Airport lounges

[uop1497]

If you wish to use the lounge and you have a short stay in Narita, then you need to get off the plane quickly because you have to stop at passport control. This can take a long time. So move it until you see the sign for passport control. There is also a premium passenger lane- look for it or you might spend all your time standing there and not in the lounge.

Thank you for your good tip.

We will have 10 hrs waiting at Narita Airport. Do you know if United lounge located in terminal 1 or terminal#2 . On my fly home to the US, the first segment will fly with Japan air ( international fly) and I was told japan air will use terminal 2. Then the segment ( NRT-SF0), I will fly with ANA (terminal1) . I am unclear whether I must go thru immigration clearing and security to get from terminal 1 to terminal 2 or vice versa .

Does ''passport control" means immigration clearing before entering Japan? if not, Please clarify. I understand the wording but not sure how that applies to my case

 

[Jimster]

narita

I have never stayed in Japan. Everyone has to go through passport control. Hence a very long line. Usually they have 5 or 6 open but they will also examine your carry ons. You will have to look at a map of Narita to answer your questions about different terminals. I have always flown into the same terminal. So i suspect if you actually enter Japan you have more security and immigration.

 

[Luanne]

Do you know if United lounge located in terminal 1 or terminal#2 . On my fly home to the US, the first segment will fly with Japan air ( international fly) and I was told japan air will use terminal 2. Then the segment ( NRT-SF0), I will fly with ANA (terminal1) . I am unclear whether I must go thru immigration clearing and security to get from terminal 1 to terminal 2 or vice versa .

From the United website:

https://www.united.com/web/en-US/content/travel/airport/lounge/locations/default.aspx

 

[sjsharkie]

Ryan & ALL

Have you ever a member of of Admirals Club of Citi AA . What is your opinion about Admirals clubs. If so, can you please your experience using Admirals club at over sea airport (if any ). The fee is $450/year and I am not sure the money will justify the benefit for us. Do you think if it is worthy to join . Thanks.

The advantages that overseas American carrier owned clubs have over their domestic counterparts is that the clubs are generally nicer, the food is generally better, and most serve free alcohol.

I know AA and UA sell daily passes for $50 -- you might even be able to pick up a club pass cheaper on eBay. So you need to do the math and look up the rules. For example, UA and AA clubs will generally allow your whole immediate family in with a single paid membership, but for club passes, you need to purchase one for each family member. Also note that the rules for alliance lounges differ than accessing your carrier owned lounge -- I got denied entire family entry at an LH lounge because they only allow 1 guest (not entire family).

I travel frequently to EU and lounges are a needed respite during a layover. But to make it worthwhile, you really need to travel a lot -- and then you probably will qualify for lounge access on a non-business class international ticket if you travel that much.

In my lifetime, I've purchased lounge memberships to Alaska, UA and AA lounges -- and that was paid by work and because I needed access to lounges on domestic flights. IMHO, it is more worth it to purchase because you need access to domestic lounges since status does not allow you access into the lounge on a domestic only ticket. But I can see cases where you may fall short of elite requirements where you are taking guests in where the math might work out.

Hope this helps. Sometimes I feel like I need a college degree to understand all the rule sets with respect to lounge access

-ryan

 

[uop1497]

Thank you ALL for answering my questions.

 

[dioxide45]

From the United website:

Access policy changes
Effective August 18, 2016, all United Club customers, including members, are eligible to access United Club locations only when they have a flight arriving or departing on any airline the same day, and must show a boarding pass for entry. See the complete United Club terms and conditions
----

And even though this says the changes don't become effective until 2016 everything else on the website makes it look like a boarding pass is required now.

https://www.united.com/web/en-US/content/travel/airport/lounge/access.aspx

I just went to the United Club yesterday and it was the first time I had to show
A boarding pass. So it was the first time I went since the change. I usually
Always fly United so I guess it won't affect me too much.

