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American Express or United Lounge comparison
Posted on 3/27/26 at 12:00 pm
Posted on 3/27/26 at 12:00 pm
I’m assuming Amex is better. I am about to start traveling more often this summer and was looking for some feedback.
I have membership in Amex and two passes for the United lounges.
I have membership in Amex and two passes for the United lounges.
7
Posted on 3/27/26 at 12:23 pm to notiger1997
Lounges have kind of jumped the shark. Everyone and their brother go to them. Sometimes you can't even get in.
Posted on 3/27/26 at 12:54 pm to notiger1997
Not a one size fits all answer here:
1. Are you going to exclusively be flying United?
2. Does your home airport/terminal have a Centurion Lounge? Is it actually usable and not packed all the time?
3. Are you going to use the other benefits to justify the fees?
Unless you are flying United a ton and putting a lot of spend on the card to rack up PQPs, $700 for the United Club card is kind of insane considering most United Clubs are average at best.
1. Are you going to exclusively be flying United?
2. Does your home airport/terminal have a Centurion Lounge? Is it actually usable and not packed all the time?
3. Are you going to use the other benefits to justify the fees?
Unless you are flying United a ton and putting a lot of spend on the card to rack up PQPs, $700 for the United Club card is kind of insane considering most United Clubs are average at best.
Posted on 3/27/26 at 12:58 pm to notiger1997
quote:
two passes for the United lounges.
So do I, but the problem is I'm often laid over in Chicago and they seem to never accept the one time use passes for credit card holders
Posted on 3/27/26 at 12:59 pm to usc6158
quote:
700 for the United Club card is kind of insane
I just got the regular United card a while back and it came with two club passes. Kind of crazy, I went to the lounge in Houston a while back and I’m pretty sure I was too early but somehow the desk clerk let me in and it didn’t count against my pass.
Will be flying out of Nola. I got the American Express Platinum recently and I think I can use most of the benefits.
Posted on 3/27/26 at 1:15 pm to notiger1997
quote:
I just got the regular United card a while back and it came with two club passes. Kind of crazy, I went to the lounge in Houston a while back and I’m pretty sure I was too early but somehow the desk clerk let me in and it didn’t count against my pass.
They are so busy now that they often won't take day passes at peak hours, especially at the big United hubs. New Orleans is probably fine.
Posted on 3/27/26 at 1:16 pm to notiger1997
I have United Club card, but my domestic travel is [almost] exclusively United from ORD -> SFO, LAX, LGA, and DCA. Annual fee has been worth it for me because of work, but may not fit others. I would very much make your determination on routes and frequency before pushing yourself into a Club card for lounge access.
As a heads up, it very much depends where you travel but many United hubs (e.g. ORD) won't accept these one-time passes very often. Lounges have been extremely overcrowded as-is.
quote:
two passes for the United lounges.
As a heads up, it very much depends where you travel but many United hubs (e.g. ORD) won't accept these one-time passes very often. Lounges have been extremely overcrowded as-is.
This post was edited on 3/27/26 at 1:29 pm
Posted on 3/27/26 at 1:25 pm to notiger1997
Only been to United Club once at MSY, it was fine, for a medium size airport lounge, but not as nice as the MSY Delta lounge.
The MSY Club is actually slightly nicer that the average "The Club" brand and the more generic priority pass lounges I've visited in most airports. It does have a lot of chair seating and less tables, when its full can hard to find a spot eat/drink and have your laptop out if you want to work.
Also copying this post I shared previously in one of the TSA threads, during the TSA stuff its been harder to get in.
The MSY Club is actually slightly nicer that the average "The Club" brand and the more generic priority pass lounges I've visited in most airports. It does have a lot of chair seating and less tables, when its full can hard to find a spot eat/drink and have your laptop out if you want to work.
Also copying this post I shared previously in one of the TSA threads, during the TSA stuff its been harder to get in.
quote:
I'm a regular MSY Club visitor. Warning you, the shutdown has affected how busy the club is and added substantial wait times to get in.
Generally, there was never a waitlist to get in before 9 am any day of the week. Often there would be a 10-15 minute waitlist on weekdays between 10am and 3pm, and hit or miss if there was a wait after 3 or 4. Until last week longest I waited to get into the club was maybe 20 minutes with 2 people, and 15 minutes when solo.
Past 2 weeks, hearing its been slammed with a waitlist by 7/7:30 am because everyone is getting there 2 or 3 hours before their flights. Middle of last week it was an estimated 100-120 min wait for 2 at 3:30 pm. Ended up 80 minutes before I received text but already on plane.
You can pre-book a spot 3-5 days out for $9 on the PP app. Might be worth doing that if you know you are traveling and want a guaranteed seat. Just letting you know.
Posted on 3/27/26 at 3:58 pm to notiger1997
quote:
I’m assuming Amex is better. I am about to start traveling more often this summer and was looking for some feedback.
The Centurion Lounges are better then the United lounges I have been to, same goes for Delta Skyclub. I have Amex Platinum which gets me in both and I fly to a fair amount of Delta hubs.
Posted on 3/27/26 at 4:16 pm to notiger1997
I was flying through DFW with a long layover recently. I have cards and mileage that give me access to Centurion and American lounges. Both were not allowing anyone in and the lines waiting were too long every time I checked. Don't get your hopes up.
Posted on 3/27/26 at 4:24 pm to notiger1997
I have access to both. Denver is my home airport and a United hub which is the main reason I have United.
I generally think Centurion lounges are better, but are over crowded and often have a wait that makes it impossible to use on normal travel.
I prefer United and Delta lounges as I have never been unable to get in as opposed to the AMEX ones and they are usually available near the gate for my flight.
I generally think Centurion lounges are better, but are over crowded and often have a wait that makes it impossible to use on normal travel.
I prefer United and Delta lounges as I have never been unable to get in as opposed to the AMEX ones and they are usually available near the gate for my flight.
This post was edited on 3/27/26 at 4:25 pm
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