Pay-per-entry Lounges

Originally posted by Jacqueline Lewis
Claire, we've only just got the Platinum AMEX which gives you the Priority Pass aforementioned by some other V-Flyers. Will feed back on my experiences after our first trip and uses in April, if you like? Might help you think about whether the AMEX is worth the annual fee?

We've already taken advantage of the free travel insurance cover with them by using it to pay for trips. Also, they got us a very competitive price on 2 days car hire in Boston. Fingers crossed it all pans out when we get round to doing it!

Jacq x

I too am looking forward to any feedback on the worth of Amex Platinum. I've been considering it for years, basically for the insurance and lounge access.


Simon.

[Nottingham Nick]

Originally posted by PVGSLF

I too am looking forward to any feedback on the worth of Amex Platinum. I've been considering it for years, basically for the insurance and lounge access.
Simon.

IMHO, if you make use of the insurance package, and travel regularly enough to make the Priority Passes worthwhile, then it is a great card to carry.

My personal circumstances mean that I have excellent travel insurance cover from work sources, so can't justify its cost.

Nick

Maybe you feel, like me, you are better spending your £15/head on beer in the public bar?

Depends how much beer or fizz you drink ,think we must have cost BA a couple of hundred quid on saturday:D

We've already taken advantage of the free travel insurance cover with them by using it to pay for trips.

You do not even need to pay on the plat card to get the cover.


I have PP though Amex wouldn't bother otherwise but I would always pay to get in a lounge if I didn't get access through the ticket booked or airline FF scheme

Originally posted by Nottingham Nick

Originally posted by PVGSLF

I too am looking forward to any feedback on the worth of Amex Platinum. I've been considering it for years, basically for the insurance and lounge access.
Simon.

IMHO, if you make use of the insurance package, and travel regularly enough to make the Priority Passes worthwhile, then it is a great card to carry.

My personal circumstances mean that I have excellent travel insurance cover from work sources, so can't justify its cost.


Nick

Have to agree with you Nick. As stated before, am in a similar position.
{edited sailor99 to put reply after quotes }

Recently I paid to use Continental's Presidents Club Lounge at Newark. There were 4 adults and 1 child in our party and we arrived at 5-15pm on a Saturday evening. We walked in and out between the several hundred bodies already in the lounge and, not finding any seats, we promptly left to find some food.We returned after 40 minutes or so and the situation had eased. We sat down for 30 minutes or so before we were due to go to the gate for boarding.
The refreshments amounted to tea, coffee and crackers with optional alcohol.
I purchased the passes through PP at a cost of £100 total.There was no notice of the sparse refreshment situation.Anybody arriving at a U.S. airport lounge in the hour or so before the pax.leave on the next wave of departures is advised to avoid the lounge area at all costs.Keep your money in your pocket!
I am due to fly U.C. to MCO in October and hear that the DeltaCrown lounge is poor. Is it worth using ( as it's free with the U.C. flight ) or better to avoid and use the diners in the airport?

[Nottingham Nick]

Originally posted by albertlord

I am due to fly U.C. to MCO in October and hear that the DeltaCrown lounge is poor. Is it worth using ( as it's free with the U.C. flight ) or better to avoid and use the diners in the airport?

It is many years since I flew out of MCO, but I know our very own buns4vs, and others, speak very highly of McCoy's in the on airport Hyatt hotel. Whether paying for a meal there is better than a freebie in the Delta Lounge, I will let others pass comment on.

Nick

Albert if you're hungry you'll definitely need to buy some food elsewhere - the lounge only provides nibbles.

However, the drinks are plentiful and there is plenty of space to relax, read or watch tv. If you do a search you'll find plenty of comments and some pictures.

Jilly

[RichardMannion]

The MCO Delta Crown Room is fine, very spacious and there is a bar. If you have AmEx Platinum or Centurion you can get inthere without having to use your Priority Pass - I know last time we went as 5 adults, using 2 Centurion Cards as they allowed up to 2 guests from the family to enter free. This is about two years ago now though.

Thanks,
Richard

First off let me say I am not much of a frequent flyer only one or two flights every 12 months,nor as you can see a gold carder, however
I personally do not approve much of £35 entry to clubhouses,it dilutes the special prestige of the clubhouse concept in my view.

If I splash out and I usually do when booking a holiday on Upper then I want the clubhouse, doesn't seem fair to pay £1200 extra for the whole UCS package and someone else grab a economyflydrive plus just £35 to get in the lounge. Plus if I save up the extra hard earned cash for the upgrade I really don't want to see shell suits and burberry hats in the lounge.

If I go PE or EC[:#]then I expect not to have clubhouse access and book a servisaire.

I don't think you're likely to see shell suits and checked hats from the "paying customer" as I'm sure there is some form of dress code applied to passes purchased through VH(something like 'smart casual'I believe).I presume those not passing muster won't get past the front desk although I could be wrong.

