INDEPENDENT TRAVELER
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 irritations.
Following are a few ways that savvy travelers can score
airport lounge access, even if their tickets read “coach.”
Buy a Day Pass
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 lounges for $45. American, United, and Delta charge $59 for lounge access.
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 $19, 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.
Use Your Credit Card.
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 $550 annual
fee, the card gives you access to hundreds of lounges around the world through
Priority Pass, Airspace, and Escape Lounges, as well as access to American
Express International Lounges.
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.
Be a Guest (or Buy
Your Way in)
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 will
bring them in as a guest.
And FlyerTalk itself has a Coupon Connection section where
frequent posters are able to swap 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.
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