Priority Pass is the largest independent airport loungenetwork in the world, with roughly 700 affiliate lounges. Rather thanpurchasing lounge access with an airline directly, this is a way to have quite a few options globally without restricting yourself to one airline. The catch is that the major US lounge networks — American Admirals Clubs, Delta…
Continue reading: 3 US Air France Lounges Join Priority Pass
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I saw this, too. Does TSA have a problem with going through security if your flight leaves from a different terminal? We're flying into JFK Terminal 1 on an Etihad flight in F, with a connecting commuter AA flight leaving Terminal 8 and a five hour layover. Apparently, we don't have access to the Flagship Lounge since EY is an AA partner, but not an AA ONEWORLD partner. The AF lounge looks pretty nice as an alternative. Or is TSA not even an issue as we will clear customs in Abu Dhabi and presumably be beyond security when we deplane at Terminal 1?
actually as a pp member one can get access to the BA lounge in IAD just not well known
@WorldWingedExplorer,
As Ben mentioned, there are time restrictions on access to the BA lounge.
I just did this on Sunday. I landed from Shannon, Ireland in T5 (did preclearance in Shannon). We took the Airtrain to T4 and went to the Wingtips lounge. When we went through security at T4, the scanner flashed red and the agent asked why we were in the wrong terminal. I told her, and she let us through without issue. She marked up the boarding pass just like normal. When we returned to T5 for our connecting flight, the agent didn't care that the boarding pass was already marked up. You should have no issue here.
Sounds like the SFO terminal A Air France lounge would be perfect for people flying JetBlue Mint between SFO and NYC.
@Chris Nolan -
Thanks! How was the Wingtips Lounge? It doesn't get the best reviews online. I'm now seeing that Etihad actually arrives at T4, not T1.
The Wingtips lounge was fine. Bar was decent enough, pour your own. Food was just deli meat, salad, cereal, soup, and toast though. We left right at 5 and it looked like they were putting out hot food. I didn't see what it was. Seats were comfortable and it was quiet, even though all the seats were full by the time we left. We went to this instead of AF because Lounge Buddy rated it higher. I'd probably check out AF next time though.
I discovered this a couple of weeks ago flying Alaska out of SFO. On a whim, I brought up the Priority Pass app to search and found that the Air France/KLM Lounge was now accepting Priority Pass. No problem getting into the lounge.
This is useful not only for Alaska, but Jet Blue and Hawaiian also fly out of the A concourse at SFO.
Ben,
The SFO page states under Conditions: "Flights departing from Concourse A only". Is that a requirement?
What I meant to say was that there is a way to visit the BA lounge in IAD in the afternoon hours with PP membership however not well known. And the afternoon spread in the BA lounge is very impressive
Interesting. I'm surprised that BA would put out a big spread before the Priority Pass cut off time of 2 pm since their flights out of IAD are in the evening. Maybe it's for some OW partners that have contracted to use the BA lounge during the day.
@Jeffrey: I believe so. A friend is a Priority Pass member and told me she was denied access to Terminal A when flying Virgin America (out of Terminal 2).
I have a VX flight next Thursday from SFO so might try to get into Terminal A. We'll see if TSA lets me in.
(OTOH, same friend was able to access the AF lounge in ORD, when again flying VX from another terminal)
@Matt: Thanks for your feedback, Matt.
It's surprising how policies may or may not differ intentionally from one AF lounge to another:
SFO/ "Flights departing from Concourse A only". Unfortunately, your friend's experience matches their policy;
ORD/ "for pax departing from Terminal 5 only", so here there's a discrepancy with your friend's admission;
IAD/ "pax departing from other Concourses can access the lounge by train", so all pax are welcome.
Yet, what you're saying is that it's the TSA and not AF that ultimately decides access?
@Jeffrey: yes, I believe so. TSA will determine access into the terminal. Once you're there, I don't think the lounges ask for your boarding pass, just your PP card.
Who knows... maybe it'll be dependent on the individual TSA agent.
Might be a forum topic covering this on FlyerTalk. Will have to look later tonight.