A year ago I dropped down from my top tier airline status and lost lounge privileges in the process. This year I started travelling again with a different airline and have to build up status (mainly flights between MAN and JFK with VS) so I've been using my Amex PP membership. My experience has included the following:

• Access to the Escape lounge at MAN T2. Lounge is actually quite good and wait time is usually <10 minutes in the queue (usually Sundays at 11am).
• Got access to the Chase lounge at JFK T4 in January and was very impressed, although had to endure 30 minute remote wait.
• Went back to the Chase lounge on my last trip through JFK and was denied because "access to the Chase lounge is on a one-time basis per year". It does say this on the PP app.
• The VS lounges in MAN and JFK T4 are PP but not when VS flights are active. I get why, but it's super annoying that I'm a customer of both VS and PP and neither will help me out here. I feel like pax on a VS ticket should be able to use their PP in the VS lounge.
• The Hello Sky lounge in JFK T4 is awful.
• I haven't tried the Maharaja lounge in JFK T4 yet but from the photos it all looks like office breaakout room furniture and a poor selection of food.

I'm considering stepping up to the Amex Platinum card to get access to the Centurion lounge at JFK T4 but the £650 annual fee is steep and I won't make the £10k spend in 6 months to get the bonus points for upgrading.