mpeterson78

Alaska Lounge+ membership is $500 and gives you both AS and AA lounge access as long as you are flying one of those two carriers. Doesn't seem to make sense to buy a $600 membership direct from AA, even if you are ORD based.

dayone

The Citi / AAdvantage Executive World Elite Mastercard, which include an Admirals Club membership, is $450.

scubadu

Yep. At this point, not really sure why anyone would purchase an AS membership directly...

Regards

RAD_PDX

It’s still the best deal to buy from AS when I use my AmEx travel credit.

thatmikereed

This. The Platinum card with $200 fee reimbursement (which counts for lounge membership) PLUS access to Amex lounges, SkyClubs when flying Delta and Priority Pass is the cheapest, most comprehensive approach at this time. Between the $200 airline credit, $400 Dell credit and $179 clear credit I cover my annual fee with credits for things I'd buy anyway, so it's a net-positive expense.

HeyItsMK

I believe the Mastercard only gives the primary card holder Alaska Lounge access, so if someone were to frequently travel with companions, then it may be more valuable for them to go the AS route. Authorized users only get Admirals Club access, not access to partner lounges.

Also, AS Lounge Membership allows you to fly on any airline and still get access, so for someone who doesn't have any other lounge access flying something like DL at SEA or DL/UA at SFO, the AS Lounge Membership could also provide you value.

scubadu

As long as you remember that, in this case, it's merely AmEx giving you back your own money...

I too have held the Amex card for a very long time, but the value prop is beginning to drop rather rapidly, given the substantial increase in annual fees, jam packed Cent Lounges, and the "coupon book" direction it has taken.

Regards

scubadu

These are all fair points, which are simply not my use case, so I failed to consider them. Completely understand how some of these cases would tilt towards the AS membership directly. And you are correct about the AAdmiral's club card only granting the primary cardholder access to AS lounges. I'm aware of that; my wife and I generally always travel together so that is not a problem for us, but completely agree others may have different needs and use cases.

Regards

RAD_PDX

I don’t think you’re alone in that thinking. The limitation of PP benefits and the new annual fee are making it harder and harder to justify. This might be my last year as a card holder, and what I decide to do with my AS lounge membership will also help me make that call.

nevansm

PDX had Mushroom Brie soup and some salad items. SEA N had fire roasted vegetable and chicken and wild rice, along with some chips and salsa and salads. SEA D has chicken and wild rice as well as tomato bisque. ANC had Steak and Potato and Tomato bisque. Have they gotten rid of the packaged sandwiches and wraps at this point? I was there mid afternoon, maybe it's only for dinner?

UAPremierExec

As far as I know, that only gets you in AA lounges, and NOT partner lounges.

NYC Flyer

Each membership offers partner lounge access exclusive of the other.

Citi Exec gets you AA partner lounges only when flying AA.

AS Lounge membership gets you AS partner lounges only when flying AS.

econ

If the partner lounge is one of the few United Clubs, then one can access on departure by flying AS or UA.

scubadu

Look, everyone has to do their own math, based on their use cases, but for many, a $450 annual fee card, that allows authorized users, at no additional fee, the privilege of also getting into AA lounges (and even bringing guests in) even when traveling on their own (though admittedly not AS lounges), can make a lot of sense relative to paying a straight up, more expensive membership fee for club membership.

Bottom line, do the math, but don't just keep renewing a club membership every year, out of inertia, without understanding what all the options are. It amazes me that there are people in this forum that still don't even know about the AA card and that it would work perfectly for them, at a much lower cost than direct membership.

No need to attempt to convince me, I know which works better for our usage scenarios.

Regards

vanillabean

My $200 credit was spent on a night at an FHR hotel. Happy to have status with Alaska.