The Lounge Membership - Why have it?

[Undercover Brother]

Hey all,

My company has just started offering corporate rate The Lounge Membership in addition to Qantas Club, pre-tax as well. Looking at it initially I was impressed with the price. I don't fly enough to maintain a high status (silver with both if I am lucky), but enough I'd like and enjoy lounge access (as I do with QF).

Looking into the features of the Lounge Membership, I can't really see anything jumping out at me. No access to lounges when travelling with International partner airlines being the big one, the limited locations of lounges also a concern. I know DJ are not as big yet, so I am trying to look at these offers as different.

I wouldn't mind taking up this membership, so can anyone tell me why I should? What makes this membership worthwhile for you and why?

Undercover Brother

 

[JB007]

I'm in a similar situation, my dilemma though is that with the new changes that will be coming from airline alliances and new lounges, do I get it now at the current price and accept whatever occurs in the future or do I wait for the announcements and risk the possible price rise that may come with additional benefits/features.

As I am mainly interested if it will eventually give access to SYD International lounges through Air NZ partnership and to Delta Skyclub lounges in the US, I think that I will get it sooner rather than later because if it doesn't cover Delta, I can always get the 30 day vouchers that Delta offer.

 

[Virgin Australia]

Hi Undercover Brother,

Hopefully you've looked online to see the benefits as spelled out here:

Benefits Travelling Light?

Bypass the queues and enjoy dedicated Check-In. If you only have hand luggage, you can check in at reception; or if you prefer, The Lounge has kiosks for self check-in.


Refresh When you visit The Lounge you’ll get real Barista coffee served with a smile by real people, and real food the way you want it. If you’re after something a little stronger, you can swap the flat white for a sparkling amber any time after 11am. We’ll always have something delicious waiting for you at The Lounge, and best of all, it’s complimentary.
Relax

If you’ve got some time before your flight is due to board, The Lounge is the perfect place to sit back and relax. Facilities include:

• Cinema
• State of the art large screen LCD televisions with Foxtel and free-to-air programming
• A selection of the latest newspapers and magazines

Revive

Shower facilities are available in The Lounge. Please see the staff at reception for complimentary towels. Baby change and disabled toilet facilities are also available.
A place that’s good for business.

There’s plenty of room to spread out in The Lounge, so you can catch up on work or catch up with colleagues including;

• Complimentary wireless internet access is available throughout The Lounge
• Private workstations
• Desktop computers with Microsoft Office software
• Printing, faxing and photocopying facilities
• Informal communal tables with data/power outlets which are great for networking.

Meeting Rooms

There are also private Meeting Rooms in every Lounge, which are available for hire seven days a week during opening hours. Meeting Rooms within The Lounge can be booked by both Annual Members and Single Entry Guests.

 

[Undercover Brother]

Hi VB,

Thanks for the reply, but I guess you have missed my point slightly. I am well aware of the lounges and what they offer, and memberships available etc. What I am asking my fellow travellers is can they think of any reason for me to take up this membership, as opposed to keeping my Qantas Club membership.

Comparing apples with apples, at the moment with QC I get more lounge locations, location access with Qantas lounges Internationally (this is the kicker for me), as well as partner airlines etc. A quick check of International lounge access on Virgin website indicates that Gold Velocity members get benefits, but The Lounge members do not.

As JB has stated, VB now has alliances with ANZ, MAS, Etihad, DAL and then the rest of the Virgin branded airlines. Ideally for me, the Lounge membership should include some of these as a base.

Ideally VB, I would love to be able to say, fly Etihad overseas, and know that as a Lounge member I can get access to lounges both here and at my destination.

However I did state in my original post I am not just interested in comparing apples with apples. If there are mid-level travellers out there that find the Lounge Membership to be a positive thing, I want to hear from them and why they like it?

Cheers,
UB

 

[ftm]

While I agree that the international offering is not great, domestically they are a great lounge.

The Sydney lounge is very large, and I've never been in there and it felt crowded. A real difference to the RSL that the Qantas Club becomes at times! The barista coffee is great, there's some nice break out areas and the movie room etc.

It's a different, and I think better, lounge than the QC. Just needs to be more of them!

FTM

 

[trippin_the_rift]

For less money you could get priority pass which includes virgin blue lounges as well as 600 lounges worldwide...

Having been in more lounges than I care to think about, The lounge is nothing special and they seem to lack that special something that all oneworld an star lounges ooze.

Also, if you're maintaining silver on both QF and Dj, why not put it all roasted Dj and go for gold whic has free lounge access?

 

[medhead]

For less money you could get priority pass which includes virgin blue lounges as well as 600 lounges worldwide...

Pretty sure I read here somewhere that The Lounge will be pulling out of priority pass.

 

[Undercover Brother]

Also, if you're maintaining silver on both QF and Dj, why not put it all roasted Dj and go for gold whic has free lounge access?

Probably should have been more clear, I will get PS this year with QF, but I don't fly enough to get Silver for both. My employer will fly both (whichever is more convenient for them). This is why lounge access is important to me.

Before tax the Lounge Membership ends up only being not much anyway, might just be worth a shot.

 

[significance]

It's worth remembering that you can pay to get into The Lounge on a one-off basis ($30/entry if pre-booked online). So an option is to keep your QC membership but use the Lounge as needed: if you aren't flying enough with VB to get membership through status, that might work out more cost-effective anyway.

