MilesBuzz! - PRIORITYPASS vs RED CARPET CLUB..advice needed please??!?

Hope this the appropriate forum to post......

I am ready witht he new year to finally buy a Airport CLub membership. I travel alot for business now and find never knowing what the turnaround time in the airport that I sit around quite often........ but I digress.

I was ready to opt for RED CARPET CLUB as i try and consolidate my miles via United, but I'm not exclusive to UA. I hear the RCC is quite uper scale around the US but then I noted my employer offers 25% discounted rates on the all inclusive PRIORITY PASS club which nets a lower investment than Red Carpet.

Would anyone have any reason to recommend one over the other? The Priority Pass "at least" seems a better deal as I'm not locked into United Clubs when traveling another airline............ then again, what do I know? IF I knew anything I wouldnt be asking!!

Thanks for any advice you vets can spare!!!!!!!

Welcome to FlyerTalk!

Before knowing whether Priority Pass or a RCC membership is the best option, it would be helpful to know your flying habits and which airports you fly to the most.

Even though your Priority Pass membership would be discounted, it doesn't help that much if the lounges are not in the airports (or even in the correct terminals of the airports) that you use the most.

If you fly United the most, the RCC membership may be the best since the lounges will also be in United terminals. If you fly other airlines frequently, see if Priority Pass has lounges in the terminals of the airports you use the most.

Good luck,

Bruin

For what its worth, with the Red Carpet Club membership, you also gain access to any of the US Airways (/America West) clubs when flying on US Airways.

But as the previous poster mentioned, it really depends on where you are generally flying. It can be quite inconvenient, and sometimes nearly impossible, to get to another airline's club depending on where it is located in the airport, what terminal its in, whether or not the terminals are connected within security, etc.

Hi,

Agree with the above posters. It depends on your general travel patterns if PP or RCC would be most useful to you.

This question would probably be of more use in the Travel Forum as it does not have anything directly to do with miles.

Regards

TBS

well, thank you all!!

MODERATOR: please feel free to move tis post to a different forum. You guys have som many wonderful forums that i wasn't sure which to post this in!)

MORE INFO: My current flyingoriginates out of Honolulu, however, I am relocating to Portland (PDX). Therefore.....PDX is probably my main one to consider, however, my travel will hit every major airport in the Western US.

The Priority Pass website isn't very user friendly as far as listing which clubs they have agreements with. They only list the # in each airport and for "some", the actual terminal locations.

If anyone has any experiences with using Priority Pass locations in places such as Denver, Seattle, Portland, LAX, SF, Phoenix, Vegas, et........ please speak up.

Again, thanks to all for yur wonderful advice. Wish I wasn't paying for this membership out of my pocket, then I wouldnt care if I made the wrong choice so much!

Hi Waikikited,

PP Lists in HNL IIRC ( the CO club/NW CLub /IASS Hawaii lounge and United RCC- the IASS is very basic

in LAS- The HP/US club by the A/B security check point ( note this is outside security so you need to allow time to leave the club and pass security)-good lounge

in PHX- the three HP/US clubs in T4 ( concourses A/B) all very good. also United RCC and Delta (T3)

in SFO ( Alaska /Delta& CO (good) clubs in domestic Terminal 1). United and NW in Intl

in LAX: NW in Terminal 2(good)/Alaska T3/Delta T5/CO T6

in PDX : Alaska (C) NW (D) United (E)
Regards

TBS

Mr Banking Scot!

Thanks for the extremely comprehensive listings!
It looks like twith the abundance of options available at the major Western US airports, and the large amount supporting UA/RCC that my best bet would be to spnd the $$ on the Priority Pass (at least I still can use RCC in PDX) and then after a year, see if PriorityPass was worthwhile.

You guys are so helpful.

Looks like, as a new business traveler, that I have found a new home and resource here!

One more thing to consider:

For me, one of the greatest benefits of the RCC is having a ticket counter in the club.

If flights are cancelled or delayed, it's nice not to have to wade through long lines of people at the public customer service centers to make different arrangements. You won't have this benefit at the PP clubs that aren't RCCs.

