Anonymous
Post 07/16/2024 16:50     Subject: Amex Centurion Lounge opens at National Airport July 17
Anonymous wrote:I don’t get the big appeal of these lounges. Who wants to sit away from the gate for the what, 30 mins you are waiting? I guess if there’s a delay or you have a really long layover? I had to kill 2 hrs waiting for a flight recently and had no problem finding a nice spot to sit.


I don't even go to them for food, just for a decent table to work from.

I live in Rockville and fly a lot out of IAD due to int'l travel. Thsoe flights leave around 5-7pm, and with the construtino mess on teh Am Legion bridge lately, I need to leave home pretty early to ensure I won't miss my flight. But on a good day, that means I have a lot fo time to kill at the airport.
Anonymous
Post 07/16/2024 16:48     Subject: Re:Amex Centurion Lounge opens at National Airport July 17
The issue is AmEx Platinum cards are free to service members, instead of the $695 annual fee regular folks pay. DCA is going to have a lot of people in that category, so just a higher % than most airports of travelers who have a Platinum card.

At least they got strict on the guest policy and you can't bring in guests for free unless you spend $75k/year on the card, but since that's in place, I haven't seen much change in the lounge access lines.
Anonymous
Post 07/16/2024 15:35     Subject: Amex Centurion Lounge opens at National Airport July 17
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:I don’t get the big appeal of these lounges. Who wants to sit away from the gate for the what, 30 mins you are waiting? I guess if there’s a delay or you have a really long layover? I had to kill 2 hrs waiting for a flight recently and had no problem finding a nice spot to sit.


It's more for layovers. Or international flights where you are supposed to arrive way early, but then often sail through checkin.


Yes this is how we use them.


Or if your flight is around a meal time. Like say it's at 2 PM, I might arrive at DCA at 12:30 instead of 1, and use the extra 30 minutes to grab lunch. Also the CapOne lounge at Dulles has a "killer app" which is its grab and go station. Last time I was there I got a quick latte, grabbed a sandwich and water for my flight, and left 5 minutes later.

And a lot of.people might say have meetings until 4 PM, and their flight isn't until 7. Rather than sit in a cubicle for.another hour, head to.the airport and chill there with free food and drinks.

But the lines are a real problem, especially when you only budget say 30 minutes to stop at the lounge. I would never pay a significant amount for lounge access, but happy to use it when it makes sense when it's an added credit card benefit.


How hard is it to get into Cap1 Dulles? Have you ever been denied/had to wait?


Last couple of times there it was mid-afternoon on a Saturday and a Friday- around 3 PM. Told 40 minute wait, ended up being around 30 minutes. Both times had gotten to the airport a bit earlier than planned, so had a bit of time and it was okay. Was mostly going to get food to take on the plane (4+ hour flights both times).
Anonymous
Post 07/16/2024 15:33     Subject: Amex Centurion Lounge opens at National Airport July 17
Anonymous wrote:the actual airline lounges also used to be pretty valauble b/c durring irrops they had power to get you on a good accomodation qiuckly, but now that everything is done automatically by computer/phone, and the agents have less discretion, the value of this has decreased..


Yes that's the best reason to pay for airline lounge access, still. But like you said, a bit less valuable than in the past.
Anonymous
Post 07/16/2024 15:26     Subject: Amex Centurion Lounge opens at National Airport July 17
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:I don’t get the big appeal of these lounges. Who wants to sit away from the gate for the what, 30 mins you are waiting? I guess if there’s a delay or you have a really long layover? I had to kill 2 hrs waiting for a flight recently and had no problem finding a nice spot to sit.


It's more for layovers. Or international flights where you are supposed to arrive way early, but then often sail through checkin.


Yes this is how we use them.


Or if your flight is around a meal time. Like say it's at 2 PM, I might arrive at DCA at 12:30 instead of 1, and use the extra 30 minutes to grab lunch. Also the CapOne lounge at Dulles has a "killer app" which is its grab and go station. Last time I was there I got a quick latte, grabbed a sandwich and water for my flight, and left 5 minutes later.

And a lot of.people might say have meetings until 4 PM, and their flight isn't until 7. Rather than sit in a cubicle for.another hour, head to.the airport and chill there with free food and drinks.

But the lines are a real problem, especially when you only budget say 30 minutes to stop at the lounge. I would never pay a significant amount for lounge access, but happy to use it when it makes sense when it's an added credit card benefit.


