Qantas Club and other lounges how do they measure up

[Ngariman]

Hi all,

Just wondering what everyone’s options are on all the airline lounges out there, would love to hear all your options on

:arrow: Favourite program
:arrow: What’s better value for money
:arrow: Better Network of lounges
:arrow: Best facilities
:arrow: Virgin Blue, Blue Room does anyone use it ????
:arrow: How others may or may not measure up to the Qantas Club
:arrow: And any thing else you can think of



I am a member of Qantas Club and have tried many of their lounges in Australia & around the world.

I am very happy with the service and standard!!!

I will be trying out the BA Terraces in Copenhagen next month will be interesting to see what it is like.

 

[markis10]

CX HKG (Wing or Pier) gets my vote hands down, to the point I use it over QF when flying QF.

Second Fav is SQ at Changi.

Least favorite - QF at Mackay - although they did finally put a loo in !

 

[NM]

I have Lifetime Gold status with Qantas, so that includes complementary Qantas Club membership (at least until they change the rules or the definition of Lifetime :roll: ), so can't really comment on value for money.

Generally I have found the major airlines do a very good job with their home port lounges, with perhaps Qantas being an exception - QF F lounge in SYD is good, but its not up to the standard of some others. Also, the lounges servicing long-haul flights are generally better than those that only service short-haul flights.

Given my flying patterns, most of my experience is with OneWorld lounges, so my views will obviously be biased in that direction.

My favourite lounges, in no particular order, are:

• CX The Wing at HKG
• CX The Pier at HKG
• AA Flagship Lounge at ORD Terminal 3 (K concourse)
• QF/AA Flagship Lounge at LAX
• BA Concorde Lounge at LHR Terminal 4
• BA F lounge LHR Terminal 1
• BA F lounge LHR Terminal 4
• BA F Lounge LGW
• MH The Golden Lounge (First) at KUL

I will be trying out the BA Terraces in Copenhagen next month will be interesting to see what it is like.

Its a few years since I was last there, but it was a typical BA outpost lounge with local beer and Walkers Crisps and not much else to eat.

 

[Optics]

In my experience, the SIA first class lounge in SIN is very good. In terms of bad lounges, I would nominate the Lufthansa lounges in Berlin, along with the non first class AA lounges in Chicago.

 

[bigjobs]

CX HKG (Wing or Pier) gets my vote hands down, to the point I use it over QF when flying QF

isn't it hands up when you vote?

i don't care about the lounge, as long as i can wait away from the masses in a mildly comfortable chair.

 

[justinbrett]

What I'd really love to do (or someone else to do) is work out a dollar range for both FF and SC points, in terms of how much it costs to earn them and money saved by using them. (I guess SC will be much more complex, and harder to put a dollar figure on 'using' them)

This Etrade offer is having me ask questions - 2,000 bonus points for each trade in your first two months, and it only costs $30 to trade. So efectively, you can get 50,000 points (limit) for around $600.

That's pretty damn good if you ask me, though more investigation is needed.

 

[justinbrett]

What I'd really love to do (or someone else to do) is work out a dollar range for both FF and SC points, in terms of how much it costs to earn them and money saved by using them. (I guess SC will be much more complex, and harder to put a dollar figure on 'using' them)

This Etrade offer is having me ask questions - 2,000 bonus points for each trade in your first two months, and it only costs $30 to trade. So efectively, you can get 50,000 points (limit) for around $600.

That's pretty damn good if you ask me, though more investigation is needed.

 

[NM]

This Etrade offer is having me ask questions - 2,000 bonus points for each trade in your first two months, and it only costs $30 to trade. So efectively, you can get 50,000 points (limit) for around $600.

That's pretty damn good if you ask me, though more investigation is needed.

And just think of how much money you could lose on the market in that time with 20 poorly timed trades!

 

[aus_flyer]

CX at HKG is amazing.

Though, in terms of dining - the BA lounge at JFK wins. The catch is that to use the dining room you have to be flying Club World or First with BA. Oneworld status doesn't count.