 

[markis10]

The lounge is being updated so the current offering is not a true representation of what the future value proposition may be, personally I find the all day barista to be very handy.

 

[Extasea33]

Pretty sure I read here somewhere that The Lounge will be pulling out of priority pass.

This will be interesting, as AMEX now offers it's free flights with Virgin and no longer Qantas, however with Centurion it offers free QC membership and Priority Pass. So if Virgin pulls out of Priority Pass (the way Centurion members get access to the Virgin lounge) will we get "The Lounge" memberships comped? Just a thought

 

[Justinf]

Bar opens at 11am in the Lounge.
Good enough for me

 

[SeaWolf]

I remember a while ago a bunch of people got together on the QF forum and setup a corporate membership arrangement for Qantas Club for AFF members. Might it be worth exploring something like that for The Lounge? I don't know if there's enough interest or if we're likely to get a good deal but it might be worth considering.

To go back to the original poster's question, I've always just purchased single-use passes for The Lounge when I've needed them (which is only now and then) and I've always find it very good value for money. The Lounge in Sydney in particular is very good and being able to slip away from the hustle of the main terminal and get a nice comfy chair that I can relax in with a decent coffee, some snacks and perch my laptop on my knees with free wireless if totally worth it.
If you're wondering if it's good value, why don't you buy one or two single-entry passes and try it out next time you're flying? That should then give you a good idea of if it's a product that will work for you.

 

[Undercover Brother]

Well I can't see any compelling reason to give the DJ Lounge membership ago so I might sit on for a while!

Cheers for the input guys.

If the VB guy is reading this, more INTL lounge access please!

 

[stryker]

Pretty sure I read here somewhere that The Lounge will be pulling out of priority pass.

Haven't heard this myself (but why would I?) but I quite like the lounges (aka Ansett Golden Wing clubs). If they withdraw the Priority Pass benefit, it would be a shame as they are better than Qantas Clubs, but I can always fall back there.

 

[StevePER]

The Sydney lounge is very large, and I've never been in there and it felt crowded.

This evening they aren't allowing the $35 casual entry, though I managed to get in eventually anyway (after being outside 40 mins). I think I looked so sad at being stuck outside they let me in. Apparently they did the same last Friday. Having said that, it isn't particularly crowded on the inside.

This makes me wonder if all the freeloading QF refugees with their comped status are filling the place up. :evil:

For less money you could get priority pass which includes virgin blue lounges as well as 600 lounges worldwide..

If the OP's corporate rate is anything like ours, Priority Pass is more expensive. Why my company is too tight to buy memberships and instead spends $35 per entry is beyond me.

 

[codash1099]

Hi Undercover Brother,

Hopefully you've looked online to see the benefits as spelled out here:

Benefits Travelling Light?

Bypass the queues and enjoy dedicated Check-In. If you only have hand luggage, you can check in at reception; or if you prefer, The Lounge has kiosks for self check-in.


Refresh When you visit The Lounge you’ll get real Barista coffee served with a smile by real people, and real food the way you want it. If you’re after something a little stronger, you can swap the flat white for a sparkling amber any time after 11am. We’ll always have something delicious waiting for you at The Lounge, and best of all, it’s complimentary.
Relax

If you’ve got some time before your flight is due to board, The Lounge is the perfect place to sit back and relax. Facilities include:

• Cinema
• State of the art large screen LCD televisions with Foxtel and free-to-air programming
• A selection of the latest newspapers and magazines

Revive

Shower facilities are available in The Lounge. Please see the staff at reception for complimentary towels. Baby change and disabled toilet facilities are also available.
A place that’s good for business.

There’s plenty of room to spread out in The Lounge, so you can catch up on work or catch up with colleagues including;

• Complimentary wireless internet access is available throughout The Lounge
• Private workstations
• Desktop computers with Microsoft Office software
• Printing, faxing and photocopying facilities
• Informal communal tables with data/power outlets which are great for networking.

Meeting Rooms

There are also private Meeting Rooms in every Lounge, which are available for hire seven days a week during opening hours. Meeting Rooms within The Lounge can be booked by both Annual Members and Single Entry Guests.

Don't tell me - you're in marketing, aren't you?

 

[munitalP]

While I agree that the international offering is not great, domestically they are a great lounge.

The Sydney lounge is very large, and I've never been in there and it felt crowded. A real difference to the RSL that the Qantas Club becomes at times! The barista coffee is great, there's some nice break out areas and the movie room etc.

It's a different, and I think better, lounge than the QC. Just needs to be more of them!

FTM

I guess this means the Q Lounge is more popular?

 

[Oneworldplus2]

What about Diners Club for International Travel?

$135 p.a ($77 for the rewards membership which you don't really need)


Diners Club Webpage Australia

Diners Club Airport Lounges here

 

[medhead]

Haven't heard this myself (but why would I?) but I quite like the lounges (aka Ansett Golden Wing clubs). If they withdraw the Priority Pass benefit, it would be a shame as they are better than Qantas Clubs, but I can always fall back there.

See this thread:
http://www.australianfrequentflyer....s/virgin-blue-priority-pass-lounge-27765.html