TheLifeOfA_NKCM

Note: I didn't know where to post this, so if I put this in the wrong forum a mod can feel more than free to move it or merge it with an existing thread -if there is one. Also, I'm extremely tired here, so I apologize if this comes off kind of weird.

Okay, with that out there. I was recently considering getting a Citi Prestige card, mostly for PP Select (especially considering I'll frequently be bringing in guests). However, I wasn't quite sure, whether or not my travel patterns would make the $495/yr. worth it.

Considering I fly standby I don't find mileage of a concern to me, so that's useless and out of the running.

Usually I go about travelling a round trip every other week, to month. And am in the airport for about an hour and a half to two hours prior to when the plane leaves.

Would it make sense to invest in a PP membership or is it not worth it for the time usually spent in the airport?

eigenvector

IMO it really depends on the quality of lounges available at your home airport and your frequent destinations. Personally, I value lounge visits at minimum $10/visit for quick stop (a drink and a snack I'd be having at an airport bar anyway) and up to $50 for a longer visit where I'll be having a meal, a few drinks and maybe a shower, or a visit in a very expensive country (Norway, Switzerland, UK).

You're describing around 25 round trips per year. So at least 50 potential visits to departure lounges, and maybe more if you are connecting along the way. Is having a quiet, comfortable place to relax, a free drink or two and a light meal worth $10/visit to you? Only you can decide. But $10/visit of "value" isn't hard to achieve. For someone doing only 10 or 15 visits a year, it's a much harder proposition. I find a lot of people overvalue lounge visits because they place value on the "exclusivity" which to me is worth nothing.

I have seen people pay $50/person to enter a Priority Pass lounge which had nothing on offer besides coffee and scrambled eggs (5am, no alcohol). But if, for example, you are transiting LHR twice a month and have no status, you will easy get $25+ in value from the lounges there on each visit because of how expensive things are at that airport generally.

MSPeconomist

You can buy a PP membership for about a hundred dollars a year that includes UA lounges and they pay about thirty dollars per lounge visit.

TheLifeOfA_NKCM

Considering, the escape lounge gives me a discount that knocks it down to $25 already, it'd be no use -especially with guests.

pseudoswede

UA dropped Priority Pass about 14 months ago.

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/ameri...rity-pass.html

eigenvector

Not much of a loss for international travellers IMO. With the exception of HKG and LHR, United Clubs tend to be quite mediocre.

deniah

just check the PP list to see if their affiliated lounges are available where you need them. even if flying weekly, if you have no access, theres no point. and i remember when based in US that most of the legacy carrier lounges are excluded.

for me, the value is going through small to medium sized international airports or otherwise flying on non-alliance airlines, where there is no access to alliance lounges. in which case, PP grants access to independent lounges.

but then again, these lounges often have pay access at ~25/visit.

personally i wouldnt pay 500$ straight up for membership, but get it through amex platinum that provides other benefits that i do value

MSPeconomist

I've always thought of PP as an insurance policy in case I'm in a situation without other lounge access or where I might wan't to use some other lounge to which I wouldn't otherwise be entitled.

Mr. Vker

I find the PP membership through AMEX Plat to be of great value. You can get three supplementary cards. Get into the AMEX Centurion lounges. Plus the additional benefits from the card ($200 airline credit and more) really make up for the annual fee.

JoshPA

It's worth it when you get it for "free" with Amex, IMO. Not sure I would buy it on my own but then again I have access to AA lounges. First choice Amex lounge, then AA domestic, and up in the air intl.

erik123

PP is extremely useful for international travel - much less so for US domestic - but there are some notable exceptions. I agree that Amex Plat is typically best.

sbm12

My "insurance" in that case is to simply sit in the terminal.

The number of airports where free/cheap wifi and a seat are not available in the terminal but are in a lounge is rapidly declining. And beyond that the value proposition - "free" drinks/snacks - is minimal to me. Turns out I'm happy flying without downing a cocktail first.

TheLifeOfA_NKCM

Oh wow. I thought you still had to pay the $27 for family members when using the Amex, which was why I originally considered the Citi Prestige. Your all correct on the platinum card being the best bet, but would you find it truly worth the $450, especially considering we likely won't use the $200 airfare credit?

cmd320

Same thinking here. It's good for backups.

Example, I just flow JFK-FRA on SQ in J. Upon arrival in FRA there is no arrival lounge for SQ customers. Via PP, I was able to access the Luxx Lounge (former Admirals Club) for a shower (which was really all I was hoping to get out of it). Not a great lounge by any means, but that shower was about all that kept me going for the following 7 hours that day.

TheLifeOfA_NKCM

So, I guess we should just flip this to if the Amex is worth it.

Considering PP Prestige and DL SC Exec, combined would be WAYY more pricewise than the card. So from that stand point, yes. But, just in general, is it worth paying the $450/yr. in the first place.

Mods, could we move this into CCs?