When I travel to or through Florida, it is usually via Miami Airport. But this week, I traveled to Fort Lauderdale, so going to the airport lounges there was a new experience for me.
There are only two lounges at FLL, a United Airlines Lounge and an Escape Lounge. There is also a restaurant that serves Priority Pass members, Kafe Kalik, but the reviews of that restaurant are rather atrocious.
The Escape lounge is located at Terminal 3, between gates E and F. It is open daily from 5:30 a.m. to 9:00 p.m.
Access to the Escape Lounge is free for American Express Platinum Card Members and Delta SkyMiles Reserve Card Members (provided the member is traveling on a Delta-marketed flight that day). Amex Platinum Card members receive complimentary access for themselves and up to two guests. Delta SkyMiles Reserve Card Members receive complimentary access for themselves, and can bring an additional guest for $30.
The other way to obtain entry is by paying $45 (or less if you pre-book). According to the website, there is no fee for children 24 months and under.
My flight home from Fort Lauderdale was on American Airlines from Terminal 3, and I have the American Express Platinum Card, so I visited the Escape Lounge.
I found the lounge to be very pleasant, tastefully decorated, with a nice ambiance, plenty of room, more than adequate seating and electric outlets and charging ports, and good food and drinks.
The bar does have complimentary and premium drink menus, but I found the selection of beverages on the complimentary menu to be more than adequate for my taste.
The food was also fine. When I visited, the hot dishes included macaroni and cheese, rice with chicken, and broccoli. I believe that the soup was minestrone. The quality of the food was better than that in average domestic airline lounges.
Cold dishes included salads and sandwiches.
And cookies.
All in all, I was happy with the Escape Lounge.
A New York frequent flyer who elegantly combines her passions for worldwide travel, running a gazillion marathons all over the globe and staying fit ... without sacrificing her fancy for good wine and food.
I’ve never seen the lounge so empty. Then again, I’ve attempted to visit on weekends mainly. People sprawled out sleeping on furniture as they wait 8 hours for their flight after a cruise, a 60-90 minute wait to get in…. I once was with a coworker who had booked in advance and paid for a certain time. We were very rudely turned away “NO RESERVATIONS HONORED!” yelled by the front desk and told they would be number 110 in line.
Wow! My flight was 5pm Tuesday night. It was busy but not bustling as you experienced.
I have two points:
1) Priority Pass grants access to most Escape Lounges EXCEPT FLL, West Palm Beach, Phoenix and Reno. No fewer than ten (10) domestic Escape airport lounges DO offer access via Priority Pass, mostly in smaller airports.
2) Sadly, Most credit-card issued Priority Pass memberships no longer offer restaurant benefits.
The priority pass issued via the Citi Prestige Card still has restaurant benefits.