Editor: Irina
Revealing the cards: how to get into the airport VIP lounge legally and almost free of charge?
Everyone who arrives at the airport with some time to spare is familiar with the sensations of waiting for a flight in the company of Indians sitting in crowds and exclusively on the floor, Chinese chomping in unison, and Gali's mother, loudly reprimanding her son Ivan for being overly active. And, in principle, there is nowhere to go, there are the same doomed passengers around.
In these cases, the airport business lounges help out. Rooms where you can relax outside the noise and din, and sometimes in your own room, away from prying eyes. Many people do not even suspect that these seats are not only for people marked “business class” on the air ticket, but also for ordinary “economists”! We know and use and therefore share with you. 🙂
What is usually in the airport business lounge?
Business lounge in Finland (Helsinki)
At the disposal of travelers:
- sitting areas with armchairs / sofas
- free wi-fi, the speed of which flies, unlike the general network
- bar / buffet (availability and assortment of drinks and food vary)
- copiers, telephones and telephone charging areas
- TV / press
Additional and not always present:
- shower cabins
- slip-boxes
- massage chairs
- areas for business meetings
- SPA services
The terms of service in the Business Lounge may vary from airport to airport, and some services are available for a fee.
What does it look like inside?
All VIP lounges at the airport are equipped with comfortable furniture for a good rest. The modern design of the premises is conducive to relaxation in an atmosphere of peace and quiet.
Overview of the VIP lounge in Russia
For passengers with children, there are specially designated rooms where the child can play without disturbing the rest. In business lounges for airline customers there are dedicated areas where you can work productively without being distracted by the hustle and bustle, and have a snack, sometimes even tight. 🙂
5 ways to get to the airport business lounge
So how do you get to the lounge?
- Most obvious: access to the business lounges opens a flight in business class upon presentation of a boarding pass. The cost of the visit is already included in the "round" amount.
- For seldom travelers: in some lounges it is theoretically possible to organize a passage to the hall for $ 25 for several hours. Depends on the staff and the number of applicants, and, in general, is not guaranteed, because this is the “gray” way.
- For avid and conservative tourists: the service is provided by airlines as part of loyalty programs. Aeroflot, S7 Airlines, Lufthansa and other major carriers provide their passengers with cards with access to airport business lounges. But henceforth - you will have to fly one of them a lot and often, thus “reaching” the golden mile card. And, of course, being an adherent, for example, of Aeroflot, you can relax only in the lounge of this company.
- Most “smart”: access to the business lounge - incl. and unlimited is one of the "goodies" when you issue a premium bank card! Those. choosing a premium package of services, you become the owner of another Priority Pass card, which grants access to the VIP corners of airports around the world. You pay for the service of a bank card, and the bank pays for the lounges for you (although the number of visits per year may be limited).
- For the thoughtful: you can find a travel companion with a Priority Pass card and go as a guest 🙂
In a smart way: We have written a separate article about the most advantageous offers that Priority Pass comes with, and cool travel maps. |
Business lounge at Brussels airport
Business lounges Priority Pass
In more than 400 cities and 120 countries, airports have Priority Pass business lounges - from modest Samara to luxurious Hong Kong - and the club card of the same name opens access to them.
Priority Pass card in airport business lounges allows using the service not only for the owner, but also for his guests (however, it depends on the bank and the service package). You can expect a royally-style departure even by paying for a ticket in economy class. The main condition is the presence of a miraculous document.
What is more important than Priority Pass? Travel insurance! And a budget one - for show, and a good one - for peace of mind, look at:
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How to get a Priority Pass card?
Our Priority pass card
- Without the participation of the bank: a personalized card can be ordered on the official website prioritypass.com/ru/ by paying a fee of $ 99 (the cost of the card itself). In this case, all visits are paid, $ 25. There are several programs from which the client chooses the right one. For example, unlimited for a year for an additional $ 399.
- Through the bank: a card to the business lounge is issued by large Russian banks to their VIP clients when opening a premium account. When contacting the bank, ask: what package of services should be ordered in order to receive the Priority Pass.
Banks offering Priority Pass clients:
- Opening
- UniCredit Bank
- Promsvyazbank
- Bank of Moscow
- Sberbank
- Raiffeisen
- Citibank (unlimited)
- Tinkoff
- Credit Europe Bank
- VTB 24 (8 visits per month)
- Alfa-Bank (4 visits per month)
- HomeCredit
Our choice for access to business lounges now is a Tinkoff Black Metal debit card in conjunction with an ALL Airlines Black Edition credit card (follow the links - our review with all the nuances of these cards). Together they give 4 passes per month, two each. First, we opened Black Metal (which has the terms of free service - maintaining 3 million rubles in the account), and it turned out that the amount on the account is also "credited" for the free service of the premium credit card. But if your accounts have more than 3 million, you get 8 passes on two cards! |
Map Reviews
Business lounge at Paris airport
Priority Pass holders unanimously leave positive reviews about the card. Well, who doesn't like to wait out the dock on a soft couch with a glass of wine? 🙂 Our review is absolutely enthusiastic. We travel often, there are long transfers, we can look into 3 different lounges a day - everywhere there is free access, but the “stuffing” is different. By the way, a significant plus is that you don't have to spend money on food and water. We all know how much it costs at the airport!
