Qantas now sells one-time passes to its Qantas Club lounges, with access to domestic lounges starting from $39. But, one member asks, is it worth paying $39 to use the Qantas Club in Sydney for just an hour?
So I’m QF Silver. I received an email offering me entry into the Qantas Club for my flight on Friday night from Sydney for $39. It got me thinking is $39 worth it for paid entry into the Qantas Club, specifically how long would you need to spend to get your money’s worth. Would anyone consider it for only an hour or so?
The Qantas Club in Sydney is one of the larger lounges in Qantas’ domestic network, although it can get quite crowded during busy periods like Friday evenings. The lounge usually has plenty of food options and a bar service available. There are also work stations, free wi-fi and shower facilities. Located above the crowded airport terminal, the Qantas Club is not a bad place to wait for a flight. But how much are these luxuries worth?
Most of our members enjoy relaxing in airport lounges. And if you’re at the start (or end) of a long-haul trip, it’s often worth paying for lounge entry for the access to showers alone.
Based on a pure cost-benefit analysis, one member believes $39 is value-for-money.
You can have a shower, 4 drinks, some snacks, read a newspaper and take some fruit with you in 60 minutes. That’s worth $39 in my book.
But not everyone would pay $39 for the privilege – especially for a stay of only one hour on a busy Friday evening. Some members feel that the money could be better spent in the terminal.
You’d have to like ham sandwiches and can drink a lot and quickly to get your money’s worth. I think it’s better value to spend $20 in a cafe eating food you actually want to eat and maybe $10 for a magazine that you actually want to read. That should take up the hour and you still have $10 left over.
One member takes a more pragmatic approach to the question…
Depends how much you can drink.
Invitations to purchase lounge access are emailed to selected passengers with upcoming Qantas flight bookings. Naturally, they’re only offered to passengers that do not have Gold (or higher) status, or a Qantas Club membership. They are offered on an invitation-only basis, and generally only offered for times when the lounges are not full. So, you’re more likely to receive an invitation if your flight departs at lunchtime on a Tuesday than a Monday morning.
If you visit the Qantas Club regularly, it might be worthwhile purchasing a proper membership. There are ways to get a Qantas Club discount if this is something you’re considering.
Virgin Australia sells one-time entry to its domestic airport lounges at the door for $65.
Is the Qantas Club worth paying $39 for? Add your opinion HERE.
