I don’t remember the first time I entered a lounge. Honestly, I didn’t even know what the lounge was until I got the American Express card. I saw the benefit and was inquisitive. Back then JFK didn’t have a Centurion lounge so I went to Las Vegas and used it by accident.
How do you use a lounge by accident you say? I went to LAS on a mileage run. I was only supposed to be there for 20 minutes but due to delays, I stayed for 6 hours. Having just gotten a priority pass two weeks before, I was actually looking for the Club Las. I walked by the famous green plant wall synonymous with American Express and thought let’s try, I’ve been hooked ever since.
With the opening of the new Delta Sky Club at the A gates, here is your guide to lounging at JFK. The amount of lounges you can visit is subject to timing, restrictions, and status but I hope you can use the guide to your best ability.
Why would you use multiple lounges on one trip? Well if you’re going to be at the airport for over two hours you might as well have some fun with it.
Let’s start at the A gates(A8). Since the new Delta Terminal is the farthest, I’d start there. For Av geeks this is it, the one place you can go plane spotting with the outdoor terrace. It has a great bar in the center of the lounge and the food selection isn’t bad. I’d save my appetite but if you eat a lot go for it.
Lounge 2 is the Virgin Atlantic Lounge (A5) How you get into the lounge varies by time of day so stay with me on this one. Priority passes only works from 8:00 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Then your other option is flying in an Eligible cabin which confuses me cause I’ve been denied when traveling first class while flying Delta and the reasoning was the club is not available when flying domestically. The. I’ve been denied when traveling first class on Latam and told it has to be a Virgin Atlantic or Delta flight despite the rules saying Skyteam. There was one time I had to actually pull up their rules on the phone and show them to the agent to get into the lounge. Why do I always try this lounge? Their food is the best and it’s made to order and for me, that’s a preference.
Lounge 3 is the Air India Maharaj Lounge. Directly across from the Virgin Atlantic Lounge. For my vegans, you always have options here and it’s a chill lounge. It gets busy only during certain times so you’ll have the lounge to yourself depending on the time of day you visit.
Lounge 4 is the Primeclass lounge. Located at the top of the walkway of the A gates. This lounge is always packed and I’ve never actually been inside but it’s a Priority Pass option nonetheless.
For lounge 5 head upstairs via stairs or Elevator and visit the American Express lounge. Depending on the time of day the lounge is extremely packed but hopefully with all the new changes being made the capacity will get better. They are my second option for food but honestly, they have the best drinks. They also have a secret speakeasy where you can try their signature cocktail.
Lounge 6 is tricky. I’ve been told you can’t use both Delta lounges on one trip. If this is true choose wisely but if not there is a Delta Lounge at B32. The lounge is spacious but always crowded but offers you another option to see airplanes via an outside deck. The deck is larger and at times has live music.
And finally, for those who just want some quick shut-eye, the final lounge is not a lounge but a Minute Suites. Offers the ability for 1 hour of shuteye for Priority Pass members with an additional fee for overages.
I like the lounges for pre-flight meal prep as I avoid eating food on airplanes and just to get some work in before flights. Delta lounges tend to have the fastest internet for lounges. Whatever the reason, terminal 4 offers the most options at JFK and might be the right spot for you.
Editors Note: Opinions expressed here are the author's alone, not those of any parties mentioned. None of the entities mentioned has reviewed, approved, or endorsed the content listed in this post.
