YYZSFOShuttle

So, I expect to hit Elite by the end of June (two more runs to SFO) and I'm heading on a vacation to New Orleans the week after on US Airways, connecting through Philadelphia, where there's four *A lounges. Should I be able to get into those, based on their ability to look up my status (which from reading elsewhere should be updated in the "Sunday Sweep"), or do they look for the E/SE card only? Same question, I suppose, for checkin, since there's a 50/50 chance I'll just check bags, and the priority handling would be good.

Swiss Tony

A couple of years back, Air Canada in the UK wrote a letter for me and left it at the airport ticket desk, confirming that I did indeed have the higher status etc.

The computer seemingly hadn't been updated at that time, but the letter did the trick to get us into the various lounges en route... I'd duggest that you try and do something like that.

LondonElite

Agree with ST, but you shouldn't have any problems with the status printed on your BP.

antirealist

Don't forget that the status printed on the BP only reflects your status at the time of booking. If your status changes between booking the trip and flying, you should call AC and get them to update it for you. There are previous threads about this issue.

Doc Fraud

Its always nice to have lounge access, but PHL is one of those airports where it is not abosolutely neccessary. There are plenty of shops and restaurants in the B concourse so unless you are planning on spending more than a couple of hours, you should be fine. The RCC between the C&D concourses is smallish and often more crowded than the common concourse areas. The US air club in the B concourse is much bigger, and visually more appealing, but really nothing special from an ameneties perspective.

If you are going to be stuck for more than a couple of hours, you can always walk across the bridge into the Marriott Hotel and hang out in their lounge. You won't be that much further away from the gates and you'll be much more comfortable if you are there for an extended period of time. The downside to this strategy is that you have to go landside and the security lines in PHL can be a little unpredicatable.

Remember the US and UA lounges are not like the MLL in that booze is not free. All you get in most domestic lounges is coffee, softdrinks and snacks. Don't expect, soups, ice cream, fresh fruit etc.

Safe travels

DF

SamCat

I highly recommend that you have something in hand to show your status. Only MLL lounges with AC computers can look up your status in the box. If it's a UA Red Carpet lounge or any other airline, they have no access to that information.

patty canuck

I recall in a previous thread relating to the same thing that the following may be done: print out the webpage that indicates your new Elite Status once the Sunday sweep rolls on through. This way if you don't have your card by then, at least you'll have some proof. If not an MLL, but another *A lounge, you might want to print off a *A webpage indicating that AC Elite is *G.

Remember also that if you booked your ticket while not being non-Elite, then your Aeroplan number will not be associated with your ticket (and subsequent prinitng of AC*E on your boarding pass). If this is the case, once you find out that your status is confirmed Elite, then call reservations and have them DELETE YOU AEROPLAN NUMBER AND THEN REENTER IT (numerous threads on this fact) - it will then be an Elite number compared to a Prestige/Basic number beforehand.

okazon69

On a recent trip to Germany, there was no question of getting into any LH lounge without the actual AC*E card in hand. Even the luggage tag (which does indicate expiry date) was not enough.

FlyerGoldII

My wife recently lost her Aeroplan Elite card; she had to travel to India soon after that loss. She asked for a replacement card. Not knowing that it would arrive in time (it did so), she asked (by email) Aeroplan to fax her a letter stating that she was an Elite/Star Alliance Gold member, with all the privileges and benefits of such a status. Aeroplan explained that the letter would be a sufficient substitute for the lost Aeroplan card. The letter was faxed to her; but in the end, it was not necessary.

YYZSFOShuttle

Thanks for your help!

LondonElite

Must be bad luck...I'm in Germany at least once a week and almost always just show my LH boarding pass, which shows AC*G in the middle right-hand side. I would say that no more than 50% of lounge attendants ask for my card.

House

The policy is that you must have the card, and there are signs at the entrance to the lounges in FRA saying that. I would say that I am asked for the card most of the time.

Stranger

Ditto.

LondonElite

My comment was based on anecdotes of at least one SEN lounge visit a week. I'm not saying that the policy is or is not to ask for the card, indeed, I often say "would you like to see my card" and am usually told, "no, please go ahead".

FlyerGoldII

I was told by Aeroplan that the letter from Aeroplan would be a satisfactory substitute for the card, anywhere around the world that the card is accepted.