Here4ThePoints

This will be my and my wife's first business class long haul trip (CDG - MAD in Economy, MAD - MIA in Business). A few questions from a newbie to J class and Iberia:

1. Since we're flying Iberia which is OneWorld, my understanding is we will have business class lounge access at CDG, even though we're flying the first leg in economy. We just need to show our second leg in Business to get access to the lounges? If so, there are no lounges in Terminal 3 at CDG, so I was looking at the new Qatar lounge in Terminal 1. If we would have access given our second leg in Business, does anyone know if it would be worth it to check our bags at T3, then go to T1 for the lounge and back again to T3 for our flight? How long would we reasonably need to get from the Qatar Lounge to our gate in T3? Or is CDG such a mess that it isn't even worth it?

2. For Madrid, we should be arriving in T4 and connecting to MIA in 4S. Would we be using the Iberia lounge in T4 or 4S?

Thanks for any help.

craigthemif

At MAD, you would use the lounge at T4S. Besides it being more convenient, it's better...

CDG is a mess. It would never even occur to me to attempt to go to a different terminal to gain lounge access, especially when there is a risk that the lounge dragon would turn you away for being in the wrong terminal and wrong cabin.

LupineChemist

Unfortunately the CDG service is Iberia Express rather than IB mainline so it's the glorified shed that is the low cost terminal and hopefully you're not too tall as legroom is really an issue with I2. If you get any kind of schedule change notification, see if you can change to an ORY flight, even with a longer layover in Madrid, it'd be worth it for me personally (I just plainly don't fit in Iberia Express economy seats unless I get an exit row). But yes, once you're at Barajas, just make your way to the T4S lounge (it's hard to miss with the entrance in the back of the duty free).

Here4ThePoints

Am I incorrect in thinking that since Iberia and Qatar are both OneWorld, I can use my Iberia boarding pass that has business in one leg economy in the other to gain access? And are you not allowed to go into a lounge in a different terminal from the one you are departing from?

I realize it might be a hassle, but if we wanted to get there early enough, would we have access because of the OneWorld business leg?

craigthemif

I imagine you've never flown to or from CDG before? Anything other than a T2 - T2 connection is far more than mere "hassle". But it's hard to explain to somebody who doesn't have a mental picture of the nightmare that is T1, not to mention the walk to T3.

But by all means do your own research. In theory you can use any Oneworld lounge. In practice Qatar often ignore the rules...

csycsycsy

Qatar's lounges do not operate under the standard OneWorld rules
https://www.oneworld.com/airport-lounges?location=cdg

Qatar Airways Premium Lounge
For Qatar Airways and oneworld First and Business class ticketed revenue customers only. Guests are not permitted.

So the using an economy ticket or even a redemption business ticket will not work.
I think the lounge is after passport control, so you would have need to re-enter France afterwards.
You'll be in Paris, vs a Qatar lounge (not Air France's).
The time-opportunity cost of going to this lounge is very high vs the unremarkable offerings, net you're not missing out much.
How long is your connection in MAD?

Here4ThePoints

We have a 2:40 layover in MAD

csycsycsy

Nice, then you can even pop by the T4 lounge (Dali) before heading to T4S/Velazquez to see why peeps think the latter is better.

Here4ThePoints

Ahh very cool. I thought we could only visit the Velazquez. I'm pretty excited for it. I've heard Velazquez is a great lounge. The best I've tried is the Centurion and SkyClubs in the States.

Circusplaza

CDG is a mess to move from terminal to terminal... I would not recommend that - as others said above.
If you want to do it; I have not visited Qatar yet but it seems the more solid one. I can see though the lounge dragon politely denying you the entrance due to the departure of your J ticket is not from CDG.
I used to fly the route LHR-CDG-LHR weekly for 2 or 3 months and used the Cathay lounge, was a solid one but nothing fancy beyond the made to order noodles.

csycsycsy

Noticed from Pucci's catering post that it's (back to?) IB mainline for CDG-MAD? But still from T3? Weird, but why did IB change (back)?

PUCCI GALORE

People describe it as a mess. I would beg to differ. Mess is far too polite. That said my memory is of excellent and friendly onboard service from the cabin crew. One must never forget that T3 was a low cost Terminal and the Cinderella of the CDG pantomime. EasyJet have now become respectable and moved to T2. Off-topic, but the whole CDG one world mess has BA in one bit of terminal two, and AA in the other.

csycsycsy

Maybe IB will move to 2BD and contract the same Extime lounge that AA BA AY uses...

LupineChemist

The whole IB situation in Paris isn't great. Kind of shocking given how important of a city it is.

Between CDG and....well everything about it that makes it my own personal hell and ORY with the depressing basement lounge. I suppose the good part about ORY is quick access from curb to gate, but still.

PUCCI GALORE

What had surprised me, when booking this months ago. was that there was a difference in the price between CDG and ORY. CDG was cheaper.