Review: Capital One Lounge at JFK, New York

Review: Capital One Lounge at JFK, New York

On a recent flight from New York City to London, we had the chance to check out the new Capital One Lounge at JFK International Airport. It’s located in Terminal 4 near the B gates and is open 24 hours a day—making it a great spot to relax, no matter how early or late your flight is.

Access is complimentary for Capital One Venture X personal and business cardholders. Currently, through February 1, 2026, cardholders can bring two guests for free. However, starting after that date, only primary cardholders who spend $75,000 or more in a calendar year will continue to receive complimentary access, which could limit the lounge’s appeal for many travelers and significantly reduce the card’s value proposition. If cardholders want to pay for guest access, they can do so at a discounted rate of $45 per person ($90 per person is the rate for non-cardholders).

When we visited, the lounge had only been open for a few days, so it was still working through a few minor growing pains.

Upon arrival, we were warmly greeted by the front desk staff, who welcomed us into the lounge. They scanned our boarding passes, verified our credit cards, and gave us a quick overview of the amenities—including directions around the space and instructions for ordering from the dine-in menu. The lounge has all the usual Capital One perks—grab-and-go snacks and drinks, dine-in menu, shower suites, dedicated password-protected Wi-Fi, and a parents’ room. The parents’ room is stocked with diapers, wipes, bibs, bottle warmers, and comfortable seating for feeding your child. No other lounge network accommodates parents with young children to this extent. Capital One gets high marks here.

The lounge offers a bodega-style espresso bar, giving the lounge an NYC feel, with hand-rolled bagels from Ess-a-Bagel, espresso from Bean & Bean Coffee Roasters, and La Colombe cold brew.

Capital One offers its dishes in small plate portions, and I had the Mac & Cheese, Roasted Heirloom Tomato Crostini, Wild Arugula Panzella Salad, and the Rustic White Bean & Spinach Soup. Everything was so flavorful and delicious, and having the small plate portions allowed me to comfortably try multiple items. They frequently replenish their items, and I never had to wait more than a few minutes if something was out.

Although it wasn’t open during our visit, the lounge also features a cheesemonger station where guests can sample a variety of gourmet cheeses. There’s plenty of space to relax, and during our time there, the lounge was only about 60% full.

For families, there are two private rooms available by reservation. You simply scan a QR code to join the waitlist and receive a text when your room is ready. Unfortunately, both rooms were occupied for the duration of our stay, so we didn’t get a chance to check them out.

Unlike most other lounge networks, Capital One offers a convenient “grab-and-go” option, letting guests take food with them for the flight. The selection can vary, but typically includes pre-made sandwiches, yogurt parfaits, fruit cups, salads, bottled water, and more.

The lounge offers nice views of the tarmac, and if you’re an AvGeek, you will consistently spot larger widebody aircraft such as the Airbus A380 and Boeing 747. The Wifi speed wasn’t terrible, but I think Capital One can improve upon the 16.7 Mbps download speed when other lounges around the country are surpassing 100 Mbps. This lounge also has shower suites, and they can be reserved in advance.

Conclusion

Overall, this is an excellent addition to JFK, giving travelers in Terminal 4 another strong option alongside the Centurion Lounge, Chase Sapphire Lounge, and others. For those traveling with an infant, the family-friendly amenities show that Capital One has gone the extra mile to make life easier for parents of very young children. The downside is that Capital One Venture X personal and business cardholders only have until February 1, 2026, before a $75,000 annual spend requirement kicks in for complimentary guest access.

Review: Capital One Lounge Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport

Review: Capital One Lounge Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport

My family and I had the pleasure of experiencing the Capital One Lounge at Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport on a connecting flight to Calgary. Located in Terminal D near Gate 22, this lounge is now my first option when connecting at DFW. Dallas-Fort Worth has always been a desirable connecting airport due to its multiple lounges affiliated with credit cards and legacy carriers. Capital One opened its lounge at DFW in November of 2021 and has been gradually expanding its presence across U.S. airports. Capital One offers its own premium credit card, the Capital One Venture X, which grants the cardholder and up to two guests access to its growing network of lounges. Without diving too deep into other benefits the card offers (I will make a separate post for that), this card offers a lot of value for the $395 annual fee. Since my wife and I are both cardholders, everyone in my household had access during this visit.

