Duke787

But but but OMAAT and TPG definitely weren’t paid money (either directly or via referral $$$) to make it sound like the best lounge ever.

OP, can’t you wait until you have a legit trip? Think about how much a ticket is that you are throwing away $150?

Great go buy an actual bottle of Dom and have a party at your house. Travel warps our sense of reality but just check yourself on how much a cheap throwaway ticket costs vs just having a similar experience going to the spa and buying yourself a nice bottle of wine

bitterproffit

All I keep thinking of is how much they are going to drink and how much that DUI is going to cost. If you are there to eat and drink all you want, alcohol restraint is probably not first in your mind.

pinniped

Could check yourself into the Hyatt and come back and hit the lounge for breakfast the next day.

Wait, you'd have to buy another Frontier ticket...

Eastbay1K

We're all old jaded MFers. The novelty of a lounge was quite a thing for me 30-some years ago. The only way one gets over the novelty is to experience it.

Once upon a time, I must have needed some segments or a small amount of miles and made a turn @ LAX, as I had a US lounge pass (and had never been in a US lounge and there was no restriction on what airline you were flying back then) so I planned enough time for my return so I could "enjoy" some lounge time. What a waste of time. But it was 1990-something and an excellent lesson in learning that the opulent splendor of a US lounge was even less opulent than a UA RCC! Priceless!

PES_B1

Just wanna write that, lol, but you got it first. LOL!

PES_B1

I believe some tiny airports in china offer services on planes that sit 5, charging people < 8 USD, they were so heavily subsidized to the extent that they offer lounge access to everyone in the facility, and it could be worth it just to visit the lounge, however, most of these airports are quite deserted and sometimes you are the only one passenger, if you decide to not-fly, good luck to you explaining to the pilot!

nd2010

The only reason that makes sense would be to visit a friend who’s on a layover at that airport

Annalisa12

Yes it is dumb. Unless you are walking distance to the airport it is going to cost you to get there so for the price of that you could just go to a restaurant.

GUWonder

A lot of people who have public transport system period passes face no additional financial cost to get to/from the airport even when not in convenient walking distance to the airports. For example, if having a monthly MTA pass for NYC or monthly SL pass for Stockholm, getting to and from LaGuardia or Arlanda airports can cost no additional money during the period than the period passes purchased and needed for other purposes. And I’m pretty sure it’s not hard to eat and drink multiples more than the train+bus fare value at some Centurion lounges. Of course this kind of thing doesn’t really fly as well for questionable cheapskates if the ticket used to access the lounges isn’t fully flexible/refundable.

PES_B1

In some lounges(mainly banks), you go to the lounge before security, I have been to a lounge in SZX where you only can go through private security slightly before you board, therefore, this can create a lot of conveniences, as no one would know that you don't posses a valid boarding pass, however, all of the lounges operating under this model only gives limited credit points(no Unlimited PP or sort) to high-level bank cards, and using such lounges is very time-consuming as well(technically, you need to register on your phone at least a day ahead of you flight to guarantee you a space in the lounge, but if there are vacancy inside the lounge, they are more than happy to let you in).

erik123

On a scale from 1-10?

0

dreadnesta

Agree for most people it does not make sense but I have done this before. The biggest issue is the time commitment. Best scenario is to buy a refundable ticket (yes, United and DL will refund after check-in). Refund before the flight departs.

But the other costs have to be mitigated. I have parked at an airport hotel and taken their shuttle etc. I did not do it for the novelty. I had a friend flying who needed to use the lounge (over 6 hour layover) and I essentially wanted to see, and took the person in and left there after a while.

Would I regularly do it just for food and drinks? No - the time commitment is a bit more than the payoff for me. if you get nothing from this post - get that a refundable ticket can be refunded after checking in. BTW I have precheck and had just a empty backpack so security was a breeze.

ceieoc

Flying Frontier, his flight may get canceled, so then he can reticket for a flight the next day.

GodAtum

But how to you leave airside? usually the airport doesn't allow you.

tgj1974

Some chinese guy rebooking his first class ticket 300 times ;-)

https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/...w/29615233.cms