British Airways flagship lounge at JFK's Terminal 7 reopens after 16 months
Aug. 02, 2021
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2 min read
British Airways flagship lounge at JFK's Terminal 7 reopens after 16 months
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In yet another sign that international travel is on the rebound, British Airways has reopened its lounge at New York's Kennedy Airport (JFK). The lounge, considered the airline's flagship lounge in the U.S., had been closed for 16 months as a result of the pandemic.
The lounge, which is located at JFK's Terminal 7, officially reopened on Sunday. It coincides with the U.K.'s announcement that from Aug. 2, travelers from the U.S. who are fully vaccinated will not have to quarantine when they arrive in Britain.
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“After the news about the change in entry requirements for U.S. customers in to the U.K., we expect to host more customers who need to travel and so we have decided that it is the right time to open our flagship lounge in New York," British Airways said in a statement.
The JFK lounge is one of the busiest BA spaces, serving hundreds of First Class and Club World passengers, as well as other eligible pass holders who take one of the many daily NYC-Heathrow flights. In 2019, the airline had refreshed the lounge space as part of a $65 million renovation to its footprint in Terminal 7.
One advantage for those flying from JFK in First and Club World who drop by the lounge is being able to check-in for the travel at the exclusive Premium Zone. The First Wing and First check-in are also open to save passengers time.
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The opening of the lounge at JFK is the latest move in BA's lounge reopening plan, which is happening in phases. The carrier recently reopened three domestic lounges in Edinburgh, Glasgow and Aberdeen. Its First and Arrivals lounges at Heathrow were reopened in July 2020.
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Editorial disclaimer: Opinions expressed here are the author’s alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airline or hotel chain, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities.
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- Unlimited 3x points on the broad category of travel and dining
- 50% more value when you redeem your points for travel through Chase Ultimate Rewards®
- Broad definitions for travel and dining bonus categories
Cons
- Steep $550 annual fee
- May not make sense for people that don't travel frequently
- You must spend the $300 travel credit before earning 3x points for travel and dining
- No automatic hotel elite status
- Earn 80,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $1,200 toward travel when you redeem through Chase Ultimate Rewards®
- $300 Annual Travel Credit as reimbursement for travel purchases charged to your card each account anniversary year.
- Earn 5x total points on flights and 10x total points on hotels and car rentals when you purchase travel through Chase Ultimate Rewards® immediately after the first $300 is spent on travel purchases annually. Earn 3x points on other travel and dining & 1 point per $1 spent on all other purchases
- Get 50% more value when you redeem your points for travel through Chase Ultimate Rewards®. For example, 80,000 points are worth $1,200 toward travel
- 1:1 point transfer to leading airline and hotel loyalty programs
- Access to 1,300+ airport lounges worldwide after an easy, one-time enrollment in Priority Pass™ Select and up to $100 application fee credit every four years for Global Entry, NEXUS, or TSA PreCheck®
- Count on Trip Cancellation/Interruption Insurance, Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver, Lost Luggage Insurance and more