- Introduction: Zipping To Tokyo Via Mongolia
- Review: American First Class Boeing 737 (MIA-LGA)
- Review: Chase Sapphire Lounge New York LaGuardia Airport (LGA)
- Review: Chase Sapphire Lounge New York Kennedy Airport (JFK)
- Review: VIP ONE Lounge New York Kennedy Airport (JFK)
- Review: Primeclass Lounge New York Kennedy Airport (JFK)
- Review: Turkish Airlines Lounge New York Kennedy Airport (JFK)
- Review: Lufthansa Lounge New York Kennedy Airport (JFK)
- Review: Air France Lounge New York Kennedy Airport (JFK)
- Review: Air France Business Class Airbus A350 (JFK-CDG)
- Review: Air France HOP Business Class Embraer E190 (CDG-FRA)
- Review: Hyatt Place Frankfurt Airport (FRA)
- Review: Primeclass Lounge Frankfurt Airport (FRA)
- Review: MIAT Mongolian Airlines Business Class Boeing 787 (FRA-UBN)
- Review: MIAT Mongolian Airlines Lounge Ulaanbaatar Airport (UBN)
- Review: MIAT Mongolian Airlines Business Class Boeing 737 (UBN-ICN)
- Review: Seoul Incheon Airport Transit Hotel (ICN)
- Review: Oneworld Lounge Seoul Incheon Airport (ICN)
- Review: ZIPAIR Full Flat Business Class Boeing 787 (ICN-NRT)
- Review: Hotel Villa Fontaine Tokyo Haneda Airport (HND)
- Review: TIAT Lounge Tokyo Haneda Airport (HND)
- Review: Cathay Pacific Lounge Tokyo Haneda Airport (HND)
- Review: Japan Airlines First Lounge Tokyo Haneda Airport (HND)
During my trip to Japan via Mongolia, I had the chance to check out several lounges at New York JFK Terminal 1 prior to my Air France A350 flight to Paris. One of the lounges that I checked out was the Primeclass Lounge New York JFK, which was surprisingly pleasant.
Look, this isn’t one of the world’s best lounges, but for a Priority Pass lounge in the United States, I thought it was quite good, with nice decor, an extensive food selection, and best of all, it wasn’t crowded. Separately, I’ve reviewed the the Air France Lounge, the Lufthansa Lounge, and the Turkish Airlines Lounge.
In this post:
Primeclass Lounge New York JFK location
The Primeclass Lounge New York JFK Terminal 1 is located between gates eight and nine. So after clearing security (hopefully by using the VIP ONE Lounge experience), follow the signage in that direction.
Walk for quite a distance, and then at the end of the concourse you’ll see the entrance to the Primeclass Lounge, which is hard to miss.
The lounge is located one level under the concourse (accessible by stairs or an elevator), so the only thing on the concourse level is the reception desk.
Primeclass Lounge New York JFK hours
The Primeclass Lounge New York JFK Terminal 1 is open daily from 11:30AM until 1AM, except on Wednesdays and Fridays, when it closes at 11:30PM. However, you can expect the hours to change based on airline schedules, so don’t count on that sticking.
Primeclass Lounge New York JFK entry requirements
The Primeclass Lounge New York JFK Terminal 1 can be accessed in a variety of ways. For one, the lounge is open to Priority Pass members, with usage allowed for up to three hours. There are of course many premium credit cards offering Priority Pass memberships.
This is also used as a contract lounge for some airlines, though I’m not exactly sure which, since that’s not how I accessed the lounge.
Primeclass Lounge New York JFK seating & layout
The Primeclass Lounge New York JFK Terminal 1 is roughly 400 square meters (~4,300 square feet), with seating for 95 guests. So the lounge isn’t huge, but then again, based on my experience, it doesn’t get too busy. Terminal 1 has quite a few Priority Pass lounges, so no lounge gets too busy.
When you enter the lounge on the lower level, you’ll see several rows of chairs with small coffee tables, plus high-top seating with dining tables. This is all right by the bar area.
Then when you go deeper into the lounge, you’ll find a variety of other seating options, ranging from a long bench with dining tables, to semi-private chairs, to chairs for lounging.
Then back near the entrance, the lounge has a small business center. This includes two office chairs, along with one PC.
That’s the extent of the lounge — as you can see, it’s quite small, but also reasonably nicely furnished.
Primeclass Lounge New York JFK food & drinks
The Primeclass Lounge New York JFK Terminal 1 has an extensive food selection, at least for a Priority Pass lounge. The main buffet is located along one of the walls, and features a variety of hot and cold options.