How hard is it to get into Cap1 Dulles? Have you ever been denied/had to wait?
Anonymous
Post 07/16/2024 15:26     Subject: Amex Centurion Lounge opens at National Airport July 17
the actual airline lounges also used to be pretty valauble b/c durring irrops they had power to get you on a good accomodation qiuckly, but now that everything is done automatically by computer/phone, and the agents have less discretion, the value of this has decreased..
Anonymous
Post 07/16/2024 15:24     Subject: Amex Centurion Lounge opens at National Airport July 17
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:I don’t get the big appeal of these lounges. Who wants to sit away from the gate for the what, 30 mins you are waiting? I guess if there’s a delay or you have a really long layover? I had to kill 2 hrs waiting for a flight recently and had no problem finding a nice spot to sit.


It's more for layovers. Or international flights where you are supposed to arrive way early, but then often sail through checkin.


Yes this is how we use them.


Or if your flight is around a meal time. Like say it's at 2 PM, I might arrive at DCA at 12:30 instead of 1, and use the extra 30 minutes to grab lunch. Also the CapOne lounge at Dulles has a "killer app" which is its grab and go station. Last time I was there I got a quick latte, grabbed a sandwich and water for my flight, and left 5 minutes later.

And a lot of.people might say have meetings until 4 PM, and their flight isn't until 7. Rather than sit in a cubicle for.another hour, head to.the airport and chill there with free food and drinks.

But the lines are a real problem, especially when you only budget say 30 minutes to stop at the lounge. I would never pay a significant amount for lounge access, but happy to use it when it makes sense when it's an added credit card benefit.
Anonymous
Post 07/16/2024 14:50     Subject: Amex Centurion Lounge opens at National Airport July 17
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:I don’t get the big appeal of these lounges. Who wants to sit away from the gate for the what, 30 mins you are waiting? I guess if there’s a delay or you have a really long layover? I had to kill 2 hrs waiting for a flight recently and had no problem finding a nice spot to sit.


It's more for layovers. Or international flights where you are supposed to arrive way early, but then often sail through checkin.


Yes this is how we use them.
Anonymous
Post 07/16/2024 14:48     Subject: Amex Centurion Lounge opens at National Airport July 17
Anonymous wrote:I don’t get the big appeal of these lounges. Who wants to sit away from the gate for the what, 30 mins you are waiting? I guess if there’s a delay or you have a really long layover? I had to kill 2 hrs waiting for a flight recently and had no problem finding a nice spot to sit.


It's more for layovers. Or international flights where you are supposed to arrive way early, but then often sail through checkin.
Anonymous
Post 07/16/2024 14:47     Subject: Amex Centurion Lounge opens at National Airport July 17
I don’t get the big appeal of these lounges. Who wants to sit away from the gate for the what, 30 mins you are waiting? I guess if there’s a delay or you have a really long layover? I had to kill 2 hrs waiting for a flight recently and had no problem finding a nice spot to sit.
Anonymous
Post 07/16/2024 14:44     Subject: Amex Centurion Lounge opens at National Airport July 17
Every lounge has long lines - because all of them give their benefits away to card holders. Its a broken model that no longer requires actual frequent flying.
Anonymous
Post 07/16/2024 14:22     Subject: Amex Centurion Lounge opens at National Airport July 17
Anonymous wrote:When does the Capitol One lounge open? Was supposed to be in June I think.


Ha ha there has been zero obvious movement work there. I think there is framing up and not much more. Probably earliest would be in the spring. It won't be a "regular" lounge. Sort of like a restaurant apparently, maybe with some grab and go things like they have at Dulles.
Anonymous
Post 07/16/2024 14:11     Subject: Amex Centurion Lounge opens at National Airport July 17
All Centurion Lounges have lines. Kind of worthless.
Anonymous
Post 07/16/2024 13:57     Subject: Amex Centurion Lounge opens at National Airport July 17
When does the Capitol One lounge open? Was supposed to be in June I think.
Anonymous
Post 07/16/2024 13:56     Subject: Amex Centurion Lounge opens at National Airport July 17
A mere 3.5 years after it was announced. Lines will probably be long- lot of Platinum cardholders in the area, like in San Francisco, which often has lines.

https://www.americanexpress.com/en-us/newsroom/articles/travel-and-dining/centurion-lounge-to-open-at-ronald-reagan-washington-national-ai.html

https://thepointsguy.com/news/amex-centurion-lounge-washington-dca-review/