If you have the Club card you don't need a United flight to go in a United lounge. Just a same day boarding pass for a flight.
https://www.theexplorercard.com/Benefits/Club

United ClubSM*MembershipYour MileagePlus Club Card grants you, the primary Cardmember, membership to the United Club, with full access to all United Club locations. Enjoy the comforts and luxuries of the United Club with complimentary bar service, light snacks, Wi-Fi, and more. As the primary Cardmember, simply present your United Club membership card and a valid ID when you arrive before you fly, and you and your eligible travel companions are invited to work or relax in the Club. Your United Club membership gives you access to all United Club locations and participating Star Alliance™-affiliated lounges worldwide.

Seems more to focus on this being a benefit to the primary card holder.

Here is the United page.

https://www.united.com/web/en-US/apps/products/subscriptions/unitedClub.aspx



Once signed up to the Chase card the benefit is delivered with a United airlines club membership card. Just like you also get the avis and Hyatt platinum cards.

We used our United Club passes from the Chase Explorer Card on Sunday at ORD. We were asked to provide our boarding passes and they were scanned. We were flying United. Not sure if we would have been able to enter without United boarding passes or not.

The lounge was in Terminal 2 concourse F when our flight was out of E. Only a few minutes to walk from the lounge over to concourse E. The food choices were pretty pathetic though. Seen much better at IAH. While we flew out of IAH, we were not there long enough to bother with the lounge. We had a three hour layover in ORD.

 

[Here There]

Spend some time in the Village of Narita?

We will have 10 hrs waiting at Narita Airport...

Slightly off topic: Depending on the hours of your stopover, a fun side-trip might be spending a few hours exploring the quaint village of Narita, a reasonable metro ride from the airport. I and my 2 pre-teen daughters did that many years ago during a trip that involved switching airlines and terminals in Narita. We checked all our baggage except for light backpack carry-ons before embarking on our adventure and enjoyed a nice meal, visited a zen temple, and shopped along the main street. What gave me the idea was an old newspaper clipping -- this was pre-internet -- but there seems to be abundant articles these days by searching "spend stopover in Narita."

 

[uop1497]

Slightly off topic: Depending on the hours of your stopover, a fun side-trip might be spending a few hours exploring the quaint village of Narita, a reasonable metro ride from the airport. I and my 2 pre-teen daughters did that many years ago during a trip that involved switching airlines and terminals in Narita. We checked all our baggage except for light backpack carry-ons before embarking on our adventure and enjoyed a nice meal, visited a zen temple, and shopped along the main street. What gave me the idea was an old newspaper clipping -- this was pre-internet -- but there seems to be abundant articles these days by searching "spend stopover in Narita."

I will arrive Narita airport at 7:30am . Can you please share how did you buy the metro ticket and which terminal is the the metro locates.

I am looking into the option to take a quick tour (do it yourself) to Naritasan Shinshoji Temple . I contacted ANA airline and was told my luggage will be checked all the way to SFO . I will arrive and depart at the same terminal (T1 in Narita airport) . However, someone in Trip advisor told me that Japan air will arrive at terminal 2 and I need to go to terminal 1 for my connection fly. Not sure which information (given to me) is correct.

 

[Here There]

I will arrive Narita airport at 7:30am . Can you please share how did you buy the metro ticket and which terminal is the the metro locates.

I took that trip ~20 years ago, but I still have a habit of using public transportation as much as possible to get to/from an airport. Try google maps and plug in Terminal 1 and Naritasan Temple. You will get walking directions to the (aptly named) Narita Station as well as metro options.

I am looking into the option to take a quick tour (do it yourself) to Naritasan Shinshoji Temple . I contacted ANA airline and was told my luggage will be checked all the way to SFO . I will arrive and depart at the same terminal (T1 in Narita airport) . However, someone in Trip advisor told me that Japan air will arrive at terminal 2 and I need to go to terminal 1 for my connection fly. Not sure which information (given to me) is correct.

I wouldn't worry about it too much as you will most likely allot adequate time to get from one terminal to another. I find that staff at international airports seem to be more ready to speak English in these days of increasing globalization. Which was why our daytrip to a quaint Japanese village left such an indelible impression on my family.

