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We Made Cheese Plates out of Lounge Food at Newark Airport and Had a Really Gouda Time

March 08, 2019
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3 min read
Cheese March 2019_SRosen-1
We Made Cheese Plates out of Lounge Food at Newark Airport and Had a Really Gouda Time
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For most people, airport lounges are a way to pass some time before your flight, grab a bite to eat — and maybe even have a drink or two.

Well... we're not most people.

For us, it was a place to make three different cheese plates with none other than Marissa Mullen, the Internet's favorite Cheese Plate Influencer. PS: She flies JetBlue economy better than you. Unsurprisingly, we had a really gouda time.

We decided to head to Newark Airport (EWR), since it has lounges for the Big Three airlines: Delta, United and American. Our journey began by the American Airlines gates, where we found ourselves at the Admirals Club. It's a pretty modest lounge, and thankfully was very empty when we arrived around 11:30am. We headed straight to the food section to scope out our options, and were pleasantly surprised. After all, cheese, hummus, olives, carrots and tomatoes are all the makings of a great cheese plate. See for yourself:

(Photo by Samantha Rosen/The Points Guy)

After that, we headed to the Delta gates to make ourselves at home in the SkyClub. We had to take the monorail, which felt like Disney World and definitely added to the absolute absurdity of the whole day. In related news: My job is really weird.

We decided to go for a brunch theme here since they had hard-boiled eggs. Here, Marissa also explained to me her whole "Cheese by Numbers" strategy — a.k.a. how to assemble the perfect cheese plate, every single time. We topped it all off with some mimosas, naturally.

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(Photo by Samantha Rosen/The Points Guy)

Last but not least, we headed to the United Club in Terminal C. Yes, I know what you're thinking: "Why did you go there instead of the Polaris Lounge?! What is wrong with you?" My answer to that? We wanted to compare apples to apples — or at least cheddars to cheddars.

All in all, we were actually the most impressed by the United Club. It was the biggest of all the lounges we saw that day, and it had this gorgeous colorful light fixture in the middle. I guess that's good since it's such an important airport for United. At the lounge, we opted for a "dessert" cheese plate, because it stands to reason to have a dessert cheese plate after your brunch cheese plate while adventuring through Newark Airport, right?

(Photo by Samantha Rosen/The Points Guy)

After we made each plate, we excitedly brought it over to the lounge agents at the front — and I kid you not, every single time, they were so thankful and appreciative. Granted, we had literally just assembled cheese and other various snacks from the lounge in which they work in (Marissa did bring her own garnish, though!), but it just goes to show you that people really do appreciate the little things in life — and that a smile and some friendly conversation can go a long way.

Not to sound cheesy (pun intended) but next time you find yourself in an airport lounge with some time to kill, take a moment to appreciate what you have around you — you never know, you may be able to turn it into an Instagram-friendly masterpiece.

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Apply for American Express® Gold Card
at American Express's secure site
Terms & restrictions apply. See rates & fees
Best for dining at restaurants

American Express® Gold Card

TPG Editor‘s Rating
4 / 5
Go to review

Rewards Rate

4XEarn 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.
4XEarn 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.
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  • Intro Offer

    As High As 100,000 points. Find Out Your Offer.

  • Annual Fee

    $325

  • Recommended Credit

    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.