JFK Priority Pass Lounges Guide (Alaska, Air France, Etc.) [2021]

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JFK is home to several Priority Pass airport lounges and even a restaurant.

But how do you find these lounges and which terminals are they in?

This article will tell you how to get to these Priority Pass JFK lounges and what to expect when you get there when it comes to things like food, drinks, showers, crowds, etc.. I’ll cover all of the lounges for Priority Pass including the Air France, KAL, Wingtips, and Alaska lounge and even the new restaurant.

Interested in finding out the top travel credit cards for this month? Click here to check them out! 

What Priority Pass lounges are at JFK?

There are seven Priority Pass lounges at JFK and one restaurant:

  • Air France Lounge — Terminal 1
  • KAL Business Class Lounge — Terminal 1
  • Lufthansa Business Lounge — Terminal 1
  • Primeclass Lounge — Terminal 1
  • Air India Maharaja Lounge — Terminal 4
  • Wingtips Lounge — Terminal 4 
  • Alaska Lounge — Terminal 7
  • Bobby Van’s Steakhouse — Terminal 8

I’ll discuss the details of each of these below.

How to get Priority Pass

You can get Priority Pass by purchasing a club membership but I always recommend considering credit cards that offer you a Priority Pass Select membership.

These cards would be cards like the Chase Sapphire Reserve and the Platinum Card from American Express. Those cards do come with higher fees so you might want to think about credit cards with lower annual fees that offer Priority Pass like the Hilton Surpass Card, which offers you 10 free lounge visits every year.

If you don’t normally spend a lot of time visiting airports and traveling, then 10 lounge visits is more than enough for you and you’ll benefit from the lower annual fee.

Tip: Use WalletFlo for all your credit card needs. It’s free and will help you optimize your rewards and savings!

JFK Terminals

JFK has six operative terminals, which are numbered 1 through 8. In case you were wondering, Terminals 3 and 6 were demolished in 2011 and 2013 after Terminal 5 was expanded. Full list here.

JFK Terminal 1

JFK Terminal 2

JFK Terminal 4

JFK Terminal 5

JFK Terminal 7

JFK Terminal 8

Getting between terminals at JFK is not very easy because the majority of the terminals are not located airside. There is a free train called the AirTran but that requires you re-enter through security when traveling between terminals. An exception to this is that Delta connects its terminals 2 and 4 with a shuttle bus.

Air France Lounge — Terminal 1 

Location

  • Airside – near the Air France Boarding Area by Gate 1

Hours

  • Daily: 2:00pm to 7:30pm

Conditions

  • Maximum 3 hour stay
  • Access may be restricted due to space constraints
  • Cardholder must be 21 years of age or older
  • Children under 2 years are admitted free – All children must be accompanied by an adult

The Air France Lounge at JFK is a spacious, two-floor lounge with modern decor and quiet seating, although it can get a bit busy before large flights ship out. While there are large windows in the lounge, there are no views in this lounge truly ideal for plane-spotting but it’s still a beautiful lounge to relax in.

There’s a well-stocked bar and a decent selection of snacks as well as hot and cold foods, such as croissants and eggs for breakfast. There are showers available at this lounge and spa treatment available too.

KAL Business Class Lounge — Terminal 1 

Location

  • Airside – after Security Checkpoint, the lounge is located on the right hand side, across Gate 3. All passengers must hold a boarding pass departing from Terminal 1

Hours

  • Daily: 8:30am – 12:00pm
  • Cardholders will not be admitted into the lounge outside these hours

Conditions

  • Limited to two guests per cardholder
  • Access may be restricted due to space constraints
  • Children under 2 years are admitted free – All children must be accompanied by an adult

The KAL Business Class Lounge in Terminal 1 is largely overshadowed by the Lufthansa Lounge and the Air France Lounge, which are nicer. The KAL Lounge is mostly one large lounge room full of sofas and chairs, but limited with electrical outlets.

The food selection is very limited and you probably won’t find hot food options. Instead, you’ll be limited to things like sandwiches, chips, cookies, etc. You’ll be able to find enough to get you by but just don’t go in expecting a full meal.

This is why some people bring in their own food from the outside in order to quench their hunger (the lounge will usually allow for outside food to be brought in).

Like many other KAL lounges, the drink selection is limited in this lounge and definitely not on par with the Air France Lounge.

Showers are available at this lounge.

Lufthansa Business Lounge — Terminal 1

Location

  • Airside – after Security Checkpoint on the left hand side. International and in-transit flights only.

Hours

  • Mon, Wed, Fri, Sun: 12:30pm – 6:00pm
  • Tue, Thu, Sat: 12:30pm – 5:30pm

Conditions

  • Maximum 3 hour stay
  • Children under 2 years are admitted free

Primeclass Lounge — Terminal 1

Location

  • Airside – after Security, next to Gates 8 and 9. International flights only

Hours

  • Mon, Tue, Thu, Sat: 12:00pm to 6:30pm
  • Wed, Fri, Sun: 9:30am to 6:30pm

Conditions

  • Maximum 4 hour stay
  • Lounge access may be restricted due to Lounge capacity constraints and the lounge reserves the right to reserve seating as necessary
  • Children under 6 years are admitted free
  • Complimentary drinks are limited to two per person
  • Computer workstations and printers available

This is a pretty solid 5,120-square foot contract lounge where you can find a variety of hot foods and a decently sized buffet. The lounge feels pretty modern and fresh and has a good variety of seating options for you to choose from.

