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Original poster

Airport lounge, worth it?

64 replies

MsMiaWallace · 19/01/2023 12:36

Tempted to book one this year as a special treat.
Are they worth it or best to avoid?
It'd be Birmingham Airport No1 Lounge.

OP posts:
spuddel · 19/01/2023 12:39

Depends on the lounge. Edinburgh has a new one which is fabulous. Very glam decor, good location, food and wine excellent. Don't like Glasgow airport lounges. The lounge at Malaga is great, Lanzarote Arricife not so much.

MassiveSalad22 · 19/01/2023 12:39

For me, yes. Haven’t been to Birmingham. But it’s just nice to not have to queue for food, have somewhere to sit and chill etc. Especially with kids.

Definitely book. A couple at Christmas were utterly utterly fuming that a lounge was booked up and we swanned in after them 😂

MassiveSalad22 · 19/01/2023 12:40

Oh and not have to traipse around trying to find the loos.

MeghanThyStallion · 19/01/2023 12:41

Not really. I fly a lot and don't pay for a lounge that isn't included in my ticket.

AllTrussdUp · 19/01/2023 12:44

Totally depends. Used to fly for business a lot and I did love a lounge. If I had to pay I would only bother if i was killing time during a stopover and wanted somewhere civilized to eat/rest. e.g. I flew via Dubai and had 8 hours at night to spend so paid for the lounge where I could sleep and eat, well worth it. A lounge in the UK prior to flying? Probably not.

BethDuttonsTwin · 19/01/2023 12:49

I think they’re worth it, not for every trip but if going on a big holiday, it’s a lovely way to kick it off. By the time you’ve paid for snacks, drinks lunch etc in the main airport, it doesn’t cost that much more.

amylou8 · 19/01/2023 12:52

We used a Heathrow one for the first time last month. I think if you're planning on buying a meal and drinks at the airport anyway then it's worth the money. The food was ok, unlimited drinks, of which we procured a couple extra for the flight, and it was away from the bussle. We used the one at Cairo on the way back which was actually much nicer and cheaper. I'd do it again.

NYNYNYNYNYNYNYNYNYNYNYNYN · 19/01/2023 12:55

Always. It's a must for us. So much more relaxed. Our holiday starts the moment we step in the airport lounge

poppym12 · 19/01/2023 12:59

I fly quite often and never bother. I don't drink alcohol so a glass of water with maybe a light meal doesn't seem worth it for me.

EarlyYearsMe · 19/01/2023 13:23

My DH and I paid for the one at Gatwick last year, it was £32 each, I think it was called Premier something… anyway food was crap, but it was comfortable, tables free (although we did have to clean them first) and we sat watching the planes. Our flight was late afternoon so we booked it for two hours over lunch time. As it was our first break together in three years, we sort of thought sod it. In the two hours I was there I drank probably a bottle of wine and husband had several whisky sodas so we probably got our moneys worth. The hot buffet was bitterly disappointing though.
I think if you consider the cost of a big standard meal in weatherspoons, you may as well book the lounge

angstridden2 · 19/01/2023 13:23

Get access free with a bank account so use them a lot. When a long haul flight was delayed 12 hours it saved my sanity and a fortune in food and drink. Some are not great but at least you get a seat and free WiFi..

Funkyslippers · 19/01/2023 13:35

Only get it if you'd be at the airport for a mealtime anyway or you like to drink lots of alcohol before a flight! We had ours at Bristol included with Onthebeach last year and while it was a great freebie, there wasn't much choice of meal but plenty of cakes, puddings, juices, hot drinks and of course alcohol and very comfortable. I wouldn't pay £100 for a family for it though

PurBal · 19/01/2023 13:36

Yes.

Original poster
MsMiaWallace · 19/01/2023 13:48

We'd be there for breakfast time

OP posts:
Brendabigbaps · 19/01/2023 13:53

We used Manchester T2 lounge a couple if months ago, the food wasn’t good. We were on a morning flight so like to get there for breakfast after leaving hotel, I wish we’d not bothered and had breakfast at one of the restaurants instead. There wasn’t much choice at all, the bacon was dry, the sausages not nice and no eggs so no chance of a cooked breakfast. I ended up with a dry bacon sandwich in a cheap white bread roll.

CaptainCorellisXylophone · 19/01/2023 13:53

As others have said, for normal check in and fly I don't bother, but if I have a long layover somewhere it is definitely worth it.

Oakbeam · 19/01/2023 13:57

Oh and not have to traipse around trying to find the loos.

You still have to do this at Birmingham.

Airport lounges vary greatly in facilities and quality.

FlounderingFruitcake · 19/01/2023 13:59

Nah not worth for breakfast (or at all). You’d have the drink a ton of booze to make it worth it. Go to a restaurant instead. The only ones I really rate are the Centurion lounges which you get with certain credit cards. My kids also like the playroom in the BA galleries but even that is always overcrowded and the food is questionable. I’ve been to a no.1 lounge once, thankfully didn’t pay because it’s a credit card perk, and it was shit.

Wantsummerback · 19/01/2023 14:00

Yes but no1 is always booked up last few times I went at Birmingham. So book online before

Chardonnay73 · 19/01/2023 14:03

I wouldn’t bother for breakfast, it’s normally a cold bacon roll and a few cereals. Some lounges now limit your drinks too. For breakfast I’d definitely go elsewhere in the airport.

MaverickGooseGoose · 19/01/2023 14:52

Depends what airport and whether long haul or not. Godsend on a layover long haul when you can sleep / shower. United at t5 LHR is particularly good.

Funkyslippers · 19/01/2023 16:49

Have a look at the online reviews. Breakfast as Bristol looked really nice (but they whisked it away unfortunately when we arrived as it was nearly lunchtime)

Madcats · 19/01/2023 16:52

You should be able to find some post-covid reviews of each lounge online. As others have said, they vary massively in quality and facilities.

ladymacbeth · 19/01/2023 21:51

I love them. A real must for me to be able to sit on a comfy sofa and not have to trade off the stress of cutting it close with the uncomfort of building in time!

Whitney168 · 20/01/2023 12:04

There are lounges and there are lounges, very variable - but in general I love them. So much better to be able to find somewhere nice to sit, instead of doing that shuffle round airport shops to kill time.