Skyclub vs. Alaska Board Room, renewal question
May 6, 2009, 2:23 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: TVL! (so really, SMF / RNO)
Programs: DL PM; DL SC; UA Plat
Posts: 59
Skyclub vs. Alaska Board Room, renewal question
Hello all,
Need some advice on keeping Alaska Board Room membership, or switching to DL Skyclub. Ms. Warmstor and I relocating to ATL (from ANC) in July. Our Alaska Board Room membership is up for renewal at the end of June, so it's time to consider whether to switch to a DL Skyclub membership. We're going to maintain a lounge membership no matter what.
Background: we're both currently Gold medallion on DL, and MVP Gold on AS. FWIW, we're both switching our primary flying to DL, and both gunning for PM on DL for 2010. GM should be relatively easy for both of us.
Costs for a primary + spouse membership for us are:
Alaska Board Room renewal: $425 total ($275 Annual Membership + $150 Annual Spouse Membership)
Delta Skyclub new spouse membership, GM rate: $585 total ($600 spouse membership, $50 initiation fee, -10% May discount with code 10PDSCMay9 if I don't mind duplicate memberships in June.) Maybe $5 more if the 10% isn't applied to the initiation fee, but I don't much care about this.
Separately, we both travel for work pretty extensively, both primarily domestic. (Including particularly NYC, SFO, SEA, BOS, ANC, LAX, etc. Some additional travel to Florida and Texas likely this upcoming year.)
Skyclub membership gets us access to AS lounges. AS BR currently membership gets us in to all DL Skyclubs with same-day DL and NW flights, and all Continental PCs with same-day CO *or* AS travel, but this could theoretically change (e.g., as in the CO migration to *A scenario.)
FWIW, I've never been denied access to a partner lounge based on crowding, and we very rarely take in guests.
Dollar for dollar, it seems like we should keep the AS BR membership, since it's both less expensive even if we make PM, and we've already paid the initiation fee in the past. A major value of actual-CR membership, free wifi, seems to be changing, now that Skyclubs seem to be rolling out free wifi for all guests. (This was true at least in two JFK lounges and SLC last week.) The Regus benefit with DL doesn't look particularly valuable to me.
Aside from the occasional blank looks while the desk agent looks up the AS reciprocity rules in the CR/NW WC/Skyclub, it has always worked fine for access. (And the persistent, incorrect belief at JFK that my AS BR membership card should be gold in color, not white. But I'm patient with this, and sometimes showing them my DL GM card does the trick [also incorrectly, of course.])
But am I missing something about being a DL Skyclub member, if DL is our 90% airline, ATL our home airport, and significant amounts of our travel are to JFK & LGA?
A related question: AS gate agents have been great about giving me a security pass when I want to use the BR, but am flying out of a different terminal, e.g. at LAX and SFO, and even when I'm not flying at all that day (I've used it several times for meetings with colleagues and friends flying through ANC.) Is DL similar about giving security passes for both/either scenario?
Need some advice on keeping Alaska Board Room membership, or switching to DL Skyclub. Ms. Warmstor and I relocating to ATL (from ANC) in July. Our Alaska Board Room membership is up for renewal at the end of June, so it's time to consider whether to switch to a DL Skyclub membership. We're going to maintain a lounge membership no matter what.
Background: we're both currently Gold medallion on DL, and MVP Gold on AS. FWIW, we're both switching our primary flying to DL, and both gunning for PM on DL for 2010. GM should be relatively easy for both of us.
Costs for a primary + spouse membership for us are:
Alaska Board Room renewal: $425 total ($275 Annual Membership + $150 Annual Spouse Membership)
Delta Skyclub new spouse membership, GM rate: $585 total ($600 spouse membership, $50 initiation fee, -10% May discount with code 10PDSCMay9 if I don't mind duplicate memberships in June.) Maybe $5 more if the 10% isn't applied to the initiation fee, but I don't much care about this.
Separately, we both travel for work pretty extensively, both primarily domestic. (Including particularly NYC, SFO, SEA, BOS, ANC, LAX, etc. Some additional travel to Florida and Texas likely this upcoming year.)
Skyclub membership gets us access to AS lounges. AS BR currently membership gets us in to all DL Skyclubs with same-day DL and NW flights, and all Continental PCs with same-day CO *or* AS travel, but this could theoretically change (e.g., as in the CO migration to *A scenario.)
FWIW, I've never been denied access to a partner lounge based on crowding, and we very rarely take in guests.
Dollar for dollar, it seems like we should keep the AS BR membership, since it's both less expensive even if we make PM, and we've already paid the initiation fee in the past. A major value of actual-CR membership, free wifi, seems to be changing, now that Skyclubs seem to be rolling out free wifi for all guests. (This was true at least in two JFK lounges and SLC last week.) The Regus benefit with DL doesn't look particularly valuable to me.
Aside from the occasional blank looks while the desk agent looks up the AS reciprocity rules in the CR/NW WC/Skyclub, it has always worked fine for access. (And the persistent, incorrect belief at JFK that my AS BR membership card should be gold in color, not white. But I'm patient with this, and sometimes showing them my DL GM card does the trick [also incorrectly, of course.])
