Originally Posted by
micstatic
I know I'm in the minority here. But I don't even see the viability of lounges anymore. They are expensive. Many charge extra for drinks. Many don't have real food. Most are over-crowded. Most airports have high quality restaurants and watering holes these days. What's still drawing all of you?
Space to work (often with a desk), generally reliable wifi, and access to arguable better CS agents with shorter lines when necessary. Food/drink are the least of my concerns - most of the time I just want some water or a coffee.
Plus, if you're accessing with something like an Amex Platinum or actual membership and fly even moderately, the per-visit cost is not bad: $450 AF for Amex less $200 fee credit, 75 segments a year, use lounges for 1/3 of those = $10/visit. And that's ignoring other card benefits. Many people, including myself, use lounges far more than 25x/year.