JFK lounges - Ordinary, Better, Best

[Foreigner]

On Wednesday, I checked in at QF econ with its short queue with 2 heavy bags, 24 kg each and one not-as-heavy hand carry. Check in person asked pax ahead of me to weigh her hand carry. For me, she recognised Gold status and tagged "business" both bags. She was pleasant and didn't weigh hand carry. When I joined queue for security checks, she called my name and handed me luggage tags which I had overlooked picking.
Up the escalator and to the right, another escalator took me to the lounges...to the left was United's Red Carpet, straight ahead was the BA Terraces lounge with its big lobby and two entries - one for first class, the other for the rest. In here were pax for QF, CX, BA and Iberia flights this evening.
I found sitting towards the glass walls furthest away from the wine bar. Went and had shower around the lounge and adjacent to the Elemis spa and store. The spa is available for BA pax in first and executive and their gold members flying long haul.
After shower, I settled down with some snacks and juices and Br. newspapers. Then with my priority pass in hand, I headed out to check the United lounge. The desk person was chatty and very welcoming and issued a chit for signing and in a matter-of-fact manner explained that I should be aware of my QF flight boarding time as no announcement of flight would be made in their lounge. I did a quick tour of the lounge and bar area - very ordinary - and decided I was better off in Terraces lounge.
Back in Terraces I managed to get into the Supper room. I queued at the buffet with its cooking station. I asked for special meal which was cooked in the kitchen and a short time later, brought to my table. It was the best part of my lounge experience at JFK. I helped myself to wine and dessert. This part of the Terraces lounge was almost full and buzzed with noises. QF 108 was getting ready for boarding and I headed out of Terraces, down to the gate.

 

[samh004]

Thanks for the TR on the lounges at JFK. I’ll definitely feel better knowing I’m in the best lounge if I ever get there, well save for the fact I wont be in the F section.

 

[serfty]

Thanks for the TR on the lounges at JFK. I’ll definitely feel better knowing I’m in the best lounge if I ever get there, well save for the fact I wont be in the F section.

Thanks for the TR ... how did you get into the Pre-flight dining?

I guess such lounge ratings can vary depending on what access you may have.

As a WP I find the T8 F/L the best location; not always accessible if travelling out of T7 however.

 

[Sprucegoose]

As a SG you could have checked in at J class, head left for memory at the entrance.

Terraces is normally reserved for BA senior status, as is most things British.

Can BA OWE access spa privileges at QF FL?

The Poms are funny about lounge access if you are OWE i couldn't access their F lounge but I bet they could access FL?

Any comments?

 

[N860CR]

I was lining up in the J checkin at JFK a month or so ago. About 15 minutes after checkin "openned" nobody had shown up (although all the Qantas stuff was up and the screens had all the QF signage on it).

A BA person saw me and the one other person who was in line, said they'd openned across the other side and walked us through the back of the checkin area to the economy desks.

Only QF could stuff up something as simple as premium checkin

 

[Oneworldplus2]

As a SG you could have checked in at J class, head left for memory at the entrance.

Terraces is normally reserved for BA senior status, as is most things British.

Can BA OWE access spa privileges at QF FL?

The Poms are funny about lounge access if you are OWE i couldn't access their F lounge but I bet they could access FL?

Any comments?

Really? So, a QF WP can't access a BA F Lounge? I thought that it was a Oneworld rule that Emeralds can access F Lounges whilst flying OW carrier, regardless of cabin?

 

[samh004]

Really? So, a QF WP can't access a BA F Lounge? I thought that it was a Oneworld rule that Emeralds can access F Lounges whilst flying OW carrier, regardless of cabin?

They can I believe, but perhaps the spa elements are restricted. BA is a funny airline with 1W.

 

[Princess Fiona]

They can I believe, but perhaps the spa elements are restricted. BA is a funny airline with 1W.

OWE/CL/WP can access BA First class lounges and Spa. There are separate First dining room and Concorde Room etc which are separate from the OW agreement.

 

[dede]

I'll be travelling from JFK-LAX on QF108 next week and was wondering about the difference between the BA Terraces Lounge and the First Lounge. From the pictures and reports I've seen there doesn't appear to be much of a difference. Is hot food available in either (only travelling Y on QF)?
Is the First Lounge quieter? My memory of the Terraces LOunge from a few years ago was that it was quite busy and crowded.

 

[Danger]

OWE/CL/WP can access BA First class lounges and Spa. There are separate First dining room and Concorde Room etc which are separate from the OW agreement.

I hope you're right. However, I flew QF108 in June last year and was denied a spa treatment because I wasn't flying BA.