 

[uop1497]

I took that trip ~20 years ago, but I still have a habit of using public transportation as much as possible to get to/from an airport. Try google maps and plug in Terminal 1 and Naritasan Temple. You will get walking directions to the (aptly named) Narita Station as well as metro options.


I wouldn't worry about it too much as you will most likely allot adequate time to get from one terminal to another. I find that staff at international airports seem to be more ready to speak English in these days of increasing globalization. Which was why our daytrip to a quaint Japanese village left such an indelible impression on my family.

I do a search google to plan my trip . But the website listed in Japanese and can not be any help . I am still looking to see if there is any public bus can either take me from airport to the temple or at the train station to the temple.

I also come across information about the "circle bus" which can go from train station to the temple, but unable to find out how to buy a bus ticket and where is the bus station after get off the train

Any way, thank you for your reply.

 

[Jimster]

I do a search google to plan my trip . But the website listed in Japanese and can not be any help . I am still looking to see if there is any public bus can either take me from airport to the temple or at the train station to the temple.

I also come across information about the "circle bus" which can go from train station to the temple, but unable to find out how to buy a bus ticket and where is the bus station after get off the train

Any way, thank you for your reply.

Use google translate to view the website.

 

[dioxide45]

Use google translate to view the website.

If using Google Chrome, it should translate the web page automatically.

 

[mav]

If using Google Chrome, it should translate the web page automatically.

We travel a lot to Istanbul, and on the return home we have access to the Star Alliance Turkish Airlines Lounge at the airport. it is ABSOLUTELY amazing! hands down best I've ever seen. Never been in a lounge that even comes close to it. I actually schedule a late flight home so we can have lots of lounge time
That being said United has a new lounge at Heathrow airport in terminal 2. Very nice! I had to look at the name on the door , thought maybe I wandered into the wrong lounge. It's not like any United lounge I'd ever been in.

 

[stmartinfan]

I've never been in one of these lounges myself so out of ignorance, I ask, What is the big deal with these lounges? They cost a fair amount of money. What are the perks or benefits of lounging in these between connecting flights? If one does a "pay as you go" thing rather than having a membership, are the perks worth it?

I know people's tastes and preferences vary but please enlighten me.

We have a Delta membership and fly out of a Delta hub so use it often. Perks include clean bathrooms without a waiting line, free snacks or light meal, like yogurt and bagels for breakfast, drinks, free newspapers and generally a quiet place to sit.

We appreciate the access most when flying overseas. The lounges in some of the larger overseas airports often have showers and separate darkened rooms where you can lay down and sleep. They also seem to have better food. If you've got a long layover on a trip to Asia, for example, they are really nice to take a break.

We also got Priority Pass access free with one of our credit cards but the only place we could find one to use was St. Maarten

 

[icydog]

I live in a United Hub city and fly United occasionally. The big factors for me would be able to get the whole family of 4 in with minimal out of pocket cost.

If you were to get the United Presidential Plus Card you would get yourself and two guests free. I have never had trouble bringing in a 4th person as long as it was a child. I often fly with my daughter's family of three and I've never ever had a problem getting my grandson in on my membership.

If you're elite with UA and traveling in coach you can get upgraded to FC even when you're flying on frequent flyer miles. That's a big perk.

Even If you're not elite the baggage allowance is very helpful. You get 2 bags, for the member and spouse, each, which comes in handy when traveling with kids.

You will board the plane before the masses

Your luggage gets marked with he orange priority tag which means, in most airports, that your luggage will hit the carousel first.

I am Platinum elite in UA but when traveling in the USA I still have pay to use the lounge-- even if I'm flying in First Class. So the lounge comes in very handy.

Internationally it's not as important since I get to use the other carrier's lounges but I can only bring in one guest. If I fly on UA I get to bring in two guests to the United Club international locations. Again, I have never had a problem bringing in a 4th as long as he/she was a child.

 

[icydog]

Slightly off topic: Depending on the hours of your stopover, a fun side-trip might be spending a few hours exploring the quaint village of Narita, a reasonable metro ride from the airport. I and my 2 pre-teen daughters did that many years ago during a trip that involved switching airlines and terminals in Narita. We checked all our baggage except for light backpack carry-ons before embarking on our adventure and enjoyed a nice meal, visited a zen temple, and shopped along the main street. What gave me the idea was an old newspaper clipping -- this was pre-internet -- but there seems to be abundant articles these days by searching "spend stopover in Narita."

