worldwidedreamer

"Our partnership with Regus will end in March 2011. Admirals Club® members will no longer receive complimentary businessworld Gold memberships to the Regus facility network." (3/24/11 Latest AC newsletter)

Darn. As an AC member I greatly enjoyed using Regus centers over the years. When travelling in countries with limited free wifi (China, Switzerland, Japan, etc.) this has been a life saver. Hopefully the money spent on Regus will be invested in some new benefit.

ESpen36

Beat me to it! I just got the AC newsletter with the same news.

To be honest, I tried out a couple of Regus centers (the free "business lounges") in Manhattan and was underwhelmed. Sure, it's a room with coffee and tea and an internet connection, but I didn't think it was all that special. Not even any windows or anything. It didn't feel like the kind of place I would want to spend more than a few minutes. And the Regus guy from the front desk kept coming in to bug me about "meeting to discuss my business needs" (i.e. renting a conference room), when all I wanted to was to use my FREE business lounge access.

Maybe the overseas "business lounges" are more glamorous.

kebosabi

Got the same e-mail and they included the CFR offer for conference rooms at the ACs.

But then again, I have to ask, who in their right mind wants to go thru the TSA Gestapo for a meeting? I never see those conference rooms in use, I think it's better for them to just convert some of the rooms into bunk beds for travelers with long layovers.

ccengct

Indeed. I don't think I've rented an AC meeting room since 2001.

ccengct

Hard to say how much AA was spending on Regus. Perhaps Regus took the risk to see how many Admirals they could convert to paying Regus customers. Apparently the conversion rate was not high.

GUWonder

I've gotten so many duplicate Regus Gold cards that I doubt any airline has paid as much money for them as Regus.

statics

Good thing that I saw this thread on FT or I would have been embarrassed the next time I tried to get into a Regus club.

Yes, the business lounges aren't always the best, but it does provide a decent quiet option when you are traveling for work. I used them to catch up on e-mails and hold conference calls without the din from a coffee shop.

Plus free internet can be a plus. I've been in clubs where UL/DL were in the 6 Mpbs/6 Mpbs range and free internet overseas can be helpful.

malcolmkettering

I can attest to the usefulness of these clubs, especially overseas. I got my free card via Priority Club, but in any case, I used the h*ll out of it on a recent RTW. In terms of quality, this the winner as I recall:

Hong Kong (Kowloon): this one is in the 1,588 foot tall tower in Kowloon, on the 12th floor, with floor-to-ceiling windows facing Hong Kong Island. Really an amazing place to catch up on your work. Top quality coffee/tea, etc. The most secure building I've ever entered: elevators have no buttons, you can only access the floor for which your security badge has been pre-programmed.

Other ones we visited included Sydney, Bangkok, Amman, & Beirut.

ntamayo

It was fun while it lasted. I availed of their lounges both locally and abroad. At best, the lounges were an alternative to sitting in a coffee shop.

JDiver

For those who wish to take advantage of it, Regus is sending out e-mails to us offering 50% discount for renewal - $15 monthly for Natiowide Access, $25 a month for Global Access.

"Dear JDiver,

Re: Membership number 00111222333444

Although your current Regus businessworld gold card, through your American Airlines Admirals Club® membership, is about to expire, you can continue enjoying access to hundreds of business lounges by renewing today! Take advantage of these DISCOUNTED renewal prices:

(offer stated above)

Renew your businessworld membership today to continue having access to a professional, productive place to work, no matter where you need to do business, all with free Internet, unlimited refreshments and discounted access to meeting rooms and private offices, all in a professional environment.

Hurry, this offer is only available through April 30, 2011!"

kaztm

I won't pay to maintain the current service that I'm receiving. For me, the pros and cons of Regus service were:

Pros:
- oasis in a city, including free coffee, clean restroom, and good air conditioning (but the same level of comfort can be obtained in a hotel lobby)
- free Wi-Fi (however, unlike a few years ago when the AC/Regus partnership began, free Wi-Fi is more common, plus I can use my 3G phone as modem)

Cons:
- "lounge" is often just a kitchen area, and sometimes you must work on a high counter with stools without cushion, while people walk around you
- access available only during weekday business hours
- must find and travel to the location; must pay for transportation and if I had a car, I could just relax/work in the car
- limited security - since you don't get an office, you must take all your belongings with you if you want to use the restroom.
- limited privacy - because Regus is mostly quiet, I feel uncomfortable talking on the phone or with my companion if the topic is somewhat sensitive.

I've been given an office 2-3 times in the past, and that was very enjoyable. If the $25/month membership comes with availability based free upgrade to an office, I might consider paying.

chrismwoods

Thanks for all the above posts. We're happy that so many of you have found businessworld to be convienient during your travels.

We'd like to offer Admirals Club members who previously signed up to Regus businessworld a 50% discounted membership.

• $15 a month for U.S. access (saving $180 annually)

• $25 a month for Global access (saving $300 annually)

To take up this great offer, please have your businessworld membership number on hand and follow this link.

Offer is in U.S. Dollars ($) and is available through April 30, 2011. Terms and Conditions apply [PDF].

foxberg

My wife and I both got complimentary Regus Gold Businessworld memberships. I think we got it as an added benefit for Priority Club Visa cards. I'm not sure though. Both of us registered for it on April 1st but still haven't received our cards. Would you know if a card is only valid for the person it is issued to or can I bring someone along with me, a friend for example, to get a benefit of free refreshments and internet?

chrismwoods

Hi foxberg,

Thanks for registering for your Regus businessworld Gold card.

Cards can take around 28 days to arrive. To access our business lounges in the mean time, notify the Regus center team at your chosen location of your businessworld membership number and they will grant you access.

You should have received an email with your membership number upon registering for the card. If you didn't receive an email with your membership number then please contact us via our website and we will get back to you with the necessary information.

You can bring a non-member to a Regus lounge. However, there will be a small charge for non-members. Please check with your local Regus team for details. Membership to businessworld gives you discounted rates for professional meeting rooms and executive suites, should you want to consider that option for when you are meeting a client/colleague/contact/etc.

foxberg

Thank you for monitoring this thread and a prompt response.