Originally posted by DragonLady
I don't think you're likely to see shell suits and checked hats from the "paying customer" as I'm sure there is some form of dress code applied to passes purchased through VH(something like 'smart casual'I believe).I presume those not passing muster won't get past the front desk although I could be wrong.

Agree - surely you'd expect there to be some form of unwritten dress code? Goes without saying...

Hope so, me and my partner just splashed out on new Gucci shoes so we look nice on our next UCS, well at least on the plane untill they put a clubhouse in Manchester.

Just thought I would add, sometimes I book Gatwick when flying to Orlando just for the privilage of using the lounge and drive all the way from Harrogate North Yorks, sad I know, but thats how special I think the lounges are.

When booking from MAN I take solice in the runway view suite the night before at the Raddisson SAS.

Oh well - better put my shell suit away then - will save it for that special night out[:w]

[HighFlyer]

It does state on the VH pages for paid Clubhouse access that "Smart/Casual dress code applies"

See here for more details.

However, i do not know if it is actively enforced. After all, if you are travelling in Upper you can turn up in whatever you like for your flight. When you check in at the CH all becomes clear as to who is Au, who is flying Upper (Z, D or J) and who is using paid access (I believe they still mark your boarding pass 'VHOLS' if you have paid entry), so i guess they can give you the once over to make sure your not sporting your favourite 'Wicked Willie' t-shirt (or whatever)

Thanks,
Sarah

Hi Sarah
I think it could probably be enforced if the staff really wanted to (shell suits and check hats have NEVER been smart have they??-just chavish. Oh gosh I sound like the snob I am...).Husband looked a bit 'cas'in jeans and a rugby shirt last time he made an outing with me but had that nice bit of purple card in his hand and nobody batted an eyelid (classy loafers though!!).
Like you say Sarah the clubhouse have a list of guests that are in UC ( presume the same for Au passengers and VH bods)and will know who's who.Wicked Willie I could probably cope with-to be honest I find anything with that vile French Connection (you know the one with initials) logo far more offensive although my teenage daughter thinks it's "cool".Showing my age I guess, or am I just turning into my mother ?? (that IS a worry....).

I bought a very nice French Connection coat in China last time i was there.... I consider that a boycott as it probably wasn't really French connection[}:)]

Just a quick question - the pass that you can get with Amex - what cards is that available through. I have a Gold Corporate card and I like to think I have my finger on the pulse for all these goodies. Please don't tell me I missed one here, especially as I have taken a few BA Euro Traveller flights recently.

Originally posted by Ongen
Just a quick question - the pass that you can get with Amex - what cards is that available through. I have a Gold Corporate card and I like to think I have my finger on the pulse for all these goodies. Please don't tell me I missed one here, especially as I have taken a few BA Euro Traveller flights recently.

It's only available as a perk with the platinum charge card and a hefty (though seemingly not unreasonable) £230 a year fee.

[Decker]

The MBNA-American Express Traveller Credit Card at £99 p.a. has the "pay per person per entry" version of Priority Pass along with a lot of other Amex goodies. Mind you - stupidly high APR.

Originally posted by Decker
The MBNA-American Express Traveller Credit Card at £99 p.a. has the "pay per person per entry" version of Priority Pass along with a lot of other Amex goodies. Mind you - stupidly high APR.

Bear in mind that the headline APR calculation takes into account any annual fee. Hence the APR on my BA Amex card is described as 26% whereas it's really 15.9%, ignoring the annual fee (which you might pay anyway...).

In the case of the MBNA card you refer to, the headline rate is 31.5%, but the APR on purchases is 16.9%, a more down-to-earth level.

Of course borrowing on a credit card at these rates is still not sensible unless absolutely required. There are much cheaper ways to borrow.

Mmm seems some of my posts have been ditched, hope I havn't upset anyone[:I][?]

Anyway the upshot is for me I think the Clubhouses should stay special
and the servisaire etc ones should be made more special.

Originally posted by easygoingeezer
Mmm seems some of my posts have been ditched, hope I havn't upset anyone[:I][?]

You might want to take a look at this thread - it was split off from this topic to keep the clothes discussion off the lounges topic

Cheers

Michael

Phew thanks Mcuth, I was really worried I had overstepped the mark, I get carried away when I'm happy but its all tongue in cheek.

Thank you

For what its worth I think Silver pax flying PE shoud be allowed a pay entry or a seperate lounge even. I do feel disgruntled at the perks Silver members recieve. Its a be Gold or nothing really isn't it. What good are train upgrades to me? VS don't consider that some FC members don't actually live in London!
Sorry Rant over!

MMm I think I might agree with that, silver and paid access if flying a minimum of PE.

And for gods sake why will they not accomodate us properly at Manchester, they have suites to sell up there so why no NICE lounge