best way to pay for SkyClub?
Jul 28, 2018, 7:10 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Oct 2000
Location: San Francisco, CA
Posts: 3,106
best way to pay for SkyClub?
I'm one of those flyers who had a 3 year SkyClub membership extended a couple times due to being Diamond. My extensions will be running out soon, and I'm trying to decide how best to keep access to SkyClub.
If you were me, would you:
If you were me, would you:
- pay $450 per year for Reserve (in my case I'd be upgrading from an Delta Platinum Amex)
- cash in 47K miles for a year's individual membership (or multiples of, for multiple years)
- is there another option I didn't think of, besides paying for a membership outright (which is as expensive as getting AmexReserve).
Jul 28, 2018, 7:55 pm
#4
Suspended
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: MEM
Programs: Starbucks Green Card
Posts: 5,431
If you don't care about the MQM boost, the other choice would be a regular unbranded Amex platinum. It's more than the Reserve card but you get a $200 airline fee credit and a $200 worth of uber credits.
Jul 28, 2018, 7:59 pm
#5
Join Date: May 2006
Location: GA
Programs: VA-PLT, QF-GLD, DL-GM, UA-ex1K, AA-exPLT, HH-DM, IHG-PLT, MR-GLD
Posts: 8,242
I haven't kept up with all the recent changes (VA Gold gets domestic club access, even when DL Plat doesn't!), but aren't there cards which grant you access for $29? Depending on how often you use the club, that might be a better deal.
Jul 28, 2018, 8:13 pm
#6
Original Poster
Join Date: Oct 2000
Location: San Francisco, CA
Posts: 3,106
Jul 28, 2018, 9:41 pm
#8
Original Poster
Join Date: Oct 2000
Location: San Francisco, CA
Posts: 3,106
Jul 28, 2018, 10:24 pm
#9
Join Date: Oct 2000
Location: SEA, or BOS, or MUC, or other places (probably connecting). "Detroit, Michigan is in the Eastern time zone."
Programs: DL PM/1MM, AS 100K, NEXUS/GE, CLEAR, Bonvoy Platinum, Hilton Gold
Posts: 1,201
At my home base of SEA, I go to the Sky Club if it's just me and use the Centurion Lounge or one of the The Club locations if I have guests. At MSP, I use the Escape Lounge (not a PP lounge, but free to Amex Platinum cardholders). At DTW or BOS it's the Sky Club or nothing, so I pay the guest fee.
Jul 28, 2018, 10:29 pm
#10
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2013
Programs: DL PM, MR Titanium/LTP, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 10,130
Note that on the (non-SkyMiles) Amex Platinum, the $29 Sky Club guest fees can be paid from your $200 per calendar year airline fee credit assuming you picked DL as your airline. (Which seems likely in the OP's case.) If you're at an airport with a Centurion Lounge, other Amex-network lounge, and/or Priority Pass you can bring in two guests for free there.
At my home base of SEA, I go to the Sky Club if it's just me and use the Centurion Lounge or one of the The Club locations if I have guests. At MSP, I use the Escape Lounge (not a PP lounge, but free to Amex Platinum cardholders). At DTW or BOS it's the Sky Club or nothing, so I pay the guest fee.
At my home base of SEA, I go to the Sky Club if it's just me and use the Centurion Lounge or one of the The Club locations if I have guests. At MSP, I use the Escape Lounge (not a PP lounge, but free to Amex Platinum cardholders). At DTW or BOS it's the Sky Club or nothing, so I pay the guest fee.
Jul 28, 2018, 11:02 pm
#11
Join Date: Sep 2016
Location: HSV
Programs: Bellevue Lifetime Premiere Mega Elite Supreme
Posts: 1,509
If you're still a DL loyalist, the Reserve card gets SC access, 30K in MQM boosts, Sky Priority, and checked bags, not to mention SMs (for which the AX Plat is admittedly better) -- PLUS you get an annual free first class companion certificate, which could easily be worth 2-3 times the $450 annual fee. If you get your significant other a card, they will get the SC benefit as well.
If you're more agnostic, then the unbranded card is obviously better -- but the CSR is probably better still.
If you're more agnostic, then the unbranded card is obviously better -- but the CSR is probably better still.
Jul 28, 2018, 11:05 pm
#12
Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: California
Programs: AA Advantage Gold, Rapid Rewards A list, Sky Miles Gold Medallion, Hilton Honors Diamond
Posts: 403
For me the reserve is the best option, I usually WFBF and the companion certificate plus lounge access more than makes up for the annual fee
Jul 29, 2018, 4:49 am
#14
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: Yiron, Israel
Programs: Bates Motel Plat
Posts: 68,925
Pay $95 per year and get the Amex HHonors Ascend card. It will give you Priority Pass valid for 10 lounge visits each year. (In SFO you won't get into Sky Club but you will be able to go to the Air France-KLM Lounge.) It will give you a number of extra benefits (paying for "incidentals" like baggage fees GE/or Pre-Check), and some others.
Last edited by Dovster; Jul 29, 2018 at 9:05 am