Top Ten Reasons Airline Club Lounges Are Wonderful

Several years ago, I had reached elite status within the Dividend Miles program with US Airways. When I received my membership package, they sent me two free day passes to the US Airways Club lounge. I was barely 24 at the time and didn't really think much of it, except that the drinks were free, it was exclusive and that made me feel pretty cool. Now as a frequent traveler, I can't imagine having to spend an hour in any airport without club lounge access.

If you are debating whether or not to purchase an airline lounge membership, here are a few reasons to help justify that purchase:

10. You are a business traveler. It's difficult to make phone calls while the PA is constantly reminding you of the threat level at the airport, let alone all of the flight announcements. Club lounges are designed with you in mind- little to no announcements and peaceful working environments abound.

9. Your cell phone battery is dying. You will have plenty of access to power outlets and phone outlets so you can catch up while you recharge your batteries, in a manner of speaking.

8. Those PA announcements drive you crazy. In a club lounge, a quiet, peaceful atmosphere is promoted. If you have a personal announcement, or your flight is about to depart and you have not yet boarded, they may make an announcement. If there is a major delay or other important information about your flight and they know you are in the lounge, they may make an announcement. Otherwise, you won't hear the constant announcement that the security alert is high and not to leave baggage unattended.

7. You desperately need to get on line and your Blackberry just won't cut it. All club lounges have some sort of Internet access. The Crown Room Club has wireless access provided by T-Mobile (so you have to pay for it). Certain locations also have computer terminals set up so that you don't even have to get your laptop out of your bag. Continental's President's Club has free wireless internet and many other locations have similar options available. At the very least, you will always have access to a phone line for (gasp!) dial-up Internet access.

6. A comfortable place to kick up your feet and relax. Forget about trying to find a seat near your departing gate. In the airport club lounges, you will be able to find ample seating in an environment that works best for you. With plenty of comfortable chairs to sit back and watch the latest game on TV, or desks for getting some last minute work done, you will have options suited to your needs.

5. This one sounds kind of dumb, but there is something to be said for clean restrooms. In busy terminals, there can be a wait time and unclean facilities. Don't count on that happening in a club lounge. Always well maintained, you should find them readily available as well.

4. Airline services! If you have missed a connecting flight and need to be rebooked, or you just want to see if you can get a better seat on your next flight, these people are here to help you. Most of the time, I get much better service (with a smile even) than the airport customer service desks and I usually don't have to wait in those atrocious lines, either.

3. Free Drinks! How can you beat that? Most airline lounges offer free beverages, including beer, wine, mixed drinks, as well as coffee and other soft drinks. They usually offer some sort of snacks as well, including fresh fruit, pretzels and pastries. Although you won't find a full meal in the lounges (and they prefer you not to bring in outside food), it's still nice to have the offer, and complimentary makes it all the better.

2. Business services are always appreciated- including faxing and photocopying. Unexpected airline delays can and do happen and if you have a deadline to send a fax in, here is your place to do it. The airline lounges often have a business center for you to help yourself and at the very least, have the ability to help you out in a time of need.

1. Makes airline delays seem more bearable. I find that I frequently run into delays and other such bumps and bruises during my air travel. Since my membership purchase, I have found my patience for these kinds of disruptions to be much more tolerable. I even volunteered to give up my seat because I knew that I would have a comfortable working environment to wait in.

So now that you are sold on the idea of an airline club membership, how do you go about getting one? First, do your research. If you fly United Airlines all the time, you are probably better off getting a Red Carpet Club membership. If you fly several airlines often enough to make a membership worthwhile, but you can't decide with which airline, check them out. Some memberships, such as Delta's Crown Room Club offers access to their partner airlines' lounges as well, including Northwest Airlines' and Continental's lounges at no charge. They also allow you access to their lounges even if you aren't flying on their airline. Some clubs, such as Air Canada, will only allow you into their club if you are flying with them.

Then there is the matter of paying for them. If you have elite status with an airline's frequent flier program, you can often get discounted memberships. Frequent flier miles are also sometimes accepted as payment for membership (usually around 50,000 miles or so). Club lounges very in price, but will usually be somewhere around $350-$400 at full price for an annual pass. Many airline clubs offer day passes. The Crown Room Club has day passes available for $25 and that will count towards the cost of membership if purchased within one month. This is a great way to trial a particular membership and see if it is worth it to you or not.

For anyone who travels more than a couple of times a year, an airline club membership is definitely worth considering. Even if you don't travel for business, the clubs have a purpose for the leisure travelers as well. I can't imagine not having a membership at this point- it has made all the difference in long flight delays and cancellations. Worth every penny (just in the free drinks alone!), this is a frequent traveler's must-have!