Mr Banking Scot!

Thanks for the extremely comprehensive listings!
It looks like twith the abundance of options available at the major Western US airports, and the large amount supporting UA/RCC that my best bet would be to spnd the $$ on the Priority Pass (at least I still can use RCC in PDX) and then after a year, see if PriorityPass was worthwhile.

You guys are so helpful.


I'm using both an RCC membership and Priority Pass. Based on your travel patterns I would recommend against the PriorityPass membership.

At LAX if you are flying on United, which is a logical choice, then you won't have easy access to a lounge by the United gates. You can hike to the Continental Club in T6, but if you are leaving out of T8 then you'll need to allocate about 20 minutes to get to your gate. In addition, if there are operational issues, you get to wait in line with all of the other passengers at the customer service counter since you won't have access to the RCC.

At SFO if you are flying on United, which is a logical choice, you won't have access to anything since the UA domestic gates are all located in a terminal which has no PP lounge.

At PHX you'll have access to a bunch of lounges and will likely be on HP/US or AS from PDX. In this case you'll have lounge access, but an RCC membership would get you the same access. (AS is in T2 with the RCC and the RCC membership will get you into the HP/US club when flying on HP/US).

At LAS the club is outside security (as noted) and is nothing special. If you are flying HP/US (likely) then an RCC card will get you in there.

If I were you, and was focused on the Western US, then I would seriously consider flying Alaska since you'll have non-stop flights to most of the destinations you listed. At some point in the future you'll be able to get UA credit for the old America West routes, but the timing on that change has yet to be announced.

For the record, the only lounge where I see myself using the Priority Pass card anymore is the DL Crown Room at SAN. If DL closes that club then I doubt that the PP card will ever leave my wallet.

I also travel United a lot but I would opt for the Priority Pass. In my expereince the Red Carpet Clubs in the US are realy not worth visiting. Crowded, no free alcohol, poor selection of refeshments, no showers. I get a free Priority pass from Amex which I can use in Continental Presidents Clubs and the like. I would rather sit in the terminal than visit the Red Carpet Clubs. I am used to the superior lounges in Europe and Asia.

Lots of varied and good advice here in this thread. I would have to say the best thing you can do is look at where you will be likely to travel in 2006 and pick the club that will serve you the most often. Quality, features, amenities and size of clubs will vary, but one thing is for certain, if there is no club in the airport you are at that you can access, your choice is moot.

I'd recommend first and foremost finding the club you will have access the most often to in your travels.

Best wishes for pleasant travels in 2006,

CCC

I had a PRIORITY PASS for many years before Alliances started up and my AC or CP lounge access (part of mid and top elite tier FF program benefits here in Canada, as everywhere else but US programs) got me into hundreds of affiliated lounges just about everywhere I flew. I rejoined PP this year when it became a benefit of the revamped DINERS/MASTERCARD program for us North Americans. This version is the basic membership, and we pay about U$26 for each entry. So you should confirm which version -- all inclusive, no charge access is the higher cost one -- you are being offered for the discounted price.

Like others, it really depends where you travel to and from. For those flying within NAmerica, I think RCC may still be your best option. As noted, many of the PP lounges are likely to be in different terminal buildings and thus a problem to access, or just to get from to your own airline's flight. If you travel outside NAmerica, then PP likely provides more access as RCCs are limited to UA's major overseas hubs: LHR, HKG, NRT...

RCC does have reciprocal benefits when flying UA or LH/HP/US/AC which permits access to their lounges, but this falls quite short of the access you'd have as a STARGold (i.e. UA/MP PremEx or 1K).

Another option for overseas lounges is to get a Diners/Mastercard or any type and even without the premium card PP benefit, there are dozens of Diners lounges at overseas airports (most of which are actually also PP lounges). The big gap in Diners lounges right now is found in the UK/Ireland, where these cannot be accessed as Diners lounges for some odd reason, but can be as paid PP lounges.