The biggest restriction to note here is that complimentary drinks are limited to only two per person (you should be issued drink vouchers). Also, this lounge serves premium cocktails and alcoholic drinks but those are served for an additional charge. Cocktails will cost you $16 and other premium alcohol will cost you about $14. Beer and wine will range from $8 to $10.

This lounge does have shower facilities.

Air India Maharaja Lounge — Terminal 4

Location

  • Airside – after Security, next to Gate 5

Hours

  • Daily: 9:30am to 6:30pm

Conditions

  • Maximum 4 hour stay
  • Lounge access may be restricted due to lounge capacity constraints and the lounge reserves the right to reserve seating as necessary
  • Children under 6 years are admitted free.

This is a pretty basic lounge on the smaller side. It is not going to probably offer you anything special but should cover your basic needs for food and drinks. This lounge does not have shower facilities.

Tip: Use WalletFlo for all your credit card needs. It’s free and will help you optimize your rewards and savings!

Wingtips Lounge — Terminal 4 

Location

  • Airside – after proceeding through TSA/Security Checkpoint, turn right and proceed approximately 100 meters where the lounge is located on the left

Hours

  • Mon, Tue, Wed, Sat: 8:00am to 8:00pm
  • Thu, Fri, Sun: 8:00am to 9:00pm

Conditions

  • Maximum 4 hour stay
  • Limited to six guests per Cardholder
  • Children under 3 years are admitted free
  • Dress code applicable (shoes and shirts required for entry – no baseball caps allowed).
  • This lounge is only accessible for passengers departing from Terminal 4. Passengers departing from other terminals may not be able to enter this lounge.

This is one of those lounges that can be strict about admitting Priority Pass members so if you’re trying to visit from 5pm to 1am, do not be surprised if you’re not allowed access with your Priority Pass membership. And if you do get admitted into the lounge, be warned that crowds (and noise) can become an issue at this lounge.

The lounge has an okay food/snack and drink selection but nothing special. You’ll mostly get to choose from some refreshments and snacks (pretzels, cookies, etc.) along with salads. There are international beers available so you can switch things up if you’d like.

Wingtips Lounge at JFK.

Alaska Lounge — Terminal 7

Location

  • Airside – after Security Checks, proceed to the Mezzanine Level above Security.

Hours

  • Daily: 5:00am to 9:00am & 2:30pm to 9:00pm
  • Closed: Dec 25

Conditions

  • Lounge access is permitted 2 hours prior to a scheduled flight departure
  • Limited to two guests per cardholder or immediate family (spouse and children under 21 years of age)
  • Lounge access may be restricted due to Lounge capacity constraints and the Lounge reserves the right to reserve seating as necessary
  • Children under 2 years are admitted free
  • Alcoholic drinks are limited to three per adult.

This is a new lounge that just opened up in 2018 and so it was an exciting addition to the Priority Pass network, as it’s one of the best Priority Pass lounges at JFK. It’s a beautiful lounge with a rustic vibe optimal for relaxation. The lounge is home to large floor to ceiling windows that are great for watching the runway.

There’s a lot of comfy and private seating options in this lounge and plenty of power outlets for everyone — there’s even a fireplace in the lounge.

As for food you can expect standard breakfast foods like bagels and muffins for breakfast along with the famous pancake machine. In the afternoon, soups, salads, and other light refreshments will be available (though you can pay $8 for hot food items). There’s also a nice coffee bar in the lounge, too.

You’ll have access to complimentary beer and wine though premium drinks can be purchased as well.

Alaska Lounge at JFK.

Bobby Van’s Steakhouse — Terminal 8

Location

  • Airside – after Security, turn right and Bobby Van’s Steakhouse is located opposite Gate 14

Hours

  • Daily: 5:00am to 8:00pm

Conditions

  • Cardholders can use their lounge visit entitlement to receive $28 USD off the bill.
  • Each $28 deduction represents a single lounge visit
  • If a Cardholder registers 1 Guest they will receive $56 USD off their bill which will be charged as 1 Cardholder visit + 1 Guest visit on their account.
  • Only 1 membership card per visit per Cardholder will be accepted at point of entry.
  •  The US$28 is valid for purchase of any meal and/or drinks.
  • To be eligible, Cardholders must present a Valid Card and Boarding Pass with confirmed same-day travel before placing an order.
  • Cardholder is responsible for balance if total final bill exceeds US$28 per person. Any remaining balance cannot be used towards gratuity.

If you’re in the mood for a steakhouse then consider trying out Bobby Van’s, which will offer some solid airport dining. You won’t be able to get a steak covered for $28 but you you can offset the cost of one down to $8. Also, there are plenty of other menu items that fall under $28 like burgers and sandwiches.

Centurion Lounge Reminder

You are not offered access to Amex Centurion Lounges with Priority Pass but I thought this would be a good time to remind travelers that a new Amex Centurion Lounge is located at JFK in Terminal 4.

Final word

JFK has a hand full of options for Priority Pass members. However, the layout of JFK Airport makes it difficult to visit many of these lounges since you generally can’t connect airside. Also, the lounge admission policies (and quality) of some of the lounges are questionable although there are at least two solid options with the Alaska and Air France lounge.

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