Primeclass Lounge at New York JFK Airport Terminal 1 [Review]

Airport lounges can make a travel day so much more enjoyable. Having a quiet spot to wait for your flight with a drink and snack really helps pass the time in a comfortable way.

On a recent layover at John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) in New York City, I stopped in at the Primeclass Lounge in Terminal 1.

In this review, I’ll show you around the lounge so you know what to expect. Let’s get to it.

How To Access the Primeclass Lounge at JFK in Terminal 1

The Primeclass Lounge at JFK is accessible through Priority Pass, a collection of over 1,500 airport lounges, restaurants, and experiences.

Priority Pass memberships can be purchased, but a better way to get one is through your credit card. There are lots of cards that come with a Priority Pass membership, so it’s relatively easy to get one, but what benefits you receive via the card with its Priority Pass membership will vary. Here are some of our favorites:

• The Platinum Card^® from American Express
• The Business Platinum Card^® from American Express
• Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card
• Capital One Venture X Business Card*×Information collected independently. Not reviewed by Capital One.
• Chase Sapphire Reserve^®

BEST LOUNGE ACCESS

Terms Apply / Rates & Fees

The Platinum Card^® from American Express

U.P. Rating 

The rating for this card has been determined by our own industry experts who know the ins and outs 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.

The Amex Platinum reigns supreme for luxury travel, offering the best airport lounge access plus generous statement credits, and complimentary elite status.

Apply Now(at Amex's secure site)

Apply With Confidence

Know if you're approved with no credit score impact

If you're approved and accept this Card, your credit score may be impacted.

The Platinum Card^® from American Express

The Amex Platinum reigns supreme for luxury travel, offering the best airport lounge access plus generous statement credits, and complimentary elite status.

Welcome Offer

Earn 80,000 Membership Rewards^® Points after you spend $8,000 on eligible purchases on the Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership.

80,000 points

UP's Offer Valuation*:

Up to $1,760

Annual Fee

$695

APR

See Pay Over Time APR

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.

Good to Excellent

Why We Like This Card

When it comes to cards that offer top-notch benefits, you’d be hard-pressed to find a better card out there than The Platinum Card^® from American Express.

Make no mistake — the Amex Platinum card is a premium card with a premium price tag. With amazing benefits like best-in-class airport lounge access, hotel elite status, and tremendous value in annual statement credits, it can easily prove to be one of the most lucrative cards in your wallet year after year.

Pros & Cons

Pros

• The best airport lounge access out of any card (by far) — enjoy access to over 1,400 worldwide lounges, including the luxurious Amex Centurion Lounges, Priority Pass lounges (enrollment required), Plaza Premium Lounges, and many more!
• 5x points per dollar spent on flights purchased directly with the airline or with AmexTravel.com (up to $500,000 per year)
• 5x points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels booked with AmexTravel.com

Cons

• $695 annual fee (rates and fees)
• Airline credit does not cover airfare (only incidentals like checked bags)