Dining

The Capital One Lounge features a rotating seasonal menu that varies by city. We visited during lunch hours, and I sampled the Baby Corn Elote & Shishito Peppers, Roasted Pepper Hummus, San Marzano Bruschetta Flatbread, and Surimi Cucumber Canape.  All three were very good, and the staff replenished the items every 15 to 20 minutes. The kids loved the Fontina Fondue Mac & Cheese and the variety of cheesecake bites. The banana nut bread, paired with coffee, was perfect.

The lounge offers a beverage fountain with a variety of soft drinks, including cola, diet cola, lemonade, ginger ale, sweet tea, and iced tea. The lounge also has a dispenser for La Colombe lattes. As someone who frequently purchases their lattes in a can, I liked this option.

Grab-and-go options are also available, although I can’t speak for the quality. There is also a bar area for those who want to consume adult beverages.

Seating

This lounge has plenty of seating for groups of all sizes, but it does fill up quickly. We didn’t have to wait to get into the lounge, but by the time we exited, the wait time was about 30 minutes, with a line of people waiting for their turn. The most significant complaint Venture X cardholders have about the lounge is the wait time. It wouldn’t shock me if Capital One implements an AMEX-type system for capacity control, where only the cardholder has complimentary access unless a spending threshold is met.

Amenities

This is where the Capital One Lounge sets itself apart from other lounges. Capital One has done a great job with amenities outside of food and drink. There is a nursing room, a gym, a multi-faith room, a relaxation room, and shower suites.

It was nice to see a prayer rug, an area for ablution, and a sign pointing towards the direction of Mecca for Muslims who wanted to use the room for prayer.

The Wi-Fi speed at the lounge was excellent, and you shouldn’t have any problems streaming video or engaging in data-intensive tasks. If there’s one thing I wish this lounge had, it’s a dedicated playroom for toddlers. This is a great lounge, and it will continue to be my go-to lounge at DFW as long as their current guest policy remains the same. Score: 4.5/5.

Review: Polaris Lounge Chicago O’Hare International Airport

Review: Polaris Lounge Chicago O’Hare International Airport

On a recent trip to Portugal, my wife and I had the privilege of visiting the Polaris Lounge in Chicago. The lounge was unlike any other airline premium airport lounge we had ever visited in the United States. Before United launched Polaris Lounges in the U.S., American carriers did not have a product that could compete with the business-class lounges of Qatar Airlines, Etihad, Emirates, Cathay Pacific, Singapore Airlines, etc. United has expanded this product to San Francisco, Newark, Houston, Los Angeles, and Washington Dulles. Many travel experts and bloggers consider Polaris Lounges among the best airport lounges in the U.S.

Continue reading “Review: Polaris Lounge Chicago O’Hare International Airport”

Review: The Updated Centurion Lounge Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport (DFW)

Review: The Updated Centurion Lounge Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport (DFW)

The Centurion Lounge at DFW moved to a larger 12,000 square feet space in September of 2018, expanding its footprint by an additional 3,000 feet. Their old lounge was excellent, but it certainly felt crowded at times, so the additional space should help alleviate that. Rather than going up the escalator to enter the lounge as it was previously, you will find the entrance to the lounge on the ground floor. This will lead to an elevator, which you take to the second floor to enter the lounge. To enter the lounge, you must hold the AMEX Platinum Card, AMEX Business Platinum Card, or the AMEX Centurion Card. Other AMEX cards won’t get you in.

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Food (Breakfast)

My wife, son, and I were here during breakfast hours, and I remember how great the spread was the last time I was here in 2017. The items may have changed, but the breakfast was still awesome.

Breads
The sweet corn muffins were excellent. My wife loved the oatmeal with granola.
Granola

fruits
Centurion Lounge always delivers with their fresh fruit offerings.
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Salsa and tortilla chips for breakfast? Why not?
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Goat cheese egg frittata.  This was the best part of having breakfast here. Delicious and you’re probably going to get up for a second serving.

