I’m going to have a 3-hour layover between flights in the Minneapolis-St. Paul airport. I’m flying first-class to M-SP but coach the rest of the way (1st class wasn’t available).
So does this entitle me to hang out in the first-class lounge, or do I need to do something else?
It depends a lot on what airline. The programs vary a lot in details. Some will only grant complimentary lounge access for transcontinental or international first class. Having the top level of elite frequent flyer status will usually do it, though.
At any lounge you can show them your ticket and ask if you are entitled to access. Prepare to be disappointed.
You can usually buy a day pass for an exorbitant rate. It is probably not worth it for a three-hour layover.
It’s Delta.
Is this domestic first class or international BusinessElite®©℠™? Domestic first (with the exception of a few transcontinental flights, which means not involving Minneapolis) doesn’t seem to entitle you to access into the SkyClub®©℠™ at all.
You will not get complimentary lounge access with that itinerary on Delta, unless you have Platinum or higher frequent flyer status, platinum American Express card, or Delta Reserve American Express card.
Day passes can be acquired for fiddy bucks. IMHO it’s not worth it. Delta Sky Club’s are really nothing special. They do have free booze, though.
When I bought a ticket the day of the flight at full price (urgent work situation), even though it was a coach seat they informed me that did entitle me to go into that area. This was many years ago. Y(sky)MMV
You could hang by the entrance and ask people coming in if you could be their guest. I’ve heard of friends doing this with great success. Some lounges also allow you to buy a day pass.
I’ve done it; I believe there was no business class seating offered for the final leg of a trip.
Of course, I also looked as exhausted as I felt; it may have been a true act of compassion.
Post a request on this forum. Whenever I am travelling through Dubai or Abu Dhabi I always (like a lot of others) ask if anyone wants an invite to the business lounge ( haven’t flown first) as my membership level entitles me to invite a guest to the lounge.
Currently on Delta, a SkyClub member is allowed 2 complementary guests. Starting March 1, 2015, that changes to zero.
Lifehacker just had an article on this the other week.
The easiest way seems to be “buy a same-day, first-class, refundable, international ticket. Then return it.”
I’m genuinely curious if there are first/international business class tickets that can really be refunded for 100%, with no fees. Though I guess if there are fees, if they’re less than a day pass for the lounge, it might still be worth it if you really want in there. Just consume enough food and booze to get your money’s worth.
Hmm. $50. 3 hours. Free booze. I reckon I could make it worth it :). Would probably sleep well on the next flight, too. Your air mileage may vary, of course :).
In reply to bouv’s post, I saw a story recently about a Chinese man who spent almost a year buying a fully-refundable first-class ticket, eating a slap-up lunch in the airline’s first-class lounge, then cancelling his ticket and going home. I presume the airline in question has now changed its terms & conditions, and all airlines are probably aware of this scam by now.
I don’t think there are any “first class” lounges for domestic flights in the US. As others have stated each airlines have club lounges that their members can use, and if you are on an international flight with a business class or first class ticket, then they usually allow complimentary use on the day of your flight when presenting your boarding pass indicating your flight status.
In other countries, in the international terminals, you will usually find separate first class lounges and business class lounges.
I am already disappointed to find out that buying a first-class ticket doesn’t entitle you to use the first-class lounge.
What I had in mind was free wi-fi, charging my laptop, and drinking. It might still be worth $50.
Next dumb question: The confirmation says I can check in online “up to 24 hours prior to departure.”
Does this mean “any time before 24 hours” or does it mean “within 24 hours”? Unclear to me, I can read it either way but the first way doesn’t really make sense.
Within 24 hours; you cannot check into an airline more than 24 hours in advance… It’s not worth $50 to go to the lounge in my experience. I’d push for a free pass since they couldn’t get you into first class for the entire trip. Either that or tag along with someone if you aren’t shy about doing such things. I never bother myself but have tagged along with coworkers.
MSP doesn’t have a first class lounge. It has three airline club lounges, 2 Delta and 1 United. Even in those, alcoholic beverages aren’t complimentary. Just soda and a few snacks.
You won’t be there three hours. * Assuming your planes land and depart on time*, subtract the time required to exit your first plane, the time you spend standing in line and getting aboard your second plane, any required travel time walking between the gates, and travel time to/from the airline lounge, and you will be lucky to have 60 minutes, 90 minutes tops, in the lounge.
Thanks, all.
Yeah, good point Duckster, I picked this fight instead of another one because the other one only had 25 minutes between the two fights (and the layover was Atlanta) so I figured I’d never make that second flight.