Have you ever used an airline credit card? How about waiting for your flight in a member’s lounge? Usually, these are considered expensive luxuries that are only attainable for the elitists of the upper class. However, that has been changing. With many new lounges opening and travel cards being launched, accessibility to these riches is becoming more of a norm instead of a luxury. Since the majority of travelers in recent years have been leisurely, many lounges are making these changes to outweigh the lack of business travelers. In a society where traveling is already so expensive, it seems ridiculous to be charging even more for basic comfort.
One of the most notable changes would be that of the airport lounge. In the past, airport lounges have been private experiences that provide an escape from the typically crowded lounges within the concourses. These lounges are reserved for members, card holders, or day-pass payers. With their accessibility being less restricted, they too have become more crowded. Many people are choosing to now pay for the exclusivity that these lounges provide to escape the overly-crowded concourses. Somehow, the travel industry has found another way to capitalize on their consumers, forcing them to pay for a lounge instead of sitting on the floor of the concourse.
Within most airport lounges are exclusive services that normally aren’t attainable to the general public. In theory, such amenities would include larger and comfier spaces to rest while you wait for your flight, Wi-Fi, snacks, more restaurants and bars, clean bathrooms sometimes with showers, massage chairs and even spas. With these spaces becoming crowded as well, the sense of escape is less evident.
In the past, some of the most famous lounges were owned by Delta Air Lines, United Airlines and American Airlines. These lounges were known for offering access to their lounge to passengers who were frequent flier members or passengers flying in their first class or business class.
Owners of the American Express Platinum card have been lucky enough to spend their time in these clubs with access to any club owned by the airline. This card also offers you up to $400 in airline expenses and partnered hotels. However, the price point is pretty high as it costs $695 annually. By doing this, the industry is able to exploit its consumers continuously. Passengers can only achieve this level of comfort once they have paid $695 annually towards the card.
With this in mind, many banks have decided to hop on board this trend, deciding to open their own lounges and consecutive cards. Capital One is one example, opening its first lounge in Dallas-Fort Worth which includes craft cocktails, showers and a cycling room. They have plans to open more clubs within the next year in locations like Denver and Washington Dulles in Washington, D.C. Capital One grants access to anyone who owns their Venture X card. This card also includes up to $300 in travel expenses, and costs $395 annually, $300 less than American Express’s card.
Another bank that has had its own take on these lounges is Chase, opening its new card, the Chase Sapphire Reserve card. This card is $500 annually and includes $300 worth of travel expenses as well. Owners of this card will have access to the Chase Sapphire Lounge by the Club at any of its six international locations like Phoenix, Boston, and LaGuardia in New York starting next year.
Other clubs welcome any passenger as long as they’re paying to enter. Priority Pass is included within these lounges, offering availability within their clubs to anyone who is willing to pay an annual fee of $299. The Plaza Premium Group also recently introduced their PPL Pass Americas, $59 for two trips to their lounges which are located in North, Central, and South America across 70 different airports. Though both of these options are significantly less than the annual fees for credit cards, this is still a hefty price to charge for basic amenities that passengers deserve while traveling.
Another option for you might be day passes, which are offered at many different lounges in countless airports. One example is Escape Lounges, which is now in affiliation with American Express, and their pay-per-use plans for $40 at their 14 locations. Another would be The Club, which has 16 locations in the U.S., charging $45 per visit. United has started offering day passes for $59 on their app. These waves are probably going to be your cheapest option if you’re looking to escape the crowds that are still very present within the normal waiting lounges.
Though many companies are jumping at the opportunity to allow access to non-traditional users, some lounges have responded to this crisis with the opposite reaction, deciding to establish more rules to prevent members from entering. One lounge that has tightened up its borders would be Delta Sky Club from Delta Air Lines, which has established a new rule that you may not enter one of their clubs for more than 3 hours before your flight. Now, it is even harder to achieve basic levels of comfort if you are being prevented from the safe haven that these lounges have been known for in the past.
Another thing to consider is the fact that with more accessibility comes more people, meaning these lounges will no longer be known for the lack of a crowd. With less business travel and more leisurely travel, many lounges are struggling, unable to keep up with the changes. At that rate, what are you paying for? If expensive lounges can’t even provide you with comfort, why are you expected to go out of your way to pay for these exclusive experiences? This is just another way that the travel industry has successfully exploited its customers, taking advantage of their opportunity to create more expensive lounges with hefty prices that you are expected to pay, on top of all of their other traveling fees.
