Best Star Alliances lounges?

[leaford 0]

I just got my gold SA membership card, and am looking forward to using the lounges on my next trip.

 

I can't seem to find DETAILED info on the various lounge choices anywhere, though.

 

Which lounges are the best in SFO, NRT, & BKK?

 

I'm a smoker, so lounges witth smoking areas are good to know, but I'm mostly interested in good snacks, a comfortable chair, and a power plug to recharge my devices.

 

Oh, and free wi-fi would be nice to know about, too.

[Dennism 3]

IMHO the best lounge is United's in Narita.

 

Its very large, drinks flow freely, food is so-so at best, but the availability of showers is just perfect. Nice (free) large rooms to S.S.S. at the half way point.

 

By the way, I'm not familiar with the Star Alliance card, I am a United Premier Exec. What's the difference, do you pay for your card?

Edited June 25, 2005 by Dennism

[Tahoe_Bill 0]

IMHO, as a fellow Star Gold member I agree that the UA lounge @ NRT is very good. Excluding my last flight nonstop JFK – BKK I usually go via Narita.

I generally head back to the showers located towards the rear of the lounge (look for the signs). I hand them my boarding pass and they either assign me a shower room or give me a pager (so that they can inform me when the room is available). I have always enjoyed a nice shower @ Narita when traveling on my way from the states BKK, or to Narita after the trip from Pattaya to BKK and on to NRT. In the lounge there are Japanese snacks and beverages of your choice. I like the draft beer dispensers that automatically fills a beer glass with draft Japanese beer.

 

BTW there is a smoking area in the lounge.

 

As a footnote you can also use the Thai Air lounges at BKK, they have nice early morning muffins and coffee as well as some good ole spirits.

 

Happy Travels!

[BigDUSA 71]

UA lounge in SFO, international terminal is decent. No smoking. Where in UA Narita lounge can you smoke, I always go to one of the outside smoking rooms?

[RhinoTusk 4,901]

Agree the UA Red Carpet Lounge at Narita is great. In fact, I choose a 6 hour layover over a 2 hour layover just so I could watch CNN there while consuming a half bottle of scotch. And the automated beer dispenser is something to see, with an extra spout just for the head.

[sommy 0]

am i missing something im a star alliance member and knew nothing about the lounges, i just always go to the next gate of my connection and wait . where are these lounges? ive noticed a bathroom with a shower in narita and also the restuarants around where you wait at the gate?? is there some special lounges around?

[Dennism 3]

sommy,

 

Its the Red Carpet Lounge, entrance is by membership or ticket if you are flying either Business or FC internationally.

 

In Narita its close to the gates, in BKK its also near the gates but closer to Immigration than the departure gates.

 

Still wondering what the SA membership card that leaford was talking about.

[cowboy 0]

Maybe he was talking about singapore airlines SA. General rules are if you are say a united premier exec gold you can use the lounge of the star alliance carrier you are flying or the united lounge. If you are flying united you can only use the united lounge if there is one available.

 

Sinapore's lounge in Hong kong is pretty nice.

 

to use a star alliance lounge you must either be a gold member or above on an international ticket. A red carpet club member or be flying in business or first.

[Tahoe_Bill 0]

My guess is that SA is “Star Alliance†or maybe I’m wrong and it is Singapore Air.

 

Sommy,

 

Star Alliance "Gold" status flyers (or someone flying in a class above peasant class) can access the lounges (however restrictions may apply at some lounges).

 

As to where they are located at Narita (or elsewhere) try this URL:

1. http://www.staralliance.com/star_alliance/...me/main_10.html

2. Click the travel info tab.

3. Click on any Asian country (on the map).

4. Select the country of interest.

5. Select the airport city of interest

6. Select airports& lounges (left hand side of the page).

7. Select the terminal that you will be departing from. This will at a minimum inform you where the lounge is located.