[joecolombia]

I´ve been travelling around Europe for the past couple of months and have learnt a thing or two about waiting in airports.

I know how expensive food is there and don´t get me started with unconfortable seats, wifi and power plugs.

I found out the best way to wait is through the lounges that most airports have to offer, but I´m not going to burn through 100-200% premium over the economy class just to be a little bit more confortable for an hour or two.

That´s where the Priority pass comes in handy. I can tell that not a lot of people realize how easy and cheap it is to get and what are the perks of having it.

My bank gave it to me for free for having a credit card with them. I manage all my accounts through the same bank so they treat me well, but in Colombia you don´t need obscene amounts of money to get it. I can get in as many people as i want as long as the lounge is okay with it. In some cases i have taken up to 5 people in with me. US banks require a lot more money into your accounts for you to get it for free.

The other option is to straight up buy it. It is unexpensive if your consider how much youre saving with it.

They cost around 100USD for a year.

Why are they worth it.

Most lounges have free snacks (some of them even free lunches/brunches), open bars (beer, scotch, wine plus the local drink) and desserts.

A lot of them offer showers in case your layover is too long and "bed" rooms were you can lay down and take a nap. Most of them just have pretty confortable chairs and power plugs. All of them have wifi.

Completely worth it if you ask me. Plus, lifting off a little bit buzzed is much better than having to stand crying kinds and horrible seats.z

[Hammerhead]

I think the lounges are ok, but the only issue is I've never seen a chick inside a lounge that was under 50 years old. Much easier to meet chicks in the normal terminal area. This is in the US, so international may be different.

[BallsDeep]

Which Colombian banks offer it, and what are their requirements?

[Drazen]

Priority Pass is great. There are several places where you can get $28 for you and each guest at a restaurant (I think they cappped it at 2 guests now). Some of the lounges that are branded with other airlines (Alaska Lounge at LAX for example) won't let people in during peak times. The ones that come with credit cards are better than subscribing for it by itself I believe as you only get a certain number of uses or something like that or there are issues with guests that you get charged $28 if you use it for them a bunch.

In the US, you can get it with Amex Platinum, Chase Sapphire Reserve and Citi Premiere. Maybe some more but those are the ones I know about.

[Heuristics]

(01-10-2019 01:39 PM)Hammerhead Wrote:  

I think the lounges are ok, but the only issue is I've never seen a chick inside a lounge that was under 50 years old. Much easier to meet chicks in the normal terminal area. This is in the US, so international may be different.

This comment makes me wonder if there is airport/ airplane game. Seems like a great way to meet adventurous chicks.

[SaintLaurentJake]

On the topic of airports, left Vegas McCarran today and here came a flight from Dallas with a bunch of 9s/10s wondering if they are part-time Pros or Dallas talent is good. On lounges ^, I dont think the priority here is women, personally one of the last things I have energy for is gaming women in the airport.

[Drazen]

(01-10-2019 04:19 PM)SaintLaurentJake Wrote:  

On the topic of airports, left Vegas McCarran today and here came a flight from Dallas with a bunch of 9s/10s wondering if they are part-time Pros or Dallas talent is good. On lounges ^, I dont think the priority here is women, personally one of the last things I have energy for is gaming women in the airport.

Thursday-Sunday are the stripper flights (out of town girls working the strip clubs for the weekend, making a few grand a night).

[Heuristics]

(01-10-2019 04:21 PM)Drazen Wrote:  

(01-10-2019 04:19 PM)SaintLaurentJake Wrote:  

On the topic of airports, left Vegas McCarran today and here came a flight from Dallas with a bunch of 9s/10s wondering if they are part-time Pros or Dallas talent is good. On lounges ^, I dont think the priority here is women, personally one of the last things I have energy for is gaming women in the airport.

Thursday-Sunday are the stripper flights (out of town girls working the strip clubs for the weekend, making a few grand a night).

This is mindbending like a whole hidden subculture of jetsetting strippers. I want to end up on one of those flights.

[mundele]

So ... If I understand correctly you pay 89 euro for the plan and an additional 28 euro each visit???

[Handsome Creepy Eel]

I used to have that card for a while and never found a single lounge that it was applicable for to be able to test it.

[Thor]

I have Visa credit card for my business so I got the priority pass card for free with it. I use it every chance I get when I am between flights. Its really nice being able to shower after a long flight and grab a few beers and something to eat for free as well sitting in a calm comfortable area.

[LINUX]

You can use that priority pass in the bogota Avianca lounge to access the private showers. Which means you can fuck in the airport shower if you are traveling with someone. It makes for a good story. I’ve done it a few times.

