Best Airport Lounge: Diners Club, Priority Pass, Qantas Club

[Jim]

I obtain all my FF points by Amex and Altitude card use. I accumulate well over 200K FF points per year but will probably always remain a Qantas bronze status member although I fly heaps.

I've just received a Diners Club card because of their free International airport lounges http://www.dinersclub.com/en/DCIHome/airport.jhtml and would like members feedback as to what they are like.

I have also been thinking of paying for Qantas Club membership or Priority Pass http://www.prioritypass.com but would like to know what is the best lounge option for me.

Thanks,
Jim

[arun]

It really depends on which airports do you use and which airlines do you fly.
If you check the Diners, you will notice that they do not have any airport lounges in Australia. So check that carefully.

If you fly QF often, then Qantas Club would be a good option. Check with your office, travel agent or any professional association you may belong to - they might have a corporate rate which is cheaper than the standard ones.

[Jim]

Hi Arun,
Diners Club has a few lounges on my next FF world trip:
Brisbane-Singapore-London-Amsterdam-London-Jersey-Manchester-Berlin-London-Seattle-Vancouver-Hong Kong-Brisbane

Priority Pass club like Diners club doesn't care who you fly with. Can anyone tell me about either of them?

Are there other airlines which will admit entry with a Qantas Club card? Is there any thing like a OneWorld club?

Jim

[thadocta]

Don't forget that you can join the Qantas Club using points rather than cash - to join will cost you 120,000 points, not sure about the renewal rate.

Dave

[thadocta]

Forgot to answer the other part of your question - Qantas Club will get you access to Qantas, British Airways, American Airlines and US Air lounges when your next onward flight is on that carrier that day. It will NOT get you into Iberia, Lan Chile, Cathay Pacific, Finnair or aer Lingus lounges. To access these lounges, you need to be oneworld sapphire (QF Gold) or emerald (QF Platinum).

As far as US Air lounges go, they are about to join Star Alliance, so I can't see that access will continue, but then, stranger things have happened.

Dave

[Baysider]

Jim,

I've used the Diners Club lounges in Auckland and San Francisco, and would have to say they are as good as or better than the dedicated airline lounges. If the setup is still the same, they are usually unmanned and you simply swipe your Diners Card to operate the door. There is a well stocked self-serve bar and most of the other facilities you would expect to find.

Cheers

[Lindsay Wilson]

Jim, well perhaps this next trip will push you over to that magical Silver level - at least that will give yu the ability to enter the hallowed domain of the QP (Qantas Pub as some call it).

I think Priority Pass is way too expensive (recently in SIN and KUL where it was USD$25 entry). A lot does depend on cities most frequented, what facilities there are and who you fly with.

I've seen the Diners club lounges but never been inside (same for Priority Pass).

[thadocta]

Jim, well perhaps this next trip will push you over to that magical Silver level - at least that will give yu the ability to enter the hallowed domain of the QP (Qantas Pub as some call it).

Only for one visit though - you need to be Gold or Platinum to get access every time.

Dave

[SamuelPrice]

In my opinion Qantas Club has some of the best airport lounges in the world. They in 2002-2004 have upgraded and refurbished every single Qantas Club/Chairman's Lounge and the lounge in Bangkok, Singapore, Honolulu, Auckland and Singapore (in Singapore they made minor changes and introduced First Class lounge)

Not to mention the great new Terminal 4 Los Angeles (LAX airport, flights to Sydney and New York opperated from Terminal 4)

It is very much worth the cost of the Qantas Club membership, which has access to AA/BA lounges. If your redeeming Q miles then you would be going through the AA/BA/Qantas area of the airport anyway so you could use there facilities.

[mbeder]

tha docta indicated that - "Qantas Club will get you access to Qantas, British Airways, American Airlines and US Air lounges when your next onward flight is on that carrier that day. It will NOT get you into Iberia, Lan Chile, Cathay Pacific, Finnair or aer Lingus lounges. To access these lounges, you need to be oneworld sapphire (QF Gold) or emerald (QF Platinum). "

As a mere QF Club Bronze Member (after losing Silver status by 10 status credit points last year...grrrr), I'm travelling on a Cathay flight Syd-HK-Paris-HK-Syd in June and wish to gain access to a lounge while in transit...any suggestions? Are there any lounges that will allow you in on a casual basis due to the QF membership?