Here's the problem with your scenario. The airlines don't have to accept your luggage when it is several hours before your flight. They simply won't do it. What would be better is to take flights with long layovers. That way your luggage is scheduled to go on your next leg.

 

[Here There]

The airlines don't have to accept your luggage when it is several hours before your flight. They simply won't do it. What would be better is to take flights with long layovers. That way your luggage is scheduled to go on your next leg.

Thanks for your advice. I guess I've been lucky so far with my annual overseas jaunts, and if they "simply won't do it" my Plan B would be to pay for a few hours of day storage. Perhaps planning an itinerary with long layovers would allow luggage to be checked in all the way, but it's simply not my travel style to overplan that way.

 

[icydog]

Thanks for your advice. I guess I've been lucky so far with my annual overseas jaunts, and if they "simply won't do it" my Plan B would be to pay for a few hours of day storage. Perhaps planning an itinerary with long layovers would allow luggage to be checked in all the way, but it's simply not my travel style to overplan that way.

To each his/her own.UA wouldn't accept my luggage in San Diego after a cruise dropped us off at 9 am for a 5 pm flight. It happened again in Oahu when we arrived at 1 for a 9pm flight. Both times I pulled my Elite Status and got the bags checked in but it took time and a supervisor's help to get it done. If Had been smarter I would have planned better. That's all I'm saying. Of course you're going to do things the best way you can for your family.

 

[Jimster]

luggage

The general rule is that the airlines will not accept bags more than 4 hours in advance. There are of course ways to get exceptions.

 

[uop1497]

I bought my ticket with United air. However, I will fly with Ana the entire trip.

I contacted ANA air recently and ANA representative told me that my checked luggage will go all the way to SFO. It is good to heard but I do not know if that is 100% the case or not until my trip takes place.

Is there any way to translate google map from Japan wording to English . If anyone know how, please teach me .

We normally buy our air ticket with any airline that has a good deal at that time . So, I do not think (with our current travel style) we will be in the high ranking loyalty of any airline to achieve the free lounge access or special treatment (to have our luggage checked in earlier several hours before the counter actually open) .

If anyone has information about the circle bus in Narita town and where to buy bus ticket, please share. Thank you

 

[Joe33426]

Just spent the last couple hours at the Centurion Lounge at LGA and it's pretty nice. I've been there a couple of times before. I wish AMEX had one of these at JFK.

I've been to the Centuron Lounge in LAS and SFO and all are good. Haven't been to MIA, SEA or DFW and probably will never go to those locations anytime in the near future.

Well worth my AMEX annual fee....

Now if I could just figure out how to get into the Skymiles Club when I'm not flying Delta and I'd be golden. PBI has no lounges except Delta and I rarely fly Delta....

 

[classiclincoln]

Ended up getting the AMEX Platinum card. With the $200 travel credit, it brings the net cost of the card down to $250. Since the priority pass card is free, it saves us probably $50 per lounge entry. If we travel 3 times a year, we're ahead of the game.

 

[Jimster]

Platinum card

Classic Lincoln-


It is 200 dollar credit PER CALENDAR year. So you get it this year and next which brings the cost down to $50 not $250. Read my prior post on this thread.

 

[dioxide45]

Classic Lincoln-


It is 200 dollar credit PER CALENDAR year. So you get it this year and next which brings the cost down to $50 not $250. Read my prior post on this thread.

I looked it up, it looks like the annual fee is $450?

 

[Jimster]

fee

It is a $450 annual fee but you get a $200 travel credit each calendar year. Soooo- $450-200-200=$50. You also get a ton of benefits including towing, Hilton Gold Status, Starwood Gold Status, priority pass, admission to Delta lounges when flying Delta and to Amex lounges to mention a few. I have had this card several years and have never failed to get my $450 back and more. If all you see is the annual fee, you are missing the boat.