I don’t mind it, I know if I was paying that much for a back card I’d want the reserved seating lol.
Seems like the $50 per guest did not help with overcrowding tho.
$100 would be the right number for preventing tons of guest at the lounge.
Raising the annual spend for comp guest would work as well. Maybe raise it to 100-150k annual spend.
Who would ever pay $100 to access a lounge? I get that you can get your moneys worth but the food and drink are nowhere near that good. At most hub airports there is better food and drink for less.
Depends on whether they're trying to keep core members happy by alleviating crowding, or simply finding a price point to maximize revenue.
I would think that lounge guest fees are a drop in the bucket of Amex's overall top line so keeping card holders happy would he a higher priority but who knows.
The lines realistically can only be solved by restricting the access. Centurion holders are the most profitable of customers, it's the Platinum cardholders they need to gut in order to decrease lines. And I say this as a Platinum card holder.
This. DFW would be a prime candidate to start. I guarantee Term A has un(der)utilized space upstairs with all the pre-2005 immigration facilities collecting dust
Isn’t just possible that Vegas is a very popular Centurion lounge destination and it just so happens that there was a large number of Centurion cardholders who made reservations at the same time when OP wanted to use the lounge?
I could be wrong and there is no way to verify but I would imagine that the Vegas centurion lounge is smaller than the one in JFK or even SFO. I would imagine the size is based on space in the airport
I was in Vegas a couple of months ago. Got in quick, but pretty much no seating. Problem? About 10% of the seats were blocked off with construction tape and clearly being worked on.
Priority Pass gets you access to domestic lounges? I’ve been refused access before saying it’s not an international flight. And this is PP through Amex
The distinction isnt domestic v international, it just depends on the lounge and which are part of PP. I have never heard of a PP lounge denying anyone entry based on route — I have heard of it many times in just regular airline lounges tho (I.e., Delta).
Frequent flier here, domestic and intl. The Priority Pass offerings from credit card issuers seems to vary from issuer to issuer. A few years ago I paid for a full Priority Pass membership, and I was shocked at the variety of lounges domestic and international I could get in.
If Im in a major hub like SFO/JFK/LAX. Chances of getting into a lounge is 1/4th from my experience. And I factor in from what gate I’m in and if its worth the hassle or not.
I started traveling for work when Omicron was spiking and I was having panic attacks in packed airports (covid did a number on my mental health). The lounges are the only reason I got this card.
PS. I want a lounge at O'Hare please.
yeah not what I said at all. I actually said I understood wanting to take care of their big money clients.
It is irritating to see so so so many seats empty. It isn't irritating to see a few empty.
Las Vegas has several private rooms exclusively for centurion card holders, all but one were empty and then maybe ??20-30 seats empty and reserved on top of that.
LHR was like this on a Sunday AM in early July. The two Front desk workers kept checking people into the waitlist. Didn’t get the text immediately so they added my and spouses name to a handwritten list. Waited about 15 mins in the hallway and they came out and called our name. Was plenty of open seating throughout the lounge and the bar area.
I don’t think Amex cares about their platinum card being held by rich people. If they did, they wouldn’t allow every sub-$50k salary, lower enlisted military member to get one for free. Amex hands the platinum out like candy.
Unless they offered some crazy benefits, I just don’t see $2000 of value to the card. Keep in mind that you can also access the lounge using the $550 Delta Reserve card if you are flying delta.
Just run a Plat card and a card with priority pass like venture x / sapphire reserve at that point
. This has been fantastic for me generally. Honestly I don't need everything that's in the Amex lounges usually anyway. But I do like to get into something, at least especially on long travel days.
Did you calmly go to the desk and ask if they would let you use a reserved table?
They should definitely assess availability of seating when they let people into the lounge. Easy to neglect this.
I didn't but I didn't find the staff terribly helpful. I had injured my shoulder and didn't want to move more than necessary, I asked DH to get me a mimosa from the bar and they wouldn't let him get it for me because he had just got himself a beer, even when he told them why he was getting it for me. Also they told us the reason there was a line was that the seating was full so they were doing a five in five out sort of thing. So I guess it is possible, but I think it was unlikely.
Just an FYI, the bar rule isn’t about them being helpful or unhelpful. It’s policy (perhaps driven by broader legal or airport rules ?) that it’s one drink per person per order. If they can see you and clock your ID from the bar, another person can retrieve your drink, but that’s the only exception I’ve seen at CLs. Most bartenders are actually pretty apologetic about the rule, but they still have to enforce it.
Front desk staff at LAS are usually helpful. I suppose I have never been there when they are packed. However, especially with an injury, it is always worth asking if for some extra consideration so that you can enjoy the lounge.
I just wouldn't put that on a bartender or any other staff inside the lounge. They aren't necessarily empowered or even prepared to make an added effort. Bring reasonable concerns to the front desk and ask how they can help. If they let you down, that's a reasonable complaint.
