China Domestic Lounge Access via Skyteam Elite Plus

[Coops1]

Hi all

Travelling to China in a few weeks, and would appreciate any advice on lounge access, boarding priority or other benefits in excess of getting nothing ?

Hoping Alitalia's Skyteam Elite Plus status match from a couple of years ago is useful as it expires just after our trip finishes, as Veloce via ANZ is useless in China and Priority pass will only get one of us in

Hoping somebody has some first hand info, as after multiple searches not sure what applies, eg is it International only, or can use it for domestic, only 1 person or guest ok etc.

Airports and airlines as follows:
Shanghai (China Southern),
Guilin (Air China, not skyteam ),
Chengdu (China Southern),
Xian (n/a, trains!)
Beijing (China Eastern).

Also I presume as VA Gold I wont have access to SQ's partner lounge in Shanghai??

Thanks in advance for any help
Coops1

 

[footy99]

With Skyteam, you have access pre-departure with 1 guest when connecting to/from an international flight on the same day. Otherwise no access on domestic flights. I travelled China Southern everywhere and only got access on the final departure from Beijing, which was a pretty nice lounge.

With PP, only you have access, a guest costs ~US$30.

And you presume right.

To be honest though, you're not missing anything. The domestic lounges I've visited in China don't hold a candle to the ones here. I'd be surprised if you ever deem it worthwhile to pay the extra charge to bring a guest in.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Slightly OT but it's worth checking various airlines for domestic travel in China... often on any given route there'll be a primary and secondary carrier. The secondary carrier sometimes sells first class for the same price as economy on the primary. And that comes with all the VIP benefits including lounge access.

 

[Coops1]

Thanks for the replies footy99 and Mel_Traveller. Have booked all flights and trains thru Ctrip. 1st class was still A$200 more than the cheaper economy tickets @~$150. Lounge was only 70CNY (A$14) for entry, but still didn't take it up. Moreso useful for transit stops, and not the quick 1 way domestics, I will,live with it