What is a business lounge at the airport? How to access lounges at airports around the world? Review of business lounges at major Russian airports

Every year I have up to a hundred different flights. Despite this, I have never flown business class in my life, and I have been to airport business lounges twice. I don't see any point in overpaying.

It turns out that you can enter these business lounges completely free of charge. So why not take advantage of this? Now I'll tell you how.

1 I usually arrive at airports two hours before, or even earlier. Not for the sake of reinsurance, but rather to save time. Let me finish my chores at home an hour earlier and work at the airport. I go through the pre-flight formalities and go to the cafe.

2 In general, it's convenient. I’ll pay even 10 euros for coffee and a sandwich, at least not on a bare bench in the waiting room. But sometimes the cafes are crowded, the airports are small, there are also crowds milling around duty free... how can you concentrate?

I have long heard about the miracles that happen in business lounges. They feed and drink there for free, there are no crowds. But the main thing is there is Wi-Fi! Actually, his frequent absence from the cafe is the main inconvenience when waiting for a flight.

3 Most often, VIP/CIP lounges belong to an airline or alliance, and access is available to business class passengers, as well as frequent flyers with “elite” bonus cards. It is possible to accumulate the required number of miles, but this is only if you fly really often, and with the same company. And of course, no one will let you into the S7 hall if this time you are flying Transaero, no matter what card you have.

There is a clever card that allows you to go to such halls, regardless of the company, and without any loyalty programs. Pay the money once a year, buy a Priority Pass, and in almost every airport one of the business lounges with which the system has an agreement will open its doors.

The card has only one drawback - it costs 400 euros per year (the version with unlimited visits to the halls). But there is one way to get it for free!

4 A month ago I opened an account with UniCredit bank with the Prime service package. Together with the MasterCard Black card, they issued just that same Priority pass, which allows you to go to business lounges around the world, plus take one guest with you. You don’t need to be flattered by free cheese, you will have to pay for servicing the bank tariff, but there are a lot of useful things there, and withdrawal of money all over the world without commission, and 10% cashback, and insurance, both medical and for trip cancellation.

5 The girl at the business lounge counter swiped my card, smiled and gave me instructions for accessing the Internet.

6 What is this place like? It seems that in the Soviet interpretation this is called the “extra-comfort waiting room” or the “hall of official delegations.” A separate flight waiting area, where there is no fuss and crowds. In all other respects, they can differ greatly from each other.

7 For example, it is accepted that there should be drinks and snacks for guests, and they will be in any room, the question is which ones. Somewhere they will put a sandwich, somewhere salads. It happens that they don’t skimp on passengers and hire a cook who cooks steaks on demand. But this is only in the Emirates or Singapore, of course.

8 At the international terminal of Turkish Antalya they offered tea, coffee, soda, fresh salads and even a couple of hot dishes.

9 Some people pay for silence. There will be no screaming and running children, one of the main irritants at the airport.

10 Because there is a special playroom for them!

11 A nice bonus from the Turkish mobile operator, the ability to charge your phone if you forgot the charger at home.

12 Of course, there is a departure board. I heard that there are business lounges from where passengers are taken directly to the gate on a separate transport. But not at this time.

13 When I arrived at the landing, there were already crowds of passengers there. Somehow nervous, noisy. Of course, you can sit on a bench nearby for an hour and a half, plugging your ears with music and burying your face in your laptop, but it’s more pleasant to relax in a separate room. Especially when it doesn’t cost any money, and I already use the card. It won't take long to get used to it!

It's good when planes fly strictly on schedule. Then it is enough to show up at the airport at the time of check-in for the flight (and for those who managed to do this online, at the time of boarding) and not languish over a long wait. But force majeure circumstances occasionally arise, and you have to wait for a flight for several hours. Then the question arises, how to spend this time more comfortably?

Waiting rooms

Air terminals have publicly accessible departure lounges. But not all of them are convenient for a long stay there. The places in them are usually sedentary, and you won’t be able to truly relax. It will be especially uncomfortable for people with health problems, pregnant women and passengers with children.

To have a snack while the plane is delayed, you will have to leave the waiting room and go in search of a cafe or at least fast food outlets. It is not a fact that during this time your chair will not be occupied, and you will not have to look for a new one.

The common halls of airports are, in fact, a “passage yard” where people are constantly scurrying about and there is a din. Such conditions cannot be called comfortable - neither relax in silence, nor concentrate on reading. And not all waiting rooms have free Wi-Fi.

