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It makes a big difference which Admiral’s Club you choose at JFK in Terminal 8
Do NOT bother going into the one immediately after clearing security – near gate 12. It’s under renovation and is not worth leaving the terminal – look, if you just want a free beverage, for people to see you entering a lounge, and a chair – go for it, but don’t expect anything else really. The club has been ‘narrowed’ while they renovate, and what’s left is minimal at best.
BUT – if you head on further down into the terminal, go down the escalators, and emerge on the other side….you’ll find a legit lounge.
We were nervous there for a bit! It was looking pretzels and seltzer.
Miles didn’t lose sleep to devising this strategy to upgrade to business class and miss out on the lounge experience! Luckily it worked out well. It was a great way to get a bite and relax before a fantastic experience on our A321t Transcon!
The Deets
- Where: JFK, Terminal 8
- When: June 2016
- Who can enter:
- Admiral’s Club members
- Citi Executive Aadvantage cardholders
- Citi Prestige cardholders
- First/Business class tickets on transcontinental OR International itineraries
- Oneworld Sapphire/Emerald on international itineraries regardless of class of ticket
Ahhhhhh behind the sliding doors
The lounge is fresh.
It has two separate wings depending on your level of activity. If you head down the main hall you’ll pass a cyber cafe with computers, a bar, lounge areas, food station, another bar, more seating, tv rooms, restrooms, and showers. If you go the other way it’s very very very very quiet…in fact I think it’s called the quiet room. No creatures were stirring not even a…monkey. We were looking for ACTIVITY!!!!!
The only thing that’s really annoying about the lounge is the fact that aside from some snacks – the food is for purchase.
I just don’t get it. The competition gives buffet meals, sit down meals, practically put a bib around your neck rub your belly and feed you meals…Why do I have to fork over cash for a sandwich? Such is life.
More sitting
Snacks…veggies and hummus
The Lounge had showers…if there’s a shower – it’s usually a good sign! And these were nice =)
I could only find one that had been recently used – the others were in use…but you get the idea
From there we went to check out the quiet area…ssssssshhhhh
I’m exhausted and ready for a beer. They’re free – as are some wines.
The Verdict
It’s a very nice business lounge, albeit crowded and far away from my gate, it’s quite nice. I’d assume it’s located where it is because it’s closer to the bulk of all the gates. But, it was far for this monkey! Also, compared to what they’re offering near the first dozen gates, this is like an oasis. I am looking forward to seeing what their new lounge will look like nearer security, but it won’t be finished for quite some time.
The Admiral’s Club isn’t perfect, but if you’re looking for a very nice refuge from the hustle bustle of the terminal you aren’t going to be disappointed. There are lots of seating areas, tv rooms, the quiet area is great to rest the mind, and there are some free dining options….Which brings me to the only thing that I’d really point to that disappoints: the lack of more free food options. If you’ve paid to be a member, or you’re on a $5000 business class ticket – it’s almost offensive to have to pay $12 bucks for a salad. I mean….CAHMON!
Other than that, the lounge had all of the things you’d look for in a business lounge. As far as comparing it to other international business class lounges… I’d have to rank this towards the top of Admiral’s Clubs – akin to the one at LAX. The work stations alone are fantastic for anyone looking to surf the web or get some work accomplished. However, my favorite legacy business class lounge remains the United Club at Heathrow and this falls short – but that lounge is ON POINT and you won’t be disappointed with this one, at all.
Opinions, reviews, analyses & recommendations are the author’s alone, and have not been reviewed, endorsed or approved by any of these entities.
Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card
Welcome Offer
Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
Annual Fee
$95
Points Earned
Transferrable Chase Ultimate Rewards
- 5x on all travel purchased through Chase Travel℠
- 3x on dining, including eligible delivery services for takeout & dining out
- 3x on select streaming services
- 3x on online grocery purchases
- (excluding Target, Walmart and wholesale clubs)
- $50 Annual Chase Travel Hotel Credit via Chase Travel℠
- The begins immediately for new cardmembers and after your account anniversary for existing cardmembers
- 2x on all other travel
- 10% Anniversary Bonus
- Every year you keep the card, your total spend will yield a 10% points bonus. If you spend $10k in a year, you’ll get 1k bonus points
- Chase Sapphire Preferred continues to redeem at 1.25c in the Chase Travel℠ and the slew of other benefits remain in tact including Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver ( primary ), purchase protections, etc.
- Points are transferrable to 14 Ultimate Rewards partners
- Redeem in Chase Travel℠ for 1.25 cents per point
- No foreign transaction fees
- Suite of Travel and Purchase Coverage
- Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver is my favorite
- Get complimentary access to DashPass which unlocks $0 delivery fees and lower service fees for a minimum of one year when you activate by December 31, 2027.
- $95 Annual Fee
We keep an up to date spreadsheet that lists the best ever offers: You can find that spreadsheet here.
Historically 80k is a very, very good offer and hit in both 2022 and 2023. In 2021, we saw the offer hit an all time high of 100k. Who knows if that will ever come back.
Main Cast:
Cards that earn flexible points and should be used on the bulk of your purchases.
Supporting Cast:
Cards that earn fixed points in the currency of the airline/hotel and can not be transferred at attractive rates. These cards yield benefits that make it worth keeping, but not necessarily worth putting a lot of your everyday spend on.
The Chase Sapphire Preferred® is exceptional starter card and offers transferrable Ultimate Rewards, and pairs well with other Chase cards.
If you carry this card alongside Chase’s cashback cards like the Chase Freedom Flex® and Chase Freedom Unlimited® or the business versions: Ink Business Cash® , Ink Business Unlimited® you can combine the points into Preferred account and transfer into hotel and airline partners
Annual fee is quite low at $95 a year + you get a 10% anniversary bonus on points + $50 hotel credit in Chase travel.
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