It’s no secret that JFK’s Terminal 8 is a bit cliquey. One of New York’s freshest transit spots has been turning into a bit of a oneworld hub as of late, and that’s been furthered this month with the opening of three new JFK oneworld lounges, some of which Qantas passengers will have access to – perfect timing just months ahead of the Flying Kangaroo’s Big Apple route from Sydney to New York via Auckland.
The co-located lounges are the result of a US$400 million (~AU$590 million) joint investment from oneworld members American Airlines and British Airways.
The two airlines are involved in a trans-Atlantic joint business venture, and this has been one of the major goals of the agreement for the past few years along with transforming the entire Terminal 8 with a refreshed check-in area, five new wide-body gates and just over 12,000 square metres of refurbished space.
Opened this month, the Chelsea Lounge, Soho Lounge and Greenwich Lounge are named after neighbourhoods found across both London and New York City, two of which have been treated with an appropriately high-end touch with the other being a bit of a refresh to the original American Airlines lounge.
The new lounges come as various other oneworld Alliance members make the move from other JFK terminals to Terminal 8. Spanish carrier Iberia made the move earlier this month, Qantas has already completed the move, and Japan Airlines is set to leave Terminal 1 for Terminal 8 in May 2023. Cathay Pacific, Finnair and Qatar Airways have also done the dash to Terminal 8, hence the transit hub becoming one big love-in for the oneworld Alliance.
All three lounges are open from 4:30 AM to 12:30 AM, seven days a week.
To give you a better idea of the three new JFK oneworld lounges, here are details on each below.
Chelsea Lounge
The new, windowless Chelsea Lounge at JFK Terminal 8 is the most exclusive of the three and has been treated with a sense of opulence to put it on par with some of the best airport lounges in America. As you can see from photos, there’s a rather large circular Champagne bar in the middle of the lounge and this will reportedly focus on various expressions of Krug.
Alongside the Champagne bar, you’ll find private workstations, a seated area with a fireplace suspended from the ceiling, no less than three shower suites with rain showers and a large dining area serving an a la carte menu designed by 2022 James Beard Award Finalist Ayesha Nurdjaja.
Accessibility will be a bit limited for the Chelsea Lounge to retain that sense of exclusivity. American Airlines passengers flying Flagship First on a qualifying flight will have access, of course, while anyone travelling on Business Plus on select same-day flights can also enter. British Airways passengers who already have access to the exclusive Concorde Room Lounge in London will be able to come in as well.
Soho Lounge
Soho Lounge is the mid-tier of the three new JFK oneworld lounges. Occupying a space of around 1,161 square metres, it shares a check-in area with the Chelsea Lounge and is distinguished by large floor-to-ceiling windows offering views of the tarmac.
While it may lack the Champagne bar of its more exclusive neighbour, the Chelsea Lounge still sounds like a good time. You’ll get access to four shower suites, private workstations, a stylish cocktail bar and both buffet and a la carte dining options that have also been designed by Nurdjaja.
Given it’s effectively a oneworld Emerald Lounge, the Soho Lounge is accessible for Qantas Platinum and Platinum One frequent flyers as well as American Airlines passengers who have either AAdvantage Executive Platinum status, AAdvantage Platinum Pro status or Alaska Airline’s MVP Gold 75K status.
Greenwich Lounge
Various oneworld Sapphire frequent flyers will have access to the Greenwich Lounge, which is the least impressive of the three new JFK oneworld lounges but still looks quite valuable for long-haul passengers. Qantas Gold members, for example, would have access to this space, which is American Airlines’ rebranded Flagship lounge with room for around 500 travellers.
Amenities are what you’d usually expect from a standard airport lounge, with an expansive buffet station nearby plenty of work tables and two shower suites.
