V-Flyer

Hi,

My wife and I will be flying back on upper class but our son, wife and two grandchildren will be in premium cabin. Will be able to get them passes to accompany us in the lounge?
If not they have virgin points to use can they be redeemed for lounge vouchers.

Regards
Iain

Honestly, the lounge isn't up to much. Functional if drab, boring and usually very busy.

I can't answer if they would be granted access (my gut says no but I'll let someone else say for definite) but if access is not available I wouldn't pay money or miles for it. Spend your time and money in one of the restaurants/bars instead.

Last 2 times we were there we left the lounge early (to the many thanks of the dozens queued outside waiting for the 1 in 1 out access) and went to Bahama Breeze for a last rack of ribs and some cocktails and beers!

broono83 wrote:Honestly, the lounge isn't up to much. Functional if drab, boring and usually very busy.

I can only agree with this. It is a truly depressing way to end a holiday in Orlando

For me the only saving face was that it used to be quite quiet for the later UK flight, but if its now very busy, I wouldn't even bother stepping foot in it. As you say, you're much better off going to a restaurant or bar.

Last year I flew to MCO on BA, which went out of the new Terminal C. The lounge there was horrific, small crammed in, basic offerings (pasta, salad), and they were charging big bucks for non-business passengers to enter. I just couldn't understand why anyone would pay to go in rather than use that money to go to the empty and fantastic Wine Bar George right below the lounge - where you'd spend less, enjoy quality food and drink and not feel like you're in a zoo!

Technically you are only allowed 1 guest each. Always worth asking though when you arrive at the lounge. DL lounge staff are (usually) very warm and welcoming. There's no options to use points for lounge entry unfortunately.

Do VS staff still escort Upper Class pax to the A/C when ready for boarding at MCO? I remember getting that at MCO a couple of times; though it's been years since I flew to/from MCO. Had that at TPA last year as well as well.

mitchja wrote:Technically you are only allowed 1 guest each. Always worth asking though when you arrive at the lounge. DL lounge staff are (usually) very warm and welcoming. There's no options to use points for lounge entry unfortunately.

Do VS staff still escort Upper Class pax to the A/C when ready for boarding at MCO? I remember getting that at MCO a couple of times; though it's been years since I flew to/from MCO. Had that at TPA last year as well as well.

Hi James
Thanks for the friendly advice about guests as we will be travelling with family later in the year!
I can confirm when we were last at MCO in November 2023, VS staff came into escort VS Pax to the Gate.


One last aspect of the Delta Sky Lounge is that "named" premium brands are charged. Mrs Buns and I stick to the stuff on offer, and it does the trick

buns

Buns

mitchja wrote:
Do VS staff still escort Upper Class pax to the A/C when ready for boarding at MCO? I remember getting that at MCO a couple of times; though it's been years since I flew to/from MCO. Had that at TPA last year as well as well.

Hi James. Yes they still escort you to the front of the gate. It’s one of the few redeeming features of the lounge although have to say, the food offerings have been much better than they used to be which unfortunately wasn’t great before.

It is a very busy lounge though. Don’t know why it’s smaller than it used to be.

David

It was long before Covid when Delta - for reasons unknown - greatly reduced the size of the MCO Sky Club. One can only assume it was to reduce costs if they rent the lounge space of the GOAA (Greater Orlando Aviation Authority).

The MCO Sky Club is nothing special and as stated above, it can get way too busy to the point they restrict access to a 1-out-1-in basis, irrespective of your class of travel / SkyMiles Status / Flying Club status.

Virgin did used to offer you vouchers of $30pp if you were eligible for Sky Club access but were willing to forego it. These vouchers could be used in most food outlets at the airport - certainly at Outback Outpost & Bahama Breeze in the Airside 4 satellite, so you could have a decent freshly cooked meal and beer / cocktail before your flight. I may well ask for the vouchers on Monday evening & report back on the outcome.

The MCO sky lounge as many have said does get very busy and don’t attempt to go and look around duty free while in the lounge if there is a queue present because they will make you queue again.

The lounge does close at 20.30 so not sure what happens to the later Man flight at 22.00, hopefully the 30$ pp is still available, just curious should you get this for your guest as well.

Was it really $30pp? I have in my head it was $15pp. Whatever it was, I’d still have chosen the voucher over the lounge access. Please do report back and let me know if they still offer this.

Echo what others have said above. Wouldn’t use the MCO lounge or miss it if it wasn’t for the fact I have booked UC. I have been twice, once around 5pm ish, and recently around 7pm, and the food options were poor both times

Am currently sat in the MCO Sky Club (just gone 7pm on a Monday evening) and like the airside satellite downstairs, it is absolutely deserted. In 20+yrs of travelling to Orlando (in Upper since 2006 with Sky Club access) I have never seen it this quiet. I reckon there are under 30 people in the Sky Club at present.

To show how quiet the airport is, you could walk straight up to the passport + boarding pass checker in the TSA Pre line (there is normally a queue), then straight to the X-ray & metal detector (again there is normally a short wait here).

Interestingly in the airside satellite they are not retaining duty free alcohol for collection at the boarding gate today. Fear not, a domestic passenger is not getting my litre of gin.