In addition to the items pictured above, there was also pancakes and fresh juice. Since there were multiple people behind me, I refrained from taking a picture at that particular time.

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The espresso machine can make a variety of beverages. I got their latte, and it was delicious.

Seating Area

As you would expect, with the lounge having expanded by more than 3,000 square feet, seating was plentiful, and I did not feel like the lounge was overcrowded. Certain sections of the lounge were more trafficked than others, but in general, there were plenty of seats for everyone.

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They had different types of lighting to suit everyone’s needs.
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Corridor

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Bar area
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Conference table

Business

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For those who need a conference room, Centurion DFW has one.

Kids Room

This is one of my favorite aspects of this lounge. They had a dedicated children’s playroom and it was perfect for my 5-month-old son as he was able to enjoy his first ever visit to an airport lounge.

  

Miscellaneous

restroom
The restrooms were clean, and there was also a dedicated shower area that you could utilize upon request at the front desk.

This lounge also has a spa where they give you a complimentary massage. I forgot to measure the Wi-Fi speed, but I can assure you it was fast. I have not visited a Centurion Lounge where connectivity was slow. The old Centurion Lounge was among my favorites, and AMEX has delivered and improved the experience at their newly renovated Centurion Lounge at DFW. Just remember that AMEX no longer allows passengers who have landed at their final destination city to use a Centurion Lounge in that particular city. Before the rule change, if Dallas was your final destination, you could still visit by showing your boarding pass.  I think this is a fair rule change to alleviate crowding concerns. If your departure time is more than 3 hours away, AMEX also won’t allow you in. I believe this is also a change for the better. As far as this lounge, it scores a perfect 5/5 and continues to be my favorite Centurion Lounge I have visited thus far. There are a few others under construction, and I’m looking forward to visiting the one in JFK once it opens later this year. That lounge will be the largest Centurion Lounge at 15,000 square feet.

Review: United Club Chicago O’Hare International Airport B5

Review: United Club Chicago O’Hare International Airport B5

On a very recent flight from Chicago to Albany, I had the opportunity to visit the United Club in Terminal 1 near gate B5. Special thanks to my mom for giving me her United Club pass and allowing me access. And speaking of United Club Lounges at ORD, I’ve crossed three of them off the list and have one more to go after completing my stay at this one. This lounge is located at Concourse B, so you don’t have to go through the underground tunnel at Terminal 1. The same rules apply to this lounge if you saw my last review of the United Club Lounge near B18.

Entrance

Entrance

This lounge is located near gates B5 and B6. Once you have cleared security, take a left. The agents at the front desk will scan your one-day pass and boarding pass or just your boarding pass if you’re flying international business class or first class on a United Airlines or Star Alliance partner flight. If you have a United Club credit card, you have complimentary access as part of your card benefits.

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The escalator will take you to the main seating area

Food

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Three-bean salad and Mediterranean salad

I wasn’t expecting much in the food department because that’s not what United does well at their Club Lounges. They don’t really offer the hot meals you would find at Centurion Lounge and certainly not the variety you would find at their upscale Polaris Lounge. This lounge had a variety of cheeses, veggies, three-bean salads, and a Mediterranean-style salad. The cheese was okay at best, and the three-bean salad was average. They also had delicious hot broccoli-cheddar soup. But honestly, it’s really hard to mess up broccoli-cheddar soup. Food should be canceled at their Club Lounges if they have done that.

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Variety of cheeses but no crackers. Come on, United.
Food

The brownies were fresh and tasted pretty good.

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If you wanted snacks, they had a decent variety of salty and sweet.

Soup
Broccoli-cheddar soup. This was good.
CokeMachine

This touch-screen Coca-Cola machine was one of my favorite things about this lounge.

EspressoMachine

Their espresso machine served a variety of caffeinated or decaf beverages, from lattes to cappuccinos.

Seating

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When you go up the escalators, this is the main seating area you will come across.

SeatingAreaAs far as United Club Lounges at ORD go, this may be the largest. There is no shortage of seats and they have a variety of seating options. 