[Drazen]

(01-10-2019 04:27 PM)Heuristics Wrote:  

(01-10-2019 04:21 PM)Drazen Wrote:  

(01-10-2019 04:19 PM)SaintLaurentJake Wrote:  

On the topic of airports, left Vegas McCarran today and here came a flight from Dallas with a bunch of 9s/10s wondering if they are part-time Pros or Dallas talent is good. On lounges ^, I dont think the priority here is women, personally one of the last things I have energy for is gaming women in the airport.

Thursday-Sunday are the stripper flights (out of town girls working the strip clubs for the weekend, making a few grand a night).

This is mindbending like a whole hidden subculture of jetsetting strippers. I want to end up on one of those flights.

If you are going to a party spot, take the flights that arrive between 5pm-9pm on Thursday or Friday night. Girls in bachelorette parties go on these flights pretty frequently because they want to get in and not late enough to go out and party it up. Pretty easy to chat them up casually and grab a number to meet up later for the weekend.

Vegas stripper flights are usually a bit earlier, their shifts start at 8pm! Its a weird subculture, there are stripper apartments (or at least used to be) that girls crash in super cheaply if they are working the weekends.

[Drazen]

Honestly, the best thing I like about Priority Lounges are the bathrooms. Airport Bathrooms are disgusting and smell, and the lounges are so much bettter.

[Heuristics]

(01-10-2019 05:23 PM)Drazen Wrote:  

(01-10-2019 04:27 PM)Heuristics Wrote:  

(01-10-2019 04:21 PM)Drazen Wrote:  

(01-10-2019 04:19 PM)SaintLaurentJake Wrote:  

On the topic of airports, left Vegas McCarran today and here came a flight from Dallas with a bunch of 9s/10s wondering if they are part-time Pros or Dallas talent is good. On lounges ^, I dont think the priority here is women, personally one of the last things I have energy for is gaming women in the airport.

Thursday-Sunday are the stripper flights (out of town girls working the strip clubs for the weekend, making a few grand a night).

This is mindbending like a whole hidden subculture of jetsetting strippers. I want to end up on one of those flights.

If you are going to a party spot, take the flights that arrive between 5pm-9pm on Thursday or Friday night. Girls in bachelorette parties go on these flights pretty frequently because they want to get in and not late enough to go out and party it up. Pretty easy to chat them up casually and grab a number to meet up later for the weekend.

Vegas stripper flights are usually a bit earlier, their shifts start at 8pm! Its a weird subculture, there are stripper apartments (or at least used to be) that girls crash in super cheaply if they are working the weekends.

This is some really good info. I'm not got the pleasure of going to Vegas since turning 21, much less gaming there. I see Vegas in my immediate future for a birthday or something like that, as long as I find a way to avoid rolling solo. It would be a great place for daygame, nightgaming, and pipelining dating apps. There can't be many places better, other than NYC, LA, and maybe New Orleans in the US, right?

The stripper culture sounds alot like the pilot/flight attendant subculture with the crashpads and all that.

[joecolombia]

There are some affiliate restaurants too, that allow you to consume 30-40 USD in their place with just showing the card. Happened to me in Lima.

The fee is 89USD flat. You don´t pay anything else for a year. Considering that most lounges charge around 25-40USD per single entry, is a really good deal.

In Colombia, Davivienda, BBVA and Bancolombia offer them in some cards.

I´ve gotten my best lounge experiences in Bogotá, Basel, Madrid (international gate) and Marrakesh.

There´s a complete list in their webpage and they even have an app.

Completely worth it for frequent flyers.

Tomorrow I fly in the morning to Finland and guess whos not paying for breakfast

[lunchmoney]

(01-10-2019 04:21 PM)Drazen Wrote:  

(01-10-2019 04:19 PM)SaintLaurentJake Wrote:  

On the topic of airports, left Vegas McCarran today and here came a flight from Dallas with a bunch of 9s/10s wondering if they are part-time Pros or Dallas talent is good. On lounges ^, I dont think the priority here is women, personally one of the last things I have energy for is gaming women in the airport.

Thursday-Sunday are the stripper flights (out of town girls working the strip clubs for the weekend, making a few grand a night).

+1
I have seen many girls (strippers/sugar babies) who were coming or going on Sunday flights.

[petburi]

From my experience quality of lounges are way worse in Europe than in Asia (probably has to do with purchasing power differential)
In Berlin they had just like bread and some cheap sausages, in Bangkok it's like 10 various meals types from western to asian dishes.

But for me the main benefit of lounges is it buys you some private space and tranquility compared to overcrowded regular waiting areas.

[Forseti]

Thanks @joecolumbia for the informative post. I have been paying for domestic memberships for years with Delta and American, but recently started looking for something else that has some additional international options. Will check it out.

Have you had the problem with Priority Pass mentioned above where you were denied access to a lounge that was otherwise listed as available on Priority Pass's website? (I have heard this from others - though not through the forum.)

