Finally got airport lounge access? Here's how to look like you've been there before.
Joey Hadden
- First-time visitors to airport lounges can avoid standing out by following expert tips.
- Access to exclusive lounges can be obtained through credit cards or Priority Pass memberships.
Your first time in an airport lounge can be exciting. After trudging through security and navigating a crowded terminal, you arrive in a hotel lobby-like space with plush seating, complimentary refreshments, and maybe even a spa with free facials.
These days, there are plenty of ways to access exclusive airport lounges around the world, from credit-card programs to Priority Pass memberships.
But before entering a lounge, it's important to know a few key annoyances that will make you stick out like a sore thumb as a newbie, according to flight expert Gilbert Ott.
Ott flies 200,000 miles a year and has spent the last decade blogging about air travel news and tips on God Save the Points. He's given Business Insider advice on airport etiquette, from TSA PreCheck to boarding.
Ott told BI he goes to airport lounges at least twice a week and has a few tips for first-timers who want to fit in with the exclusive crowd.
Ensure you meet the requirements for access, and have them ready before you get there.
Before walking up to the welcome desk, Ott recommends ensuring you have access to the lounge.
"The first thing is, if you're asking if you can get in, you're already doing it wrong," Ott told BI.
This may seem obvious, but Ott said he's seen people be denied entry many times.
Requirements for entering will depend on the lounge you're trying to access. From passports and boarding passes to credit and membership cards, knowing what you need and having the documentation ready will help you avoid holding up the line.
For example, for the Chase Sapphire Lounge at airports in NYC, Boston, and Hong Kong, access generally requires a $550-per-year Chase Sapphire Reserve credit card, a Priority Pass membership, and a boarding pass for a flight up to three hours away. Cardholders have free and unlimited visits and can bring two guests for no additional cost.
Meanwhile, a Priority Pass membership alone will get you into 1,300 lounges in airports worldwide. And credit-card lounges like Chase's have 3-hour pass rates for Priority Pass members without the $550-per-year Chase Sapphire Reserve card. These members get one annual complimentary visit and pay $75 per visit after that.
Once inside, keep your voice down.
Ott said he often hears people in airport lounges having "shouty business calls," which can be disruptive to other guests.
"We're all having conversations, but I do think there is a form of etiquette," he said. "If you're on the phone, it's no different than you and I having a conversation. But if I can't even have a normal conversation with you because somebody's shouting over us, that's pretty lame."
Don't treat the lounge like it's your house.
If you're too comfortable in the lounge, you may make others uncomfortable.
"I've seen people do full-on outfit changes in the middle of the lounge. There are bathrooms for that," Ott said. "I've also seen people lying down with popcorn all over the floor around them."
Some lounges are often crowded with travelers, which makes taking up multiple chairs especially annoying, according to Ott.
So keep tidy, and remember you're in a public space.
Don't stash the complimentary snacks and beverages.
For most airport lounges, complimentary snacks and beverages are a staple. And some even offer free cocktails and meals.
But that doesn't mean you should take it all, according to Ott.
"People have the 'it's free' mentality, so they just start shoving Coronas into their backpacks, and that's generally frowned upon," he said. "There's a difference between a takeaway beverage and theft, and some people blur those lines."
Going to an airport lounge for the first time may make you feel like an outsider, but with Ott's expert tips, you'll be sure to blend in.
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