When you're waiting out a long airport layover, nothing seems more enticing than the airport lounge. With amenities such as free Wi-Fi, drinks, snacks and glossy magazines that you've never seen before (and may never see again), the lounges feel like the answer to most of your air travel annoyances; at the very least, they can give you sanctuary from concourse noise and hubbub.
Entrance to most lounges comes gratis with a first- or business-class ticket. But for those stuck in the back of the plane, there are ways to gain access to these comfy inner sanctums without shelling out thousands of dollars for an upgrade. And when you're the one sinking into the cushy armchair instead of clamoring for a seat at the gate, you'll be glad to have a respite from the usual air travel annoyances.
Following are a few ways that savvy travelers can score lounge access, even if their tickets read coach.
Several airlines sell day passes to their lounges, allowing you to relax in comfort without any long-term commitment. At Alaska Airlines, you can buy a one-day pass for the airline's Board Room lounges for $45. American charges $50 for lounge access, while United and Delta charge $59.
Keep in mind that most of these airline passes are limited to U.S. domestic lounges. If you're traveling internationally, you might want to check out LoungePass.com, which sells day passes to hundreds of lounges worldwide, including several at London's Heathrow and Gatwick airports. While passes start at 13.50 GBP (about $19.50 USD at the time this was updated), most of the lounges restrict the amount of time you can spend there to three hours, and some only offer them to passengers flying within that country. Check before you buy.
Best for: Casual travelers.
It used to be that all business travelers worth their salt carried a lounge membership card with their preferred airline, often bought on the company dime. Those perks are mostly gone now, with road warriors finding more flexible ways to get access (see elite status and credit cards below).
If you fly one airline exclusively, however, an airline membership is still something to consider. Airline club memberships also give you access into alliance clubs, such as the Star Alliance or Oneworld, which will help if you're traveling internationally.
If you go this route, expect to pay $400 to $550 for an annual membership. Before you buy, you'll also want to check to make sure that the destinations you visit the most actually have lounges; as a rule, you only find clubs in the world's busier airports.
Best for: Frequent travelers who know they'll be relying on one airline or alliance.
If you have a hard time booking flights on only one airline, a lounge membership through a third party might make more sense. PriorityPass.com offers access to more than 850 lounges worldwide for an annual fee.
What's nice about Priority Pass is that you can choose from several membership levels. For $399 a year, you get free unlimited access to all of the clubs in the network. If you don't travel that often, you can pay $249 for 10 free visits, with additional visits costing $27. Or you can simply buy a $99 membership and then pay $27 each time you go.
Another nice thing about Priority Pass is that it includes many of the airlines' own lounges, such as Air France lounges at JFK, O'Hare and San Francisco. The pass doesn't guarantee that you'll get into all of the airlines' lounges, however, so you'll have to check (Priority Pass does have a smartphone app which makes it a little easier to find your lounge when you're on the go).
Best for: Frequent air travelers who take different airlines.
16 Ways to Get Through the Airport Faster
Who needs to worry about those airline-owned clubs? In some airports, public lounges -- where you pay a fee for comfortable chairs, snacks, Wi-Fi access, small meals and non-alcoholic beverages -- are giving the legacy lounges a run for their money.
At Baltimore/Washington International Airport, for example, you can enter the Airspace Lounge (see AirspaceLounge.com) after security in Concourse D and pay from $20 per day. (Airspace also has lounges at the New York-JFK, Cleveland and San Diego airports.) At Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport, you can buy a 24-hour day pass to The Club (TheClubAirportLounges.com). There are shower facilities, free Wi-Fi and more. Best of all for those who have favorite vendors at the airport, you can bring in food purchased outside the lounge. One drawback: It closes at 7:30 p.m. (The Club also has lounges at a half a dozen other U.S. airports.)
International travelers may want to check out Plaza Premium (Plaza-Network.com), which offers buffet meals, drinks and -- crucial for those making long-haul flights -- showers in many lounges. Some even have massage and spa services for an extra fee. Current locations include various airports in Canada, China, Australia, Malaysia, India and more. Rates vary by location.
Best for: Travelers who want more flexibility than airline lounges provide.
Loyalty does have its privileges. Most airlines offer lounge perks for customers who make elite status, with benefits that extend throughout the network.
Make Elite 50K status on Air Canada or Premier Gold status on United, for example, and you'll gain access to most of the Star Alliance lounges around the world (there are limitations, however, as some lounges restrict Gold access to passengers flying internationally). The SkyTeam alliance, made up of Delta, Air France, KLM and other airlines, has similar perks for Gold, Platinum and Diamond members, as does the Oneworld alliance spearheaded by American Airlines.
Best for: Frequent travelers who fly exclusively on one airline.
Getting a credit card that offers airport lounge privileges is perhaps one of the easiest ways to ensure that you'll never be stuck on the concourse again, although some of these cards carry hefty annual fees.
Take the American Express Platinum Card. For a $450 annual fee, the card gives you $27 per visit access to hundreds of lounges around the world through Priority Pass Select. The card also provides free entry into Delta Sky Clubs, waives foreign transaction charges and gives you $200 in credits toward airline fees, such as those imposed for checked bags.
Airline credit cards can come with lounge perks too. The United MileagePlus Explorer card gives you two one-time-use passes to United Clubs, along with other travel extras, for $95 a year.
Caveat: Before you apply for any credit card, read the fine print and make sure that your spending and traveling habits make getting a card worthwhile.
Best for: Big spenders who don't mind paying annual fees for perks, as well as occasional fliers willing to pay a smaller annual fee for a limited number of day passes.
9 Ways to Make the Most of Your Layover
And finally, there's always the kindness of strangers. Some people on travel forums such as FlyerTalk.com say they've gained lounge access by simply standing outside the door and asking people going inside if they can bring them in as a guest. And FlyerTalk itself has a Coupon Connection section where frequent posters are able to swap or sell lounge passes (you need to have a certain number of posts on the site to join). Other places to check for guest passes are eBay.com and Craigslist.com.
Best for: People who don't mind asking strangers for favors.
