Thinking of Priority Pass membership, but will it be worth it?

[robd]

Heading off to the US next Sept with junior and was thinking of purchasing Priority Pass for lounge access. Regardless of which level of membership purchased, can I get into the lounges if they are in another departure terminal? I think they are all airside. The trip is:-

Flight from MEL to LAX - So Melbourne lounge would be United Club (can't find a lot of info on this club). Any thoughts???
Flight from LAX - Southwest Airlines (terminal 1). Lounge would be Terminal 1 gate 2 - US Airways Club.
Flight from LAS - Southwest Airlines (terminal 1). Lounge D gates - United Club
Flight from JFK - Jetblue (Terminal5). Lounges at terminals 1, 4 & 7 ???
Flight from MCO - American Airlines (terminal A). Lounge ???
Flight from MIA - American Airlines (terminals D & E). Lounges in F & J ???
Flight from LAX to Mel - Virgin (terminal 3). Lounges in TBIT x 2 or terminals 1 & 2 ???

Thoughts, feelings & special comments would be greatly appreciated.

 

[11sjw]

How long would you have in each lounge? If you only have an hour and have to transit between terminals it hardly seems worth it. However if you have a few hours at each location then that changes the equation.

 

[here2go]

I looked at Diners Club as an alternative - but you'll probably be able to only be able to use it in MCO as you'll be in the wrong terminal for all the others. Not sure what Priority Pass does but it looks like you've done the research - I know it comes as a freebie with some Platinum Cards.

 

[robd]

The only connecting flight is the first one LAX - LAS with 3 hours between. What is the suggested arrival time at the airport for US domestic flights? I'd probably add and extra 30 mins to be sure.

 

[nlagalle]

Heading off to the US next Sept with junior and was thinking of purchasing Priority Pass for lounge access. Regardless of which level of membership purchased, can I get into the lounges if they are in another departure terminal? I think they are all airside. The trip is:-

Flight from MEL to LAX - So Melbourne lounge would be United Club (can't find a lot of info on this club). Any thoughts???

The united club is only open for a few hours per day in the morning so unless you are fly UA or around that time you may find it closed. You didn't mention who you were flying out of MEL with

 

[Foreigner]

Check out lounge locations against your departure terminals on the PP website:

http://www.prioritypass.com/lounges/

If you have QF status or QF club membership, admittance to AA lounge is not a problem.

 

[robd]

We with VA. I think it leaves at 10.40am or 11.00am. Did the return MEL - LAX last year with VA. Being in the outer suburbs of Melbourne, we get to the check-in counter a good 2.5 hrs, just in case we get held up in the "carpark" of the Eastern Freeway or Alexandra Parade. The Y queue was still really long last year on the out at MEL and the return at LAX. Fortunately, we did the return in Y+ and it was straight thru. We didn't realise that there was pretty much no DF in the LAX VA terminal last year which left us with nothing to occupy our time, and we were really lucky to get a seat at the boarding gate (people had to sit on the floor). Doing both legs Y+ this time round, but will still get to the airport around the same time, which will give us extra time to "lounge" if all goes according to plan.

 

[serfty]

Just be aware that USA domestic lounges are quite primitive when compared to those in Oz. Dont expect much and you won't be disappointed.

Also, at those airports with several 'terminals' you generally can't get airside in a terminal unless your flight departs from there.

...Flight from MEL to LAX - So Melbourne lounge would be United Club (can't find a lot of info on this club). Any thoughts???...

It's open from 10am until 1pm daily according to this: United Airlines - (The sole UA flight departs 11:20am, so I am not sure what happens after that.)

... Flight from LAX - Southwest Airlines (terminal 1). Lounge would be Terminal 1 gate 2 - US Airways Club....

Small lounge to the left after passing security. US Airways | US Airways Club locations

... Flight from LAS - Southwest Airlines (terminal 1). Lounge D gates - United Club...

Not a bad lounge - I have used PP before AA flights. UA are moving out of T1 to the new terminal later this year so this lounge's days may be numbered.

... Flight from JFK - Jetblue (Terminal5). Lounges at terminals 1, 4 & 7 ???...

You won't be able to get to any of those terminals.

... Flight from MCO - American Airlines (terminal A). Lounge ???...

There is no A/C at MCO.

... Flight from MIA - American Airlines (terminals D & E). Lounges in F & J ???...

You are out of luck. A QP member would get access to one of the two A/C's in D and the oneworld lounge at E.

... Flight from LAX to Mel - Virgin (terminal 3). Lounges in TBIT x 2 or terminals 1 & 2 ???...

Check some recent reports ... lounge situation for T3 is currently not good - isn't VA moving to T5?

 

[robd]

Ok. That's a no then. Thank you all for your assistance.

 

[ozbeachbabe]

Heading off to the US next Sept with junior and was thinking of purchasing Priority Pass for lounge access. Regardless of which level of membership purchased, can I get into the lounges if they are in another departure terminal? I think they are all airside.

Having the lounge membership is one thing but a lot of lounges will charge you US27.00 if you take in a guest. Don't know whether you are travelling with one or two others & what the charge is for kids but I don't feels it's worth paying even one lot of US27.00 each time. Better off to have a look around the airport at the shops & just pay for snacks.

It the US you really need to be at the gate 45 minutes prior to boarding as they start early. There's probably more to occupy a child in the rest of the terminal rather than an airport lounge.

FWIW we've visited two PP Lounges in the US. The UA Lounge (formerly CO Presidents Club) in LAS & The Lounge at DFW. We weren't charged the US27.00 for LAS but were in DFW.

 

[robd]

Thanks for the advice Oz.