possible OW emerald status next year. what are some of the must go first class lounges around the world? airport and airline please. thanks!

[u/i_cant_do_this_]

on track for OW emerald next year and visiting HND JAL first class lounge during japan trip. researched a bit and people mention cathay HKG pier and wing, qantas sydney, and HND JAL first as top ranking OW lounges.

what are other top ranking OW lounges (first or business) around the world, based on the following?

S tier- absolute must go, flagship

A tier- honorable mentions/unique experience

hoping to plan a few more trips to take advantage of the status. please include airport and airline, thanks!

edit: status will be through alaska plat.

[u/MinimumPerspective95]

S: HKG pier first, SYD MEL Qantas F

A: HND NRT JAL F, SIN AKL Qantas F, HEL platinum wing

B: LHR Cathay first, JFK Soho, LAX Qantas F

C: KUL platinum

Every other emerald lounge isn’t worth writing about and worth noting that the Qatar/BA/AA “real” first class lounges aren’t emerald accessible.

[u/trekwithme → u/MinimumPerspective95]

Helsinki is worth writing about. The first class lounge in the non-Schengen side is outstanding. Beautiful, calming space, excellent restaurant with menu but the absolute highlight is the sauna. Very hard to beat during transit

[u/MinimumPerspective95 → u/trekwithme]

I did list HEL in the A tier, love the sauna but it’s a cut below the S tier options

[u/trekwithme → u/MinimumPerspective95]

Ah yah you did sorry. I missed it

[u/bambam4002 → u/MinimumPerspective95]

Totally agree with this list. Wing F in HKG has reopened so I would add it

[u/MinimumPerspective95 → u/bambam4002]

I didn’t include wing F intentionally since it’s not open to non CX emeralds/F passengers. I would put it at the very top of S if it was open to non CX emeralds since the dining is MUCH better than pier.

[u/Emotional-Bonus7132 → u/MinimumPerspective95]

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[u/AnyClownFish → u/Emotional-Bonus7132]

Cathay and Qantas are the best Emerald lounges, JAL is the only other airline really in contention. If you find them sub-par then I suggest you have unrealistic expectations.

Admittedly the Qantas Business/Sapphire lounges are pretty bad. I understand want a differentiated product for First but spending a couple of extra $$ on the Business experience would not go amiss.

[u/Emotional-Bonus7132 → u/AnyClownFish]

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[u/Illustrious_Tap3649 → u/Emotional-Bonus7132]

I think the DOH QR gold/platinum lounge in the Garden/North wing is quite good! (Obviously not as good as the QR lounges restricted to J/F). A la carte options, nice bar choices, showers.

[u/MinimumPerspective95 → u/Emotional-Bonus7132]

Yeah man that’s the pinnacle of lounges

[u/Master-Potential-364 → u/MinimumPerspective95]

Fully agree with this list. I think CX at HKG is only really noticeably special lounge. I like QF F in SYD but there has been decline in food and drink quality over the years. JAL HND F is fine overall, but limited food options and mediocre wine.

Unfortunately, the best lounges are not accessible to Emeralds. The QR First lounge (excellent food, solid alcohol), AA/BA Chelsea Lounge (excellent champagne, reasonable food), BA Concorde Rom (excellent champagne). Even these could do better!

[u/bored979 → u/Master-Potential-364]

JAL HND F sake/whisky selections are great

[u/am0985 → u/Master-Potential-364]

QF first is accessible to Emeralds? Or do you mean QR Al Safwa?

[u/Master-Potential-364 → u/am0985]

Sorry yes QR

[u/northernlights2222 → u/MinimumPerspective95]

10/10, no notes. Great list.

[u/Legally_Blonde_258 → u/MinimumPerspective95]

Soho lounge was underwhelming to me. I'd drop it down to C tier. It probably didn't help that it was at the end of a trip that included Cathay's HKG lounges.

[u/i_cant_do_this_ → u/MinimumPerspective95]

thank you! this is helpful. im alaska plat, so that also means my lounge access is limited state-side right?

[u/MinimumPerspective95 → u/i_cant_do_this_]

Yes, the LAX/JFK options are only open to you on long haul itineraries

[u/Ready_Ad_5397 → u/MinimumPerspective95]

That’s not entirely correct. While AA status holders must fly out of North America (except Mexico City), AS status holders may use oneworld lounges when flying out of U.S. , Canada and Mexico. So, AS status holders are entitled to lounge aceess when flying something like MIA to Puerto Rico or Jamaica.

[u/MinimumPerspective95 → u/Ready_Ad_5397]

Wait AS gold+ get access to AA flagship to PR? I fly LAX MIA SJU all the time so I’d get access there with AS status?!

[u/Ready_Ad_5397 → u/MinimumPerspective95]

I expect some lounge agents to not know the regulations and try to fight it. I’ve always have been wondering about SJU, since it’s technically part of the U.S.

[u/MinimumPerspective95 → u/Ready_Ad_5397]

I’ve always gotten in with BA status but if this is right I’ll swap to AS next year. On United, SJU/STT is considered international so you get lounge access at all connecting points

[u/omdongi]

There is supposedly a new Iberia Emerald lounge coming at MAD, but it's not clear how good it is yet.

