I\u2019ll admit, I used to feel a little smug while walking into an airport lounge. Exiting the chaos of the main terminal for the peaceful, snack-filled serenity of the lounge made me feel like I had figured it all out.<\/p>\n
These days: Not so much.<\/p>\n
I hurriedly ate my food while standing in a corner and fled for the relative peace of the terminal.<\/p>\n
I visited the\u00a0American Express It felt more like a disaster zone than an exclusive club.<\/p>\n Yes, crocodile tears for the poor travel writer who can\u2019t eat his kale salad peacefully. But the point is: The secret is out on travel lounges. Are they even still worth the hype?<\/p>\n Airport lounges are struggling under the weight of their success. Among frequent travelers, 57% visit airport lounges at some point in their travels, according to a 2022 survey of more than 8,500 air travelers by Airport Dimensions, a shared-use airport lounge creator and operator.<\/p>\n And, while\u00a0new lounges\u00a0are frequently opening, supply hasn\u2019t kept up with demand.\u00a0Priority Pass\u00a0\u2014 an airport lounge subscription included with many premium travel credit cards \u2014 used to mean subscribers could access these lounges around the world. Now, especially at U.S. lounges, \u201cNo Priority Pass\u201d signs are a\u00a0dreaded and common feature\u00a0of many check-in desks.<\/p>\n According to the same Airport Dimensions survey, 30% of travelers who access an airport lounge do so with a subscription like Priority Pass. That\u2019s more than the 25% who get it through their airline ticket (i.e., first- and business-class fares) and the 19% who get it from their elite airline status level.<\/p>\n Lounges are taking steps to\u00a0mitigate these crowds. American Express Centurion Lounges recently\u00a0amended the guest policy, effectively making it harder to bring in multiple guests using the same account. And Delta Sky Clubs now limit visits to three hours unless you\u2019re in a connecting city.<\/p>\n Still, these are ad-hoc solutions that don\u2019t address the core problem: More people want into these lounges, and not enough exist. Delta Eesh.<\/p>\n More<\/strong>: How credit cards ruined the airport lounge<\/p>\n If you thought last year\u2019s travel landscape was bleak,\u00a0this summer could be even worse. Already, only 76.9% of flights arrived on time between January and March of this year, according to the U.S. Department of Transportation (up from 76.4% in the same period from 2022).<\/p>\n That means many travelers are missing connections, waiting for delays and desperately seeking a quiet corner to munch on their airport grub.<\/p>\n Of course, whether airport lounges are worth it depends on how you\u2019re accessing them. Here\u2019s how I think about it:<\/p>\n Related:<\/strong> Cash-back vs. travel-rewards: Which credit card gives you the most bang for your buck?<\/p>\n And then there\u2019s the squishy question of personal preferences. For example, I don\u2019t drink alcohol, so I always feel like I\u2019m getting a little short-changed on my lounge visits. No amount of iced tea makes me feel like I\u2019m getting my money\u2019s worth.<\/p>\n The real benefit for me is peace and quiet and somewhere to work productively. So if lounges are packed or full of screaming kids, they\u2019re worse than an empty gate.<\/p>\n What I\u2019m saying is this: Someone who likes noisy dive bars will love airport lounges.<\/p>\n Be sure to read: <\/strong>These are the airlines with the most delays and cancellations<\/p>\n The real problem isn\u2019t crowded lounges. It\u2019s how inhumane the airport itself can be (though\u00a0charming airports\u00a0do exist).<\/p>\n One of the biggest problems is noise pollution. We take it for granted that blaring, airport-wide announcements are made every few minutes. In fact, one of the most enjoyable aspects of stepping into a lounge is the lack of these announcements.<\/p>\n But it doesn\u2019t have to be like this. Several airports, primarily in international cities, are embracing the idea of a \u201csilent airport,\u201d where announcements and other interruptions are less frequent. You can test this in the U.S. if you fly out of San Francisco International Airport.<\/p>\n Cutting noise won\u2019t turn every packed gate into an earthly paradise, but it highlights how easy it would be to make airports less harrowing and lounges less (relatively) appealing.<\/p>\n
\n AXP,
\n
\n Centurion Lounge\u00a0during my last visit to Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport and had to wait 30 minutes to get in. By the time I was granted entry and had waited in a snaking line for my (admittedly decent) food, I couldn\u2019t find a seat in the lounge. Bedraggled passengers had spread themselves out over multiple chairs, creating makeshift forts with their suitcases and jackets in a desperate attempt to sleep.<\/p>\nOvercrowding problems<\/strong><\/h2>\n
\n DAL,
\n
\n even has an FAQ on its Sky Club page, reading, \u201cWhy are Clubs so crowded these days?\u201d<\/p>\nAre lounges worth it?<\/strong><\/h2>\n
\n
\n AAL,
\n
\n Admirals Club costs $59, for example. That\u2019s a lot of cheese for some crackers and cheese.<\/p>\n<\/li>\nThe airport terminal could do better<\/strong><\/h2>\n