wareontheglobe airport lounge

Airport Lounge Review: Lufthansa Business Lounge, JFK Terminal 1

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The Lufthansa Business Lounge at JFK’s Terminal 1 has been on Priority Pass for a while, and I think its a respectable option at JFK’s Terminal 1 if you can get in. We visited twice in the last year and both visits were pleasant, although I wouldn’t arrive early to visit the lounge. This post reviews my experience in the Lufthansa Business Lounge at JFK. I would also note that this post only reviews the Business portion of this lounge, as that is all I could access. Apparently first class passengers have a better lounge in Terminal 1…

LOCATING THE LUFTHANSA BUSINESS LOUNGE AT JFK

The Lufthansa Business Lounge is located in JFK’s Terminal 1, to the left just after one clears security.  To reach the lounge, proceed through security and go left (with your back to security) for like 1 minute. The lounge is tucked away right before all the upscale shops in Terminal 1.

Lufthansa Business Lounge, JFK.

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Airport Lounge Review: Chase Sapphire Lounge by The Club, JFK Terminal 4

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Read my updated August 2024 post here!

The Chase Sapphire Lounge in JFK’s Terminal 4 opened its doors in January 2024. I was very excited about this, as JFK Terminal 4 is a frequent terminal of ours, plus I had really been wanting to visit a Chase lounge! This timed up nicely with our recent flight from JFK to Nairobi, Kenya for a safari! In brief, the lounge was very, very nice. Tied with the American Express Centurion and Virgin Clubhouse for best lounge in Terminal 4. Good food, fantastic drinks, and nice service. My only complaints are that its small (and I hear often has a wait to enter) and far from many gates in Terminal 4.

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Airport Lounge Review: Al Dhabi Lounge by Lounge, Abu Dhabi International, Terminal 1

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This post reviews our experiences at the Al Dhabi Lounge by Lounge – Abu Dhabi International’s only Priority Pass airport lounge at the time (it has recently been removed from the PP network but may return).  Dan and I used Abu Dhabi International’s Al Dhabi Lounge three times last year (including when we flew in in the above cover photo, that’s the F1 track in the pic), and we had a relatively OK experience each time. I wouldn’t kill yourself to visit this lounge, but if you have a decent layover and no other options, it probably makes sense. While it can get crazy during busy periods, the Al Dhabi Lounge is a sizeable space with edible food and decent drinks, in addition to good wifi and complimentary showers.

Abu Dhabi city! This was it decked out for the World Cup.

THE AL DHABI LOUNGE

The Al Dhabi Lounge is located in Abu Dhabi airport’s Terminal 1 at the end of a very long corridor, which is accessible via Terminal 1 and Terminal 3 without re-clearing security. We walked to the lounge from Terminal 3, and it probably took us 15 minutes walking at an average pace. The Al Dhabi lounge is open 24/7, and it is open to almost all travelers as long as its not full (i.e. anyone can buy a day pass to this lounge).  The Al Dhabi Lounge’s entrance is located on the ground floor, and the lounge is directly above it.  A check-in desk, which is shared with the Abu Dhabi Airport Hotel (read about our stay there here), check guests in pretty quickly, although on one of our visits there was a looong line (due to the F1 race and the World Cup in Qatar). Once checked in, guests go up one floor to a second check-in desk, where they check in once again, LOL. Information, including wifi passwords, are provided at this second check-in desk. Once cleared on the second floor, the lounge is to the right and the hotel is to the left. Guests cannot enter the hotel without a reservation, so no safety worries if you are staying there!

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Airport Lounge Review: Salon Vallee De Mai, Mahé (Seychelles) International Airport

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Dan and I had a little over an hour to kill in the Mahé airport when flying back from the Seychelles to Abu Dhabi (and eventually to New York). The Salon Vallee De Mai Lounge in the Mahé airport offers complimentary entrance to Priority Pass members, so we went in for an adult beverage. This is my review of the Salon Vallee De Mai lounge (as of November 2022).

The Seychelles just before we left to fly home = (

THE SPACE

The Salon Vallee De Mai lounge is located on the second floor of the Mahé airport, up a short flight of stairs across from the Takamaka Rum bar. The entrance is quite pretty and keeps with the “tropical island” theme, which follows throughout the lounge.  As you will read below, while some areas were lacking in the lounge, the decor was not one of them. From the ceiling to the tables and chairs, I was definitely getting “tropical vacay” vibes – too bad we were leaving!  The check-in lady was lovely and answered all of our questions.  Once inside, the lounge opens up into a large room scattered with tables and chairs spread throughout. The ones on the right side have great plane views!

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Hotel Review: Abu Dhabi Airport Hotel T1 International Departures

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Flying back from the Seychelles last November, Dan and I had an overnight layover in Abu Dhabi. Due to the flight times (arriving around 9:30 PM and leaving the next morning around 10:00 AM), we decided to stay in a hotel near the airport to get some sleep prior to our flight home. Turns out that the Abu Dhabi airport has its own hotel in Terminal 1, so we booked a room there for the night. This is my review of that room and hotel.

Back in the Seychelles. We were sad to leave!

LOCATION OF THE AIRPORT HOTEL

The Abu Dhabi Airport Hotel T1 International Departures hotel is located in Abu Dhabi Terminal 1. It’s easy to find and connected to the Al Dhabi Lounge. Terminal 1 is connected to Terminal 3 and travelers can walk between the two terminals without going through security – easy peasy. The walk takes about 10 minutes, maybe longer with mobility issues.

Dan waiting to get into the lounge next to the hotel. There was a line due to the crowds in Abu Dhabi this weekend.

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