10-£15! The cost of waiting in the public Departures area can soon mount up and on top of all that, it is not a comfy place to sit!

Basically, every time you want a snack or a drink, it costs you money!

 

Access:

How Much Is Airport Lounge Access:

Unless you are travelling in Business or First class or have been given access by the airline or loyalty programme, airport lounges charge a small fee for passengers to use them. Once you have paid this initial fee, you do not pay any more money. You can have unlimited drinks and snacks, making it a much more cost effective way to spend your time at the airport waiting for your flight.

The bottom line is simple, why spend more money in the uncomfortable, noisy overcrowded Departures area, when you can spend less money and enjoy the comfort and luxury of the airport lounges?

If you pay to gain entry to an airport lounge, the cost is generally between £20 – £30. However, the price does depend on which airport you are travelling from and also, the time you are travelling.

 

How Do You Gain Access To Airport Lounges:

As previously mentioned, unless you are:

  • Flying Business class
  • First class
  • Have been granted entry via your airline or are a member of an airline loyalty program

The chances are you will need to pay to use one of the airport lounge facilities. This said, don’t let this put you off though because as we mentioned earlier, anyone can us the lounges. Once you have access to them, you will be treated exactly the same as any other passenger using them. In fact, more and more people are choosing to use the lounges at airports for all the reasons that were mentioned earlier.  Not only that but it also provides an extra revenue for the airlines and companies that own the lounges!

 

Can I Get Airport Lounge Access For Free:

Yes, it is possible to get airport lounge access for free. However, there are certain stipulations that you will need to qualify for, before you are eligible for free access.

 

How To Get Airport Lounge Access For Free:

As we have previously mentioned, if you are travelling Business or First Class, you will be eligible for free access to the airport lounges. However, there are several ways in which you can gain free access to many airport lounges throughout the world. One of the most popular ways to gain free access to airport lounges is via a bank or credit card. 

In order to qualify for free access via your bank or credit card, you must first have an account with the bank or credit card company. Many of these cards do have stipulations in place, as to when you can use them. Therefore, it is always advisable to check the policy regarding entry to airport lounges, using the card. Not only do they have stipulations on when you can use them but also, not all airport lounges will accept them. 

free access to airport lounge

Most Popular Banks and Credit Cards With Free Access To Airport Lounge:

  • AMEX – American Express
  • Mastercard
  • Capital One
  • Barclays
  • Nat West

 

Free Offers From Travel Companies:

Another way to gain free access into an airport lounge is by taking advantage of any offers that are available. As a result of competition with other travel companies, many travel based companies offer free incentives to entice you to purchase their product. One of the more popular offers is free airport lounge access. 

 

How It Works:

If any travel company is offering free airport lounge access when you book through them, take advantage. Simply book a holiday, flight, car hire, airport parking or any other travel extra that is eligible for the offer and receive your reward!

 

Airport Lounge Membership Programmes:

The best way to gain access to over 600 VIP airport lounges worldwide is through a Membership programme.  For a small annual fee, you will be given access to a range of lounges throughout the world.

Whenever you travel, simply select the airport lounge you wish to use. As a result, you will be entitled to use all the facilities in that airport lounge. The process is very quick, convenient and also very simple.

All you need to do is simply select the country and airport(s) you will be flying from. After this, you will then see which lounges are available at your specified airports. It will then provide details of the lounges and what facilities they offer.

There is no doubt, you will probably be very surprised at how cheap it is to use one of the VIP lounges and I am sure that once you have tried one, you will not look back and continue to use them every time you travel!

To read more about these programmes and what facilities are available at different airport lounges throughout the world, simply click on the link below:

Try one of the VIP Airport Lounges next time you fly!

 

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