This includes everything from a delicious salad bar, to fruit and cheese, to several desserts, to instant noodles, to two kinds of soups, to four hot dishes.
The soup options included a tomato basil soup and a broccoli cheddar soup, while the other hot dishes included chicken basquaise, creamy mushroom pasta, roasted vegetables, and rice pilaf.
Then there was a drink station with espresso machines, a tea selection, a water dispenser, juice, and canned soda.
Alcoholic drinks are available at the bar. While premium drinks are available for purchase, there are four complimentary wine options (a white, a red, a rose, and a sparkling), five complimentary beer options, and five complimentary liquor options.
Primeclass Lounge New York JFK bathrooms
The Primeclass Lounge New York JFK Terminal 1 restrooms are located in the very back of the lounge, on the right.
There are two individual, private restrooms, which are fairly nice (well, by JFK standards).
On top of that, the lounge has one shower suite, though I didn’t have a chance to check it out during my visit.
Bottom line
The Primeclass Lounge New York JFK Terminal 1 is an above average Priority Pass lounge, at least by United States standards. The lounge is nicely furnished, and has a good selection of hot and cold food. Best of all, at least based on my experience, the lounge doesn’t get overcrowded.
While I think Terminal 1 is one of the worst at JFK, one highlight of the terminal is just how many Priority Pass lounges there are. This one is worth a visit, in my opinion.
What do you make of the Primeclass Lounge New York JFK?
The lounge is a secret no more! :-)
A quick Google search says the following have access to the lounge, in addition to PP (taken from the Primeclass website):
Dragon Pass
Loungeme
TAV Passport
Cayman Airlines (Cayman Airways?)
Chine Eastern Airlines (assuming they misspelt China)
LoungePair
Not sure why MU would send their passengers there, what with being a part of Skyteam and all...
Wow, that food looks better than the slop they have out in the AA/BA Greenwich Lounge in T8. The Food there is absolutely the cheapest slop I’ve ever seen
Even the made to order Grilled Cheese Sandwich was a huge disappointment with about the size of a nickel’s worth cheese used. Absolutely disgusting.
Then you should try the Soho Lounge or the Chelsea Lounge. The food in these lounges is pretty good. Almost never crowded.
Best part of this lounge is the location, assuming your flight leaves from one of those gates. It can get crowded, but I've never had an issue getting a seat. It's been a few months since I've visited, so it seems like they have improved the food a bit. The only real downside is you're limited to 2 complimentary alcoholic drinks.
How many alcoholic drinks does one need at an airport lounge?
I'm not a big drinker, but during my last visit I had a 3 hour delay. That's a very long time to be in a lounge and only get 2 drinks.
Julia, you sound like a hater. Most of us do not "need" alcoholic beverages...we just want some in the club...just like we want a PDB...but we don't need one. Okay, I'm speaking for myself.
I used this lounge recently while waiting to board an LX flight to ZRH and found it to be quite nice, considering how awful JFK Terminal 1 is, given it is often very crowded. The location was perfect. My flight was departing from one of the gates at the end of the concourse, above this lounge. The food was average, and not plentiful, but the space was clean and cozy (I would not call it...
I used this lounge recently while waiting to board an LX flight to ZRH and found it to be quite nice, considering how awful JFK Terminal 1 is, given it is often very crowded. The location was perfect. My flight was departing from one of the gates at the end of the concourse, above this lounge. The food was average, and not plentiful, but the space was clean and cozy (I would not call it luxurious, but it did the trick, and there are some nice apron views out the window (you're actually on a level below the concourse) and even near capacity, it felt like an oasis. The lounge portfolio at JFK T1 isn't amazing. Having experienced the AF, LH, and TK ones at this terminal, this one was a cut above the rest.
As you articulated the lounge is above average for the locality, unless things have changed recently when I was through there in December you were only allowed 2 complimentary alcoholic drinks per visit from the standard selections, of course premium offerings are not free.
I don't love when lounges upcharge for higher end alcohol, but really hate when they charge essentially airport prices for the upcharge. Those prices appear to mirror a nearby bar in T1 when I feel there should be some discount to consider when it's one less free drink to serve, which likely cuts their cost by 20-60%, depending on how high up the premium liquor is. But $8 more for a Corona over Peroni is...
I don't love when lounges upcharge for higher end alcohol, but really hate when they charge essentially airport prices for the upcharge. Those prices appear to mirror a nearby bar in T1 when I feel there should be some discount to consider when it's one less free drink to serve, which likely cuts their cost by 20-60%, depending on how high up the premium liquor is. But $8 more for a Corona over Peroni is crazy.
Also, it's crazy how nice this Primeclass lounge is, but the one next door in T4 is dreadful.