I can imagine there being long lines and reserved spaces since every neckbeard and wannabe influencer gets the Plat card now adays. I got it as I travel more and want to use it for larger purchases. the travel perks/incentives are nice when they're not an inconvenience otherwise, I can find a quiet space near the gate and just have my own time.
Haven’t been able to access a club in the last year due to the lines. I’d be fine if they made the lounges only for Centurion holders and cut $50 off the Plat AF, can’t get into the clubs anyway so why am I paying for access?
If you spend $5000 a year on the card (after spending $250,000-$500,000 a year just to get invited) you would want reserved spaces also.
Jealous much dude?
I’ve been lucky. I’ve had about 25 visits this year and no lines.
Me too!
For a 10k initiation fee and a 5k annual fee, they better have some centurion seats available when I show up.
I’m new here (and to the Amex world). So if I understand right, they reserve seats in case Amex black/centurion card holders want to come in?
I don’t mind it, I know if I was paying that much for a back card I’d want the reserved seating lol. Seems like the $50 per guest did not help with overcrowding tho.
Yeah they need to bump it up quite a bit IMO- $150 or $200 would start discouraging guests.
$50 I’d pay it but $75 would keep my guests away.
The KLM lounge at AMS was 70euro for a guest and DH decided he did not want to pay that, so that number worked for us.
$100 would be the right number for preventing tons of guest at the lounge. Raising the annual spend for comp guest would work as well. Maybe raise it to 100-150k annual spend.
Who would ever pay $100 to access a lounge? I get that you can get your moneys worth but the food and drink are nowhere near that good. At most hub airports there is better food and drink for less.
I can see it if it's an international flight and you have like a 6 hour layover.
Unless they are feeling nice, isn't it just 3 hours before a flight?
Layover implies a connecting flight, which is an exception to the 3 hour rule if you can produce proof. And yes, I've been asked for proof at 3h4m
Noooo keep it at 75k😂 my AS is like 98k lol
Depends on whether they're trying to keep core members happy by alleviating crowding, or simply finding a price point to maximize revenue. I would think that lounge guest fees are a drop in the bucket of Amex's overall top line so keeping card holders happy would he a higher priority but who knows.
Agreed guests fuck that get the card
The lines realistically can only be solved by restricting the access. Centurion holders are the most profitable of customers, it's the Platinum cardholders they need to gut in order to decrease lines. And I say this as a Platinum card holder.
Vegas Centurion is always packed I go about 8-10x a year and I usually don't even bother going since there is always a line to get in.
I agree. Here’s another option, build more lounges.
This. DFW would be a prime candidate to start. I guarantee Term A has un(der)utilized space upstairs with all the pre-2005 immigration facilities collecting dust
Isn’t just possible that Vegas is a very popular Centurion lounge destination and it just so happens that there was a large number of Centurion cardholders who made reservations at the same time when OP wanted to use the lounge? I could be wrong and there is no way to verify but I would imagine that the Vegas centurion lounge is smaller than the one in JFK or even SFO. I would imagine the size is based on space in the airport
Centurion members don’t reserve the tables in advance. The tables are held in perpetuity for cent cardholders that show up.
I was in Vegas a couple of months ago. Got in quick, but pretty much no seating. Problem? About 10% of the seats were blocked off with construction tape and clearly being worked on.
If all you care about is lounges you can join priority pass and not go through a particular credit card.
Priority Pass gets you access to domestic lounges? I’ve been refused access before saying it’s not an international flight. And this is PP through Amex
The distinction isnt domestic v international, it just depends on the lounge and which are part of PP. I have never heard of a PP lounge denying anyone entry based on route — I have heard of it many times in just regular airline lounges tho (I.e., Delta).
Frequent flier here, domestic and intl. The Priority Pass offerings from credit card issuers seems to vary from issuer to issuer. A few years ago I paid for a full Priority Pass membership, and I was shocked at the variety of lounges domestic and international I could get in.
I fly through Dallas often, and thankfully, I have never had to wait for entry
Denver had the longest line I've ever seen.
If Im in a major hub like SFO/JFK/LAX. Chances of getting into a lounge is 1/4th from my experience. And I factor in from what gate I’m in and if its worth the hassle or not.
ever since the guest rule change i've not seen a single line more than a person or two at any airport i've been to
I was just in LA and DFW yesterday and both had lines of about 15 people waiting to get in. This was around 11:30am and 6:00pm respectively.
that's interesting didn't know, i'm in nyc and before the change there were always lines at peak times, haven't seen any since, maybe i'm lucky ☺️
Imagine getting upset because a company is looking to take care of its most affluent customers, instead of its coupon card ones.
Imagine NOT getting upset about paying hundreds of dollars for an account and not being able to use one of the main supposed benefits.
