Lounge Club membership from Chase credit cards
 

My wife and I will be traveling through Miami later this year on a trip with United/AA in economy, with a substantial layover in Miami. We have the Chase Ink Bold card which gives us membership in the Lounge Club with 2 free stays per year. Both Miami Club America Lounges are part of the Lounge Club, so I'm wondering if these free passes are enough to get us access to either of these lounges, or if we need to be flying a certain airline/class to get in. The website says "access to the lounge is by invitation only through the member airlines and is generally offered to those passengers travelling first and business class." So, I'm wondering if that's a blanket statement, or if the free passes will be enough for us to gain access.

I think you have to enroll in The Lounge Club and see if those lounges are included. Anyone find this benefit useful?

The Lounge Club membership supercedes the need for an "invitation".

Participating lounges are listed here:

https://www.loungeclub.com/en/

So we should be good to use the lounge with our two passes, assuming we can get to the correct terminal? We're flying into Miami domestically on United, and from Miami to Barbados on AA.

Just remember to bring your Lounge Club membership card.

Can anyone comment on their general experience with the lounges included in the LC membership?
Any value as a perk?

Thanks.

While I haven't used the benefit, my understanding is that it is good for the primary cardholder only, 2 visits per year. Unless you and your spouse each have your own Chase account, you will have to pay for 1 of you.

"Upon enrollment, you and your guest can enjoy access to all participating lounges in the LOUNGE CLUB™ network worldwide"

Your guest can access the lounge, but there is a charge of $27 per person per visit. The first 2 visits per year are free. I would be interested if someone could confirm that the cardholder and a guest qualified as 2 free visits.

"Upon enrollment, you and your guest can enjoy access to all participating lounges in the LOUNGE CLUB™ network worldwide. After your first two complimentary visits to participating lounges, a fee of just US$27 per person, per visit will be charged for yourself and any accompanying guest(s)."

There are multiple reports that the two free passes can be used for yourself and a guest (which, in my opinion, is how the previous sentence reads); additionally there are also multiple reports that you can sign up each individual Chase Ink Bold card you have (i.e. each AU on the card) and get 2 free passes for each of them. I haven't tried this yet, but that'd mean 4 total passes for me and my wife.

My Humble Understanding
 

I am posting this in hopes that someone will prove me wrong.

1. In almost all lounges, each person that enters counts as a visit. That is, if you take a guest in, that is considered two visits. Exceptions are cases where the Lounge Club website listing states explicitly that the member is entitled to bring a certain number of guests (usually no more than two) in. One example is the AAdmirals Club at YYZ--two counts as one. But my impression is that those exceptions are very rare.

2. The two free visits are not per year. Only the very first two visits, within the first year of your joining Lounge Club, are free. If your first or second visit occurs after the first year, you get charged. Also, from the third one on, you get charged too, whether the visit occurs in the first or a later year. Moreover, on those visits, even if the gatekeeper lets you through without mentioning any charges, after swiping your Lounge Club membership card, I would not assume that they are free. The $27 charge will most probably automatically be processed, and appear on the credit card that sponsored your membership. Trying to dispute that charge would appear to me to be exceedingly difficult.

Please tell me that I am mistaken.

Correct, and there is no basis for a dispute. The gatekeeper cannot know the details of your Lounge Club, Priority Pass, Airport Angel or other membership. Anything the agent tells you is speculation.

Very interesting information.
Unless I'm missing something the passes seem to be a poor value or at the very least not something to strive to meet spend for.

Vodkashine, I suspect most Fters don't think of the Lounge Club membership as something to strive for. It's merely icing on the cake for those who don't already have other lounge privileges. Mia, I was hoping you'd contradict my understanding of the two free visits. Would someone else do so please!

I am in the same boat, flying out of SJD there are lounge access there. Am i able to use the first two visits for my wife and I? i have an ink card as well. if i understand it correctly, the first two swipes are 'free' then its a charge of 27 per visit.