Another thing is the lounges. Among airport lounges, the business lounge is the most comfortable place to relax. VIP persons who can rightfully use the services of such waiting rooms are business class passengers.

The delights of business lounges

Priority fares for air tickets apply to the creation of amenities not only in the cabin of the aircraft, but also while waiting for the flight in the terminal. Business class passengers can visit special lounges that provide the opportunity to enjoy maximum comfort:

• there are comfortable soft chairs and sofas where you can relax;

• in the prestigious recreation area there is a buffet where cold or hot snacks, aromatic coffee and other drinks (including alcohol) are served, for which you do not have to pay - everything is included in the ticket price;
• being in silence and solitude, you can read entertaining literature or watch TV, which is installed in the business lounge;
• VIP passengers are provided with showers where they can freshen up free of charge;
• some lounges offer the services of a hairdresser, cosmetologist or massage therapist;
• Children have not been forgotten here either - most business lounges have game rooms;
• The lounge will also provide a comfortable stay for nursing and pregnant women.

The prospect of such a break during a long wait attracts many passengers. Business lounge services at the airport may also be available to holders of economy class tickets (subject to availability and availability) if they pay for this service to the lounge administration at the rate established by the specific airport.

Note! One of the options for gaining access to business lounges around the world is to become one of the members of the Priority Pass “club”.

Comfort with Priority Pass

Having economy class tickets in hand, but being the owner of Priority Pass or its electronic version in the smartphone application, passengers begin to enter the lounge area of ​​a number of hubs.

All the delights of such a holiday become available to them. At the same time, the passenger can relax here with his family or invite friends with him (no more than 10 people in total), who will help brighten up the waiting time.

People on a business trip will find it more comfortable to work here. They will be provided with office equipment: a computer (if you don’t have a laptop with you), a copy machine and scanner, and a fax. Free internet is available in all business lounges.

The lounges have a conference room where you can hold a business meeting, negotiations or arrange a meeting with colleagues. To be able to enjoy the benefits of priority lounges, you should inquire about how to obtain a Priority card.

How to apply for a card

The Priority Pass card itself is neither a credit nor a debit card. This is something akin to a club business card confirming participation in the priority recreation program. There are several options for purchasing it:

• Most Russian banks offer it to their clients who are holders of Gold level plastic and above;
• The client can take the initiative by submitting an application for membership in the program to his bank;

Important! Registration of Priority Pass by the bank is free for the client.

• Another option to get a card is to visit the website www.prioritypass.com and apply for its issue; this will already cost money and will cost from 99 €/year. To do this, you need to have a cash account of one of the banks participating in the program, from where annual fees and payments for lounge visits will be withdrawn in the future (if this implies a tariff).

In the future, in order to enter the priority lounge and use its services, it is not necessary to present the card itself - you can download the application to your smartphone from the same website.

How to use the card

When visiting the business lounge, you will not have to pay in cash - at the entrance you will scan the code of your Priority Pass card (or an application on your smartphone). This is followed by the debiting of funds from the bank client’s main card according to the tariff in force in a particular financial institution. Each bank sets its own conditions for using the service, which need to be clarified in advance:

• some cards provide a fixed number of visits to the business lounge by the client himself free of charge;
• other banks reward customers with free unlimited data for a year;
• third option - each visit is paid, with a fixed price of 24 € / person.

When visiting airport business lounges using a card received online, slightly different rates apply (they are chosen by the client):

• basic option - 24 € will be debited from the main account (and for guests too) for each visit to the business lounge; This tariff costs 99€ per year;
• the average level, the price of which is 249 € / year, gives the cardholder 10 free visits to the lounge throughout the year, but for each guest you will have to pay 24 €;
• the third tariff is the highest, for 399 € per annum, which allows the client unlimited access to the business lounge throughout the year without payment, but guest visits are paid here too.

Note! The opportunity to enjoy comfort for free many times throughout the year at airports around the world is quite a profitable purchase for those who often use airplanes.

