5 Reasons to Pay the Airline Lounge Access Fee

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You may have wondered if airline lounge access fees are worth the money.  Is everything behind those sliding glass doors shiny and glamorous? In my experience, there are 5 Reasons that make paying the lounge access fee worth it.

Everyone’s situation is unique.  I’ll give you some information regarding our situation to better qualify my reasons below.  My husband frequently travels for work and has elite status with Delta Airlines.

This affords him an annual pass to Delta lounges.  I have the Delta Amex and can, under most circumstances, purchase a day pass for the lounge. If you’ve read my Stuck in the Airport post, you’ll remember that it doesn’t always work, but most of the time, it’s an excellent option for us.  

My Delta Sky Lounge access fee is $29.  So, is it worth it? Yes…read on.

5 Reasons to Pay the Airline Lounge Access Fee

The purpose of this post is informational and depicts my personal experience. It is not to provide credit card or other financial advice.   

1. You Have a Long Layover.

To make the visit worth the fee, I believe the minimum layover or your pre-flight time should be at least 2 hours.

At the end of our most recent work trip, we were ready to check out of the hotel around 9:30 and didn’t need to go anywhere else.  So, we headed to the airport.  We checked in 4 hours before our departure and headed to the Delta Sky Club lounge.  They verified our boarding passes, I paid my fee, Brian scanned his pass, and that was it!  We had over 3 hours before our boarding time to get some work done and get something to eat.

Airline lounges vary significantly throughout the country but I have yet to be overly disappointed with our visits.  Most of the time, I find them to be a little respite from the standard airport rush.

2. You’re Hungry!

Food and drinks at the airport are VERY expensive.  On our most recent lounge visit, my $29 lounge access fee was well worth it.  Since my husband has an annual access pass to the Delta lounge, it was an even more economical visit. How much would these items have cost if we had purchased them separately at the food court or airport bar?

Outside of the lounge, we would have had these expenses for each of us. So, we ate breakfast and lunch, had a cocktail and several cups of coffee for $29.

• Latte
• Bagel with cream cheese
• Bloody Mary
• Soup/Salad
• Another coffee to go!

Granted, the airport food court and specialty restaurants certainly offer more variety, but I will gladly give up selection for a relaxing environment.

Side note:  If you have children, the lounge is a great place to keep them “contained and safe”.  However, they may not appreciate the quiet environment or the soup/salad bar.  I haven’t been to a lounge that offered chicken nuggets and french fries yet…but I’ll let you know if I do!  After…I eat some yummy french fries!

3. Deadlines.  The Lounge Access Fee is Worth it.

Airline lounges offer unique benefits to the working traveler.  They provide several seating options, including booths, bar seating, and mini cubicles. Most seating areas also offer individual outlets per seat.  Many offer printer stations, fax services (Do people still send faxes?), and even private rooms.

The Delta lounge is an environment where I can get up to grab a cup of coffee and not worry about walking away from my bag and laptop.  It’s a smaller space with fewer people.  Almost every person in the room has a computer so I don’t worry about them wanting to walk off with mine.

4. Peace & Quiet Can Make the Lounge Access Fee a Good Investment.

There are times when you don’t mind the hustle and bustle, but other times you need a quiet place to land.  As much as I enjoy traveling, I really love an hour or so of peace and quiet.  We seem to always have work to do, and the quiet environment of the lounge is conducive.

Although each time I have visited a lounge, I have seen at least one family with small children, the majority of people are business travelers.  So, I have found that people are very respectful of others around them who are trying to check a few items off of their to-do list.

Lounges also offer national news publications and TV areas featuring news or top sporting events/updates.

5. Clean Bathrooms!

Last but certainly not least! I have to admit that this is a big one for me.  Clean restrooms, without lines…in an airport?  YES PLEASE! Some lounges even have showers and spa services.

I can’t tell you how many times I have complained to my husband about the back of the restroom door not having a hook.  (He endures a lot with me.) How gross is putting your bag or your purse on a bathroom floor?  EWW! Women unite!  You know how hard it is to try and hold onto your bag while trying to accomplish your bathroom visit.

How about that 1″ gap between the door and the frame so you are forced to see everyone in their stall when you walk by?  No thanks!

In the grand scheme of things, I know that makes me sound a little prissy.  And…I know that many parts of the world still have squatty potties. But I’ll take a clean bathroom any time I can get it! Wouldn’t you?  Check out what I carry in my travel day bag to help combat icky bathrooms.

And there you have it.  5 Reasons why paying the airline lounge access fee is worth it!

Do you pay the lounge access fee when you travel? Tell me your thoughts below.

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