Which lounge(s) to use?
Mar 9, 2018, 9:29 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: West
Posts: 3,357
Which lounge(s) to use?
We will be traveling to Europe next week with 3 stops on AP award J tickets. Access to MLL and Star Alliance lounges is granted with these tickets. We also have a Priority Pass access (4 free passes for a year) that we can use. Which lounges to use at the following Airports ? :
YYC morning
YUL afternoon lots of time
ZRH morning lots of time
VIE morning
IST late morning 3 hrs
SFO evening lots of time
Any suggestions?
Chance of using the free passes on other than this trip is remote. Pass validity is not extendable as I understand it.
YYC morning
YUL afternoon lots of time
ZRH morning lots of time
VIE morning
IST late morning 3 hrs
SFO evening lots of time
Any suggestions?
Chance of using the free passes on other than this trip is remote. Pass validity is not extendable as I understand it.
Mar 9, 2018, 9:40 am
#2
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: YUL
Programs: AC SE (*A Gold), Bonvoy Platinum Elite, Hilton Gold, Amex Platinum / AP Reserve, NEXUS, Global Entry
Posts: 5,691
Here’s what I can contribute... don’t know much about SFO, unfortunately.
YYC morning: Air Canada domestic MLL
YUL afternoon lots of time: Air Canada international MLL
ZRH morning lots of time: I’d stay in the E tier as long as possible and use the Swiss business lounge there. If you have *G status, the adjacent SEN lounge is even better
VIE morning: the nearest Austrian business lounge
IST late morning 3 hrs: the Turkish lounge
There’s a pretty good app called “LoungeBuddy” which is useful at helping locate lounges in unfamiliar airports as well as understanding access requirements.
Have a great trip!
YYC morning: Air Canada domestic MLL
YUL afternoon lots of time: Air Canada international MLL
ZRH morning lots of time: I’d stay in the E tier as long as possible and use the Swiss business lounge there. If you have *G status, the adjacent SEN lounge is even better
VIE morning: the nearest Austrian business lounge
IST late morning 3 hrs: the Turkish lounge
There’s a pretty good app called “LoungeBuddy” which is useful at helping locate lounges in unfamiliar airports as well as understanding access requirements.
Have a great trip!
Mar 9, 2018, 12:19 pm
#4
Join Date: Nov 2017
Posts: 3,359
YYC/YUL - Maple Leaf Lounge (had Priority Pass but lounges there aren't half as good as MLL)
ZRH - Swiss Lounge - departures and arrivals (if staying in ZRH). Food in ZRH lounge is great, they even have a chef making Omelettes.
SFO evening lots of time - Unfortunately United First Class/Business Class Lounge (arguably not on par with MLL)
Can't comment on VIE and IST as I haven't been there (although I hear the Turkish lounge is one of the nicest in the world).
Having used priority pass last year (was full member with unlimited visits) I can confidently say the lounges in North America aren't great (around same level as UA Club). However, in Europe and Africa they aren't that bad (i.e. you can easily get a satisfying meal out of such a visit).
Star Alliance has a website and app (iPhone and Android) that offer advice on lounge access.
Safe Travels,
James
ZRH - Swiss Lounge - departures and arrivals (if staying in ZRH). Food in ZRH lounge is great, they even have a chef making Omelettes.
SFO evening lots of time - Unfortunately United First Class/Business Class Lounge (arguably not on par with MLL)
Can't comment on VIE and IST as I haven't been there (although I hear the Turkish lounge is one of the nicest in the world).
Having used priority pass last year (was full member with unlimited visits) I can confidently say the lounges in North America aren't great (around same level as UA Club). However, in Europe and Africa they aren't that bad (i.e. you can easily get a satisfying meal out of such a visit).
Star Alliance has a website and app (iPhone and Android) that offer advice on lounge access.
Safe Travels,
James
Mar 9, 2018, 12:33 pm
#5
Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: Ideally YOW, but probably not
Programs: AC SE*MM
Posts: 1,822
YYC morning: YYC was re-done not too long ago, but I can't say I've ever had breakfast there.
YUL afternoon lots of time: The new YUL international MLL is actually pretty nice, and you can get a decent meal and glass of wine before you leave on your TATL flight (much better than what is on the plane, including in J, IMO).
ZRH morning lots of time: The Swiss lounge in ZRH has a nice breakfast.
VIE morning: I've only been to the Austrian lounge in VIE once, and I have zero memories of it. Probably says something.
IST late morning 3 hrs: TK lounge is excellent, you'll be able to have a nice lunch.
SFO evening lots of time: The UA lounge in the SFO international pier with AC flights (G gates) is currently closed for renovation, or at least it was in January last I was there, and you have to walk back to another pier with another UA lounge which was one of the older ones and pretty mediocre. I ended up leaving the UA lounge and having dinner at a restaurant in the terminal.
YUL afternoon lots of time: The new YUL international MLL is actually pretty nice, and you can get a decent meal and glass of wine before you leave on your TATL flight (much better than what is on the plane, including in J, IMO).
ZRH morning lots of time: The Swiss lounge in ZRH has a nice breakfast.
VIE morning: I've only been to the Austrian lounge in VIE once, and I have zero memories of it. Probably says something.
IST late morning 3 hrs: TK lounge is excellent, you'll be able to have a nice lunch.
