The Best Ways to Gain Airport Lounge Access, Depending on How You Travel

When American Airlines opened its first airport lounge, the Admirals Club at LaGuardia Airport, in 1939, membership at the trail-blazing club stayed invitation-only for almost three decades. Now, lounges are seemingly everywhere—and much more accessible.

And during COVID-19, many fliers see airport lounges as even more valuable. Almost all lounges have taken precautions such as tightening capacity limits, eliminating self-serve buffets, and suspending services like shower spas, yet these spaces still provide essential comfort and relaxation before a flight.

Of course, not all lounges are created equal. There’s a broad variation in the quality of just about everything—decor, amenities, services, food and beverages—as well as rules for entry. At the top end are rarefied spaces reserved for airline elite. (The only way to get into United Airlines’ Polaris Lounges, for example, is with a first- or business-class international ticket.) The vast majority of lounges are nowhere near as plush, but still manage to give travelers what they want.

But how much is that worth? If you don’t already have access to a lounge, the trick is to figure out what kind of pass makes the most sense for your needs.

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Posted from Conde Nast Traveler