Although Daphne and I travel a lot, the majority of our travel has either been domestic or with short (or no) layovers. Outside of those, our international trips were often direct because we lived mere minutes from a large international airport. But, more recently, we’ve begun to do more international travel with much longer layovers. Recently, I had a 9-hour layover at Miami International Airport (MIA) and paid for a day pass to an American Airlines Airport Lounge. So, Airport Lounge: worth the cost?
Table of contents
Four Pros Of An Airport Lounge: Is It Worth The Cost?
There are some obvious pros of getting lounge access, or they wouldn’t exist, and people wouldn’t pay for them. Let’s take a look at some of the biggest pros of purchasing an airport lounge pass.
A Quiet Atmosphere
If you’ve spent significant time in an airport, you’ve undoubtedly heard all the overhead announcements, door alarms, countless cell phones, and loud conversations. An airport is a very busy, and very chaotic place at times. It can be hard to relax in such an environment.
But an airport lounge is the oasis away from that. There are no overhead announcements, conversations are much quieter, and people are more spaced out. To be honest, this was the thing that surprised me the most, but also that I appreciated the most. I was able to relax. It felt so much more peaceful.
There were still information boards that included all the flight information, so I could keep tabs on any changes in my flights. There were lots of spaces tucked away where I could take a phone call or meeting without disturbing others. So, I didn’t feel like I was missing out on anything by being in the quiet relaxing lounge environment.
Free Food & Beverages
Although the peace and quiet were what I most appreciated about the lounge after a long flight, the freebies are what made it worth the value. I arrived very early in the morning and had an afternoon flight, so I was there for a long time.
During that time, I had breakfast omelets, fruit, a muffin, and coffee for breakfast. Sandwiches, pasta, and a piece of cake for lunch. A few snacks, a latte, and a glass of juice for tea time. I also filled up my water bottle with flavored water before I headed to my gate for my flight. If I had purchased all of this at post-security restaurants or convenience shops, I likely would have easily paid for more than my cost of admission.
The food was plentiful, warm, and regularly refilled throughout the day. There were several beverage machines to get various drinks ranging from water and soda to coffee and cappuccinos. I also believe that there was a bartender on site if you wanted something a little stronger.
Do you love food as much as we do? View more of our posts about some of our greatest food finds.
Showers & Private Bathrooms
Although I didn’t check out the showers, I appreciated knowing that they were there. You needed to make a reservation. But there seemed to be plenty of open spots throughout the day to get in there.
I did though appreciate the much cleaner, quieter, and more private bathrooms. With room enough to change clothing and not feel cramped. Although this is a little thing, it absolutely was a reason that made paying for an airport lounge worth it
Getting Work Done
Unlike the usual scramble to try to find an open outlet at the airport to charge your devices, or trying to find a quiet space; the lounge had plenty of both outlets and quiet workspaces. There were both sections with tables and chairs, separate comfortable lounge chairs, and designed workstations.
Each of these had plenty of both normal power outlets and USB outlets. This allowed me to both work and charge all of my devices at the same time. The lounge had strong, free Wi-Fi, along with some Wi-Fi printers and some basic office supplies.
They had both some more private workspaces hidden away and some small conference rooms and workrooms. I prefer people-watching, so I found a nice workspace with power outlets, a table, and overlooking the airport concourse below. It had walls on each side, giving me a quiet private space to get away. It allowed me to relax away from all the noise, and charge up all my devices.
Three Cons Of An Airport Lounge: Is It Worth The Cost?
Of course, there are some cons of the airport lounge. So, let’s take a look at some of the cons that might make the airport lounge not worth the cost for you.
The Costs
Although there are costs associated with getting into the lounge, there are a number of ways to minimize those costs. There are a number of credit cards that give you access to some lounges. Flying first or business class on some airlines gives you access. Purchasing an airport lounge membership can give you access. All of these come with their own benefits and costs.
I opted, as I don’t often have a need to stay in an airport lounge, just to purchase a day pass. The cost of which was only about $50 for the day. Although it required that I was flying the associated airline, and was either departing or connecting, it was exactly my scenario, so it worked.
Some of the credit cards or lounge access passes can be pricey though, in the hundreds of dollars. So, they may not be worth it for you if you don’t have a need for them very often. If you can purchase a day pass for your particular lounge, the cost isn’t that high. You get all of the same benefits for just that one day.
The Crowds
Although it was nowhere as busy in the lounge as the rest of the airport, it was busy. When I first got into the lounge, I found a nice lounge chair to sit in and relax as it was pretty empty. As it got closer to lunchtime, it got more full. And when I got up and took my bag with me to get some lunch, I lost my seat.
I had to wander around for a while to find another seat that was open as there seemed to be more people than chairs for at least a few hours. Once we started to get into the afternoon, I found an open workspace overlooking the airport concourse. It had charging stations and a table. I made myself comfortable there and remained in that space until I had to head down to my gate.
Although some lounges now are doing work to limit the number of people in the lounge to prevent them from feeling overcrowded, this can also have downsides. For example, if they get to a certain capacity, many lounges won’t allow you to purchase a day pass, and some won’t let you use previously purchased day passes. That will help those who get access have more space, but it may deny you access too.