SeatingArea2Almost every seat at the lounge has access to a plug outlet

SideSeatingAreaThis was my favorite seating area. Not too bright and facing towards the TV (not pictured) in the bar area.

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Seating area near the bar
DiningArea
Open seating area in the middle of the lounge
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Bar

It is important to note that I visited the lounge at about 7:30 p.m. on a Sunday, and it was about 40% full. The lounge may be near capacity on a weekday during peak business hours.

Miscellaneous

Bathroom

The bathrooms were super clean and United does put to keep it that way.

WiFI

The Wi-Fi speed was awesome. This might be the most appealing aspect of the lounge, particularly for business travelers. Video conferencing would be seamless, and if you wanted to stream Netflix or music, you’d have a really easy time doing it. This lounge is certainly better than the United Club near B18 and very much on par with the United Club in Terminal 2. Just like that lounge, this one has the potential to be very good. It’s spacious and has excellent internet connectivity, clean bathrooms, coffee, and decent snacks. The only thing holding it back is the lack of hot meals and sandwiches. It’s not worth the $59 you’d have to pay for the one-day pass, but if you have the pass that comes complimentary with the Chase United Explorer credit card, you’d rather be here than in the waiting area near the gate. I’d rate this lounge a 4/5.

Review: United Club Chicago O’Hare International Airport- Terminal 1 Gate B18

Review: United Club Chicago O’Hare International Airport- Terminal 1 Gate B18

On a recent trip from Chicago, my wife and I decided to visit the United Club after the Polaris Lounge shut its doors at 9pm. Our flight was scheduled to depart at 10:45pm, so we still had over an hour to spare. Fortunately, the United Club at Terminal 1 near gate B18 was open until 10pm. United has four United Club lounges at O’Hare and the Polaris Lounge. I visited the United Club Lounge in Terminal 2 several months ago, and you can read about that here. Just remember that this lounge, like every other United Club Lounge, is not a Priority Pass lounge.

Entrance

You will have access to the lounge if you have an international premium cabin ticket on United or its Star Alliance partners or a transcontinental premium cabin ticket. If you have a day pass offered with the Chase United MileagePlus Explorer card, you can also enter the lounge. Each person must have their own pass. You can also purchase a day pass for $59, but I strongly recommend not doing that.  At peak times, United does reserve the right to turn away day-pass users. Since United does have four of these lounges, you wouldn’t expect crowding to be an issue at O’Hare. Given how crowded the main seating area was at 9 p.m., capacity issues may arise during peak hours. Just remember that this lounge, like every other United Club Lounge, is not a Priority Pass lounge.

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Located near Gate B18 in Terminal 1

Upon entering, the receptionist scanned our boarding pass and welcomed us into the lounge.

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We were not in any mood to eat since we both had the full dining experience at the Polaris Lounge. Nonetheless, I checked out the offerings for the sake of the review.

Food

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Even though I had no intention of eating, the buffet and food options at this lounge were very underwhelming, both in terms of quality and quantity.

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The options available were more like snacking options rather than a buffet. The salad did not look appetizing, and I probably would not have eaten it if I had been hungry.

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The cheese looked more appetizing, but again, I was full from having dinner just an hour earlier, so I didn’t bother helping myself.
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The brownie might have been the most appetizing snack that was offered at the lounge
UClubEspressoMachine
The espresso machine offered various drinks, including lattes, mochas, and cappuccinos.

I had the latte from the espresso machine, which was surprisingly good. I confess that my main purpose in caffeinating was to induce hunger for the business class dinner on the Lufthansa flight. The fact that the latte tasted good just happened to be a bonus.

Seating

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The bar area of the lounge had plenty of seats available. It may not be the case during peak hours. 

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UClubSeatingArea

The lounge has an “L” shape, and the main seating area was quite crowded at 9 p.m. The seats were very comfortable, and plug outlets were available on the side of the center table. I can only imagine how crowded this lounge would get during peak hours.