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Card Highlights

• Earn 80,000 Membership Rewards^® Points after you spend $8,000 on eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership.
• Earn 5X Membership Rewards^® Points for flights booked directly with airlines or with American Express Travel up to $500,000 on these purchases per calendar year and earn 5X Membership Rewards^® Points on prepaid hotels booked with American Express Travel.
• $200 Hotel Credit: Get up to $200 back in statement credits each year on prepaid Fine Hotels + Resorts^® or The Hotel Collection bookings through American Express Travel using your Platinum Card^®. The Hotel Collection requires a minimum two-night stay.
• $240 Digital Entertainment Credit: Get up to $20 back in statement credits each month on eligible purchases made with your Platinum Card^® on one or more of the following: Disney+, a Disney Bundle, ESPN+, Hulu, The New York Times, Peacock, and The Wall Street Journal. Enrollment required.
• With American Express Global Lounge Collection^® you can enjoy access to over 1,400 airport lounges globally, including The Centurion^® Lounge, Unlimited Delta Sky Club^® Access when flying an eligible Delta flight, Escape Lounges, Lufthansa Lounges when flying Lufthansa Group, Plaza Premium, Priority Pass™ Select Lounges, & Additional Global Lounge Collection Partner Lounges subject to visit limitations. Lounges may have their own rules, like additional access rules and guest fees, and for Priority Pass Select, you need to enroll and there are unlimited airport lounge visits for Card Members. With Delta Sky Club Access, Card Members will receive 10 Visits to the Delta Sky Club to be used from February 1 until January 31 of the next calendar year and can unlock Unlimited Delta Sky Club Access by spending $75,000 in eligible purchases on their Card in a calendar year. To find a lounge, visit the membership section in the American Express^® App or visit http://www.americanexpress.com/findalounge#/loungefinder.
• $155 Walmart+ Credit: Save on eligible delivery fees, shipping, and more with a Walmart+ membership. Use your Platinum Card^® to pay for a monthly Walmart+ membership and get up to $12.95 plus applicable taxes back on one membership (excluding Plus Ups) each month.
• $200 Airline Fee Credit: Select one qualifying airline and then receive up to $200 in statement credits per calendar year when incidental fees are charged by the airline to your Platinum Card^®.
• $200 Uber Cash: Platinum Card^® Members can ride or dine in style with $15 in Uber Cash each month, plus a bonus $20 in December after adding their Card to their Uber account. Use your Uber Cash on rides and orders in the U.S. when you select an Amex Card for your transaction.
• $199 CLEAR^® Plus Credit: CLEAR^® Plus helps to get you to your gate faster at 50+ airports nationwide and get up to $199 back per calendar year on your Membership (subject to auto-renewal) when you use your Card. CLEARLanes are available at 100+ airports, stadiums, and entertainment venues.
• Receive either a $120 statement credit every 4 years for a Global Entry application fee or a statement credit up to $85 every 4.5 years for a TSA PreCheck^® (through a TSA official enrollment provider) application fee, when charged to your Platinum Card^®. Card Members approved for Global Entry will also receive access to TSA PreCheck at no additional cost.
• Shop Saks with Platinum: Get up to $100 in statement credits annually for purchases in Saks Fifth Avenue stores or at saks.com on your Platinum Card^®. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
• Unlock access to exclusive reservations and special dining experiences with Global Dining Access by Resy when you add your Platinum Card^® to your Resy profile.
• $695 annual fee.
• Apply with confidence. Know if you're approved for a Card with no impact to your credit score. If you're approved and you choose to accept this Card, your credit score may be impacted.
• Terms Apply.

Financial Snapshot

• APR: See Pay Over Time APR
• Foreign Transaction Fees: None

Rewards Center

American Express Membership Rewards

Terms Apply / Rates & Fees

Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card

U.P. Rating 

The rating for this card has been determined by our own industry experts who know the ins and outs 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.

The Capital One Venture X card is an excellent option for travelers looking for an all-in-one premium credit card.

Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card

The Capital One Venture X card is an excellent option for travelers looking for an all-in-one premium credit card.

Welcome Offer

Earn 75,000 bonus miles when you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening, equal to $750 in travel.

75,000 miles

UP's Offer Valuation*:

$1,350

Annual Fee

$395

APR

19.99% - 29.24% (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 (740-840)

Why We Like This Card

The Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card is the premium Capital One travel rewards card on the block.

Points and miles fans will be surprised to see that the Capital One Venture X card packs quite the punch when it comes to bookings made through Capital One, all while offering the lowest annual fee among premium credit cards.

Depending on your travel goals and preferences, the Capital One Venture X card could very well end up being your go-to card in your wallet.

 

Pros & Cons

Pros

• 10x miles per $1 on hotels and rental cars purchased through Capital One Travel
• 5x miles per $1 on flights and vacation rentals purchased through Capital One Travel
• 2x miles per $1 on all other purchases

Cons

• $395 annual fee (rates & fees)
• Does not offer bonus categories for flights or hotel purchases made directly with the airline or hotel group, the preferred booking method for those looking to earn elite status

