Update October 30, 2018:
On my latest flight, I had a three-hour layover in Phoenix and decided to go back to the lounge to relax and get some work done. The location is still the same, but access has changed a bit. The Club added an additional room to the existing lounge you find in the review below. The reason is, that the lounge was closed for everyone except British Airways passenger from 2:30 p.m. until after the flight (BA288) departs.
To further on serve other guests like members of Lounge Club, Priority Pass, Lounge Key or paying customers, they added the extra lounge room, which operates now as a separate lounge in the time from 2:00 p.m. until 11:30 p.m. This additional room also serves Condor passengers leaving from PHX.
While the original part of the lounge is now open from 5:00 a.m. until 2:00 p.m. for everyone with access rights (like Priority Pass or if you buy lounge access) it will be exclusively for British Airways Passengers which fly in First or Busines Class, are Gold or Silver member of British Airways Executive Club or are Oneworld Sapphire or Emerald members.
Review of additional Lounge Room
Well, it is just a big room with plenty of chairs and tables. A window wall wraps around the room along 2 sides of it and provides a view of the terminal and tarmac. Next to the entrance is a small snack bar as well as a small bar counter.
They don’t offer much for snacks and food wise it’s one of the worst lounges. They didn’t even offer cheese and I am such a huge fan of cheese. There are a few complimentary alcoholic beverages like beer and wine and of course, you can get sodas at the bar. The snack buffet also has a coffee and water dispenser.
Above the buffet is a small departure monitor. The whole place looks like a completely temporary setup with no real thinking through how to set things up. Maybe they are planning something better in the future? Who knows?
Along the long window-side is a bigger table with a few chairs, which is perfect to set up a laptop and you can actually find power outlets there. The rest of the lounge is pretty limited in regard to power outlets, just like the old/ other parts of the lounge. The chairs look very dated, and you probably wonder if they got them from a flea market.
The check-in was very quick this time, however, service in the lounge itself lacked a bit. Since I was just here to get something to drink and get some work done it was not a big deal this time. Well, I would have loved to eat some cheese.
Original Part of the Lounge / British Airways Departure Lounge
Having a layover in Phoenix, AZ (PHX) gave me a chance to review “The Club at PHX”. You can access this lounge if you pay $35 or if you are a holder of a Priority Pass, which you get for free with some credit cards like the American Express Platinum Card. But The Club was not my first choice for PHX. After landing I opened my Priority Pass App and searched for the closest lounge. I got three options and wanted to go with the US Airways Lounge. US Airways Lounge because they merged with American Airlines and pretty soon the name “US Airways” will be extinct, and the fleet and personnel will be integrated into American Airlines. Thought that would be a good chance before that happens. Unfortunately, they are very fast in converting their lounges over to American Airlines Admirals Club. Priority Pass doesn’t give you access to the Admirals Club.
I had to look for an alternative and went with The Club. The Club is located between Gate B22 and B23 in Terminal 4. After a short walk, I was in front of the elevator which led up to the lounge. My first impression, after walking in and getting checked in, was not the best and it proved to be true. It was the interior which threw me off. The lounge looked like it was here since the airport was built and never got any upgrades, except a flat-screen TV. Old furniture, seats, tables, and an old luggage rack right across from the check-in counter.
Also, power outlets were extremely limited and hidden behind the seats. You must go on a small hunt to find any power outlets. The lounge also lacks a flight monitor to check for gate changes. This is important to me. Especially if I have a longer visit in a lounge, a lot can change in that time. I know there are apps, but they are not always accurate. In doubt, I always go to what the monitor inside the airport shows. In some cases that is wrong too, but if you end up missing your plane or something similar, you can at least bring up that you watched the monitors and acted accordingly.
For your appetite all the food and drinks inside the lounge are complimentary. The bar is in the bigger room and has a broad selection of drinks. In the small room is a snack counter with the usual items for a small domestic lounge. Nothing fancy but a broad selection of snacks.
Right below the snack bar, you will find sodas and water. Coffee can be found in the corridor connecting the two rooms.
From the big room, you have a view onto the tarmac and train bridge. Nothing too impressive but at least you can view a couple of planes taxiing to the gate.
The Club offers free Wi-Fi from Boingo, the same free Wi-Fi as for the rest of the airport. Next to the bar is a small business center, a PC and printer if you need to print anything.
Restrooms are located outside of the lounge and feel like they have been here forever without any major remodeling.
The lounge was not too busy during my visit on a Monday afternoon. The staff was friendly and kept the snacks and drinks restocked. Overall, it is a good lounge with some decent snack options. It needs a makeover.
Peter has a passion for Traveling, Photography, and Geocaching. These are the best ingredients for amazing adventures all over the globe. “Traveling is fun, no matter if you stay in a luxury hotel or travel like a backpacker.” Peter shares his experiences on his Blog www.gatetoadventures.com
Some of Peter’s photos are published on corporate websites, in-flight magazines, travel guides, and much more.