Cheap airport lounge access

Former_MSE_Sally

Hi folks

We've written a new Cheap Airport Lounge Access guide and would love your feedback on your top lounges as well as any other tips you've got to get in free or cheaply. The lounges to avoid would also be helpful!

Thank you

MSE Sally

Caz3121

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Former_MSE_Sally

Sorry Caz3121 - it should work now?

Westin

"If you're on your honeymoon or celebrating a special anniversary or birthday, dress well, be polite and ask nicely at check-in to see if they'll let you have a couple of passes. It's likely to work better if there are only a couple of you as opposed to a larger group, but it never hurts to ask. Hopefully you'll get a yes, but if not you've not lost anything. Hey, why not ask if they'll upgrade the flight for you too?"

- REALLY?

stoneman

Westin wrote: »

"If you're on your honeymoon or celebrating a special anniversary or birthday, dress well, be polite and ask nicely at check-in to see if they'll let you have a couple of passes. It's likely to work better if there are only a couple of you as opposed to a larger group, but it never hurts to ask. Hopefully you'll get a yes, but if not you've not lost anything. Hey, why not ask if they'll upgrade the flight for you too?"

- REALLY?

:rotfl::rotfl:
Giving people advice like this will only cause embarrassment when they ask.

stoneman

Apply for the Amex Gold Rewards card (fee waived for the first year and £11 cashback on Quidco) It comes with 2 free passes issued by Lounge Club.

There after you are supposed to get charged £15 each time you use it (billed to your Amex account) but we have used ours 14 times(7x2 pax) and never been charged

russetred

My lounge quoted £18 pp online but went through Virgin frequent flyer club and got it for £12pp plus a few ff miles.

richardw

Don't forget the small print which can often say that lounge entry is subject to the lounge not being full, this could happen to you if you're travelling on a peak day at a peak time.

Some lounges have poor food offerings, I've seen people sneak burger meals in and eat them in the lounge.

Many flights to the UK from Europe are from airside gates that are beyond a passport check, lounges can sometimes be a distance from these gates, always allow enough time getting from the lounge to the gate. There's lots of information about lounges on the net, google is your friend.

Gloomendoom

stoneman wrote: »

There after you are supposed to get charged £15 each time you use it (billed to your Amex account) but we have used ours 14 times(7x2 pax) and never been charged

How long have you had it? I've had lounge bills take several months to come through.

stoneman

Gloomendoom wrote: »

How long have you had it? I've had lounge bills take several months to come through.

I had mine a year or so ago and never got charged. We have used OH's last time a couple of months ago, again not been charged. It is a continuing theme over on HfP

HeimRoller

stoneman wrote: »

:rotfl::rotfl:
Giving people advice like this will only cause embarrassment when they ask.

Not always. I was flying up to Edinburgh quite frequently around 12 years ago when BMI and BA had separate classes on that route. I probably asked for an upgrade around 10 times and would say I was successful around 8 times. It was all about a gut feel for the person checking me in and how the conversation was going, waiting for an opening to mention an upgrade etc.
I have also blagged lounges on long haul flights in the same way, just see how the conversation is going at check in, see if you are building up a rapport, and then just throw a comment into the conversation along the lines of "the airport/journey was quiet this morning, and now I have 3 hours to waste. I don't suppose there is any way I could be allowed to use the airline lounge is there as there doesn't seem to be much seating around here". As Martin says, the worse they can say is "no".