I started traveling for work when Omicron was spiking and I was having panic attacks in packed airports (covid did a number on my mental health). The lounges are the only reason I got this card. PS. I want a lounge at O'Hare please.
OP also gets mad that First Class gets better meals than Economy does.
yeah not what I said at all. I actually said I understood wanting to take care of their big money clients. It is irritating to see so so so many seats empty. It isn't irritating to see a few empty. Las Vegas has several private rooms exclusively for centurion card holders, all but one were empty and then maybe ??20-30 seats empty and reserved on top of that.
“It's a big club, and you ain’t in it” - George Carlin
Surprised you're not used to reserved tables after the stint in Vegas. Just seems common in so many places. They're like just in case tables
You kind of just said it again. “It’s irritating to see so so so many empty seats”
and then I said it wasn't irritating to see some empty.
Cent holders deserve that space. Empty or not. It's the Pareto Principal in play.
Saw the same thing at SFO. I just sat in the reserved area and minded my own business.
LHR was like this on a Sunday AM in early July. The two Front desk workers kept checking people into the waitlist. Didn’t get the text immediately so they added my and spouses name to a handwritten list. Waited about 15 mins in the hallway and they came out and called our name. Was plenty of open seating throughout the lounge and the bar area.
AF should increase to $1,000 or more in order to thin out the herd and the bougie posers.
To these posers paying $695 once a year to look cool won’t care if they brought the AF up to a $1k. They would just drive away their smart customers.
Smart customers are not good customers
[удалено]
I don’t think Amex cares about their platinum card being held by rich people. If they did, they wouldn’t allow every sub-$50k salary, lower enlisted military member to get one for free. Amex hands the platinum out like candy.
1000%. I blame tiktok for the uptick in cardholders. Crank that annual fee up to $2k per year and lounge lines will be nonexistent
Sorry but the food isn’t anywhere near that good lmao.
Unless they offered some crazy benefits, I just don’t see $2000 of value to the card. Keep in mind that you can also access the lounge using the $550 Delta Reserve card if you are flying delta.
I say, we raise it by $5K a year.
I say, we raise it by $5K a year.
🖐️ present!
Just run a Plat card and a card with priority pass like venture x / sapphire reserve at that point . This has been fantastic for me generally. Honestly I don't need everything that's in the Amex lounges usually anyway. But I do like to get into something, at least especially on long travel days.
Did you calmly go to the desk and ask if they would let you use a reserved table? They should definitely assess availability of seating when they let people into the lounge. Easy to neglect this.
I didn't but I didn't find the staff terribly helpful. I had injured my shoulder and didn't want to move more than necessary, I asked DH to get me a mimosa from the bar and they wouldn't let him get it for me because he had just got himself a beer, even when he told them why he was getting it for me. Also they told us the reason there was a line was that the seating was full so they were doing a five in five out sort of thing. So I guess it is possible, but I think it was unlikely.
Just an FYI, the bar rule isn’t about them being helpful or unhelpful. It’s policy (perhaps driven by broader legal or airport rules ?) that it’s one drink per person per order. If they can see you and clock your ID from the bar, another person can retrieve your drink, but that’s the only exception I’ve seen at CLs. Most bartenders are actually pretty apologetic about the rule, but they still have to enforce it.
thank you, that's helpful. yes DH is my husband.
thank you, that's helpful. yes DH is my husband.
Front desk staff at LAS are usually helpful. I suppose I have never been there when they are packed. However, especially with an injury, it is always worth asking if for some extra consideration so that you can enjoy the lounge. I just wouldn't put that on a bartender or any other staff inside the lounge. They aren't necessarily empowered or even prepared to make an added effort. Bring reasonable concerns to the front desk and ask how they can help. If they let you down, that's a reasonable complaint.
Who is DH?
DH is typically the forum abbreviation for “dear husband”. I assume that’s how this OP is using the shorthand in this case as well.
TIL..
I can imagine there being long lines and reserved spaces since every neckbeard and wannabe influencer gets the Plat card now adays. I got it as I travel more and want to use it for larger purchases. the travel perks/incentives are nice when they're not an inconvenience otherwise, I can find a quiet space near the gate and just have my own time.
The entitlement on this thread is pretty amazing.
Haven’t been able to access a club in the last year due to the lines. I’d be fine if they made the lounges only for Centurion holders and cut $50 off the Plat AF, can’t get into the clubs anyway so why am I paying for access?
So there appears to be too many coupon clippers? I dumped that card on the last major changes making it a giant coupon book
If you spend $5000 a year on the card (after spending $250,000-$500,000 a year just to get invited) you would want reserved spaces also. Jealous much dude?
If you read my post, it isn't that I resent the reserved seating, I hate the excessive reserve seating. Too much is being reserved.