1. Presidents Club membership:
This provides entry to the club at all times no matter which airline you are travelling with or which class of service you are booked into. Details of this are found on the Continental website at this link. There are membership discounts for the various elite levels. You must be over age 21 to purchase a Presidents Club membership. You may also bring up to two guests, or a spouse and children under the age of 21 into the lounge. Additional guests can be brought in to the club at a rate of $25 each.

If you do not have a boarding pass for that particular day and wish to access an airside Presidents Club you may request a gate pass from a ticketing agent to allow you to pass through the TSA checkpoint. If the ticketing agent is not familiar with this benefit a call to the club may be necessary. Alternately ask the agent to look up "GG CHECKPOINT line 53" for the rule. This should bring up a section entitled "53 * NON-TRAVELING PRESIDENTS CLUB MEMBERS AND THEIR GUESTS." which should allow you to bring two guests through the TSA checkpoint.

2. Class of service:
If you are travelling in BusinessFirst internationally or to/from Hawaii you have access to Presidents Clubs (and some affiliated lounges) on the day of travel if you are over age 21. If travelling in BusinessFirst you can also bring up to two guests, or a spouse and children under the age of 21 into the lounge.

If you are travelling to/from a market serviced by International Business or an international destination serviced by First class service you also have complimentary access to the Presidents club. No guests are permitted. For this class of service policy, “international” does include Canada, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

3. Delta SkyClub membership:
If you hold a membership from either the NW WC or DL CRC programs you may enter the Continental Presidents Clubs as well without charge. You can bring up to two guests, or a spouse and children under the age of 21 into the lounge.

Access to an airside Presidents Club is possible for non-travelling CRC members. Ask the agent to look up "GG CHECKPOINT line 55" which will bring up a section entitled: "55 * NON-TRAVELING DL CROWN ROOM MEMBERS AND THEIR GUESTS." Equivalent language should be available for NW WC members.

This access method will only be valid until January 2010.

3a. United Red Carpet Club or US Airways Club Membership:
If you hold a membership for either the UA RCC or the USC programs you may enter the Continental Presidents Clubs as well without charge. You can bring up to two guests into the lounge.

4. Star Alliance Gold:
As a Star Alliance Gold Elite (*G) members of either OnePass or any of the other member airline programs you have access to the Presidents Club on the day of travel if you have an international segment booked regardless of class of service.

*G members from all carriers other than US, UA and CO are permitted access for all itineraries, regardless of destination or class of service.

5. Continental Airlines Presidential Plus World Mastercard:
This $375 annual fee credit card issued by Chase in conjunction with Continental Airlines provides a full Presidents Club membership in addition to other selected elite level travel benefits.

6. American Express Platinum/Centurion card:
With an AmEx Platinum charge card (the one with the $450 annual fee) or the AmEx Centurion (Black) card you may enter the Presidents Club on the day of travel independent of your class of service. You must be flying Continental metal and not a partner airline nor on a CO code operated by another carrier. You can also bring up to two guests, or a spouse and children under the age of 21 into the lounge. Additional guests can be brought in to the club at a rate of $25 each.

7. Priority Pass card:
The Priority Pass program grants the cardholder access to the Presidents Club. You do not need to be flying with Continental for this access. Depending on your Priority Pass membership type this may cost you $24 per person per visit. Guests are permitted but you may be charged depending on your specific membership type.

8. Day pass:
Day passes are available for $45 each or in books of 10 expiring within one year of issue. No guests are permitted with these passes.

This is highly dependent on your travel patterns. If you are a frequent flyer with Continental Platinum status and fly mostly domestic routes a full PC membership makes a lot of sense. If you only fly Continental internationally and only in BusinessFirst or International Business class you have automatic access with your class of service. If you are an infrequent traveller the Priority Pass program may be the best option for you. Again, this is a very personal decision to make.