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Card Highlights

• Earn 75,000 bonus miles when you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening, equal to $750 in travel
• Receive a $300 annual credit for bookings through Capital One Travel, where you'll get Capital One's best prices on thousands of trip options
• Get 10,000 bonus miles (equal to $100 towards travel) every year, starting on your first anniversary
• Earn unlimited 10X miles on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel and 5X miles on flights and vacation rentals booked through Capital One Travel
• Earn unlimited 2X miles on all other purchases
• Enjoy complimentary access to 1,300+ airport lounges worldwide, including Capital One Lounge locations and the Partner Lounge Network
• Use your Venture X miles to easily cover travel expenses, including flights, hotels, rental cars and more—you can even transfer your miles to your choice of 15+ travel loyalty programs
• Enjoy a $100 experience credit and other premium benefits with every hotel and vacation rental booked from the Premier Collection
• Receive up to a $120 credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck^®

Financial Snapshot

• APR: 19.99% - 29.24% (Variable)
• Foreign Transaction Fees: None

Rewards Center

Capital One Miles

 

A useful feature of Priority Pass lounges, like the Primeclass Lounge at JFK, is that they can be accessed regardless of elite status, airline, or class of service. Remember that some cards might require enrollment before fully enjoying your lounge benefits.

Most Priority Pass memberships include complimentary access for the cardholder plus 2 guests. Children under 2 are free. To enter the Primeclass Lounge, you must show a boarding pass for a same-day international outbound flight departing from JFK. There’s a 3-hour maximum per stay (although this usually won’t be enforced if you have a layover — I was able to enter 4.5 hours before my flight).

Additional ways to access the Primeclass Lounge at JFK are through DragonPass, Loungeme, TAV Passport, or LoungePair. A day pass can be purchased through Primeclass for $65.

The Primeclass Lounge at New York’s JFK airport in Terminal 1 is open Monday, Wednesday, and Friday from 11:30 a.m. to 11:30 p.m. and Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday, and Sunday from 11:30 a.m. to 1 a.m.

Location of the Primeclass Lounge at JFK in Terminal 1

There are 2 Primeclass Lounges at John F. Kennedy International Airport: one in Terminal 1 and the other in Terminal 4.

The Primeclass Lounge I visited was in Terminal 1 after security, next to gates 8 and 9. It’s in the middle area between gates at the end of the terminal, which is hard to spot at first.

I didn’t really see it until it was right in front of me. It looked tiny from the outside … until I realized that what I was looking at was just the check-in desk. The actual lounge was downstairs.

Seating

After checking in, I walked downstairs to the lounge. The first thing I noticed was that it felt like it was in a basement. The ceilings were low, and there was only 1 wall of windows. If you’re looking for a bright and airy lounge at JFK, this isn’t it.

The lounge isn’t actually in a basement, though. There are windows that look out onto the tarmac.

The lounge felt crowded when I was there on a Friday evening (probably because it was small and dark), but there was still seating available.

Food and Beverages

Along the wall perpendicular to the windows, the buffet area was large, considering the size of the lounge.

There were a few premade salads plus additional ingredients, so you could make your own.

This was the penultimate stop on my day of lounge-hopping at JFK, so I didn’t have plans to get a full meal. Instead, I made myself a small salad to sample the buffet. The food was pretty good, but I didn’t love eating from a paper plate with a plastic fork.

There was a selection of desserts along with cheeses and fresh fruit.

Hot dishes included things you would typically see at a lounge buffet: rice, chicken, pasta, and vegetables.

Beverages were in a separate area. There were juices, canned sodas, and a coffee machine.

There were a few snacks by the beverages, including nuts, cookies, and packaged Aussie Bites. I’d had Aussie Bites before and liked them a lot, so I grabbed a few for the road.

The bar was near the lounge’s entrance.

Select wines, beers, and spirits were complimentary, while premium beverages, including signature cocktails, cost extra.

Amenities

The Primeclass Lounge didn’t have many additional amenities but it did have large, private bathrooms, as well as a shower room.

Final Thoughts

The Primeclass Lounge at JFK airport can be accessed with a Priority Pass membership. The location I visited in Terminal 1 was … fine. There wasn’t anything spectacular about it, but there wasn’t anything wrong with it, either.

It will get the job done if you want to have a quick snack or drink before your flight. However, if you’re looking for an inviting space to spend a few hours in, I’d suggest checking out one of the airport’s other lounges.