JFK Terminal 1: Check-in and Lounges
Getting to the airport:
The day had finally come for my show stopping vacation of the year: Paris and Seychelles (details here on how I used points to fund almost all of this trip). Since I had more than enough time and I wanted to keep costs down so I could spend more on food and wine in Paris, I decided to take public transit. From the Financial District, I took the 2 train to Penn Station (free with my monthly MetroCard, but otherwise $2.25) and then the Long Island Railroad from Penn Station to Jamaica (18 minutes and $7.50) and then the AirTrain from Jamaica to JFK Terminal 1 (10 minutes and $2.50 when you buy 10 trips or $5 per trip). I used to be a car service snob, but considering that costs ~$65 and can take well over an hour depending on traffic, I have become accustomed to the LIRR/AirTrain combination. You can also take the E train from various stops in NYC to Jamaica, but in my experience, it takes longer, is more prone to delays and is more crowded.
Check in:
Once at JFK Terminal 1- the reality of the trip started to kick in. With all of JFK's faults (primarily relating to crowded air space), you cannot beat the international flair of the airport. Terminal 1 hosts Air France, Lufthansa, Royal Air Maroc, Alitalia, JAL, Korean, Aeroflot, Aeromexico, Turkish, Saudi Arabian, China Air and some others I forgot. That's a pretty nice cross section of the world! I was booked on the 9:45pm departure to Paris, but since I got to the airport at 5:30pm, I wanted to switch to the 7:30pm, which so happened to be on Air France's new Airbus A380 (huge double-decker plane). I asked at the information desk and the agent immediately exclaimed “You are going to the Seychelles?! I am so jealous!â€. I tried to joke around and sweet talk her into changing my ticket, but she called out that I was using points and I was not eligible to make changes for free. Fair enough. She directed me to check-in to get my boarding pass so I could go to the lounge.
The line was fairly short, but took a solid 10 minutes until an agent got to me. I asked her about switching to the 730pm flight, since one of the main tenants of traveling is “If you don't get a helpful agent, try againâ€. The agent remarked that there were open seats and she just had to check with a ticketing agent (probably the same one who I just talked to- busted!). She left the counter and came back 5 minutes later, apologizing, but stating that flight was actually oversold. Whatever, I'm sure I'll get to fly the A380 soon enough. My boarding pass was printed and she pointed me towards priority boarding and told me where the lounge was.
Security:
The “VIP†security line at JFK T1 is an absolute joke. There are seven lines that lead to a few TSA agents, the VIP line is in the middle (the one in the picture with no barrier), so it is the slowest moving line. I saw multiple other people in the regular lanes enter after me and get through well before me. Luckily I had over 4 hours until my flight, so it wasn't a big deal, but it was annoying nonetheless.
Lounges:
I currently hold SkyTeam Elite Plus status, thanks to being a Platinum
Medallion Delta. This means I get access to any SkyTeam lounge when flying internationally. The two SkyTeam lounges at JFK T1 are Korean Air and Air France. The Korean lounge is closer to security, so I decided to go there first. Upon check-in, I was greeted and warmly welcomed as a SkyTeam Elite Plus and when I handed over my Air France Business Class boarding pass the agent remarked “I'd come to this lounge too if I had the choice!â€. I was a bit harried from the commute and hot security line, so I figured I'd take a shower to calm down and relax for my flight. I still had over 4 hours to kill, so why not? The agent immediately called
a colleague to unlock the shower. I walked through the sparsely inhabited lounge to an individual bathroom stall which had a shower. It wasn't very fancy, but it was spacious, so changing was not an issue. The only problem with the shower was the pathetic water pressure. Even still, it was nice to shower off NYC pollution and pu ton comfortable clothes for the flight (even though I brought a British Airways sleeper suit from a previous flight to sleep in).
The Korean lounge was nice and quiet, but the food offerings were minimal and they did not have sparkling water (the horror!). However, I had a bunch of things to catch up on before my trip, so before long it was completely empty and I was able to set up shop for several hours of silent lounge bliss, which is rare in these days of crowded lounges. Even though the food offerings were sparse (I mean did I really expect kimchi and noodles?), the attendants were wonderful and
the views of the runway were spectacular. I was able to catch up on some Points Guy business and see some nice takeoffs- my favorite being the Qantas 747. I was able to see the Air France A380 push back from the gate around 7:30pm, so I had my camera ready to video that takeoff. Unfortunately, they changed the takeoff runway, so I wasn't able to catch it.