Anyhow, sounds as if the RCC is still the way to go for your travel patterns. As a back-up, get a Diners/MC card for access to that network of lounges rather than paying for the PP option. Note also that there are many American Express lounges at international airports overseas. Any Amex cardholder (Green, Gold or Plat/Black) can use these free as well. Not well advertised in NAmerica, but you can get details from Amex. But note, these are not the same lounges that are included with the NAmerican Platinum card. With that card, you can access NW WorldClubs, DL CrownRooms and CO Presidents Clubs when flying those three airlines.)

I get a free Priority pass from Amex which I can use in Continental Presidents Clubs and the like. I would rather sit in the terminal than visit the Red Carpet Clubs. I am used to the superior lounges in Europe and Asia.

While I agree with your sentiments regarding the quality of RCCs -- and the lack of free alcohol in the USA ones -- I am confused by your reference above to a free PP membership with Amex. You must have a foreign-issued card as this is not a benefit of the US or Canadian Amex cards, Plat or otherwise. PP is now affiliated with Diners/Mastercard, and now a free benefit (basic PP requiring per visit payment) of the NAmerican premium cards. It is true the NAmerican Plat Amex card will get you access to CO's clubs, if you hold a same day CO ticket. (See my fuller explanation above.) Perhaps you can clarify?

how much does a priority pass cost and where can you use it?

how much does a priority pass cost and where can you use it?

Priority Pass (http://www.prioritypass.com) has detailed cost info but limited info on specific clubs its good at. Some can be backed into by knowing which airline has a club at a given terminal that they list on their website.

While I agree with your sentiments regarding the quality of RCCs -- and the lack of free alcohol in the USA ones -- I am confused by your reference above to a free PP membership with Amex. You must have a foreign-issued card as this is not a benefit of the US or Canadian Amex cards, Plat or otherwise. PP is now affiliated with Diners/Mastercard, and now a free benefit (basic PP requiring per visit payment) of the NAmerican premium cards. It is true the NAmerican Plat Amex card will get you access to CO's clubs, if you hold a same day CO ticket. (See my fuller explanation above.) Perhaps you can clarify?

Priority Pass became a benefit of the Amex Centurion beginning this year.

As to the OP, also consider if you ever travel with a guest. RCC allows free guest priviledges (2 I think?), whereas Priority Pass has guest fees (maybe around $25?) on certain levels of membership.

To the OP, be aware that the domestic RCC at SFO is excluded from the Priority Pass program. The Int'l one is included, but you can't get to it without a boarding pass from that area, which means an International departure with an occational exception. Looks like the only lounge at SFO is the DL one outside security above the ticket counters in terminal one.

I think it really depends on your choice of airline.

If you are flying UA, then the RCC is clearly your best choice as you will want club access in the UA terminals at SFO, LAX & DEN (plus access to HP clubs at PHX and LAS).

If you are flying HP or a combination of UA/HP, RCC is still your best choice for the same reason.

If you are flying DL (don't know if PDX is still a DL hub or "focus city") then you may find PP to be more useful though I'd bet the DL club at PDX is excluded.

In general Priority Pass is better for international travel as it doesn't usually include access to hub city clubs (i.e. no UA at ORD, no AA at DFW, etc.) Also, one of the main benefits of RCC membership - as noted above and referenced in many FT posts - is access to the RCC staff for handing missed/cancelled/changed/delayed/upgraded itineraries. You generally won't find that kind of assistance at a priority pass club unless it happens to be affiliated with the airline you are flying that day.

If you are flying DL (don't know if PDX is still a DL hub or "focus city") then you may find PP to be more useful though I'd bet the DL club at PDX is excluded.

You're correct, DL at PDX is excluded. The only PP clubs at PDX are AS, NW and UA.

are their lounges nice? what are the amenities they offer? (showers...)

I have never heard of American Express Airport Lounges.

Exactly where can I find locations of these lounges because a search online only brings up CO/NW/DL lounges and not thier own. This woudl be good to know.

Thanks

I have never heard of American Express Airport Lounges.

