Aeropuertos VIP Club at Guayaquil José Joaquín de Olmedo International Airport [Review]

I recently went on my ultimate bucket list trip — the Galápagos Islands! These islands are about an hour and a half flight from mainland Ecuador, so I found myself in the Guayaquil José Joaquín de Olmedo International Airport (GYE) on my journey home.

For some reason, I just assumed there wouldn’t be a lounge available (even seasoned travelers can make mistakes). So, I did what I usually do when I arrive at an airport — bought a coffee and walked the terminal to get some steps in and do some people watching. When I walked by the lounge near the far end of the terminal, I barely noticed it at first since there were no signs, but I glanced in and saw a Priority Pass logo. Woohoo! I quickly went to grab my family and we all went inside.

Here is my review of the Aeropuertos VIP Club in the Guayaquil José Joaquín de Olmedo Airport in Ecuador.

Location

The Aeropuertos VIP Club lounge is located in the international terminal of Guayaquil José Joaquín de Olmedo International Airport, diagonal from gate 8.

It’s easy to miss since there aren’t any signs on the outside of the lounge.

Bottom Line: There are 2 Aeropuertos VIP Clubs in the Guayaquil Airport — one in the domestic terminal and one in the international terminal. This review is based on the international terminal location.

Hours of Operation

The Aeropuertos VIP Club lounge is open daily from 4 a.m. to midnight.

Entry Requirements

The Aeropuertos VIP Club lounge is part of the Priority Pass lounge network, so all you need is a Priority Pass membership to gain entrance. Children under 5 years old are always free.

Priority Pass

Priority Pass is a network of over 1,300 airport lounges in the U.S. and across the globe. While you can purchase a membership, there’s a better way to gain access — with a credit card, of course.

There are lots of different credit cards that come with a Priority Pass membership, so it’s relatively easy to access this lounge without purchasing a membership.

I have a membership from my Chase Sapphire Reserve^® that allows me to bring in 2 guests for free. Thankfully, some other members of my family who I was traveling with also have Priority Pass memberships, so our whole group of 6 was able to access the lounge for free.

Chase Sapphire Reserve^®

U.P. Rating 

The rating for this card has been determined by our own industry experts who know the in's and out's of credit card products. Bonuses, rewards as well as rates and fees are all taken into account. Compensation from the issuer does not affect our rating. We only recommend products we either use ourselves or endorse.

A top player in the high-end premium travel credit card space that earns 3x points on travel and dining while offering top luxury perks.

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Chase Sapphire Reserve^®

A top player in the high-end premium travel credit card space that earns 3x points on travel and dining while offering top luxury perks.

Welcome Offer

Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.

60,000 points

UP's Bonus Valuation*:

$1,200

Annual Fee

$550

APR

21.49% - 28.49% Variable

Credit Recommended

Upgraded Points credit ranges are a variation of FICO^®Score 8, one of many types of credit scores lenders may use when considering your credit cardapplication.

Excellent (740-850)

Why We Like This Card

If you’re looking for an all-around excellent travel rewards card, the Chase Sapphire Reserve^® is one of the best options out there.

The card combines elite travel benefits and perks like airport lounge access, with excellent point earning and redemption options.  Plus it offers top-notch travel insurance protections to keep you covered whether you’re at home or on the road.

Don’t forget the $300 annual travel credit which really helps to reduce the annual fee!

Pros & Cons

Pros

• 10x total points on hotels and car rentals when you purchase travel through Chase TravelSM immediately after the first $300 is spent on travel purchases annually
• 10x points on Lyft purchases through March 31, 2025
• 10x points on Peloton equipment and accessory purchases over $250 through March 31, 2025

Cons

• $550 annual fee
• Does not offer any sort of hotel elite status

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Card Highlights

• Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
• $300 Annual Travel Credit as reimbursement for travel purchases charged to your card each account anniversary year.
• Earn 5x total points on flights and 10x total points on hotels and car rentals when you purchase travel through Chase Travel℠ immediately after the first $300 is spent on travel purchases annually. Earn 3x points on other travel and dining & 1 point per $1 spent on all other purchases
• Get 50% more value when you redeem your points for travel through Chase Travel℠. For example, 60,000 points are worth $900 toward travel.
• 1:1 point transfer to leading airline and hotel loyalty programs
• Access to 1,300+ airport lounges worldwide after an easy, one-time enrollment in Priority Pass™ Select and up to $120 application fee credit every four years for Global Entry, NEXUS, or TSA PreCheck^®
• Count on Trip Cancellation/Interruption Insurance, Auto Rental Coverage, Lost Luggage Insurance and more.
• Member FDIC

Financial Snapshot

• APR: 21.49% - 28.49% Variable
• Foreign Transaction Fees: None

Rewards Center

Chase Ultimate Rewards

Hot Tip: You can also access the lounge with select Ecuadorian bank cards, LoungeKey, and DragonPass.

Amenities

This modern lounge was spacious and bright. There were different sections in the lounge all separated by plants and different types of dividers, so it felt very comfortable and cozy. Let’s take a look at some of the amenities this lounge offered.

Seating

The lounge was large and offered plenty of seating, from couches to tables to swinging chairs. There was plenty of space, so I didn’t feel like I was cramped or crowded.

Many of the seating areas were separated by sheer fabric dividers that looked great and helped make the seats feel more private.

There were plenty of outlets available throughout the lounge so that you could easily charge your devices.

Work Tables

There were large tables set up if you wanted to get some work done. They had multiple outlets on the surface of the tables so you could easily plug in your devices.

Food and Beverage

The food and beverage offerings at the lounge weren’t great, in my opinion. I expected a little more since the lounge facilities were so nice.

First, there was a coffee machine and a soda machine, but nowhere to get water. I’m sure you could get some at the bar but I was surprised there wasn’t a self-serve option.

There were also 2 fresh juices available — pineapple (with rice?!) and lemonade.

There was a self-serve cold buffet, as well as some hot items that were served by an attendant.

The cold buffet had an eclectic mix of items ranging from fruit and pasta salad to sandwiches, plantain chips and salsa, and rice pudding.

There was also cold cereal and yogurt.

The hot items available included things like eggs, sausage, and croissants. The croissants were pretty disappointing and what I thought was oatmeal turned out to be rice pudding (apparently I didn’t read the very clear label that this was rice pudding — oops)!

There was a bar next to the food buffet that wasn’t open the morning that I was there. Alcohol was not included. If you wanted a drink, you had to pay extra at this lounge.

Restrooms and Shower

The bathrooms in the lounge were private rooms where the sink and toilet were both behind closed doors. This is especially nice if you need extra room to change clothes. The floor was a bit dirty, but overall, they weren’t bad.

There was also a shower room, but I didn’t have time to use it.

Kids’ Room

There was a fun room set up just for kids. It had a TV along with kid-sized tables and bean bags.

Quiet Room

There was also a quiet room that offered lounge chairs and dimmed lighting.

Final Thoughts

Overall, I was really pleased with the Aeropuertos VIP Club lounge at the airport in Guayaquil. While the food wasn’t top-notch, it offered plenty of space to spread out and get comfortable while I waited for my flight. Plus, the coffee machine made a good mocha, so I didn’t care much about the food!

If you happen to find yourself in the international terminal at Guayaquil José Joaquín de Olmedo Airport in Ecuador, you’ll definitely want to stop at this lounge while you wait for your flight.