Skyteam changes lounge access rules: a blow to the circle and a blow to the barrel
In the continuing quest to improve the airport experience for its elite passengers, starting April 1, 2025, SkyTeam will bring [...]
SkyTeam
In the continuous quest to improve the airport experience of its elite passengers, Starting April 1, 2025, SkyTeam will make some changes to the lounge access policy .
In this article:
The change will be effective not only for those traveling with Elite plus Skyteam status, but also for business and first class passengers.
How Skyteam lounge access policy changes
The change is extended to both alliance lounges and those of a number of airlines, a list that will be updated in the coming months.
Lounge access for domesitic flights: For the first time, SkyTeam will offer lounge access to Elite Plus customers traveling on domestic flights as an added benefit. Domestic lounge access will initially be available at selected lounges of Air France, China Eastern, Garuda Indonesia, Kenya Airways, KLM, SAS, Saudia and Vietnam Airlines. The goal is to be able to gradually expand access to more domestic lounges in the future
Guests in the lounge: Elite Plus customers are entitled to bring one guest with them to the lounge. All guests must travel on the same SkyTeam-operated flight as the Elite Plus customer.
Lounge access for 3 hours at departure: To help provide a more relaxed pre-flight experience upon departure for eligible Elite Plus, First and Business Class customers, 3-hour lounge access will be introduced in multiple lounges. Elite Plus customers transiting between two SkyTeam-operated flights will continue to enjoy same-day/24-hour access at the connection point.
What are the improvements and what are not
The entrance to the Skyteam lounge in Istanbul.
Skyteam's decision was to give with one hand and take away with the other. Until March 31 there will be no hourly restrictions on lounge access, from the next day there will be access only in the 3 hours before the flight. While for 99 out of 100 passengers this change will be painless, certainly some passengers will be harmed.
Conversely, I often found myself in situations where I was not allowed into the lounge precisely because I was flying on a domestic route (China) with Elite Plus status in economy, now on almost half of the Skyteam carriers this will no longer happen.
The biggest limitation is definitely the constraint that the host, in order to enter the lounge, must be on the same flight as the inviter. It has often happened to me that I have invited friends whom I met at the airport into the lounge, but they were not traveling on the same flight as me. However, this is nothing new since Lufthansa has also included a similar restriction in past years.
In conclusion
I have often had to enter lounges hours earlier and this restriction will ruin my plans, however, I hope that this change will not be strict but take into account the crowding of lounges from time to time. Do you want to have illmited access to Skyteam lounges? become an ITA Airways Platinum American Express Cardholder you will have immediate access to Premium status in the Volare loyalty program and thus be eligible for Skyteam Elite Plus status through 2026.