[chicane]

I've used the lounges in JFK, Istanbul and Vienna. Far more comfortable than a typical airline terminal. I need to get better at organizing my flights to stop at airports where there are good lounges.

[jcardial]

(01-10-2019 01:27 PM)joecolombia Wrote:  

I´ve been travelling around Europe for the past couple of months and have learnt a thing or two about waiting in airports.

I know how expensive food is there and don´t get me started with unconfortable seats, wifi and power plugs.

I found out the best way to wait is through the lounges that most airports have to offer, but I´m not going to burn through 100-200% premium over the economy class just to be a little bit more confortable for an hour or two.

That´s where the Priority pass comes in handy. I can tell that not a lot of people realize how easy and cheap it is to get and what are the perks of having it.

My bank gave it to me for free for having a credit card with them. I manage all my accounts through the same bank so they treat me well, but in Colombia you don´t need obscene amounts of money to get it. I can get in as many people as i want as long as the lounge is okay with it. In some cases i have taken up to 5 people in with me. US banks require a lot more money into your accounts for you to get it for free.

The other option is to straight up buy it. It is unexpensive if your consider how much youre saving with it.

They cost around 100USD for a year.

Why are they worth it.

Most lounges have free snacks (some of them even free lunches/brunches), open bars (beer, scotch, wine plus the local drink) and desserts.

A lot of them offer showers in case your layover is too long and "bed" rooms were you can lay down and take a nap. Most of them just have pretty confortable chairs and power plugs. All of them have wifi.

Completely worth it if you ask me. Plus, lifting off a little bit buzzed is much better than having to stand crying kinds and horrible seats.z

The OP is somewhat misleading. If you pay for the $99 membership it still costs $27 per visit (almost definitely not worth it for people on a budget). Buying PP membership outright might not be worth it at around $25-$40/person per visit. $250/year gets you 10 visits. Many small airports do not have a lounge, but most medium to large airports do.

If you get it through a credit card it costs you about $450-$550/year (~$300 refunded for travel related expenses) and while you don't have to pay for each visit, guests are recently now limited to two and you get charged $27 per additional guest. Lenience probably depends on how busy it is. You might need a 750+ credit score to qualify for a travel credit card with Priority Pass.

Getting a credit card with PP is maybe worth it if you travel a lot and value more comfortable seating/free wifi/free drinks/cleaner bathrooms (you can't really count on a random airport having substantial food).

Bottom line:
For me it's about $10-$15 of value per visit (might be worth more to drinkers) depending on the airport, so the credit card becomes worth considering at over 10 flights per year. If you aren't very disciplined about credit card usage it could end up costing you a lot more. Even discerning frugal people who get a card for perks probably get duped into spending more in general or occasionally hit with late fees or interest.

[Borges]

It looks like Priority Pass actually costs $100 plus ~$30 per each lounge visit (varies with the country you get it in).

https://www.prioritypass.com/en/join/step2

The $30 fee is waived if you have the Prestige offering which costs $429.

So unless you get it free with your credit card, it's not such a great deal.

[BaatumMania]

Dubai airport was one of the worst experiences of my life. Was so difficult to find a plug to charge my electronics. They barely had any USB charging stations and people were crowding around them (and often a lot of the jacks were broken?!).

I think it was an intentional tactic of the airport to force people to pay for a lounge.

[Dr Mantis Toboggan]

AMEX Platinum comes with free 5-year Priority Pass membership, great travel rewards, $200/year of Uber credit, access to Centurion Lounges (never been to one but supposed to be sick--in about 8-10 US airports plus HK, unfortunately I signed up for this card right after getting back from HK last year), a bunch of other perks. Cost is $500/year but waived for the first year IIRC and the Uber credit alone eats up a lot of that. Highly recommended. Plus it's a solid metal card which can be useful around impressionable types.

Chase Sapphire has similar perks I believe but can't vouch for it personally.

[Saweeep]

(01-11-2019 09:52 AM)Dr Mantis Toboggan Wrote:  

AMEX Platinum comes with free 5-year Priority Pass membership, great travel rewards, $200/year of Uber credit, access to Centurion Lounges (never been to one but supposed to be sick--in about 8-10 US airports plus HK, unfortunately I signed up for this card right after getting back from HK last year), a bunch of other perks. Cost is $500/year but waived for the first year IIRC and the Uber credit alone eats up a lot of that. Highly recommended. Plus it's a solid metal card which can be useful around impressionable types.

Chase Sapphire has similar perks I believe but can't vouch for it personally.

Uk Platinum is just plastic...I've got one but it's not really worth the fee. I kid myself that the odd points redeemed thing makes it worthwhile but it's not.

It also has no real perks at all actually, except the Priority Pass.

Costs £450 per year too so $550.

We always get the bum deal on these things.