Some nuances

Before ordering a Priority Pass card, you should take into account some of the nuances associated with this program:

• Not all airports in the world (and in Russia as well) participate in the program, so you should first go to the website www.prioritypass.com and carefully study the list of hubs with available prestige lounges;
• Some major airlines (such as Emirates) have their own lounges at international airports, and here the Priority Pass program will not be effective;
• Each airport has its own list of amenities for such lounges; It’s better to know in advance what you can expect; to do this, you should visit the website of the hub where you plan to wait for the flight;
• When planning a relaxation in the business lounge, you should take into account the time of day - some lounges are not open at night (for example, in Spain);
• You should also take into account the waiting time for your flight - a standard visit to the business lounge is usually determined by 4 hours; after they expire, the countdown for the next visit begins, which is not very profitable with paid tariffs.

Note! The priority lounge card is linked to your main bank account.

If the Priority Pass tariff involves paying for your own visits, as well as for invited guests, then you need to monitor the availability of funds on the main card. Due to their shortage, the lounge administration has the right to refuse to provide you with comfortable services.

Rules for using business lounges

The lounge is a comfortable area for waiting for a flight. And the conditions here are created not only by the airport administration. It’s not enough just to get into a comfortable zone - visitors must follow the rules of behavior in it:

• the main advantage of these recreation areas is silence; if the company accompanying the visitor becomes noisy, the administration has the right to remove them from the lounge;
• Passengers with small children may be asked to leave the VIP lounge if they cause discomfort to others;
• the availability of free alcohol may affect the inadequacy of some visitors - they will also have to leave the business lounge early;
• the very name of the lounge determines the dress code in appearance - women in swimsuits, men in shorts and beach slippers have the right not to be allowed into the business lounge;

• Fans of “nicotine sticks” should check whether there is a smoking area before relaxing in the lounge.

Important! Each violation of the rules has its own moral or material consequences. If a Priority card holder who violates the conditions suffers damage, then neither the administration of the business lounge nor the airport operating company will be held responsible for this.

Review of business lounges at major Russian airports

A number of Russian airports participate in the Priority Pass program and provide services to passengers under various conditions. The table below provides a brief overview of the lounges of some Russian hubs, indicating a number of restrictions.

Brief overview of business lounges at a number of Russian airports

Business lounges are an opportunity to brighten up the hours while waiting for a plane with maximum comfort, which you should not refuse.

Video

The Airport Business Lounge at Domodedovo Airport appeared relatively recently and its main and only purpose is to serve Priority Pass card holders. The airport management acted wisely by dividing the halls into business class passengers and Priority Pass program participants. At Sheremetyevo, most lounges serve two traffic flows at the same time, which is why the lounges are overcrowded and this causes dissatisfaction among business passengers. They can be understood; class of service does not imply running around in circles in search of free space.

Over the past year, we have had the opportunity to stay in the business lounge of Domodedovo Airport three times, but we have never stayed here. The reason for this is the constant overcrowding of the hall. Twice when we planned to visit it, the reception staff warned that the hall was overcrowded. And once the line at the entrance eloquently made it clear that it was better not to even interfere.))

Priority Pass lounge location

The business lounge is located in the international departure area (IDA), after passport control and pre-flight inspection. The hall can be accessed from sectors A or B.

Working hours

The Airport Business Lounge is open 24 hours a day.

Description of the business lounge: conditions and services

The interior of the lounge is made in a modern style, which is not distinguished by frills. Instead of the usual leather chairs, there are wicker chairs a la country style with soft pillows.

The lounge offers its guests cold appetizers, hot meals, and desserts. I can’t say anything about the quality, since I haven’t tried it. The usual story with drinks is juices from packages, carbonated drinks. Alcohol is offered in the form of beer and wine. Only canned beer is freely available, no draft beer. Wine is poured on the bar counter.

The Airport Business Lounge offers standard services provided in luxury lounges - wi-fi, newspapers, television, flight displays, office equipment. There is no children's playroom. An interesting situation with the shower, formally there is a shower room and even works, but the business lounge does not provide sets (towels), so in fact no one uses the service. There is no smoking room in the business lounge, as in the entire Domodedovo airport.

The story about business lounges at Qatar Airport should begin with the fact thatAHamad International Airport is incredibly huge and is an important air hub in Central Asia. The Qatari authorities, in turn, made sure that visitors to the country had somewhere to stay while waiting for their flight. The number of lounges at Qatar Airport is off the charts: just choose.

Let's start with the fact that we flew from our with a long layover at Qatar airport and made a decision for ourselves buy access to the business lounge in order to pass the time there and sleep for a few hours.

