4 US Airports That Desperately Need a Lounge
In the wake of our recent report on the Best and Worst Airports in the US and Samantha Rosen's lounge-less experience at last-place-finisher Chicago Midway, I began to wonder: How many airports in the US don't offer a lounge at all?
Related: The Best Credit Cards for Airport Lounge Access
To answer this question, I looked at FAA passenger data for 2018 and searched for lounges at the 42 US airports that boarded more than 5 million passengers in 2018. My search found four airports at least that busy that offer no lounge (two of these four airports offer a USO lounge, accessible only to military members and their families). Here's more about these busy US airports that desperately need a lounge:
Chicago Midway (MDW)
Midway finished in last place, 50th out of 50, in The Points Guy's 2019 report.
MDW saw 10,685,565 passengers board aircraft in 2018, placing it 27th nationwide by number of passenger boardings. More than 96 percent of MDW passengers travel on Southwest, and Southwest considers MDW a focus airport. Delta is the next-largest operator at MDW but doesn't operate a Sky Club at the airport. The sole lounge at MDW is a USO lounge in Concourse C, but it is only open to active-duty service members and their families. Come on Chicago, can we at least get a Priority Pass restaurant?
Dallas Love Field (DAL)
Dallas Love Field placed 37th out of 50 in the Best and Worst Airports in the US.
DAL saw 7,819,383 passengers board aircraft in 2018, placing it 32nd nationwide. More than 92 percent of DAL passengers fly on Southwest, which has its corporate headquarters there. Alaska Airlines and Delta also operate from DAL but neither operates a lounge.
Houston Hobby (HOU)
Houston Hobby (HOU) placed 42nd out of 50 in TPG's Best and Worst Airports in the US ranking.
HOU saw 7,057,673 passengers board in 2018, making it 35th nationwide. More than 93% of HOU passengers fly on Southwest and HOU is a focus airport for the airline. Delta accounts for about 3% of passengers and American Airlines accounts for about 2% but neither airline operates a lounge. JetBlue carried about 1% of HOU passengers in 2018 but will discontinue operations at the airport on Oct. 26, 2019. The sole lounge at the airport is a USO lounge in the main terminal but it's only available to active-duty service members and their families.
Kansas City (MCI)
Kansas City (MCI) placed 40th out of 50 on TPG's Best and Worst Airports in the US list.
MCI saw 5,791,205 passengers board in 2018, ranking it 41st nationwide. More than 50% of passengers at MCI fly on Southwest. Delta serves about 14% of MCI's passengers, American about 10% and United about 4%. Various other airlines, such as Air Canada, Alaska, Allegiant, Frontier, Icelandair and Spirit, also operate some flights at MCI. In the past, Delta and American each operated lounges at MCI but no airlines currently operate lounges at the airport.
Airports With Only Airline Clubs
Even if Delta, United or American operated lounges at any of the four airports discussed above, most passengers wouldn't have access. This is because Delta requires Sky Club guests to be flying Delta or one of Delta's partners in order to access its lounges, and American and United are implementing similar requirements starting Nov. 1, 2019. So even if you have membership or access to these lounges -- which you can get with select credit cards -- this isn't, or soon won't be, enough to enter if you're not flying with the associated airline or its partners.
For many travelers -- especially those who aren't loyal to one particular airline or who prefer an airline like Southwest that doesn't operate lounges -- the presence of Delta, American and United lounges doesn't help nearly as much as Priority Pass lounges and American Express Global Lounge Collection lounges, such as Centurion Lounges. This is because access to these lounges, which also comes as a benefit of select credit cards, generally isn't dependent on the airline you're flying on that particular day.
With this in mind, here's a list of the six US airports that boarded more than 5,000,000 passengers in 2018 but don't offer any lounges besides airline club lounges. As can be seen in the table, other airlines operate a large portion of the flights from all these airports -- which leaves (or will soon leave) many passengers without a lounge option unless they not only have club access via a membership or day pass, but are also on that airline that day.
| Airport | Boardings in 2018 | Airlines Offering Lounges (Carrier Share at Airport based on BTS statistics)* |
|---|---|---|
Salt Lake City (SLC) | 12,228,677 | Delta (51%) |
Nashville (BNA) | 7,819,388 | Delta (11%), American (10%) |
Austin (AUS) | 7,717,251 | American (18%), Delta (13%), United (12%) |
New Orleans (MSY) | 6,583,031 | Delta (16%) |
Raleigh (RDU) | 6,260,001 | American (18%), Delta (18%), United (9%) |
Orange County (SNA) | 5,199,265 | American (16%), United (16%) |
*Some shares may be slightly higher than stated since the BTS statistics list some carriers that operate regional flights for multiple airlines, such as SkyWest, as a separate carrier.
Bottom Line
There's one obvious similarity with all four airports that don't offer any lounges: a heavy Southwest presence. Southwest serves the most passengers at these four airports -- more than 90% for three out of the four airports -- and it doesn't operate any lounges.
As the Priority Pass lounge network continues to grow, hopefully we'll see lounges -- especially restaurants -- appear in airports that don't currently offer adequate options for travelers looking for a break from the gates.
Related: The Best Credit Cards for Airport Lounge Access and The Best Credit Cards for Priority Pass Lounge Access
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- 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.
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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. |
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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.