SFO evening lots of time: The UA lounge in the SFO international pier with AC flights (G gates) is currently closed for renovation, or at least it was in January last I was there, and you have to walk back to another pier with another UA lounge which was one of the older ones and pretty mediocre. I ended up leaving the UA lounge and having dinner at a restaurant in the terminal.
Mar 9, 2018, 7:43 pm
#8
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Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: SFO
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SFO evening lots of time: The UA lounge in the SFO international pier with AC flights (G gates) is currently closed for renovation, or at least it was in January last I was there, and you have to walk back to another pier with another UA lounge which was one of the older ones and pretty mediocre. I ended up leaving the UA lounge and having dinner at a restaurant in the terminal.
Mar 9, 2018, 9:51 pm
#9
Join Date: Nov 2017
Posts: 3,359
(anyone who has been a UA Club recently will know what I mean)
Mar 9, 2018, 11:05 pm
#10
Original Poster
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: West
Posts: 3,357
Thank you all for the input. It seems Star Alliance lounges are a better bet than Priority Pass lounges. In YYC departure is noon+, so I may not get breakfast and might be to soon for lunch?
In Zurich I have been to a regular E lounge but never at the arrival. I am a bit confused as to the location of each with respect to arrival in early morning from YUL. Do I go through passport control and then the arrival lounge and how to get to the "regular" in E from the arrival lounge if I wanted to change the scenery?
In Zurich I have been to a regular E lounge but never at the arrival. I am a bit confused as to the location of each with respect to arrival in early morning from YUL. Do I go through passport control and then the arrival lounge and how to get to the "regular" in E from the arrival lounge if I wanted to change the scenery?
Mar 9, 2018, 11:36 pm
#11
Join Date: Nov 2017
Posts: 3,359
- All UA Clubs (except perhaps Polaris lounge at ORD and First Lounge in SFO which sadly I don't have access to) - what lounge doesn't have a shower? Worse UA seems to give 0 f*!*$s about improving these lounges, focusing on just getting the nice Polaris lounges open. That being said they're still more classy than those AA lounges that have the gall to charge you for food! The only redeeming quality is you can order red bull from the bar gratis
- MS lounges in CAI (domestic lounge is size of broom closet and international has limited food selection)
In Zurich I have been to a regular E lounge but never at the arrival. I am a bit confused as to the location of each with respect to arrival in early morning from YUL. Do I go through passport control and then the arrival lounge and how to get to the "regular" in E from the arrival lounge if I wanted to change the scenery?
On a side note is it just me or are the LH lounges in the US the best? I was flying out of DTW back in January on UA Y (as *A Gold) and in the LH lounge there the food and beverage spread (several selections of top shelf German beers, veggie couscous, wraps, salads, soups, to name but a few) alone was orders of magnitude better than anything I've seen at any UA Club (I've been to most of them: ORD, EWR, SFO, DEN, HNL). I believe LH also has lounges at IAD and JFK as well although IAD and DTW are unique in that they are accessible for domestic flights.
Safe Travels,
James
Mar 10, 2018, 12:28 am
#12
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Join Date: Jan 2002
Location: Canada
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There is no more F lounge in SFO.
It's a temporary intl lounge in the G concourse, which most of the day is an absolute zoo.
its supposed to be for outbound UA J only (no star gold in Y) but it's crowded with AC tags, so riffruff on AC J is admitted subject to space.
It's a temporary intl lounge in the G concourse, which most of the day is an absolute zoo.
its supposed to be for outbound UA J only (no star gold in Y) but it's crowded with AC tags, so riffruff on AC J is admitted subject to space.
Mar 10, 2018, 1:19 am
#13
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: YUL
Programs: AC SE (*A Gold), Bonvoy Platinum Elite, Hilton Gold, Amex Platinum / AP Reserve, NEXUS, Global Entry
Posts: 5,691
Thank you all for the input. It seems Star Alliance lounges are a better bet than Priority Pass lounges. In YYC departure is noon+, so I may not get breakfast and might be to soon for lunch?
In Zurich I have been to a regular E lounge but never at the arrival. I am a bit confused as to the location of each with respect to arrival in early morning from YUL. Do I go through passport control and then the arrival lounge and how to get to the "regular" in E from the arrival lounge if I wanted to change the scenery?
In Zurich I have been to a regular E lounge but never at the arrival. I am a bit confused as to the location of each with respect to arrival in early morning from YUL. Do I go through passport control and then the arrival lounge and how to get to the "regular" in E from the arrival lounge if I wanted to change the scenery?
Mar 10, 2018, 7:01 am
#14
Original Poster
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: West
Posts: 3,357
As soon as you arrive, you can freshen up in our Arrivals Lounge. Located directly after Customs, ....
Mar 11, 2018, 10:18 pm
#15
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: YUL
Programs: AC SE (*A Gold), Bonvoy Platinum Elite, Hilton Gold, Amex Platinum / AP Reserve, NEXUS, Global Entry
Posts: 5,691
If you want to go landside and deal with the hassle of going through security for your flight to VIE, by all means, check out the arrivals lounge. It’s generally not very busy and has an abundance of showers with a solid breakfast spread.
BTW how long is “lots of time” in ZRH? When flying in from YUL, I often have outbound flights around noon and always head to the arrivals lounge then into town for those connections. There’s a convenient left luggage area of the Zurich airport train station and it’s just a 15-20 minute ride into town.