 

[david870mdg]

OWE/CL/WP can access BA First class lounges and Spa. There are separate First dining room and Concorde Room etc which are separate from the OW agreement.

Don't know about that.
Maybe CL and access the spa? OWE can't use it unless flying BA (and its usually full).
As already alluded to in previous posts the "first" class lounge is not the real first class lounge, that would be the ccr which is restricted to BA F pax.

Thanks foreigner for the lounge / tr report.
- How did you access the pre flight dining ? A little snekay?
- Why didnt you check in at the BA/QF premium check in area on the far left (imoe, never had a bad experience there! staff are more than helpful )

 

[Princess Fiona]

I hope you're right. However, I flew QF108 in June last year and was denied a spa treatment because I wasn't flying BA.

Maybe dependent on capacity ?? I was on QF 108 in April and was given an appointment. Asked to see CL or WP card by the attendant. Similar experience in LHR T3 (on QF10) again asked to see card instead if boarding pass.
Perhaps I was lucky

 

[Tooner]

Thanks for the TR on the lounges at JFK. I’ll definitely feel better knowing I’m in the best lounge if I ever get there, well save for the fact I wont be in the F section.

Sam, don't worry about the F lounge in JFK T7, it is a waste of time, unless you want a morgue quiet time. Don't know about the spa, but the pre-flight dining and showers in the J section are good. All the lounge dragons at the Terraces lounge were very friendly, BTW. Most un-dragon like

I thought the F lounge was temporary in March this year, given the construction site with a BA apology note on it, but it was all still there in the same state in October. Anyone have any idea what is happening there?

 

[serfty]

... Anyone have any idea what is happening there?

BA will be moving to T8 in the next year or three.

 

[NM]

hot food is only available in the Pre-Flight Dining Room in the BA lounge, and QF passengers are not permitted to use the Pre-Flight Dining Room. I was once denied access when flying on BA but I had a QF-issued boarding pass for my BA flight to LHR. It took escalation to the lounge manager to be permitted to enter the dining room.

The F lounge is smaller and tends to be less busy. It also has some decent scotches (Talisker last time I was there).

 

[dgoody2]

I'll be flying through JFK in just over 1 months time, flying QF 108 (Y/PE from LAX).

Which lounge am I recommended to go to? How does one get access the United lounge (non OW), as mentioned by the OP?

BTW I am SG.

 

[Foreigner]

Upon entering the BA Terraces lounge, the strong aroma of curry pulled me towards the pre-flight dining area. The staff member at the entry denied me entry but a BA pax behind me took me in as guest.

That inner area was far busier and noisier than the outer lounge area.

The spa area was definitely off limit unless I was flying BA.

The UA lounge ordinary, compared to BA's.

Just as an aside, I used the lounge in terminal 2 at LAS last week. It's used by first and business pax of Hawaiian, Aeromexico, Korean Air, Philippine Airlines, among others. Small yet pleasant surroundings. Excellent service behind bar. Reasonable snacks (sandwiches).

In HNL, the QF / AA lounge is the only one with shower facility. Very good breakfast spread when Qantas operates the lounge. After 11:00am though, the AA staff take over with their rather bland offer.

 

[airbound]

Whilst on the topic of JFK lounges, but perhaps, really, a more general question: do QFF SG/OW Sapphire/QP Members have access to Admiral's Club lounges when flying on American Eagle. I am transiting through JFK later in the year, arriving on American and departing on American Eagle.

Thanks in advance.

 

[serfty]

Whilst on the topic of JFK lounges, but perhaps, really, a more general question: do QFF SG/OW Sapphire/QP Members have access to Admiral's Club lounges when flying on American Eagle. I am transiting through JFK later in the year, arriving on American and departing on American Eagle.

Thanks in advance.

As AA is a oneworld airline, all oneworld Sapphire and Emerald have access to Admirals Clubs (A/C's) before travelling on AA flight number and metal. American Eagle is a subsidiary of American Airlines, just like Jetconnect or QantasLink are subsidiaries of Qantas.

So the answer is YES.

[NOTE]

Emeralds have access to the Flagship Lounges where they exist (including JFK at T8) before AA flights.​

[/NOTE]

 

[airbound]

As AA is a oneworld airline, all oneworld Sapphire and Emerald have access to Admirals Clubs (A/C's) before travelling on AA flight number and metal. American Eagle is a subsidiary of American Airlines, just like Jetconnect or QantasLink are subsidiaries of Qantas.

Thanks serfty. That information is very useful (and what I wanted to hear!).