Review: Prime Class Lounge New York JFK

Terminal 4 at New York’s JFK Airport is basically the home of Delta Airlines and accordingly, in addition to several Delta SkyClubs, there is also a Virgin Clubhouse as an additional SkyTeam Lounge. However, when flying on an airline other than a SkyTeam airline, the lounge landscape quickly becomes thin.

With the Prime Class Lounge in Terminal 4, there is also an independent lounge, which is used by a number of airlines as a contract lounge. On a Singapore Airlines flight back to Frankfurt, I was offered this lounge as an alternative to the Air India Lounge. Since I have quite high expectations with Singapore Airlines, I went to the Prime Class Lounge full of anticipation and was unfortunately bitterly disappointed, as you can read in this lounge review.

The Prime Class Lounge isn’t even a particularly bad lounge, but it just doesn’t meet the standards of a 5-star airline like Singapore Airlines. You also have to honestly say that the lounge was still being run as a “Pop Up Lounge” when I visited and I’m not sure how permanent the whole thing is. In March 2023, however, it can still be found as shown in this review from early January 2023.

Prime Class Lounge New York JFK | location and access

The lounge is located after security on the left, at the end of the central area with the duty free shops. The description at check-in “opposite Mc Donalds” is a bit strange, but it made it easier for me to find the lounge, because it is well signposted.

However, the bright red entrance to the Prime Class Lounge New York JFK in Terminal 4 is very difficult to miss.

In principle, the Prime Class Lounge is an independent lounge and is not directly assigned to any airline. During my visit, it was also used for Singapore Airlines Business Class passengers, as the only Star Alliance lounge in the terminal, the Air India Lounge, was completely overcrowded before departure for Frankfurt.

Normally, however, you can visit the Prime Class Lounge with membership cards, such as a Priority Pass. You get this with the American Express Platinum card, for example, and with the Priority Pass you have access to the lounge for you and a guest, regardless of the airline and the class in which you are traveling.

In addition, with the AMEX Platinum you get two Priority Pass full memberships, so ideally you can take four people with you to the lounge.

THE card for frequent flyers

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Prime Class Lounge New York JFK | Equipment

The lounge itself is quite small and basically just one room, which unfortunately doesn’t even have windows. The good lighting concept of the lounge does not give the feeling of a basement room, but I clearly prefer a lounge with daylight, even if this would not have been the case when I visited in the evening.

In the lounge you will find several seating groups with comfortable armchairs and you have actually found a quiet spot here, which is not guaranteed in a lounge in New York. For example, I used the Prime Class Lounge for work because it was much quieter than the Centurion Lounge, but this is certainly a matter of taste.

Further ahead in the lounge there is a bistro area with high chairs and tables, which can be used for eating or working.

By the way, if the facility looks familiar to you, it comes from the Swiss Lounge in Terminal 4 in JFK, which was permanently closed during the Corona Pandemic because Swiss finally moved to Terminal 1, which is used by Lufthansa. Even though it would of course have suited me well that evening if the Swiss Lounge had still existed as another Star Alliance Lounge, but only marginally.

Unfortunately, the Prime Class Lounge New York JFK does not have any other facilities such as toilets or showers, which in turn does not make the lounge look particularly good.

Prime Class Lounge New York JFK | to eat and drink

A buffet is set up in the lounge, where you can help yourself to food and drinks. It only offers cold dishes such as salads and sandwiches, as well as chips and cookies. Only the oranges and apples made a really healthy impression, which is certainly not impressive, but not unusual by US standards either.

The amount of disposable packaging and plastic cutlery is nothing absurd in the USA, but in the meantime unusual in the amount for an airport lounge.

I found it interesting that the only drinks offered were soft drinks, tea and coffee from the machines. There is no alcohol in the Prime Class Lounge, either for free or for a fee.

When I asked, I was told that they didn’t have a license for this, since it was only a pop-up lounge and alcohol was not allowed in the lounge.

Prime Class Lounge New York JFK | Frankfurtflyer Kommentar

The Prime Class Lounge in New York is certainly not a lounge for getting to the airport extra early, but before my departure it was an oasis of calm and unlike the busy terminal and all the other lounges I was in that day, I have get a seat here.

Maybe it was the Swiss Mobiliar that made sure that I felt so comfortable in this otherwise rather dreary lounge with a limited offer that I stayed here for almost an hour.

In the end, however, you have to honestly say that you are probably better off in other lounges in Terminal 4 than in the Prime Class Lounge, as long as they are not very full again. Exactly then this lounge is a very nice addition and quite “nice to have”.