Alaska Airlines operates lounges in several West Coast cities, as well as at New York (JFK), and offers a day-pass program for individuals who wish to access the Alaska Lounge but don’t have a membership or access with their ticket. Alaska is making several key changes to this day pass program, some of which are negative and you should be aware of before you purchase.
Alaska Lounge Day Passes Increasing in Price
Alaska Lounge day passes used to cost $50 per person, but the price will now be going up to $60 per person. As with most things, the cost to operate lounges has increased over the past few years, and there are more people than ever trying to seek entry. In order to combat this, the price to get inside will now cost $60 per person, which may put it out of reach of some travelers, unless you’re on a long enough layover.
The price to enter an Alaska Lounge is going up to $60 per visit. Image Credit: James LarounisEligible Alaska Lounges
You used to be able to use a day pass in every lounge in the Alaska network, but that’s changed.
Now, you’ll only have access to these lounges:
- Los Angeles (LAX)
- New York (JFK) (also accessible via Priority Pass)
- San Francisco (SFO)
Access with day passes is being removed from these lounges:
- Anchorage (ANC)
- Portland (PDX)
- Seattle (SEA)
Anyone who has transited through Seattle recently can tell you how bad the lounges were there with crowding, so while it’s certainly an unpleasant change, it’s likely to reduce crowding in some of Alaska’s busiest locations.
Hot Tip: If lounge access is important to you, why pay? Check out our guide to the best credit cards for complimentary airport lounge access.
Single Alaska Lounge Visits
This might be one of the biggest changes in terms of getting value from a lounge pass, but you’ll now no longer be able to access more than 1 lounge in a single day on a single lounge pass. For example, you used to be able to fly from Los Angeles to San Francisco to Seattle and access the lounge in each city using 1 day pass. Now, wherever you purchase the day pass is the city you’ll need to use it in.
Passengers Not Impacted
This won’t impact passengers that have a lounge pass through elite status, get access via their respective Oneworld tier, or who have a paid Alaska Lounge membership, among several examples. It will only impact those who are walking up to a lounge the day of and requesting to pay to enter.
Final Thoughts
While these changes are mostly for the negative, they are likely to reduce overcrowded lounges and make it a more enjoyable experience for everyone who is visiting. You’ll need to decide on whether these new terms change your desire to pay to enter, but if you do, you’ll be greeted by a hot and cold food buffet, complimentary drinks, ticketing assistance, seating, and restrooms.
Featured Image Credit:
James Larounis