Around 8pm, I wrapped up everything and decided to check out the Air France lounge. Upon entry, I was impressed with the size of the lounge, but it was quite crowded, which makes sense since a fully packed 777 was about to depart in an hour and there was still an 11:30pm 777 to take off. There was no food on display, but when I asked the attendant, she gave me a tip that there was a back room with trays of food. The food was bland looking sushi and some rolls and potato leek soup. While it was better than Korean, it was still not as impressive of some other foreign carriers like Lufthansa and British Airways. The liquor offerings were nice and as a vodka drinker, I was impresse
d with the Grey Goose. I quickly toured the lounge and before I knew it, they had announced boarding for my flight. I gathered my bags and walked to gate 7. To my surprise, it was already final boarding and almost everyone was already on the flight. Good thing I didn't decide to do any shopping on my way! In a minute, I was walking down the jet way with my 7A boarding pass in hand. At this point, the reality of the trip set in and I was extremely excited for it to begin!
[card card-name='Gold Delta SkyMiles® Credit Card from American Express' card-id='22034414' type='javascript' bullet-id='1']
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Rewards
| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 3X | Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com. |
| 2X | Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com. |
| 1X | Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases. |
Intro offer
Annual Fee
Recommended Credit
Why We Chose It
There’s a lot to love about the Amex Gold. It’s a fan favorite thanks to its fantastic bonus-earning rates at restaurants worldwide and at U.S. supermarkets. If you’re hitting the skies soon, you’ll also earn bonus Membership Rewards points on travel. Paired with up to $120 in Uber Cash annually (for U.S. Uber rides or Uber Eats orders, card must be added to Uber app and you can redeem with any Amex card), up to $120 in annual dining statement credits to be used with eligible partners, an up to $84 Dunkin’ credit each year at U.S. Dunkin Donuts and an up to $100 Resy credit annually, there’s no reason that foodies shouldn’t add the Amex Gold to their wallet. These benefits alone are worth more than $400, which offsets the $325 annual fee on the Amex Gold card. Enrollment is required for select benefits. (Partner offer)Pros
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- 3 points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with the airline or with amextravel.com
- Packed with credits foodies will enjoy
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Cons
- Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
- Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
- You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
- $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an American Express Card for your transaction. That’s up to $120 Uber Cash annually. Plus, after using your Uber Cash, use your Card to earn 4X Membership Rewards® points for Uber Eats purchases made with restaurants or U.S. supermarkets. Point caps and terms apply.
- $84 Dunkin' Credit: With the $84 Dunkin' Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations. Enrollment is required to receive this benefit.
- $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
- $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings, sweet or savory, with the $120 Dining Credit. Earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. Enrollment required.
- Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges* with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. *Eligible charges vary by property.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- Annual Fee is $325.
- Terms Apply.
Rewards Rate
| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 3X | Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com. |
| 2X | Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com. |
| 1X | Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases. |
Intro Offer
You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after spending $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer.As High As 100,000 points. Find Out Your Offer.Annual Fee
$325Recommended Credit
Credit ranges are a variation of FICO® Score 8, one of many types of credit scores lenders may use when considering your credit card application.Excellent to Good
Why We Chose It
There’s a lot to love about the Amex Gold. It’s a fan favorite thanks to its fantastic bonus-earning rates at restaurants worldwide and at U.S. supermarkets. If you’re hitting the skies soon, you’ll also earn bonus Membership Rewards points on travel. Paired with up to $120 in Uber Cash annually (for U.S. Uber rides or Uber Eats orders, card must be added to Uber app and you can redeem with any Amex card), up to $120 in annual dining statement credits to be used with eligible partners, an up to $84 Dunkin’ credit each year at U.S. Dunkin Donuts and an up to $100 Resy credit annually, there’s no reason that foodies shouldn’t add the Amex Gold to their wallet. These benefits alone are worth more than $400, which offsets the $325 annual fee on the Amex Gold card. Enrollment is required for select benefits. (Partner offer)Pros
- 4 points per dollar spent on dining at restaurants worldwide and U.S. supermarkets (on the first $50,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter and $25,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter, respectively)
- 3 points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with the airline or with amextravel.com
- Packed with credits foodies will enjoy
- Solid welcome bonus
Cons
- Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
- Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
- You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
- $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an American Express Card for your transaction. That’s up to $120 Uber Cash annually. Plus, after using your Uber Cash, use your Card to earn 4X Membership Rewards® points for Uber Eats purchases made with restaurants or U.S. supermarkets. Point caps and terms apply.
- $84 Dunkin' Credit: With the $84 Dunkin' Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations. Enrollment is required to receive this benefit.
- $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
- $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings, sweet or savory, with the $120 Dining Credit. Earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. Enrollment required.
- Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges* with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. *Eligible charges vary by property.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- Annual Fee is $325.
- Terms Apply.