The Air India Maharaja Lounge at New York JFK is probably not worth your time, but if you have a morning Star Alliance flight from T4, it still beats the gate area.
Air India Maharaja Lounge New York JFK Review
Located in busy Terminal 4, the lounge serves Star Alliance business class passengers, Star Alliance Gold members, and Priority Pass members. The lounge is open daily from 9:30am to 6:30pm and is upstairs above Gate 5. You’ll find it next to the Emirates lounge adjacent to the Virgin Atlantic Clubhouse, which both provide a decidedly different experience…
I visited recently before a United Airlines flight from JFK-LAX (after a steak at Bobby Van’s, thankfully I was not hungry). I could have entered with Priority Pass credentials but that was not necessary; I just had to scan my United boarding pass then present by digital Star Alliance gold card.
The lounge was crowded when I arrived, though 10 minutes later it had substantially emptied out. The entire lounge is one large rectangular room with chairs, couches, and tables. And these chairs, couches, and tables are showing their age, with many sporting ripped or torn fabric.
I’ve never flown Air India business class, but this is what I hear the seats look like on Air India too…
I will say the tarmac views are nice if you enjoy watching planes:
Perhaps this lounge offered a nice spread of delicious Indian food prior to the pandemic, but these days it is packaged or individually-wrapped food, including:
- hummus
- vegetables and dip
- macaroni salad
- turkey wrap
- veggies sandwiches
- cheese
- grapes
- instant noodles
- chips
- trail mix
- cinnamon rolls
- cookies
- apples
iIt could be worse, but the sandwiches and wraps did not look fresh or cold.
There’s no alcohol available – just water, juice, soft drinks, tea, and coffee:
The men’s restroom had water and soap all over the counter and floor:
CONCLUSION
With both the American Express Centurion and SWISS lounge located nearby, I would only visit this lounge as a lounge of last resort. I suppose it would do in a pinch and is essentially for Air India passengers (considering AI102 to Delhi departs at 12:30pm), but the (recently renovated) SWISS lounge is open 5:00pm to 9:00pm. Consider it the better Star Alliance option.
Irony is everything, as one would think that the “Maharaja” would be less than pleased with this in his title.
Thanks for this post. I’ll never bother letting curiosity get me to leave the Centurion in T4.
I flew AI in J DEL-FRA back in ’17. It was actually a very pleasant flight with attentive service, but the AI lounge offering is bad everywhere… Except, if I recall correctly, domestic in DEL.
It’s the worst lounge on the planet. Even pre covid they offered similar selections and nasty bathrooms. They kinda match the terrible and smelly air India flights
It looks like the lounge is catered by Costco. Kirkland hummus. Cup noodles and juice you can buy at Costco.
How did Costco (Kirkland) hummus make it into the lounge? There is a Costco in Westbury, Long Island, so perhaps someone popped by on his way to work…
P.S. I am literally drinking Kirkland drip coffee made at home as I type this so I am not against Kirkland hummus. 🙂
Oh Jim, Kirkland coffee when you have so many great coffee ships around?! 😉
I start my day with Braun drip and hopefully improve from there. 🙂
Please review an Air India flight! I’d love to see that on a ultra long haul from SFO-DEL.