Service in all business halls is at the highest level. The list of airports available to Priority Pass cardholders can be easily found on the official website, all information is provided in Russian, and for convenience on the road, you can download a version for a smartphone.
Business lounges in Sheremetyevo
Business Lounge Space at Sheremetyevo Airport (more comfortable than in the Gallery Lounge)
There are business lounges in Sheremetyevo in each terminal. When planning a trip, you can familiarize yourself with the conditions for receiving guests in the Business Lounge on the website of the air gate of the capital and choose a suitable hall in advance. The prices in the recreation areas and the range of services differ, but for children under 12 years old, the ticket price is 2 times lower than for adults, babies under 2 years old are served free of charge.
Business lounges accept Priority Pass owners and other passengers around the clock. Travelers departing from Sheremetyevo via Terminal D can use comfort zones in other terminals. You do not have to pay for entry if you have an Aeroflot Bonus Gold or Platinum card, Diners Club or Elite Plus of any SkyTeam airline. The MasterCard business lounge in Sheremetyevo is located in Terminal E; only cardholders and their companions can use the service.
Business lounges in Domodedovo
Departure via Domodedovo airport - the Business Lounge service is available to all passengers, regardless of the flight class. If you haven't got a Priority Pass, there are other possibilities to wait for your flight with comfort. The entrance to the Domodedovo business lounges can be paid at the reception after passing through passport and customs control. In total, the airport has 11 business class lounges, most of which are owned by air carriers.
S7 business lounge at Domodedovo airport (we recommend choosing it)
9 airlines offer their passengers to spend time in comfort, including S7 Airlines business lounges in Domodedovo. Unfortunately, Aeroflot's business lounges in Moscow are only available at Sheremetyevo, while at Domodedovo passengers of the largest Russian air carrier will have to use the Business Lounge on general terms. The Priority Pass business lounge is located in the gallery on the second floor, but sometimes there are no empty seats.
Business lounges in Vnukovo
Business lounge in Vnukovo - Rachmaninov Lounge
Several halls are also available in Vnukovo. The main thing that distinguishes the airport is the location of one of them BEFORE the control zone. Although you won't be able to enter from the street like this, the staff check the boarding pass.
We were in two Vnukovo business lounges:
- Business Lounge - the one before the control. It is located near the Mu-Mu cafe and is accessible to passengers of both international and domestic flights. Such a standard room, without secluded areas, but you can massage in a chair free of charge. There is a set of hot dishes (meat, side dish), snacks, drinks
- Rachmaninov Lounge - after control, only available for domestic flights. Recently opened and quite cute. It is objectively quieter and better here due to the fact that you can sit in separate "booths" for 2-4 people. Food is roughly equivalent to + have a shower
Other Vnukovo business lounges: Prokofiev, Tchaikovsky and Top Lounge. The last two are for international flights.
Aeroflot business lounges
Aeroflot's business lounges are located at 48 airports in Russia and 86 in other countries. This list includes the capitals of the states, as well as airports in tourist centers and popular resorts. From Russia, Aeroflot planes can comfortably fly from major resort cities, regional and regional centers. There are six business lounges in Moscow's Sheremetyevo and two in St. Petersburg: one each at Pulkovo airport and one at Pulkovo-1.
Access to the Aeroflot Business Lounge is open to:
- business class travelers;
- owners of Aeroflot Bonus (Gold and Platinum cards);
- Priority Pass;
- Elite Plus SkyTeam;
- Diners Club.
You can stay in the comfort zone no more than four hours before departure; for transit travelers and waiting for a transfer, the time of stay in the waiting room is not limited. If you have Aeroflot Bonus or Elite Plus, you can invite one guest to the lounge.
Our review of business lounges: a collection of memorable
"Business Lounge" in Terminal 8 of Kennedy Airport in New York
It seems that the moment has come when the next business hall in 99% of cases automatically falls into the "standard" category. There are comfortable sofas, food and coffee too, which means everything is in order. Therefore, here we will tell you about 1% of "non-standard" halls that surprised, disappointed or made you want to escape back to the common area.
✓ New York, JFK Terminal 8 - Bobby Van's Steakhouse: an unusual interpretation of the concept of a business lounge 🙂 This is a restaurant where the holder of the priority pass is given a bonus $ 28. They can be spent on anything from the menu - steaks, burgers, salads, beer. If you go beyond the limit, you pay extra in cash or by card. You spend on the priority of the guest - plus another $ 28. We took $ 56 each burger (huge), soup and two bottles of water. But ... it was tasteless 🙁 And, of course, we didn't manage to sit quietly there.