Exactly where can I find locations of these lounges because a search online only brings up CO/NW/DL lounges and not thier own. This woudl be good to know.

Thanks


These are primarily promoted outside North America, so you might have to use a European or South American Amex site. The lounges are not as extensive as the Diners network. Some are actually operated by Amex, others are affiliates and the same as the PP and Diners lounges, generally third party non-airline airport lounges at major international/non-North American terminals.

The one I am most familiar with is at EZE, just by the gate used by AC -- who sends its J customers way down the terminal to the RCC -- in the new international terminal. However, I have used affiliate third-party lounge at JNB which had both the Diners and Amex logos on it. (However, I believe they restricted access to SAfrican-based Amex cardmembers.)

While I agree with your sentiments regarding the quality of RCCs -- and the lack of free alcohol in the USA ones -- I am confused by your reference above to a free PP membership with Amex. You must have a foreign-issued card as this is not a benefit of the US or Canadian Amex cards, Plat or otherwise. PP is now affiliated with Diners/Mastercard, and now a free benefit (basic PP requiring per visit payment) of the NAmerican premium cards. It is true the NAmerican Plat Amex card will get you access to CO's clubs, if you hold a same day CO ticket. (See my fuller explanation above.) Perhaps you can clarify?

PP is still part of germans amex plat and cent. You can also get it with premium mastercard but as all I know not with any visa.

to PP vs RCC: if you travel *a a lot it is quite useful taking RCC, cause it also gives you excess to all business lounges e.g. LH FTL with same day boarding pass. But if you are *G member you won't need it anyway.

are their lounges nice? what are the amenities they offer? (showers...)

Depends on the lounge. The lounge guide gives details on each, but many have showers, wireless access and free alcohol. Others are more "vanilla". The one we use in London has a coin-operated computer with Internet access!

One advantage I like is that you're not at the mercy of one airline. If you have Airline X's lounge membership and they close down some lounges or restrict the hours, you're stuck. With PriorityPass there are more options. As an earlier poster pointed out, it could get expensive if you travel with your family. I have the membership that gives me 20 visits but when my husband accompanies me that's an extra $24 per visit. We're about to sign up for the 3rd year, though. We think it's worth it.

Wha is this lounge guide i read about in the last thread? does anyone know what this refers to?

Also is there a thread that just deals with airport club lounges?

I will be traveling quite a bit this year and i am leaning toward Delta Club Room.

thanks Tasnam

After doing quite a bit of research, it almost seems that it makes sense to just have my company pay for $25 day visits as needed.

rather than $400 + $50 initiation fee it would take about 18 visits to make up the the cost.

What am i missing?

I do not believe i would need to use the Club room more than 14 times.


Your thoughts?

After doing quite a bit of research, it almost seems that it makes sense to just have my company pay for $25 day visits as needed.

rather than $400 + $50 initiation fee it would take about 18 visits to make up the the cost.

What am i missing?

I do not believe i would need to use the Club room more than 14 times.


Your thoughts?

As I read on the Delta web site, it's $25 for a one visit pass, not a day pass. So if you want to use the lounge before flying, it's $25. If you then want to use it again during a layover somewhere enroute - it's another $25. That's on your outbound trip, same cost on your return.

One thing you might want to keep in mind...

I have a Priority Club pass and am pretty happy with it. I fly many different airlines but lately have been using United a lot, flying into and through Chicago (ORD).
Its great that an airport you fly through has agreements with several lounges but the distance from your gate to that lounge has to be taken into account.
At ORD, the United lounge is not part of Priority Pass and the hike (and I mean HIKE... 20+ minute walk) to another lounge can make it unfeasible. This happens a lot at the major airports. To get to a lounge usually requires you having to go to some far away terminal.
Some lounges are even terminal side (rather than airside), meaning you would have to go through security again to get back to your gate.

I agree with Houston Cowboy on the quality of the RCC's.
Priority Pass has a pretty good reputation, day passes are also a good option. AMEX plat lets you use DL NW CO AA lounges with a same day boarding pass.