Jan 4, 2025, 5:13 pm
Alaska Lounge (2025-2026)
Jan 10, 2025 | 8:46 am
#46
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Jul 1999
Location: Over the Bay Bridge, CA
Programs: Jumbo mas
Posts: 42,373
It is usually pretty quiet, but my sample size isn't all that high, and is usually late afternoon.
Jan 10, 2025 | 9:15 am
#47
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: Seattle, WA, USA
Programs: Alaska Platinum, Marriott Lifetime Titanium
Posts: 1,784
No. It was easier and quicker to have my wife use her OWE status to gain entry. My read of the agent's temperament was that, if I had any hope of success changing their mind, it would be time consuming and fraught with tension. Nobody wanted to deal with that. We'd just arrived on a red-eye. The route we used took just a minute and without any sort of tension.
Jan 10, 2025 | 11:39 am
#48
Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: ANC
Programs: AS 100K MM
Posts: 249
Jan 10, 2025 | 12:59 pm
#49
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: PDX
Programs: AS Platinum, Hertz President's Circle, IHG Plat, Hyatt Discoverist, Marriott Silver
Posts: 12,248
I've discovered the key with this lounge is to be on a flight that departs after 8pm---like the last flight to PDX or a red-eye somewhere east. It can still be busy but at least there is usually no line.
Jan 10, 2025 | 12:59 pm
#50
Join Date: Jun 2011
Programs: BA Gold
Posts: 100
I've given up trying to get into that lounge - so often there's a queue with the door shut, and even at times no one at the desk to pro-actively monitor the informal one-in, one-out rule when it's at capacity. It's an absolute shambles of a lounge from a capacity and operational perspective.
Jan 10, 2025 | 1:01 pm
#51
Join Date: Jun 2011
Programs: BA Gold
Posts: 100
Thanks for taking the time to reply!
I went along and you're right - it is quiet enough, with no announcements and some quiet music on in the background. I went for one of the large chair cocoons in the corner, which are perfect for a little privacy and some sound suppression from nearby people (though to be clear, it's certainly not soundproof).
Nice lounge.
I went along and you're right - it is quiet enough, with no announcements and some quiet music on in the background. I went for one of the large chair cocoons in the corner, which are perfect for a little privacy and some sound suppression from nearby people (though to be clear, it's certainly not soundproof).
Nice lounge.
Jan 10, 2025 | 1:09 pm
#52
Join Date: Sep 2019
Location: SAN
Programs: AS Mileage Plan 100k, Bonvoy Titanium
Posts: 1,498
As long as the BA flights have already boarded. That's what is usually clogging up the Aspire lounge between 5-7.
Jan 15, 2025 | 4:57 pm
#54
Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: Anchorage, AK
Programs: Lifetime AS 1MM & MVPG, AS MVPG100K, AA, DL, HH-G
Posts: 8,677
ANC Pop-Up lounge visit, Jan. 15, 2025, 2:00 PM. First time for me. No hot food, only a microwave to heat up pre-made wraps. No ice (weird). No alcohol, beer, wine or mixed drinks. I was told their alcohol permit was not approved for the temp lounge. Decent selection of chips/packaged snacks to choose from. No soups or salad fixings available. Barista bar is open. Less seating than the old lounge but same great views of the runway. Humongous TV screen with ~20 seats/loungers facing it. They moved the round tables & chairs from the old lounge to the windows. They are shooting for a mid-February opening of the expanded lounge space.
Very quiet afternoon with less than 50% of seats taken.
Very quiet afternoon with less than 50% of seats taken.
Jan 15, 2025 | 7:35 pm
#55
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: PDX
Programs: AS Platinum, Hertz President's Circle, IHG Plat, Hyatt Discoverist, Marriott Silver
Posts: 12,248
ANC Pop-Up lounge visit, Jan. 15, 2025, 2:00 PM. First time for me. No hot food, only a microwave to heat up pre-made wraps. No ice (weird). No alcohol, beer, wine or mixed drinks. I was told their alcohol permit was not approved for the temp lounge. Decent selection of chips/packaged snacks to choose from. No soups or salad fixings available. Barista bar is open. Less seating than the old lounge but same great views of the runway. Humongous TV screen with ~20 seats/loungers facing it. They moved the round tables & chairs from the old lounge to the windows. They are shooting for a mid-February opening of the expanded lounge space.
Very quiet afternoon with less than 50% of seats taken.
Very quiet afternoon with less than 50% of seats taken.
Jan 15, 2025 | 11:05 pm
#56
Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: SAN
Programs: AS Titanium (100K), Hyatt Globalist, Marriott Lifetime Titanium Elite, UA 1MM,
Posts: 1,830
The line and crowd has been reduced significantly since the Chase lounge opened last month. I’ve walked by it at least 6 times in the past few weeks, and gone in once, and there was no wait. These were all at an otherwise peak time. Once before the JL flight, but none right before the BA flight. The Chase lounge seems to be where it’s at. Alaska is now a year in to the lease of this space used by the Aspire lounge, which was signed last January per the airport board meeting notes. I still haven’t seen anything indication conversion progress.
Last edited by JC5280; Jan 16, 2025 at 8:54 am
Jan 15, 2025 | 11:11 pm
#57
Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: Anchorage, AK
Programs: Lifetime AS 1MM & MVPG, AS MVPG100K, AA, DL, HH-G
Posts: 8,677
Nope. My guess is that anything that requires refrigeration or heating (other than the microwave) is not worth bothering with. Health codes are very strict about cleanliness and heating/cooling requirements. Ice in a bucket should be easy, but I am not sure where they would get it from. Perhaps one of the restaurants on the main level could supply that.
Jan 16, 2025 | 12:04 am
#58
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: PDX
Programs: AS Platinum, Hertz President's Circle, IHG Plat, Hyatt Discoverist, Marriott Silver
Posts: 12,248
Nope. My guess is that anything that requires refrigeration or heating (other than the microwave) is not worth bothering with. Health codes are very strict about cleanliness and heating/cooling requirements. Ice in a bucket should be easy, but I am not sure where they would get it from. Perhaps one of the restaurants on the main level could supply that.
Jan 16, 2025 | 12:07 am
#59
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: PDX
Programs: AS Platinum, Hertz President's Circle, IHG Plat, Hyatt Discoverist, Marriott Silver
Posts: 12,248
ANC Pop-Up lounge visit, Jan. 15, 2025, 2:00 PM. First time for me. No hot food, only a microwave to heat up pre-made wraps. No ice (weird). No alcohol, beer, wine or mixed drinks. I was told their alcohol permit was not approved for the temp lounge. Decent selection of chips/packaged snacks to choose from. No soups or salad fixings available. Barista bar is open. Less seating than the old lounge but same great views of the runway. Humongous TV screen with ~20 seats/loungers facing it. They moved the round tables & chairs from the old lounge to the windows. They are shooting for a mid-February opening of the expanded lounge space.
Very quiet afternoon with less than 50% of seats taken.
Very quiet afternoon with less than 50% of seats taken.