As a mental exercise, go back and re-read the previous posts, but imagine the phrase "truck stop" for "lounge, and "18-wheeler" for "airliner." You'll probably find many of the identical reasons for using the showers when you have the chance.

Dead right.

I do a lot of transcontinental travel these days which often means red eyes going east and evening departures going west. That usually means a full day before travel. I can sleep just as well after eating a subway sandwich or a gourmet meal. Fancy lounge food doesn't interest me, I won't turn it down but I don't actively seek it. The ONE amenity that makes a HUGE difference to me is being able to shower before and after a red eye. Being able to wash all the grime off of a full day of passive sweating, and boarding an overnight flight, it's a night and day difference. Upon arrival, being able to freshen up in the morning makes me feel much better and gives me a second wind.

I've even showered at LAX upon arrival at 10pm. This way, I can shower, freshen up, ride the hour long uber ride, and then go home and plop straight into bed all fresh. Plus, I'd feel fresher on the ride, and I can let some of that 10p rush hour traffic pass.

Plus, for those early morning 7am flights, I can catch an uber at 4am and get through security and then go shower versus rushing through a shower at home and then dealing with the more unpredictable parts of my trip. I'd like to get the unpredictable parts of my trip done first and then shower in comfort knowing I've got plenty of time and my flight is right downstairs.

Being from Australia, when i travel to the US or Europe it's always a long flight with a few connections. Definitely worth having a shower if possible and 25 bucks really isn't much. Hell at airports that barely buys you a snack

I wouldn't pay for a shower unless I urinated a few drops on my underwear or if extremely sweaty.

It really depends on he situation.

If I am flying to lets say Thailand from the US, and have a connection in HKG or NRT, I would definitely pay for a shower mid trip.

If I arrived at my destination and am able to check into my hotel immediately, I'm not going to pay for a shower. Getting off of a red eye and being unable to check in until 2:00pm, I'm would pay to shower for sure.

Domestic flights? Wouldn't pay for that.

Airplanes are a disgusting place, a petri dish for disease and sickness. It probably doesn't do anything but just washing myself and changing my clothes makes me feel better.

I also personally feel compelled to shower everyday, even if I'm not going out. I hate feeling sweaty or dirty and being in an airplane exacerbates that.

i can def go without a shower, even on 25-40 hour journeys which i do every month or so. i sweat a lot and get sticky but fortunately i don't stink. but i def feel gross. at least i'll change my shirt mid trip. because i do these journeys every month, i'm entitled free access to lounges, and ya a shower + food + booze + wifi + quiet is perfect. if it's there why not use it? plus after 10 hours down and with another 10 or 15 to go it feels just as nice as eggs and mimosas.

some airports give free showers. icn is one of them, you just pay for the towel. otherwise nah i'm not paying for it. i'd only pay for a lounge if the liquor i'm drinking costs more than having it at a bar. i'm chintzy.

on journeys less than 10 hours, i couldn't care less over a shower. and i think most are the same way too.

you realize desks and workspaces tend to be much wider, grander petri dishes of disease and germs right? planes bring in a lot more fresh, clean air than many sealed offices do.

Yeah, the office is gross too, but the difference is I'm not rubbing elbows with someone whose nose is dripping, sneezing, and coughing. And I'm not sharing my chair with a dozen people a day.