BarArea
Bar

 

Wifi

Wi-Fi speeds were pretty good, which is important for business travelers needing internet connectivity. Overall, this lounge was unimpressive, and I’d say it was a notch lower than most Priority Pass lounges I have visited.  This lounge does not offer showers, does not have a ton of space, and offers subpar buffet options. I’d rate this lounge a 2.7/5. If you’re departing from a gate near B18 and do not want to walk to another United Club Lounge, I guess this is your only option. The United Club Lounge in Terminal 2 is far more spacious and has a much better ambiance. If you have the time, you should walk over to Terminal 2 and enjoy that one instead.

Review: The Lounge- Boston Logan International Airport

Review: The Lounge- Boston Logan International Airport

We had a layover in Boston during a recent trip from NYC to Chicago, so we decided to stop by The Lounge at Logan International Airport. It was rather convenient since we would depart from Terminal C, the same terminal where The Lounge is situated. This lounge is part of the Priority Pass network but also serves as a business class lounge for Aer Lingus and TAP Portugal as they depart from Terminal C. I didn’t have any issues getting in since it wasn’t full. Still, I have heard of incidents where Priority Pass cardholders were denied access when The Lounge expected a large influx of business class travelers flying on Aer Lingus or TAP Portugal. Since it is the only lounge in Terminal C, hours between 4 p.m.-8 p.m. are not sure for Priority Pass card holders.

FrontEntrance
Receptionist Desk at The Lounge

Upon entering, I showed my Priority Pass card, and the receptionist scanned it and told my wife and me we were good to go. The lounge was 3/4 full and filling up when we entered, which is unsurprising considering that we arrived on a Friday at 6 p.m.

If you’re a business traveler who needs a plug outlet, I highly recommend going to the back of the lounge. There, you’ll find outlets and a semi-partition that will give you privacy.

Once we got situated, I went to see the food offerings. I wasn’t hungry, but for the sake of the review, I helped myself with small portions of a few things. They had pasta salad, hummus with pita, a veggie sandwich that consisted of cream cheese and cucumbers, vegetables, salad, soup (clam chowder), and snacks. The pasta salad was ok but nothing special. The hummus was decent and might have been the best item they had out there. The veggie sandwich was simple but surprisingly not terrible. I didn’t have the turkey sandwich, so the jury is out. It seems like their benchmark was just good enough not to be bad.  The refrigerator had no shortage of cold drinks, though. That was a big plus.

I don’t partake in drinking alcohol, but for those of you who do, the bar looked like it was stocked pretty well.

BarArea
Bar area

My biggest gripe during my time here was this lounge’s lack of dedicated WiFi. You are forced to use Logan’s public WiFi, and the speed is painfully slow. It’s certainly not business traveler-friendly. The bathrooms were clean, which was a nice plus.  I would rate this place a 3.2/5. If you happen to be in Terminal C, being at this lounge would still be sitting in the gate area. However, if you’re departing from a different terminal, I would not recommend visiting Terminal C just to visit this lounge.

Lounge Review: Centurion Lounge Miami International Airport

Lounge Review: Centurion Lounge Miami International Airport

Prior to my flight to Buenos Aires, Argentina, I had some free time at Miami International Airport. I had heard many great things about the Centurion Lounge at MIA, so as an AMEX Platinum cardholder, I figured I might as well give it a visit.

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This lounge can be found on the fourth floor of the north terminal near gate D12.  If you have been to the Centurion Lounge in Dallas, this one offers some of the same services and amenities. It’s roomy, and there is plenty of space available. First thing I did (like I do at every lounge), I surveyed the food offerings.  Since many people were in front and behind me, I didn’t want to act like a first timer and take pics (I’m really sorry). But the offerings were lamb, Indian-style chickpeas or chole, salad, brown rice, and apple crumble for the dessert. I sampled everything but the lamb and found everything to be delicious. Again, I wish I took pictures and perhaps next time I won’t care whether people are around me. The espresso machine had various offerings such as latte, cappuccino, espresso, etc.

 

CenturionEspressoMachine

If you are more of a tea person, they also have you covered.

CenturionTea

As I mentioned above, there is plenty of seating available. Many of them give you access to USB and plug outlets. The cushioned seats are very comfortable if you must stay there for a few hours.

