I am an Aeroplan member, and I have access to Air Canada's Maple Leaf Lounge, by virtue of my tier status (note - in Canada, one can not buy lounge membership - one can get lounge privileges by virtue of being a top or middle tier frequent flyer, or being a Diner's club credit card holder, which gives privileges to the MLL).

Question 1- Air Canada offers free access to computers, for internet access, and for email use. (this is besides laptop connectivity).

Yesterday, at Dulles, the UA Red Carpet Lounge did not have such computers, and I was told that Red Carpet lounges in general do not offer this service? Do other US airlines lounges offer this computer access?

Question 2- The MLL offers complimentary alcoholic drinks. The US lounges, at least in North America, do not? Of note, when I went to the Red Carpet Lounge at Dulles yesterday, as an AC member (ie Star Alliance Gold), we were given one complimentary Red Carpet coupon for the alcoholic beverage?

Question 3 - The MLL has nonpayphones, and payphones. The regular phones allow free local calls. I did not see any phones in the Red Carpet Lounge at Dulles, that offered this benefit? What is the case for other Red Carpet Lounges, and for other US airlines' lounges, in terms of this benefit?

I tried using the computers in the MLL at YVR (gotta love those TLAs) ... none of them were working properly. I consider this a non-benefit.

RCC in MIA has free alcohol. None of the other domestic RCCs do. It's customary to give drink coupons to Int'l pax.

All RCCs (to my knowledge) have phones with free local calling.

I haven't been in too many lounges and I don't if you are referring to Star alliance lounges only. I have never been in a Star Alliance lounge.

The US domestic lounges that I know of that have complimentary drinks are DL, NW, CO, HP.

Every DL lounge I have been in has computers with internet access.

I couldn't tell you anything about free local calls.

I hope this helps. Sorry, I have no knowledge of UA lounges.

In addition to the free drinks and Internet access computers noted by ChanelCinq, DL Crown Rooms offer free local calls.

Years ago, when I used to live on UA, belong to the RCC and frequent the HNL club, it offered free drinks and was the only one I found that did. No idea if they still do.

No more free drinks at the HNL RCC.

-David

Please also see this fine resource and feel free to post there:

https://www.quickbase.com/db/6vcfnaqu?a=DBHome

AA's Admirals Clubs offer free Internet access but you pay for drinks. (First class pax on trans-continental and international flights get drink coupons. Some others may too.) I don't know about local phone calls.

The Crown Rooms, offered by Delta, have computers that have internet access, free local calls, and free drinks. Also, you will be able to use the RCC with the CR membership if flying UA (must show ticket).

re: DL Crown Rooms. Yes they do have 1 or 2 computers, but a warning. In some rooms they are in a work space that might be in use even though the computer is not.

Many of the computers I have tried to use are so painfully slow, the manufacturer should request that DL pull them. The access must be over a 1200 baud line or something.

It is painful.