ACCESS TO LOUNGE AT SAN FRANCISCO

[Maca44]

I have searched the various forums on this topic without success, and so decided to ask Qantas directly about lounge access at San Francisco.

Apart from being a life member of the QF I am flying J class to SFO later this year, and then Y to Seattle, and wanted to know which lounge QP members would have access to at SFO seeing QF don't have a lounge there thus far. Several partner carriers such as CX, BA and AA have lounges, so I sent QF Frequent Flyer an email.

Yesterday I received a telephone call from QF FF advising me that J Class pax and members of the QP would, by an agreement between QF and AA, have access to the AA lounge "only" at SFO. I was told that we do not have access to other lounges (and did not want to discuss access to those lounges by platinum pax as playing golf at time). I asked the guy at QF FF to email details to me so I could post it in this thread, but was advised that the agreements between the various lounges, or lack thereof, was too confusing for most people to understand. I don't think this guy realises that most OP here would have lots more experience than him.

Anyway, that's the reply from QF FF regarding lounge access at SFO. If there is any other information that should be posted, or any of the above details might have been provided incorrectly, please add your comment.

EDIT: Now I am confused. Just contacted AA in Sydney who informed me that 'only' business class pax have access to the AA lounge in SFO and not QP members as told by QF FF...

 

[NM]

I assume it will depend somewhat on which concourse QF is going to be using at SFO. Its been a while since I was through SFO, but I seem to recall there were different security entrances for concourses A and G (the two international concourses). But things may well have changed since then.

The BA lounge is operated by BA so should permit access under OneWorld terms for Emerald/Sapphire members. I have not used/seen the AA or CX lounges.

 

[markis10]

You should be okay looking at the Qantas Club access guidelines:

In addition to Qantas Club lounges, you can relax in British Airways lounges (Terraces and Executive Club lounges), American Airlines® Admirals Club lounges and US Airways Club lounges.

To access a partner airline lounge, simply present your Qantas Club card or Platinum or Gold Frequent Flyer card at check-in and again with your boarding pass at the lounge reception. You may also invite a guest. Note that both you and your guest must have onward travel that day on a flight marketed and operated by the partner airline whose lounge you wish to visit.*

* Marketed and operated means a flight operated by the same airline whose flight number appears on your ticket. Includes American Airlines® or British Airways operated flights with a 'QF' flight number on your ticket.

 

[CdaWorld]

I'm sure you will be able to use the AA lounge. I was there a couple of months ago and it is your typical Admirals Club. Not a huge space but fairly quiet and relaxing. You get one drink voucher and there's coffee/tea but not much on offer in the way of food.

 

[NM]

You should be okay looking at the Qantas Club access guidelines:

In addition to Qantas Club lounges, you can relax in British Airways lounges (Terraces and Executive Club lounges), American Airlines® Admirals Club lounges and US Airways Club lounges.

As a Qantas Club member, you can only access partner lounges when flying on a flight operated and marketed by that airline. This means that you cannot access as US lounge when flying on a QF codeshare flight number! So when flying on QF, you cannot use this clause to access a BA or AA lounge.

Lounge access for Qantas Club members will only be available through an agreement between Qantas and a local lounge operator, and it seems the deal has been done with AA to use their lounge at SFO.

However, QF Gold and Platinum FF members also hold OneWorld status (Sapphire and Platinum status) and that entitles them to use any OneWorld lounge when flying on any OneWorld airline (marketed and operated by a OneWorld airline). So that is completely independent of any deal struck between QF and AA for Qantas Club members and paid J/F passengers.

 

[danielh]

Well I was there 3 weeks ago flying on an AA flight form SFO to LAX. I was a SG then and I had no issues. I do not know what would have happened if I did not have SG or higher though.

The lounge is not that great anyway. All local calls (even for dial-up) required you to use your credit card and if I wanted to use dial-up for free I had to go to the business center across the walkway (15 meters) to use it. I was tempted to do it but my wife did not want to move from the bar so was stuck.

:-(

Regards
Daniel

 

[NM]

Well I was there 3 weeks ago flying on an AA flight form SFO to LAX. I was a SG then and I had no issues. I do not know what would have happened if I did not have SG or higher though.

The lounge is not that great anyway. All local calls (even for dial-up) required you to use your credit card and if I wanted to use dial-up for free I had to go to the business center across the walkway (15 meters) to use it. I was tempted to do it but my wife did not want to move from the bar so was stuck.

