Can you use the Envoy Lounge in PHL for your transatlantic arrival into PHL?

There have been conflicting reports. I was personally denied entrance to the Envoy lounge while arriving into PHL late last year. A search of the FT archives will probably yield mixed reports on this. However, I think this pretty much says it all:

http://www.usairways.com/travel/intl_travel/departure_lounges.htm specifically metions "departing" pax.

http://www.usairways.com/travel/intl_travel/arrival_lounges.htm does not mention PHL.

All that said, you will get access to the US Clubs in PHL or anywhere else along your return routing with an Envoy boarding pass.

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Saving the world, one clue at a time.

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by j_mee:
Can you use the Envoy Lounge in PHL for your transatlantic arrival into PHL?</font>

My experience last time back (Sept) was that the main lounge will give you drink coupons if you show them your Envoy boarding pass upon arrival in PHL. Its probably better to head for the main lounge anyway. Its bigger and usually less crowded than the Envoy lounge depending on time of day. When I flew out in Sept you could barely find a seat.

Why is everyone so concerned with the PHL Envoy lounge?

Sure it's got booze and some food, but other than that it's complete crap. There's rarely a seat to sit in, very crowded and messy place... I'm really hoping the new International Terminal in PHL has some better lounges.

While US' Envoy product is quite ok overall, they could learn a lot about how to improve the pre-departure experience leaving the States.

On top of that, you can't smoke in the Envoy lounge (or, at least the last time I was there).

Now, I know that this probably thrills %90 or so of our gentle readership here, but bear in mind that a good chunk of the traffic on these flights are probably Europeans, who smoke in much higher numbers than (most) their American counterparts in Envoy.

Fortunately (or oddly enough) you can use your boarding pass to get into the main US Club at PHL, where one can light up. I've considered taking travelers between them in the past......



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Saving the world, one clue at a time.