Access to the lounge is thoughtfully offered by Qatar Airways on the ticket booking website, in your personal account, offering a choice three possible options. However, these are not all the lounges that are available at Doha Airport. There are also those access is only valid if you have a business class boarding pass or even a first class flight, you won’t be able to get there simply by paying a certain amount extra. There is also lounge from the “company” Al Maha, this company provides various types of services, ranging from meeting at the gate, assistance in moving around the airport, escort when leaving the city, to booking your own lounge. The reservation is made on a separate website, not on the airport website, but on their private page.

We will not describe all the lounges at the airport - There are several reasons for this. The most important thing is that they do not differ much from each other in the range of services offered. That is, it is possible to eat in all lounges, there are relaxation areas everywhere, and free Wi-Fi (the Internet is usually limited in time in a regular waiting room).

So, returning to the opportunity to purchase access to the business lounge, If you're flying economy class, we highly recommend it., especially if your layover is more than 6 hours, since it is during this time that you are officially given access to the VIP lounge. Although, it should be noted that we were not particularly controlled in terms of time and no one will run up to you and try to kick you out, if you decide to stay a little longer.

We decided to go with an option that cost about 70 euros per person, it was called the first class lounge. This is an average-priced room, a business class box will cost about 55 euros per person, and the Al Mourjan Business Lounge will already cost about 110 euros per person. And this despite the fact that the range of services provided in all three lounges is, in principle, identical.

The only thing is that in the description of the business class lounge there was no mention of a seating area with lying down seats, and since our transfer took place in the evening and the departure was scheduled for 2 am, it was decided not to tempt fate and choose a hall with a seating area. Looking ahead, it was not possible to sleep in the recreation area - thanks to the very loud snoring guy, whose sounds were more like the roars of a lion. Even the lounge staff looked at him sideways, but, unfortunately, no one was destined to pacify the king of beasts there. After a while they started showing a prayer on TV, and Arab visitors to the business hall set up an impromptu mosque right on the floor in this seating area.

Continuing the theme of available services in the First Class lounge. Naturally, you can eat to your heart's content, for each lodge provides access to a buffet, as well as a variety of drinks. The food is mostly traditional Middle Eastern, there is some good hummus, a couple of green salads, hot dishes, among which there is some traditional dish that is terribly spicy, but at the same time very tasty. For drinks in the lodge, there is a wide selection of non-alcoholic options, ranging from juices to mineral water and coffee and teas. Coffee machine makes excellent cappuccino, highly recommended for coffee lovers. There is also a bar with a choice of white or red wine, as well as several types of strong drinks, such as whiskey. In general, you definitely won’t remain hungry and sober.

First class lounge There are certain areas of privacy called family rooms. This is a kind of enclosed room in which there is upholstered furniture, a table and a TV. Why are these rooms intended for families with children? Perhaps in order to the children had a place to play without disturbing at the same time to other passengers.

To complete the services provided with The opportunity to freshen up and take a shower should be noted. Having walked into the appropriate room, you can find several shower cabins, each of them will have a clean towel and a set of gels/shampoos. Showers are cleaned regularly, so if you want to feel relief from a long wait for a flight, we highly recommend using the showers.

Generally, business hall space is small, but at the same time, it seems to be worth the money spent on it. Long waits are easier when you have the opportunity to have a snack, lie down, or even take a bath. We do not regret for a second that we took advantage of the opportunity to purchase access to a box at Qatar airport and We recommend other travelers to use it from the perspective of our experience. It may not be comparable to, but the anticipation of a long flight will at least definitely become easier.

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There are several types of airport terminal lounges. The first is the regular area, in which all passengers from economy to business class are located. The second is the lounge area, which can be accessed using a special card or for guests who have a high class of service on the plane.

Business lounges provide passengers with additional privileges. VIP clients relax, work and have lunch in peace and quiet. Every avid traveler should know how to get to the business lounge at the airport. To do this, you need to buy a business class ticket or become a member of the international Priority Pass program.

Services

The best lounges in the world offer passengers an excellent opportunity to visit the lounge area using the Priority Pass card.International program participants can use premium service while waiting for their flight.

