Air travel may have felt luxurious and fun at some point in the distant past, but for most people it’s been a steadily worsening experience for decades—and there’s every reason to believe we haven’t hit bottom yet. Shrinking seats, vanishing amenities, and increasing incidents of ragey passengers ruining everybody’s day have turned the simple act of traveling into an experience you just want to survive.
And that hellish experience typically begins at the airport, where overpriced everything and intense crowds can make waiting for your flight just as miserable as the flight itself. If you’ve ever spent a few hours waiting on a delayed flight, you’ve probably noticed an airport lounge and wondered if you might escape the pain by paying for a day pass. The answer is: Nope, you’ll probably just wind up paying for the pain.
The lounge effect
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Airport lounges come in three basic varieties: Those run by airlines, those run by credit cards, and private third-party lounges (sites and apps like LoungeBuddy can help you discover the lounges hidden in your airport). There’s sometimes overlap here, and airlines often have deals with their partners to offer lounge access between them. They’re all of the same basic cloth: They offer a semi-private space with complimentary drinks and snacks, upgraded seating areas, wifi, and other amenities ranging from workspaces to hot showers to full-on restaurants (in the swankier ones, naturally).
Not all airport lounges offer day passes, but many do. Some airline lounges require that you be flying with that airline to buy a day pass, while others will sell you a day pass as long as they have capacity, and many airlines or credit cards offer a complimentary one-time pass to cardholders. There are three fundamental aspects of these lounges to consider before splurging on a day pass.
- Cost. Day passes to airport lounges aren’t too expensive, actually—prices for the more basic ones are typically in the $25-$50 range. That’s not a bank-breaking amount of money, and you might save money over the super-expensive food and drinks available in the airport itself—if the lounge offers complimentary food, which not all do (that’s right—after paying money to get in, you then will often have to pay for food). But you need to know what you’re getting in return. If all you get is a space that’s not too different from the common areas of the airport (and in some cases, actually worse) along with some mediocre snacks and cheap drinks, you’re overpaying. If the space is reasonably comfortable and has lots of space, it might be worth it just to escape the maddening crowds, but that’s unlikely, because of…
- Crowding. Was there a time when airport lounges were relatively exclusive, and a weary traveler could find a cozy space to nap, relax, and maybe get some work done? Maybe, but those days are long gone. Horror stories of waiting in long lines for access to lounges—or being denied entry altogether despite having a membership or day pass—are increasingly common. The ability to use airline points and credit card memberships to gain access to the lounges means they are rarely less crowded than the common areas of the airport. So if you’re looking for a relaxing place to escape travel stress, you will very likely be disappointed.
- Quality. Airport lounges vary in terms of the amenities they offer, but there is a good chance the one you manage to squeeze into will have less-than-inspiring food and beverage offerings. In fact, in many scenarios, you’ll get a better meal and better drink options in the terminal than in a lounge. Many lounges are also chaotic and not particularly clean, either—again, partially due to the crowds that sweep through like locusts.
Of course, experiences vary. Depending on where you’re flying to and from, your status with your airline, and the timing of your trip, you might buy a day pass and have a terrific experience. And if you have a lot of time to kill on a layover and don’t want to leave the airport for some reason, a day pass to a lounge might be worth it. But if you’re just hoping to upgrade your experience a bit while waiting for your flight, think twice before splurging on a lounge—and scout out the terminal for some quiet spots that might offer everything you’re looking for free of charge.