Limited Access
As hinted to above, some lounges can be hard to get into, especially during peak times. Either they won’t sell you a day pass, they may not accept your day pass, or any number of other options to get into the lounge may not always be available. So, unfortunately, you can’t always count on getting into the lounge. More and more of them are starting to limit how many hours you’re allowed to stay in the lounge.
Related, there are a number of different airport lounges, owned by different airlines, credit card companies, or other specific lounge operators. Having a pass to one doesn’t generally give you access to any other. So, your credit card may give you access to lounges in some airports, but none at the airport where you have your actual layover.
So, even if an airport has a lounge, you may not be able to make it in. Which, although won’t prevent you from getting where you’re going. It can be pretty disappointing if you were hoping for a relaxing few hours and a meal in a lounge.
Frequently Asked Questions:
Here are some of the frequently asked questions about if Airport Lounges are worth the cost.
What is in an airport lounge?
An airport lounge is a private area of the airport that passengers can pay for access to. The lounge gives you a quieter, more comfortable place to relax while waiting for your flight. In addition, most airline lounges offer amenities such as food, drinks, conference rooms, private bathrooms, and showers.
Most airport lounges are owned either by airlines or by credit card companies, and you’ll need to be a member or purchase a day pass for access to these lounges. Just note, usually purchasing a day pass generally requires you to be flying on the airline that owns the lounge.
How does an airport lounge work?
First, you need to purchase access to the lounge. You can either purchase it as part of your credit card benefits, a private lounge membership, or purchase a day pass. Sometimes you can purchase a day pass online, or at the lounge upon arrival.
Once you have purchased access, just show up at the lounge and present your pass to the staff. Once you’re in, then just relax. Staff may give you information about where services are, but if not, they are pretty easy to find.
Get some food, find a nice comfortable chair to relax in, and enjoy the peace and quiet that comes with being in an airport lounge. Of course, if you need anything, just ask the staff and they should be able to help you out.
Is airport lounge food free?
For the most part, yes. Almost all airport lounges offer food for free, but the quality of the food likely will vary depending on the type of lounge. For example, the lounge I spent my day in had a “hotel continental breakfast” type breakfast, which was good, but not restaurant quality or selection. Most lounges also have a good selection of drinks, including water, soft drinks, and coffee.
Some lounges also allow you to order food cooked-to-order, usually also included in the admission costs. The only food/beverage expense that I’ve commonly seen in airport lounges is alcohol purchases at lounges that offer that service. So, If you’re going to be at the airport for more than a few hours, your food savings costs alone may make the cost of lounge access worthwhile.
Can I get airport lounge access for free?
Technically no, but many credit cards as part of their annual fee, offer lounge access. Similarly, upgrading to some levels of plane tickets (business or first class, for example) may also automatically grant you access to the airline’s lounges. Purchasing a day pass obviously comes with a cost as well.
But, obviously, neither of these options is free. But, if you travel often and enjoy the peace and quiet of having lounge access, the costs might just be worth it. Most credit card companies, along with lounge access memberships have various levels of access with different costs. The most common difference between the levels is the number of times you get to access the lounges at no additional cost.
Can you go to the airport lounge after a flight?
Generally, no. Most lounges are in the departure area of the airport and require an onward departure ticket. For international tickets, by the time you get through immigration and customs, you’ll often be outside of the departure area with the lounges. With domestic arrivals, they’ll want to see a departure ticket to allow access.
Airport lounges can often be used during a layover though. Some have limits on how many hours you can spend in the lounge. This is one of the more common groups that use lounges because they are already stuck at the airport for several hours. Just make sure that you have a departing ticket. And check to see if there is a limit to how many hours before departure you can enter the lounge.
Is it worth paying for lounge access?
From my experience, an airport lounge is absolutely worth the cost. Because I had a 9-hour layover, I ate two meals while relaxing in the lounge. For the approximately $50 day pass, I easily saved that in the cost of meals and drinks.
In addition to the physical costs, the mental costs were even more valuable. I had just gotten often off a 9-hour flight and had another 3-hour flight ahead of me. Getting to relax in a recliner, changing into more comfortable clothes, and having access to much quieter spaces made the time much more valuable.
For me, it was worth the cost of a day pass. And since that experience, I have begun additional research into getting a credit card with regular lounge benefits. Or purchasing a separate lounge access membership. I plan to use lounge access and benefits significantly more often during my travels.
Lounges are ideal after a long international flight. But, here are some other items that you’ll definitely want to get to be comfortable during the long flight.
Wrapping Up: Is An Airport Lounge Worth The Cost Of Admission?
All told, is an Airport Lounge worth the cost? Unless you are one of those folks that like sitting in big crowds at the airport and listening to the constant noise, announcements, and crowds that are common with airports, lounge access could be for you. Although there are the cons of the costs, and potentially not always being able to get access, once you’re in, the lounge quickly becomes worth it.
If you travel often, especially internationally, then I strongly consider looking into your options for lounge access. Fly a specific airline commonly? Look into their lounge programs. Travel on a variety of airlines? You’ll want to consider credit card programs or lounge access memberships. The most important aspect to look for is that they have lounges at the airports that you most commonly travel to.
So, in short, in my personal opinion, airport lounges are absolutely worth it. I plan on getting a membership plan that allows me to have significantly more opportunities to enjoy lounges around the world.
