Best Way to Spend a 8hr Layover in ATL (which lounges?)
 

Hi All,

I have a very long layover in ATL coming up and was wondering what the best way to spend the layover would be. I arrive at 7am on an international flight, and then leave at 3:20pm from ATL to SJC.

What is the best way to spend that 8ish hour layover, lounge wise? I have Global Entry/TSA Pre and am on an international first class ticket + have Priority Pass. Anyone have favorite lounges to pass the time? Best food? Showers? I don't think I want to go into Atlanta. I was debating getting a day room near the airport, but not sure it's worth it. Thoughts or tips?

Thanks!

Just kidding, but you could do what ND76 likes to do and try all of them.

Personally, I like the F SC, including the SkyDeck if the weather's bearable (good showers too), and The Club (PP) across the atrium from it. Some like the E SC too. In the domestic portion of ATL, I like Centerpoint A upstairs (normally open only during the week), but everyone seems to have their personal favorites.

B lounge is the newest - but usually busy...not so busy not to visit, just busier than others at times.
F has a SkyDeck and upstairs seating and showers.
F also has The Club for PP access
E generally has slightly better food selection (90% same as others), but also has a showers and an Asanda Spa.
A has two lounges, both upstairs, one higher than the other I think (escalator in corner of center section, then elevator stairs...or the one by A17)
D has two lounges also, one very small, other downstairs (27) that is usually quiet.
C has an upstairs lounge that spans both sides of the terminal.

Another option with that long of a layover is the Porsche experience - right next door to the airport.

....or the DL museum.

Thanks for that input! Super helpful and so many lounges! Any idea which terminal the afternoon ATL --> SJC flight leaves out of? Or is it too far in advance to tell? I will definitely hit up E or F for showers. Anyone have experience with the Asanda spa? Are the treatments good?

You can check flight status for yesterday, today, etc. to see the gates your flight tends to use.

Try to get on a flight to SFO?

Otherwise I would say do the ATL SC crawl. Showers in F are nice and I could spend hours on the SkyDeck (though not as nice as JFK which has a greater variety of plane types / airlines) -- B is nice when it's empty (my last 3 times have been between 10-11pm before the late ATL - RDU and it's been completely empty and nice).

I find The Club across from F to be highly overrated but if you have time I guess you could check it out.

Despite what the FT thread would have you believe, my last few OFS experiences have been just as good as in the "old times" so would stop by there for lunch as a break from the SC (and it's around the corner from E if you want to check that one out).

I believe there is a Minute Suites in B that you can get into with Priority Pass but have never gone (wait times have been too long) -- but given your early arrival and likely interest in sleeping, might be worth heading there first and trying to grab a bed for a couple of hours before you start your pub (I mean lounge) crawl. Believe Minute Suites pricing is first hour free and then $28/hour after so a quick 2 hour nap for $28 isn't a terrible value prop.

The flight I bought was thousands cheaper from SJC to SFO, hence why I'm flying out of SJC, so I don't think I can change it for free. I usually price compare between the two and just go with whichever is cheaper.

I've put my wife and daughters thru the Asanda spa booth in Seattle and Atlanta in the same day...they were very happy with the experience for the price of sky pesos

I think PP just added the Minute Suites in T, so you can now access two locations. You might be able to get two 1-hour naps in (with a nice walk in between) if you really want to mess with your body clock. :)

What day of the week will it be? I was there on a recent Saturday afternoon and arrived at B and departed from E. I'd never used the new B club so went there first. It was mostly empty with plenty of seating available and good window views. Great food options like mini chicken pot pies, mac & cheese, and the normal soups and salads. Both leafy greens and pasta salads. Dishes were ceramic/glass. It was a nice day and I wanted a beer on the SkyDeck, so after an hour we went to F. The SkyDeck door was blocked off because "it was broken and won't be fixed until Tuesday." Closing one of the best features for 4 days? Not impressed. Not many people in this lounge either. Food spread looked smaller than B. We left since the Deck was closed and we would be leaving from E anyway. The E club was packed however we did find a place to sit eventually. There were chicken breasts and jambalaya available that weren't on B but fewer salads. The dishes were paper plates and plastic utensils. We should have just stayed in B the whole time.

So I'd say to check out B first and then F if you want. Skip E unless you are leaving from that terminal.

What is the origin of your trip? You may already know this, but not all international flights in F/J grant lounge access. In particular, flights to/from the Caribbean in F do not grant lounge access.

WoW! You truly feel 1 cent per SkyMile is a good value for your points? :td: