As soon as upon a time, it was widespread that in the event you had an airport lounge membership that granted you entry, it prolonged to your fast household after they have been touring with you. Sadly, instances have modified.
Over the previous couple of years, largely because of elevated demand and finite lounge house, we have seen program after program limit lounge entry.
Now, buddies, companions and even youngsters underneath 18 have to remain exterior the lounge door for some packages, except you spend sufficient yearly to hit a better tier in that lounge ecosystem or pay visitor entry charges.
And for the primary time ever, I paid the visitor entry payment. Shopping for lounge entry for my youngsters was the perfect $60 I might have spent on that complete journey.
This is why it was value it — simply in case you’re ever in the same state of affairs and sometimes decide to skip the lounge when the household is alongside for the journey.
The sudden airport delay
I might have by no means guessed I would spend more money to have them hand around in a home airport lounge.
We have been recent off a brief cruise from Miami, which meant an early wake-up name and debarkation to begin the trek house to Texas. Flight schedules weren’t actually on our aspect, so we have been going to have just a few hours within the airport earlier than our flight house, even when every little thing labored completely. However excellent wasn’t on the agenda that day.
As an alternative, just a few anticipated hours within the airport that morning was over 9 hours when our flight house was delayed … and delayed … and delayed once more.
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Miami Worldwide Airport (MIA) is not precisely identified for being the perfect airport within the nation. A minimum of, within the terminal we have been in, there weren’t a whole lot of shops on the gates to energy your units, the gate seating was removed from comfy, there was a nonstop chiming sound and different passengers additionally dealing with delays have been mendacity all around the ground of the gates resting wherever they might.
We joined them in that less-than-ideal state of affairs for the primary few hours of the day.
Nevertheless, as quickly as we have been inside three hours of our initially scheduled flight, which is the earliest you may get in, we headed to the American Specific Centurion Lounge and did one thing I by no means actually thought I would do: I spent $30 for every child to return into the lounge with me.
In the event you aren’t acquainted, these with The Platinum Card® from American Specific and The Enterprise Platinum Card® from American Specific can stand up to 2 complimentary visitors by spending $75,000 or extra on eligible purchases on the cardboard in a calendar 12 months.
In any other case, it prices $50 per visitor for these 18 and over and $30 for visitors underneath 18 (these 2 and youthful can go to for no price).
Associated: The least costly playing cards for airport lounge entry
From chaos to consolation
Spending $60 for my two youngsters to relax in a lounge gave the impression of one thing I would not probably ever do till I did. This is what it acquired us:
- Over 5 hours with comfy locations to sit down on couches with our personal shops (given the time period, this is able to have been value it to me all by itself)
- Good restrooms
- Entry to limitless snacks and drinks
- Dinner from the lounge buffet
Contemplating we spent about $55 on airport lunch within the hours earlier than we might get into the lounge, the maths simply “mathed” on arduous prices we saved over the five-plus hours we spent there. Airport dinner alone probably would have price us over $60, given the worth of lunch.
After we left the lounge to move to the gate, we have been once more confronted with having to combat our approach to discover some house on the bottom to sit down collectively, as the entire space of chairs and ground house was filled with equally exhausted and sad individuals who had additionally spent their complete day ready for his or her flight.
Associated: How to decide on a bank card for airport lounge entry
A secret spot at MIA
In the event you occur to search out your self in the same state of affairs on the American Specific Centurion Lounge on the Miami airport, particularly, there’s an space to verify if in case you have hassle discovering seats in the remainder of the lounge.
Once you enter the lounge (after checking in), instantly flip left and go down the hallway, the place you might discover couches and tables which might be empty even when the remainder of the lounge is fairly full.
Backside line
In the event you thought — like I did — that paying visitor charges on your youngsters to go to a lounge on the airport with you was an choice to dismiss as being one thing you do not actually need to contemplate, I hear that.
Nevertheless, maintain it in thoughts as an choice, particularly throughout lengthy delays when issues that often aren’t value it abruptly turn into the perfect cash you spent in your trip.
For charges and charges of the Amex Platinum Card, click on right here.
For charges and charges of the Amex Enterprise Platinum Card, click on right here.
