Originally Posted by
DrMilano
I'm with the OP, as Delta extending status for an other year was a slap in the face to me considering I re-qualified for DM early July 2021. It is apparent to me that Delta would prefer to have a glut of PM/DM that will buy up for FC, as neither AA/UA have extended status again this year. I have also moved onto United and status matched challenged to 1K. Even as a lowly silver prior to 1K, I was over 90% upgrades on United, as Delta upgrades as a DM has fallen for me since the April travel surge (from 95% to 85%). As I live in a non-hub airport, 90% of the time I'm connecting, as a majority of the United hubs except for EWR have a Centurion Lounge which I prefer over the SkyClub. I have the JPMorgan Reserve card as United Club access is an unlisted benefit. Only UA lounge that has been packed so far has been EWR, as IAH and ORD have been calm. Way too much SkyCLub access via the AmEx Centurion, Platinum and Delta Reserve, that the clubs are packed now.
I don't think IAD has a Centurion lounge, and the United Clubs there are meh (though sometimes quite quiet). But, if you have a long (2.5+ hour) layover there, take the train or people-mover to the B gates and visit the Lufthansa or Turkish lounge. Turkish is usually crowded but has the best food. The LH Senators lounge has decent food, for a lounge, and better drinks.
The only caveats are (a) getting from the mainline United gates (C/D) to B can be a 20-minute, calorie-burning schlep, and (b) I base this on pre-pandemic experiences. I don't know what's currently open/operating, and the European carriers may have stricter health protocols than the U.S. ones. (LH, for instance, is requiring KN95 masks, while the U.S. carriers would settle for people wearing their cloth masks over their noses.)