Priority Pass lounge review: Virgin Atlantic Clubhouse SFO
Lounge: Virgin Atlantic Clubhouse, International Terminal A, San Francisco International Airport
Dates of visit: December 2, 2024 & September 30, 2024
Rating: 3 stars out of 5
Pros: Large tea selection, decent ambience, showers
Cons: Very limited opening hours for Priority Pass members, arbitrary policies for PP members, gets crowded, small beverage selection
My first visit was at the start of very limited night hours for Priority Pass members: 10:30 pm — 11:30pm. (And boy, does the staff enforce these.) PP members are separated from airline business class passengers in two ways: lounge seating and beverage selection. PP members sit on the opposite side of the lounge and they’re allowed only beer and wine. All food is ordered from a QR code. Highlights include grilled chicken sandwich, Caesar salad and ice cream.
My second visit was at the tail end of the morning hours. The employee at the front desk denied me entry, but after I pleaded with her and pointed out that the PP member section was less than half full, she let me in. The food menu at this time was far bigger than my first visit. However, everything cost extra for PP members! It turned out that Japan Airlines passengers, which I was on this day, could get food for free.
The interior design of this lounge is far short of the extravagant Virgin Atlantic Clubhouse JFK.
In conclusion, I would visit this lounge only as a last resort due to its oft-changing Priority Pass policy and overly strict enforcement.
