FlyerGoldII

LH/LX - Star Gold will get you Senator lounge; business class will get you business class lounge (Senator lounge better).

SQ - at least in Singapore - business class flight on SQ will get you into SQ business lounge; Star Alliance Gold flying any airline cabin (outside of premium cabin on SQ) will get you lounge for Star Alliance Gold. Kris Flyer business lounge better than the Star Alliance Gold lounge.

Any other examples?

Kiwi Flyer

There are some airports where the contract lounge for airline(s) differs for *G versus business class passengers.

Kacee

Yes. The new United Polaris lounges (ORD only so far) will work just like the SQ lounges - international business - yes; *G - no, you get the United Club.

Jasper2009

I seem to vaguely remember ET operating two lounges at ADD: one mediocre lounge for *G members and one slightly less mediocre lounge for C/J guests.

EK788

Both lounges are equally mediocre, with the exception being that the J lounge has a very slightly better food selection.

theworld

I seem to remember at TPE they have a separate lounge for *G not flying business class with Eva.

SK AAR

At SIN, you will also have access to SQ Silver Kris lounge when in premium cabin on most other *A partners. It is not restricted to SQ premium pax only.

SQ has many flights around midnight (e.g. to Europe and Australia) and it makes sense to offer a decent dining option at the SKL for premium pax who wish to sleep right after take off.

Anyway, I'm more in favour of the "SQ model" than the LH/LX lounge access rules. I fail to see why (frequent) travelers on dirt cheap Eco tickets should have access to better lounges than premium pax who one way or the other paid for premium product/service. Just me two cents...

lowfareair

With business class products continuing to improve overall and elite benefits being slowly whittled away, I expect fewer instances of elites being able to access a higher-end lounge than Business Class. There are definitely times where it is understandable why (Oneworld Emerald, for example, can access the first class lounge when flying BA JFK-LHR, even on a $400 'we're matching Norwegian' eco fare, while a $10k last minute business class passenger cannot).

Polaris Lounges are continuing that trend which many other airlines already do, as you mentioned. I believe AA is changing their Flagship Lounges to allow business class passengers as well, rather than just OWE and F pax.

Kacee

But with LH/LX this isn't done to reward *G, it's done to keep *A pax out of the FCL/FCT.

LAX/HKG

In TPE there is a separate lounge for BR's own elites, *G and J class flyers get another lounge.

thejaredhuang

Correct, however they're pretty much all the same lounge. Same food, just different design and decor.

MrChrisC

With some airlines offering higher-end lounges to *G's and some merely offering lower-end non-business class lounges, just out of curiosity, does anyone know whether the airline I hold status with (my 'home carrier' so to speak)would be charged differently?
e.g. AC lounge vs LH Senator lounge at FRA, or the Royal Orchid vs BR lounge at BKK.

gr8pirate

I've been curious about how airlines work that out between each other anyway.
i.e. Will EVA charge TK if I use their lounge at TPE, for example?

KLouis

Since you're relatively new to FT, let me preview the messages that will be coming in reply to yours (based on tens of similar threads in different fora):

- About half will be saying that the lounge owner picks the tab, the other half maintain that the airline issuing the gold card pays.

- About half have their info from somebody high up in a FF program while the other half have the info from a lounge dragon,

- About half say that if one exaggerates (s)he risks loosing the gold card, the other half say this will never happen.

- About 20% will just bring the same argument they used a few posts up escalating it saying that in the meanwhile they asked the CEO of that airline...

Of course you are free to translate CEO into a bloke at work, or anybody else.

Let's see whether I'm correct t!

MSPeconomist

BA does something similar to LH with higher tier elites getting access to better lounges (even when flying coach) than those traveling on paid business class tickets. IIRC AA also gives EXP access to FC lounges when flying international coach, although that might be an alliance rule.

In SkyTeam, IIRC the only separate FC lounges would be AF at CDG and KE at ICN. I don't think there are any arrangements for the use of paid contract or other airline FC lounges. An unusual case would be the separate international business class check in lounge at LAX, but there I think the rule is that 360s (the unpublished invitation only revenue based tier above Diamond) can use it before international flights in coach. However, it's a small lounge without many of the usual amenities such as alcohol.

There are also some anomalies involving DL's bilateral partnerships with VS and VA. For some lounges, just Gold status isn't enough, with Plats and Diamonds getting access to better lounges.