Paid lounge options at SFO?
 

Hi, I'm flying to SFO on Norwegian, and leaving six hours later on Alaska in F. As I understand it:

- AS has no lounge, and their reciprocal agreement with CX doesn't apply to domestic flights unless you have a Board Room membership (I do not).
- My *G status is no use as I am on AS
- My OWE status is no use as I am on AS

It seems like Priority Pass might be an option to go and sit in a restaurant, but I'm not super keen on spending 120€ to join and get a day's access.

What are my other options? Is there a Plaza Premium or similar that I can pay to access for the day?

Thanks!

Your departure on Alaska entitles to you purchase a one-day pass for the American Admirals Club in Terminal 2. Whether that's worth $59 to you is something only you know. It's a typical USA legacy carrier lounge.

As you have six hours, For less than $59 you can take BART into the he city and have a nice non-airport priced meal that will likely be better than you can get anywhere at SFO. I recommend the Mission District as it has a couple of BART stops and it still has remnants of pre-tech boom San Francisco. Lounges aren’t everything.

You have options.
1. Conveniently located in Terminal 2 an AA day pass lounge as dhuey described.

2. Your boarding pass will also get you into other terminals if visiting other the lounges or restaurants, yoga room, or artwork. (Note: UA shut down day passes for people without an AA boarding pass) Here is a list of restaurants. some are quiet good.
Samovar Tea. https://www.flysfo.com/shop-dine-relax/dining.

3. Take some transport away from the airport as Oakshadow mentioned. a) BART to the city is an adventure in time management and for sights with about a $19 roundtrip fare. b. Short Lyft/Uber/? to South SanFrancisco Main Street for Cafe Bunn Mi or Dumpling Empire. or to Burlingame near Burlingame Avenue

4. Free Airport Hotel Shuttle to a hotel restaurant. (my last choice)

OP could also walk to the new GH SFO and enjoy its F&B.

I like this idea very much -- especially the Mission part via BART. But I imagine the OP might be very tired and in search of zzzzzs after the long Norwegian flight.

There you have it, OP. If you need sleep, spend the $59 at the AA lounge. If not, go to the Mission.

If the OP needs sleep, the yoga room is much better than the Admirals Club and is free.

Also Alaska Lounge members do not have access to the SFO AA lounge, so will it sell a day pass to AS customers? It should...but they make the rules.

As for the Mission Rosamunde has lovely beer and sausages and is right above the 24th St Bart station.

Thanks everyone for the responses! I'm coming off of an 11-hour flight, so I think I'll appreciate some rest. Lots of good suggestions here but the one that really stands out is getting a day room at the GH. I've mailed them to see if they'll do that.

Thanks again.

Mentioned on website...

Airside walking connections
 

It will be nice when they finish construction on the SFO airside connection from International Terminal A to Terminals 1 and 2 (Gates Bxx to Dxx).

Someday, SFO, UA & AA should do the same connecting Terminals 2 and 3 (Gates Dxx to E/Fxx), notwithstanding any antipathy toward AA-UA interlining.

Bumping this up to ask one more question: which terminal do the AS shuttle flights leave from? It turns out I can get access to the VS lounge in the International terminal for a very reasonable price. Is it possible to go directly there from my Norwegian flight, then pass through immigration etc. when it's time for my AS flight to PSP?

Thanks.

This is happening.

https://www.flysfo.com/terminal-2-te...nector-closure

I don't know if AS still uses Intl A for any departing flights, but most/all of their flights leave from T2. (FWIW, the PSP flights today were all scheduled to leave out of T2).

Regardless, you'll have to pass through immigration, then clear security at Intl A before accessing the VS lounge there. Then if you're flight is out of T2, you would have to exit Intl A and either take the AirTrain or walk over to T2 and then re-clear security there.

Your flight on AS to PSP should leave from Terminal 2, D gates. Assuming your arrival is at the A-gates end of the International Terminal, you can go to the VS lounge airside - stay until you need to go to T2.

Would you have luggage to reclaim/recheck? And to get to T2 is something of a trek. You can walk (passing T1), or go out to the AirTrain and transfer to T2 for baggage check/security. I haven't done this trek in a while, but would think about 20 minutes would cover it. Of course, more time if you have luggage to move.

Unless something's changed recently, one cannot walk from Intl A to T2 via T1. The walkway is closed between Intl A & T1.

OP would have to exit the Intl A gate area where the VS lounge is, walk across the Intl Terminal towards the G gates, then turn right and pass by T3 on the way to T2. Certainly doable. 15-20 minutes should be plenty.

I’d recommend taking the AirTrain Blue Line one stop to go from International-A to Terminal 1 during this construction. Red Line going from T1 to I-A.