American Express and Escape Lounges have made changes to the rules regarding Platinum card access. You now need to arrive within 3 hours of your departing flight.
Effective May 9, 2024, to access select Escape Lounge locations, eligible Platinum Card® Members will be required to arrive at the lounge within 3 hours of their departing flight. During a layover the eligible Card Member may use the Escape Lounge in the connecting airport at any time. Additional information on guest fee rates, access policies and lounge terms and conditions can be found at escapelounges.com/us/access/.
Seems like a sensible change if overcrowding is an issue. Obviously annoying if you have a long layover though. Layovers are fine according to the terms.
Hat tip to YMMV
I used VentureX for international lounges, they are the best.
There was also a recent policy change where basic economy Delta tickets are not eligible for access to Delta lounges, even with a platinum card. It just seems odd to get turned away from a lounge when you’re paying $700 a year for a premium card. Hopefully this isn’t the start of a trend toward devaluing the lounge access. If it is, Amex should expect people to start canceling their cards.
Airport lounges are dead to me. It’s just beyond overcrowded at this point, the service is lackluster, and the restrictions are giant lists.
If I’m traveling on corporate dime I’ll just sit at a bar. I guarantee I’ll find a charger if I need, and all the service I want is right there.
The novelty has worn off, and the “card benefits” have dwindled beyond repair. I used to have 3 Amex Plats – and another 2 under my spouse. As of right now I have 0.
I don’t know what kind of experience you have or how much space you need but even when AmEx lounges are listed as “almost full” I’ve found a place to sit. I’ve had a decent time sitting there and relaxing in between flights. The alternative is being in a much more noisy area.
Some of the AmEx lounges have actual quiet rooms to sleep in.
I probably won’t keep the plat for another year because PP is good enough for the international destinations (among other reasons). If I can break even on the Plat then the lounges are actually pretty decent when you’re traveling alone. Why should I pay for drinks when I can get everything for “free”?
what exactly do people do in the airport lounges in north america? it’s got no food so you’re just sitting around drinking alchol which can’t be good for your body
cheese cubes
There is a website called google and you can access it to see details on lounges like the Escape Lounge. They have food and it’s probably one of the better lounges in the USA market.
I regularly use one particular Escape Lounge. It has food. Not certain about the basis of your comment.
Same. I use the one in RNO all the time and it’s great and rarely very crowded.
15 years ago, you could meet interesting people while drinking there. Now, you can get tipsy or drunk or observe other ppl get drunk
We write autobiographies.
Just went to the IAD capital one and Chase lounges. Plenty of food.
Sam we’re taking 5 AM flights to save 10 bucks. I’m not sure good for the body was involved in this transaction.
I’ve never been to a lounge in the US that didn’t have food, usually a buffet.
Funniest is watching people literally sitting on the floor in the lounge instead of hanging out in the terminal where there is plenty of room. Lounges are mostly created for the natural human tendency to try and feel better than others. Same goes for first class. I fly first class domestic cus my company pays for it. Its lame and boring and so not worth it.
Hard to imagine this will help with overcrowding much.. do people really go to the airport extra early just to spend more time in the lounge?
What about if you’re arriving to your destination and want to grab a bite/drink after your flight?
I’ve done it. Can’t imagine how this new rule would prevent it.
“… within 3 hours of their departing flight” is what prevents it. Really it’s only a question of whether the lounge is full-ish and/or the desk staff is being picky. Most of the time at my destination I just want to get out of the airport and get there (either home or the hotel) so I won’t likely use a lounge on arrival.
This is how it should be in most lounges. It’s so many people not even flying just hanging in there.
What do you mean not flying? You’ve always needed to show a boarding pass.
Perhaps they mean those with arrival flights? Could also be that some people sneak in before the 3 hour mark.
I do not think I have been to an escape lounge that I would want to spend 3hrs in.
Very true. Just grab a coffee and get out. Usually in smaller cities and the airports are very empty and clean.
“Free beer in a Shoebox, exit to use the bathroom” sums most up
Love this policy. Can’t imagine why anyone would show up over 3hrs before their first flight.
long layovers. sometimes i’ll sit in a lounge during an extended layover that isn’t long enough to venture out of the airport. free alc + food.
Read the post. It’s clearly not referring to layovers.
But it says that isn’t a problem: “During a layover the eligible Card Member may use the Escape Lounge in the connecting airport at any time.”
That’s consistent with the Centurion Lounge policy as well.
Best explanation besides a layover- you’re in a sketchy country, you’ve checked out of your hotel and you’d like to sit some place and do work or have a call that’s set to begin more than 3 hours before your flight but ends well less than 3 hours before your flight, to the point you don’t want to have to scramble to get to the airport, which is again in a sketchy country with unknown traffic and delays. Otherwise if the lounges themselves are really nice and offer decent meals I wouldn’t mind just hanging out there instead of the hotel lobby or some random cafe. Probably not Escape lounges but just saying.
define sketchy country? 8)
Can you name one country other than the US that has an ESCAPE Lounge?
UK
I thought this was already the policy. Then again, I only live 20 mins from the airport and never felt like going more than 1.5 hours early so I guess I never tried.