Using Amex VA lounge passes when not flying with them?

[MH_fan]

Sorry if this has been discussed before but I have a question about the 2 complimentary VA lounge passes that come with the Velocity Amex platinum card. Can the passes be used when not flying with VA?

 

[Ausbt]

Pretty sure any airline, provided you have a BP for that day. Many other varieties of Amex can access that lounge, for example if you have a David Jones American Express Platinum Card. I don't think you need to show a DJs receipt to get in under that card!

 

[MH_fan]

I'm going to be on Rex and being a VA plat won't get me into the lounge so it would be nice to actually use up those Amex lounge passes. I really don't want to be turned away and then have to kill time when I should be in the lounge having breakfast!

 

[Ausbt]

I'm going to be on Rex

Sorry MH, I was thinking of the T1 SYD International Amex lounge, apologies, not the T2 Domestic. No, I do not believe you will have access when flying Rex, you'd need to be on VA. Oh for the days of anytime access, how I miss that! Keep an eye on the 'I'm in the lounge thread' or 'Meet ups' and hopefully someone can sign you in. As a VA WP you deserve nothing less

 

[MH_fan]

Bugger...

Here's another potential scenario. Have a friend who will be flying VA that same morning. He has no status. Can I use my 2 VA Amex lounge passes for the 2 of us?

 

[Ausbt]

No, but you are a VA Plat so to begin with you wouldn't need to use the passes - flying VA you could guest three. The Amex passes to my knowledge confer no additional benefit (ie access when flying Rex). Your best bet is to appeal to the lounge angels good graces you being a WP accompanying someone flying VA. It's breakfast, so I think they would be more amenable to access rather than after 11 am - when the bar is open. Maybe. When are you travelling, anyway? I'll be there Monday morning.

 

[MH_fan]

Flying on the morning of the 6th, which is a Monday.

 

[Ausbt]

Flying on the morning of the 6th, which is a Monday.

Well you never know, I've been there the last few Mondays so if I book for the 6th I'll PM you. Back when I was Q SG and VA nuthin' I used to fly Rex out of T2 a lot. Since I always use the train in the morning what I would do is simply rock up to the T3 Q Club and just flash my card as I walked in with the usual 7 am crowd. The lounge rarely checks and of course you often just check-in after you enter the QP, unlike VA which always checks. I'd have my illicit QP brekky and slam a few skinny lattes, then cross back over to join my Rex flight. I know most people couldn't be bothered but given also I was a heavy user of the single-lane low-traffic security entrance at arrivals right near Rex, I could do the T3 to T2 dash pretty fast.

You could never do this trick at the old T2 Q lounge though - the staff there were well onto this always checking BPs, weeding out the Q-status holding VA & Rex fliers.

 

[TomVexille]

Bugger...

Here's another potential scenario. Have a friend who will be flying VA that same morning. He has no status. Can I use my 2 VA Amex lounge passes for the 2 of us?

That might actually... no promises of course