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If you want to sit near a window and airplane watch, there is there is plenty of room for that.

 

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Shower availability is convenient for those who have arrived from a far away destination and want to freshen up before a connection.

 

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You can even get a manicure and pedicure done in the lounge.

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I love the family room aspect of the lounge. Keeps the kids busy while the adults can adult.  I wish more lounges would do this.

CenturionfamilyRoom

 

This was my one major issue with this lounge. The internet speed is unacceptable for a brand that touts itself as business-friendly. Those are some dial-up caliber speeds that I encountered, and in my two hours at the lounge, the speed only got worse.

 

CenturionSpeedTest

Final Thoughts

 

Overall, I’d rate this lounge a 4/5. It has just about all the comfort, food offerings, and amenities needed in a lounge. It’s also one of the few designed with kids in mind. If the slow Wi-Fi connectivity is addressed, this lounge would be a perfect 5.

Lounge Review: United Club O’Hare Terminal 2

Lounge Review: United Club O’Hare Terminal 2

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On my way back to Albany, NY, I had about an hour and change of free time at O’Hare International Airport. As a United Explorer credit card holder, United gives me two complimentary passes to the United Club lounge every year during my cardmember anniversary. Without the passes, I’d have to pay $50 out of pocket for a day pass. In essence, the two United Club passes make up for the $95 annual fee even if I never used any other benefit from the card. So I figured I’d give it a shot.

 

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The United Club lounge in Terminal 2 is located in the F concourse. Once you enter the lounge, the staff at the front desk will take your pass, verify your boarding pass, and direct you to the escalators that lead to the concierge. There are many factors that I’ll look at when evaluating any airline lounge. The most heavily weighted factor in determining how I’ll rate a lounge is food. If the food is good, it can make up for shortcomings in many other areas. It happened to be breakfast time so off I went to check out the offerings……

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As you can see from the pictures, cantaloupes, honeydew melon, grapes, yogurt, and oatmeal.

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Bagels, white bread, and whole wheat bread with cream cheese, butter, and strawberry jam or grape jelly.  The fresh fruit was pretty good. The bagels? dry with the texture of sandpaper. They also had an espresso machine (not pictured) which gave you a few different choices of latte’s, cappuccino, hot chocolate, and mocha. I had the latte and it was pretty decent. There was also orange juice and watermelon infused water. In terms of the food selection, it was nothing special and certainly nothing that was memorable. So let’s move on to other areas of the lounge…..

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The common areas were very spacious and the decor was pretty nice. The lounge was clean, perfectly lit, and didn’t suffer from overcrowding that routinely plagues the United Club lounge in terminal 1.

 

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There is an abundance of power outlets and it seems that just about every seat has access to one. This is certainly not the case at the United Club lounges in Terminal 1 so good for United in addressing that here.

 

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The bar area was quiet at 8am as expected.  Very spacious, clean, and an appealing ambiance.

 

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This lounge also had free wifi with very good speeds. Perfect place to get work done if you have a layover or you’re there a bit early and have time to kill.

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I really want to like this lounge more than I do. It was comfortable, clean, spacious, great ambiance, not overcrowded, great wifi speeds, and had a very friendly staff. But the food was mediocre at best. And even that’s putting it kindly. I can’t justify or recommend paying $50 for a 1-day pass if the best thing they have going for them is great coffee and wifi. The only way I’d ever return is on a complimentary pass or if I booked an award ticket on business class and complimentary access came with it. On a scale of 1-5 with 5 being the best, I’d rate it a 3.2. If the food is ever on par with AMEX Centurion lounges, it would easily be a 4.5 or higher.

It is important to note that these passes do not work at United’s Polaris Lounge in Terminal 1 or any of the Polaris lounges that are due to open at Newark, San Francisco, Houston, D.C., Los Angeles (LAX), Hong Kong, Tokyo (Narita), and London (Heathrow) over the next year. For those lounges, you need to have a business class or first class ticket on a long-haul international flight. I’ve heard a lot of great things about that product and if I’m ever fortunate to experience it, I’ll share my review here.