:-(

Regards
Daniel

For a flight SFO-LAX you would have been using the AA lounge at the domestic terminal. At SFO there are two concorses used for international flights, being A and G. Access to lounges in A and G piers will be restricted to passengers with boarding passes for flights departing from those gates.

 

[neil_gardner]

NM is spot on as per usual.

I feel that you will be sorely disappointed if you think the AA lounge for your domestic flight will compare to the Qantas / BA lounges - I often don't bother with the dom lounges as I'd rather get a better beer on draft outside than the normal domestic fare inside (as you have to pay for both - the lounge staff always look like they are totally bored).

On your return leg, I guess you will use the BA lounge - i can't see Qantas stumping up for thier own - and I don't think that American do any international flights from SFO - only codeshares.

I have flown out of both International piers in J class with BA and United. I think that generally OW goes from A and *A from G. I really found it hard to find the bar in the international Red Carpet lounge, you had to double back on yourself on the top floor, and then it was round the corner. The Terraces lounge was great, especially with direct access from the lounge to the air-bridge.

 

[NM]

I feel that you will be sorely disappointed if you think the AA lounge for your domestic flight will compare to the Qantas / BA lounges - I often don't bother with the dom lounges as I'd rather get a better beer on draft outside than the normal domestic fare inside (as you have to pay for both - the lounge staff always look like they are totally bored).

SFO was my introduction to Anchor Steam which was on tap in the main domestic terminal bar. Quite a good drop indeed.

On your return leg, I guess you will use the BA lounge - i can't see Qantas stumping up for thier own - and I don't think that American do any international flights from SFO - only codeshares.

I was assuming they did SFO-NRT but I find that is a codeshare with JAL and their own metal is only from SJC. So if no AA international services, then they won't have a AC in the A or G areas. So it would seem someone has been mislead regarding the lounge access in a previous posting.

BA have 2 flights per day, afternoon and early evening departures. So their lounge is pretty quiet the rest of the time. I am not sure if other airlines use it at other times? So my guess is still on QF using the BA lounge for their eligible lounge guests at SFO.

 

[robertz]

I think your out of luck

No sure if im on the right track here , but if your going SFO - SEA, then you will be on a QF or AA codeshare with AS.

I was just there last week on an AS codeshare flight, and they all leave from Terminal 1.

There is no AC in this terminal.

So it looks like when you arrive, if you have enough time, you will have to go through security in Terminal 3, then access AC, then leave the secured area and go over to terminal 1 for AS.

Hope this help....

Rob

 

[Maca44]

Due to the confusion created by QF to me ove the phone I sent them an email requesting written confirmation of which lounge QP members could access and received the following reply:

Hello Mr Maca44

Thank you for your correspondence.

As previously advised, I'd like to explain that your Qantas Club membership entitles you to use the American Airlines Admirals Club lounge at San Francisco when travelling on Qantas or American Airlines. The American Airlines Admirals Club lounge is located in North Terminal, Pier E adjacent to gate 62A.

If you'd like to know more about the Qantas Club at any time, just visit our website at qantas.com/qantasclub


Yours sincerely


Ron Coutinho
for The Qantas Club & Frequent Flyer Service Centre


Having used the BART transport system at SFO previously I don't see a problem getting between terminals, so long as you allow a reasonable time etc.

 

[NM]

And are the TSA guards going to let you through the Pier E to access the AC if you have a BP for a QF flight that departs from the international gates at A or G?

 

[neil_gardner]

especially if you have the dreaded "SSSS" on your boarding card.....

You'll be there forever and a day

 

[Kiwi Flyer]

And are the TSA guards going to let you through the Pier E to access the AC if you have a BP for a QF flight that departs from the international gates at A or G?

Nope. Hence the reason I am avoiding the AA codeshare on Alaska.

 

[QF WP]

Earlier this month, Mrs LW and I recently had this situation... MIA/SFO on AA, connecting to AS SFO/SEA.

Considering that we had a <2 hour connection, I didn't consider it was worth staying at the E Terminal and then try and judge how long it would take to walk through the connecing Terminals over to the AS Gates.

 

[Kiwi Flyer]

The difference there is as arriving pax you could have visited the AC if you chose. But for pax departing from SFO (not connecting) from another terminal there is no access to the AC.

 

[robertz]

especially if you have the dreaded "SSSS" on your boarding card.....

You'll be there forever and a day

Ha, good call. Me and the wife got SSSS from SFO-SEA on AS/AA. First time on AS, so this might have had something to do with it.