But am I missing something about being a DL Skyclub member, if DL is our 90% airline, ATL our home airport, and significant amounts of our travel are to JFK & LGA?
A related question: AS gate agents have been great about giving me a security pass when I want to use the BR, but am flying out of a different terminal, e.g. at LAX and SFO, and even when I'm not flying at all that day (I've used it several times for meetings with colleagues and friends flying through ANC.) Is DL similar about giving security passes for both/either scenario?
May 6, 2009, 4:00 pm
#2
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: MUC
Programs: LH SEN, Marriott Bonvoy Ambassador, Hilton Gold
Posts: 512
You might want to consider that you can access some Skyteam partner lounges with the Skyclub membership. I frequently travel to Europe and always enjoy the lounges in Paris, Amsterdam, Frankfurt or Munich. You can find the complete list at http://www.delta.com/traveling_check...ions/index.jsp
Also, the Continental reciprocal lounge access will end for Skyclub members by the end of October when Continental leaves Skyteam - I am not sure if Alaska Airlines membership continues those benefits.
Also, the Continental reciprocal lounge access will end for Skyclub members by the end of October when Continental leaves Skyteam - I am not sure if Alaska Airlines membership continues those benefits.
May 6, 2009, 5:33 pm
#3
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Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: SEA, but up and down the coast a lot
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Posts: 20,381
All reports from AS and CO are that their relationship does not change once CO switches to *A, with respect to code sharing and lounge reciprocity.
May 6, 2009, 7:42 pm
#4
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Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: Ponte Vedra Beach, FL
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A related question: AS gate agents have been great about giving me a security pass when I want to use the BR, but am flying out of a different terminal, e.g. at LAX and SFO, and even when I'm not flying at all that day (I've used it several times for meetings with colleagues and friends flying through ANC.) Is DL similar about giving security passes for both/either scenario?
May 6, 2009, 8:57 pm
#5
Join Date: Feb 2009
Location: ORF
Programs: Delta Diamond Charter Member/1.8MM, IHG Spire Elite
Posts: 876
Hello all,
Need some advice on keeping Alaska Board Room membership, or switching to DL Skyclub. Ms. Warmstor and I relocating to ATL (from ANC) in July. Our Alaska Board Room membership is up for renewal at the end of June, so it's time to consider whether to switch to a DL Skyclub membership. We're going to maintain a lounge membership no matter what.
Background: we're both currently Gold medallion on DL, and MVP Gold on AS. FWIW, we're both switching our primary flying to DL, and both gunning for PM on DL for 2010. GM should be relatively easy for both of us.
Costs for a primary + spouse membership for us are:
Alaska Board Room renewal: $425 total ($275 Annual Membership + $150 Annual Spouse Membership)
Delta Skyclub new spouse membership, GM rate: $585 total ($600 spouse membership, $50 initiation fee, -10% May discount with code 10PDSCMay9 if I don't mind duplicate memberships in June.) Maybe $5 more if the 10% isn't applied to the initiation fee, but I don't much care about this.
Separately, we both travel for work pretty extensively, both primarily domestic. (Including particularly NYC, SFO, SEA, BOS, ANC, LAX, etc. Some additional travel to Florida and Texas likely this upcoming year.)
Skyclub membership gets us access to AS lounges. AS BR currently membership gets us in to all DL Skyclubs with same-day DL and NW flights, and all Continental PCs with same-day CO *or* AS travel, but this could theoretically change (e.g., as in the CO migration to *A scenario.)
FWIW, I've never been denied access to a partner lounge based on crowding, and we very rarely take in guests.
Dollar for dollar, it seems like we should keep the AS BR membership, since it's both less expensive even if we make PM, and we've already paid the initiation fee in the past. A major value of actual-CR membership, free wifi, seems to be changing, now that Skyclubs seem to be rolling out free wifi for all guests. (This was true at least in two JFK lounges and SLC last week.) The Regus benefit with DL doesn't look particularly valuable to me.
Aside from the occasional blank looks while the desk agent looks up the AS reciprocity rules in the CR/NW WC/Skyclub, it has always worked fine for access. (And the persistent, incorrect belief at JFK that my AS BR membership card should be gold in color, not white. But I'm patient with this, and sometimes showing them my DL GM card does the trick [also incorrectly, of course.])
But am I missing something about being a DL Skyclub member, if DL is our 90% airline, ATL our home airport, and significant amounts of our travel are to JFK & LGA?
A related question: AS gate agents have been great about giving me a security pass when I want to use the BR, but am flying out of a different terminal, e.g. at LAX and SFO, and even when I'm not flying at all that day (I've used it several times for meetings with colleagues and friends flying through ANC.) Is DL similar about giving security passes for both/either scenario?
Need some advice on keeping Alaska Board Room membership, or switching to DL Skyclub. Ms. Warmstor and I relocating to ATL (from ANC) in July. Our Alaska Board Room membership is up for renewal at the end of June, so it's time to consider whether to switch to a DL Skyclub membership. We're going to maintain a lounge membership no matter what.
