Artpen100

I don't think things have changed much. As of a few weeks ago, only TK was open in the AM, opening at 6am or 8am depending on the day. AF usually does not open until the afternoon, but hours vary by day.

Alpha Golf

thanks. I guess there's also Chef Geoff's. If it's open.

CLT

Anyone been to the AF lounge in the morning recently? It looks like they changed their opening hours on certain days to 0730. I have a UA flight coming up at 0900 and I am wondering if it is worth it for me to get to the airport a little early just to go to the lounge and get breakfast as the TK lounge won't be open until 0800.

Artpen100

It is open again, but only for non-Amex PP.

CLT

In the AF lounge now.

The spread is very impressive for COVID. Real cutlery, glassware, and dishes. Hot eggs and hash browns, fruit salad, choice of cereal, croissants, salad, yogurt, and filled baguettes (they looked tasty but too early for me IMO).

Friendly staff. I am assuming they are direct AF employees as the nice French lady who checked me in was wearing the full AF uniform.

lamphs

Planning for a bit of a stay at IAD tomorrow. Does anyone know if the AF lounge has any quiet areas for work (opens at 730 on Sunday)? Also any actual experience with Chef Geoff allowing takeaway (buying a drink at the bar and asking for takeaway packaging for the food, and a cash tip)? I know at least two other PP restaurants that bend the rules a bit. Thanks.

Artpen100

I was walking through A today and saw that the Virgin Atlantic lounge is open with a sign in front saying it is a PP lounge [Edit: not quite - it is an Amex global lounge collection, so you get in with the Amex Plat card like a centurion, not a PP card]. I think VA has or is about to resume service at IAD, so I am guessing it is related to that. Pre-COVID I would go and get a sausage egg biscuit and a cappuccino before departing from the lower A gates on UA regional flights.

evergrn

I’m flying DL and I’d like to stop by either Turkish or AF lounge (or both) around 3pm.
What do you think the chances are that I might be denied access due to space constraint?

I have AMEx Plat and was gonna use SkyClub. Just found out there’s no Sky Club at Dulles for crying out loud! So now need to fall back on PP.

evergrn

Ok so I was able to get into the AF Lounge. He didn't even check my bp. I just showed him my PP card on the app.
The lounge was much smaller than I thought, but they make good use of the limited space. It was packed, so it's encouraging that they still let PP in even when it's packed.

I entered just before 4pm and there wasn't much food selection. Just spring mix for salad, baguette, palmier, financier, small cups of unflavored yogurt with a couple berries in there, peanuts, some salami, fruits. Fruits were very good ... pineapples and grapes. Mesclun also very good quality, looked fresh.
The around 4pm the dinner came out. Was pasta, meatballs, some type of chicken dish, mixed veggies. That chicken dish was cold but excellent. Wish I could've gotten seconds but then had to leave for my flight.

chrisny2

They used to frequently reject guests pre-COVID when it was busy. I think now, they are happy to get as much revenue from PP as they can get. (I've similarly had a couple of times when I was shocked they let me in when it was packed and at the time of an upcoming AF flight.)

Goldorak

There is a lower level, accessible only using the lift just after the counter. But I don't think they open it for PP holders, only for AFKL pax.

Artpen100

I haven't been down there. I think it is only opened for pre-flight dining on the late AF flight, sort of like BA has Club World dining for their late flight.

But if you have Amex Plat, you now have access to the Virgin Atlantic lounge near the AF lounge. It is part of their global lounge collection, so have to show the Amex Plat card, not the PP card. It was closed for a long time and reopened when they thought that traffic to London would pick up. When I have visited, it is pretty empty, since direct IAD-LHR flights have not resumed. They connect through JFK. I'm sure they allow Amex Plat just to make a little more money. F&B are pretty nice, though I am not a fan of the Impossible burger.

evergrn

I didn't know I could've gotten into the Virgin with Plat card.
Keep forgetting about the global lounge collection thing.

Man, IAD sure is a great place for Plat cardholders (or PP members for that matter) even if there's no DL Sky Club.

Artpen100

Well, it is in the pandemic. I'm sure if and when traffic picks up again, the VA and AF lounges will go back to their own business class flyers due to space limitations, like before. Though before the pandemic, the VA lounge was open to Amex Plat in the morning, when it was useful if flying regional UA from the A gates. I'm sure it earned them a little extra cash.

mia

One change is that the USA Virgin Atlantic (VS) lounges are now operated by Plaza Premium, and this may create more inclination to accept paying customers to the extent this can be done without displacing Virgin Atlantic passengers.