At airports in business lounges with Priority Pass you can get the following privileges and services:

1. Passengers relax on comfortable armchairs and sofas. Lounge areas provide slip boxes. This option is paid separately and is not available in all luxury lounges.
2. Free press and newspapers are freely available. There are magazines in national and English languages.
3. Meals in the halls are free. In most cases it is a buffet. Some lounges offer restaurant menus and food is delivered.
4. Coffee, tea, water and carbonated soft drinks are free. Alcohol is only available to persons over 18 years of age and is available for a fee. Only local beer or wine can be taken for free.
5. Before departure, you can freshen up in the shower room and put your thoughts in order. But the shower is not always free, and you will also have to pay for swimwear.
6. Most lounges offer meeting space if you need to hold business meetings that weren't previously scheduled. The meeting room is always provided for a fee. In rare cases, business class passengers can use it for free. It all depends on the administrator of the hall, who sets the restrictions.

Particular comfort is felt in the business lounge when there are connecting flights and you need to wait a long time for the next boarding of the aircraft.

Travelers also have a toilet, flight display, TV, telephone, copy equipment and areas for charging electronic gadgets at their disposal.

Economy class

Access to airport business lounges is possible when flying in economy class.How to get to the business lounge?

To do this, you need to become a member of the international Priority Pass program.

If you travel frequently and use regular lounges, sign up for a Priority Pass card soon and get additional privileges.

Economy class passengers have two options for accessing terminal lounges. Namely, apply for a card included in the premium package, or register yourself on the company’s official website.

Registration of a package of services at the bank

It is better to get access to business lounges through a financial institution. It gives you not only the opportunity to use all premium services, but also additional benefits.

Such as an insurance policy, participation in loyalty programs, receiving discounts in some stores, the ability to accumulate miles and exchange them for air tickets with a high class of service or passes to premium lounges.

To gain access to business lounges, you will need to meet certain conditions that the financial institution will require. Passengers who have paid for annual service can access the lounges using Priority Pass.

Also, these conditions may be different. For example, maintaining an average monthly balance on all card accounts of a package of services in the amount of 2 million rubles. or spending on the card in the amount of 50 thousand rubles + the average monthly balance should be 500,000 rubles.

The conditions in each bank are different, so read them carefully and choose the best option for yourself. How much the service costs should be checked with the employees of the organization itself.

The card, which is issued by the issuing bank, as part of the service package, can be debit and credit. Credit cards are issued only to solvent clients who are already 18–21 years old.

The Priority Pass club card itself is issued free of charge. No money will be charged for its reissue in case of loss, theft, damage or expiration.

To visit the business lounge, you only need to present your club membership card; no payment product is needed. If a client has 2 to 8 visits per month available, but not all passes are used, they are not transferred to the next month.

Neither the airport terminal nor the Priority Pass program is responsible for the number of lounge passes issued by the bank. Therefore, all such issues should be resolved with the financial institution.

The Priority Pass card can be obtained when registering for a package of services or connecting premium cards of the Mastercard/Visa system in the following Russian banks: VTB 24, Rosbank, B&N Bank, Alfa, Raiffeisen, Promsvyaz, Unicredit, Sberbank and many others.

Self-registration

Economy class passengers can also gain access to airport business lounges by registering in the program themselves.

Becoming a member of the club is easy and simple. You need to go through a simple registration, select the appropriate tariff plan, pay for the service and receive a Priority Pass card by mail in a month.

Business Class

The third way to gain access to airport lounge areas is to purchase a high-class ticket on the plane.

Visiting the lounge area is free, the cost is already included in the amount paid for the air ticket. An additional entrance fee may be charged to accompanying persons.

Preferred Client

The airport lounge also accommodates passengers traveling to other countries via Star Alliance, SkyTeam and Oneworld.

These airlines provide the opportunity to visit lounge areas for free; you just need to issue a plastic card, which gives you the right to receive privileged service at the airport terminal.

These cards accumulate miles, which can be spent not only on a pass to the lounge area, but also on other good services. For example, to upgrade the class of service on an airplane, to check in at business class counters (without queues).

Companion

You can get free airport lounge access with the right travel companion.

To visit the lounge area, you can ask your companion if he has a Priority Pass card. Some banks allow access to business lounges not only for holders free of charge, but also for one accompanying person or the person with whom he is flying.

To visit the lounges, the holder just needs to provide a Priority Pass card and mention his companion. This applies not only at Sheremetyevo Airport, but all over the world.

If the card holder passed for free, plus he was charged $27 for a companion, he should contact the issuing bank’s hotline and resolve this issue peacefully. The hall staff do not have sufficient qualifications to help you with this.

There are many ways to visit airport lounges for free. Choose the one that is most convenient for you and use it, enjoying the comfort and aromatic coffee alone in a large airport.