Background: we're both currently Gold medallion on DL, and MVP Gold on AS. FWIW, we're both switching our primary flying to DL, and both gunning for PM on DL for 2010. GM should be relatively easy for both of us.
Costs for a primary + spouse membership for us are:
Alaska Board Room renewal: $425 total ($275 Annual Membership + $150 Annual Spouse Membership)
Delta Skyclub new spouse membership, GM rate: $585 total ($600 spouse membership, $50 initiation fee, -10% May discount with code 10PDSCMay9 if I don't mind duplicate memberships in June.) Maybe $5 more if the 10% isn't applied to the initiation fee, but I don't much care about this.
Separately, we both travel for work pretty extensively, both primarily domestic. (Including particularly NYC, SFO, SEA, BOS, ANC, LAX, etc. Some additional travel to Florida and Texas likely this upcoming year.)
Skyclub membership gets us access to AS lounges. AS BR currently membership gets us in to all DL Skyclubs with same-day DL and NW flights, and all Continental PCs with same-day CO *or* AS travel, but this could theoretically change (e.g., as in the CO migration to *A scenario.)
FWIW, I've never been denied access to a partner lounge based on crowding, and we very rarely take in guests.
Dollar for dollar, it seems like we should keep the AS BR membership, since it's both less expensive even if we make PM, and we've already paid the initiation fee in the past. A major value of actual-CR membership, free wifi, seems to be changing, now that Skyclubs seem to be rolling out free wifi for all guests. (This was true at least in two JFK lounges and SLC last week.) The Regus benefit with DL doesn't look particularly valuable to me.
Aside from the occasional blank looks while the desk agent looks up the AS reciprocity rules in the CR/NW WC/Skyclub, it has always worked fine for access. (And the persistent, incorrect belief at JFK that my AS BR membership card should be gold in color, not white. But I'm patient with this, and sometimes showing them my DL GM card does the trick [also incorrectly, of course.])
But am I missing something about being a DL Skyclub member, if DL is our 90% airline, ATL our home airport, and significant amounts of our travel are to JFK & LGA?
A related question: AS gate agents have been great about giving me a security pass when I want to use the BR, but am flying out of a different terminal, e.g. at LAX and SFO, and even when I'm not flying at all that day (I've used it several times for meetings with colleagues and friends flying through ANC.) Is DL similar about giving security passes for both/either scenario?
May 7, 2009, 4:12 am
#6
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With AS moving to ATL too (The eskimo is following you 
) you should be able to get passes there too then - *(however same day ticket still required for DL Skyclub)
If you are staying domestic, I say keep AS BR ^
That way you have access to DL, AS & CO clubs vs. just DL & AS... (And unlimited AS visits @ that ^^^)
And the AS option is currently the more frugal of the two options too...
And... depending on which metal you fly into BOS on... you get access to the spacious US Airways lounge... (but no comp adult beverages)
And I would think that AS would keep a BR of its own in LAX... regardless of any moves (primarily to help with its Mexico ops) it might make...
) you should be able to get passes there too then - *(however same day ticket still required for DL Skyclub)If you are staying domestic, I say keep AS BR ^
That way you have access to DL, AS & CO clubs vs. just DL & AS... (And unlimited AS visits @ that ^^^)
And the AS option is currently the more frugal of the two options too...
And... depending on which metal you fly into BOS on... you get access to the spacious US Airways lounge... (but no comp adult beverages)
And I would think that AS would keep a BR of its own in LAX... regardless of any moves (primarily to help with its Mexico ops) it might make...
May 7, 2009, 11:06 am
#7
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: Verdi, NV, SFO & Olympic (aka Squaw )Valley.
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Posts: 3,823
I would stay with the BR membership---you should continue to have access to CO PC's and in my experience AS is more restrictive about lounge access when flying partner airlines. (i.e. flying NW F ANC-MSP with a CO PC card did not provide access in ANC last year) Also...in ATL CO has a PC in the one boarding area without a CRC, so you will have better coverage in your home airport.
May 7, 2009, 2:03 pm
#8
Join Date: Nov 2006
Posts: 47
Then what would be the downside for an ATL based traveler dropping SkyClub in favor of BR?
May 7, 2009, 2:35 pm
#9
FlyerTalk Evangelist
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Interesting side note found on AS's page as to why gate passes are given out.
And thanks to a special agreement with the TSA, members can enjoy their Board Room benefits even when not traveling.
May 14, 2009, 3:23 pm
#10
Original Poster
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: TVL! (so really, SMF / RNO)
Programs: DL PM; DL SC; UA Plat
Posts: 59
Many thanks to everyone for the feedback: seems like sticking with the Board Room is the best route, at least for now. We'll see what a year in ATL does or doesn't do to my position. This last week my BR membership worked like a charm in multiple ATL Skyclubs, as always. (Boy, is that B10 club cramped, though!)
lchansen's question is an interesting one:
Any thoughts on this? (Beyond having to pay the higher Skyclub initiation fee.)
lchansen's question is an interesting one:
Any thoughts on this? (Beyond having to pay the higher Skyclub initiation fee.)
May 14, 2009, 3:47 pm
#11
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