RBH58

I am SQ*G and I'm travelling to the US next week. Mid week I'm doing a one day trip from CLE to CLT on US Airways on a separate ticket to my international itinerary (which is on UA/NZ) that was booked for me by Head Office in the US.

I am really confused by the lounge access policy for US Airways which appears to be almost in need of interpretation by a legal expert.

Star Alliance website states as follows...

Customers have access to any Star Alliance member carriers' owned lounges with the Star Alliance Gold logo at the entrance.

Customer must present a valid frequent flyer programme Star Alliance Gold level card

Customer must also present a boarding card for a same day Star Alliance flight departing from the local airport

Customer is entitled to one guest

Continental, United, and US Airways Star Alliance Gold customers may only access the Presidents Club, Red Carpet Club and US Airways Clubs within the U.S. when travelling in conjunction with a Star Alliance international flight

It's the last clause that confuses me. I am not a Continental, United, or US Airways Star Alliance Gold member, so does that mean that the last clause is inapplicable to me and I am allowed access to US Airways lounges? Or does it mean that that as a Singapore Airlines Gold member...but still a US Airways customer...I'm not allowed access?

I'm confused.

BTW...I've never had a problem getting into United's RCC.

uva185

As a SQ Star Gold you will be permitted to enter any US, UA, or CO lounge on a domestic ticket.

DownUnderFlyer

Why are you confused? UA/CO/US do not allow their elites access to their lounges when traveling domestically. If you are a *G of any other program you will always get lounge access when flying a *A flight no matter whether it is just domestic or internationally.

RBH58

I'm confused because I think that the clause on the website could be interpreted differently. The reason I posted this was because I had problems last time I flew US Airways with the lounge staff's interpretation. They let me in but they made me feel like I wasn't really entitled and they were doing me a favour.

If the last clause were worded...

If Star Alliance Gold status is held through membership of the United or US Airways frequent flyer programs then access to the Red Carpet Club and US Airways Clubs within the U.S. is only permitted when travelling in conjunction with a Star Alliance international flight

...then this would be less ambiguous.

SirRagnar

I've had that happen a number of times in US lounges on US domestic hops too. In United's and Continental's lounges with my SK*G.
They have also initially stated I was not welcome until I insisted that it is only their own elites they exclude from the lounges on domestic trips. I have always been allowed in subsequently, but I too was left with a weird feeling of unwelcoming.

snod08

Both of the above are correct.
You should not have any problems accessing US lounges.

paoloake

The original question was more than legitimate.
Currently in PHX, US Airways lounge near gate A18.
Wanted to try US Airways to see how's PHX in terms of immigration&customs queues.
Travelling in first from MEX to LAX with stopover in PHX, the ladies at the desk were denying lounge access saying that "the second leg is domestic".
Once shown my *A gold card from CO, problems were solved.

It is true that international first class with US Airways has no lounge access rights on the last domestic leg? This seems absurd.

BTW, this experience is my first and last with US Airways. CO is not that bad after all ;-)

NWIFlyer

The lounge staff enforced the rules correctly, however absurd they might be. This is not a US Airways issue (at least, no more so than any other USA-carrier), it's a *A one.

The *A website, and the employees' guide, are absolutely clear:
"Continental, United and US Airways Star Alliance Gold customers may only access the Red Carpet Clubs, US Airways Clubs and Presidents Clubs within the U.S. when travelling in conjunction with a Star Alliance international flight."

There may be many reasons for avoiding US Airways (although when you've experienced some European airlines you'll actually think they're not so bad), but you can hardly do it on the basis of only allowing you what you're entitled to! More annoying, for me, is that they don't open their lounges at DCA in time for the early morning flights, and that's not the best airport to be hanging around trying to find breakfast at 4.30am!

hjmanasa

I'm UA 1K and have had US lounges deny me access even on the domestic leg of an int'l ticket. I now carry a copy of the policy with me to prevent future problems. To prevent any hassles, I suggest you take copy of the policy with you and you should be fine.

LA_Traveler

I just avoid any US Airways flight altogether...

lkar

Interesting. Looking at it, that does seem to be the rule. It says "customer must be departing from the local airport in International First Class," although it notes that some lounges permit access for domestic F but I don't think those are in the USA.

So that's a significant difference from the star gold rule. If you arrive from an international destination and your connection is domestic, you can access the lounge as gold even in coach and even if you are a US, CO, or UA gold. But if you're not gold you can't get US arrival lounge access after an international flight even if flying in F.

snod08

YES correct:
With Star Gold (on any airline), you can access a lounge just after arrival from an international destination (any class of service), but must depart same day on a Star partner to a domestic destination.

Without Star Gold, you cannot do the above.....however, some airlines have special arrangements for shower on arrival, etc for upper class pax.
(e.g., CO has shower on arrival at several (but not all) international locations for its BusinessFirst customers.)

chivalrygirl