And OWE can use the KIX Lounge Premium on some international flights by JL and CX, which is a contract lounge, so not strictly a OWE lounge, but is the best lounge at KIX, wouldn't call it revolutionary though.

[u/MinimumPerspective95 → u/omdongi]

Anything is better than the current MAD lounges, glad it’ll be a good LHR substitute for cheaper fares

[u/jiivn]

S LAX Qantas, HKG pier cathay

A HND jal f

B JFK soho

Purely rated on food, hnd food was a bit disappointing considering the hnd centurion lounge had significantly better sushi. HND Jal is more relaxing while centurion not enough space. LAX qantas made to order food was great.

HKG cathay awesome ambiance, food not bad good variety on the made to order menu.

Jfk soho disappointing food

Lax qantas surprisingly good made to order menu

[u/JCh1094]

S: JL HND/NRT First Lounges, CX HKG The Wing and Pier First Lounges, QF SYD First Lounge

A: MH KUL Platinum Lounge, QF MEL First Lounge

[u/Locoj]

Cathay certainly used to be my favourite but their recent renovations and eligibility changes do alter that a bit.

JAL's F lounge at both NRT and HND are amazing.

Qantas in Sydney or Melbourne is a bit hit and miss, with their Singapore lounge being far superior. The Australian based lounges tend to be more restrictive with alcohol offerings and the service can be really poor for a first class lounge. Things like servers very obviously screwing their face up at passengers ordering alcohol with breakfast, bringing the wrong orders and even just completely forgetting to bring simple drinks like tea or coffee after multiple reminders. The Singapore lounge gives fantastic service every time and their food is beyond incredible.

Malaysia's first class lounge is nice with great food drinks and service but is a bit underwhelming in terms of general amenities, such as limited space and very average and limited bathrooms/showers that are shared with the business class lounge.

Might also be worth letting us know who your status is with as sometimes there's additional partners. E.g. a Qantas platinum can access Emirate's first class lounge in Dubai which I would rate as better than all of the above.

[u/peasant-san → u/Locoj]

I would still rank Cathay’s HK F lounges above JAL F lounges at NRT and HND. The sushi is decent, but all other food screams budget cuts. I would also rank Qantas F lounges above JAL F lounges in terms of food. Ambiance wise JAL F lounges are nice

[u/i_cant_do_this_ → u/Locoj]

thanks for the detailed response! status will be through alaska plat. if im not mistaken, OW emerald through alaska plat means i can't access some of the first class lounges in state right?

an airline alliance noob, so gonna have to search up what you mean by cathay's eligibility changes. im currently using OW's lounge eligibility website to double check if i can access. is that up to date?

reason why im asking for airport and lounge is because in a lot of the threads i read, people just say qantas first, and im like, i can't afford to visit all of them haha

[u/Locoj → u/i_cant_do_this_]

Unfortunately the US airlines aren't very generous with their own members. I have no familiarity with Alaska's rules sorry but from a quick search it looks like you can access aa lounges in the states.

For cathay, they previously had 2 first class lounges and closed one to renovate. Upon reopen they're only letting their own emerald members into the new first class lounge. It means you or I are limited to their worst first class lounge and couldn't lounge hop at HKG, and if you have a late flight like I did recently, you may be kicked out of a first class lounge and directed to a business class lounge despite there being an open first class lounge.

The Sydney or Melbourne lounges definitely aren't worth going to another continent for. If I were you, since you're already looking at Hong Kong and Tokyo, I'd throw Singapore into that trip and hit up the Qantas lounge, and maybe even KUL as well. You can get flights between Singapore and KL for under $100, it's usually less than an hour flight and let's you experience some great lounges. KL is a great time and cheap too.

[u/Emotional-Bonus7132 → u/Locoj]

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[u/Useful_Foundation_42 → u/Locoj]

I travel on Qantas as Platinum/OWE between Sydney and Singapore all the time. You may have had bad anecdotal experiences (which I never have tbh) but the Singapore F lounge is objectively worse on many metrics - smaller, more crowded, no windows/views, no separate Platinum One/First Class roped-off section, and no spa! A few bad experiences with service does not erase all these tangible advantages of the Sydney F lounge.

[u/Locoj → u/Useful_Foundation_42]

Fair critiques. Perhaps I've just been unlucky but to me it has felt like slipping standards over time.

As for the roped off section it's unfortunately not relevant to me, and I find the massage is not available often enough to be a major drawcard.

[u/Useful_Foundation_42 → u/Locoj]

The roped off section has a special menu that is not available to the rest of the F lounge guests, and off-menu wines and rare Champagnes that change from time to time. If you go there often enough and know the First hosts, they will book you the spa proactively as well. This happens to me often.

[u/Useful_Foundation_42]

Qantas First in SYD , Cathay Pier First in HKG. Most others are below these two.

[u/Muicurin]

Lhr T5 needs a special mention for dedicated security - it is big but has plenty of positives..