The dining room is at the back of the Business lounge - can't be accessed if you only go into the First lounge.

 

[Maca44]

I've used the UAL First Lounge at SFO a couple of times and found it very nice. I have been a Life Member of the QF Club for over 20 years, and if wasn't for the bar I think I would have second thoughts about entering. I found the food to be poor quality, and when trays of food do eventually arrive the vultures attack fairly quickly.

In saying that, I agree with bigjobs that it is nice to relax somewhere quiet and away from the crowds.

 

[NM]

CX at HKG is amazing.

Though, in terms of dining - the BA lounge at JFK wins. The catch is that to use the dining room you have to be flying Club World or First with BA. Oneworld status doesn't count.

The dining room is at the back of the Business lounge - can't be accessed if you only go into the First lounge.

And be prepared to argue the entry criteria with the lounge gate keeper if your BA Club World flight detail is printed on a Qantas boarding pass (because you checked-in for the flight at the QF counter at LAX). They just see the QF boarding pass stock and say you can't come in. After trying to explain to the gate keeper that my boarding pass was for Club World on BA to LHR and just printed by QF on their stock, I was eventually allowed in "as a one time exception"!! Has happened twice to me now.

However, I still think the food at The Wing F lounge at HKG is better, and includes waiter drinks service.

 

[Kiwi Flyer]

Lots of questions - where to begin :?:

For me the best lounge is LH first class terminal (yes it is a separate building) at Frankfurt. I have also been to CX F Wing/Pier at HKG so I can compare the two.

 

[JohnK]

Here is my 2 drachmas worth!

If you have to pay for lounge access and you only travel 2-3 times a year you have wasted your money big time.

If you have earned lounge access through frequent flying (eg QF Gold, Qf Platinum) then good luck to you and make the most of it while you have status.

For me having a beer in Cooper's Ale House in ADL with Mal the other day is better then lounge access!

 

[Kiwi Flyer]

I agree - paying annual or (multi-year) club membership for just a couple of visits a year is not worth it. For more frequent travels it certainly is (to me) - but fortunately I dont need to pay for it as it comes free with airline status.

There are some circumstances where a pay per visit access may also be worthwhile - although this tends to be expensive and may not be available at all airports.

 

[NM]

I agree - paying annual or (multi-year) club membership for just a couple of visits a year is not worth it. For more frequent travels it certainly is (to me) - but fortunately I dont need to pay for it as it comes free with airline status.

That pretty much sums it up for me too. If you fly enough you get the lounge access by way of FF status. For the few occasions where I am flying outside my status alliance I will live without the lounge or pay to fly J/F and hence get access (such as when I fly MH SIN-KUL-SIN and the extra cost for F is trivial).

 

[bigjobs]

here's a tip ... don't bother with CO (continental) domestically in the US. even with a 'First Class' ticket you are not permitted access to their lounge.

it's really quite surprising.

 

[Kiwi Flyer]

Thats standard in the US (almost all airlines). You have to pay for club access, or have overseas partner status (eg *Gold not from UA or US, OW Emerald not from AA), to get into lounge on domestic flights (that arent part of international itinerary).

 

[NM]

here's a tip ... don't bother with CO (continental) domestically in the US. even with a 'First Class' ticket you are not permitted access to their lounge.

it's really quite surprising.

That is the case with most airlines in the USA. You only get lounge access with a paid lounge membership or if on an international flight or connection. This is the same for AA, where even their top tier FF members (Eecutive Platinum) do not get lounge access for domestic flights (except if same day connection to international flight).

 

[bigjobs]

i did not know that ... thanks for the tip

 

[Kiwi Flyer]

here's a tip ... don't bother with CO (continental) domestically in the US. even with a 'First Class' ticket you are not permitted access to their lounge.

it's really quite surprising.

That is the case with most airlines in the USA. You only get lounge access with a paid lounge membership or if on an international flight or connection. This is the same for AA, where even their top tier FF members (Eecutive Platinum) do not get lounge access for domestic flights (except if same day connection to international flight).

Snap - we even posted at the same time