With the addition of the Virgin Atlantic Clubhouse to the portfolio, Washington Dulles (IAD) now offers four Priority Pass lounges. Which one is best?
The four lounges include:
- Air France/KLM Lounge
- British Airways Galleries Lounge
- Turkish Airlines Lounge
- Virgin Atlantic Clubhouse
I’ve visited each lounge and chronicled them for this blog. Here’s how I rank them.
4. British Airways Galleries Lounge
The British Airways Galleries lounge is open from 7:00 A.M. to 2:00 P.M. each day for Priority Pass members. Showers are available along with light snacks like chips, apples, bananas, soft drinks, coffee, and cookies. Internet works well and newspapers are also available. What I like about this lounge is that is is usually quiet and is a nice place to stop for coffee and a quick shower.
3. Virgin Atlantic Clubhouse
The Virgin Atlantic Clubhouse is open from 6:00 A.M. to 1:30 P.M. for Priority Pass members. I just reviewed it yesterday and like that it has a decent breakfast spread, including the only hot breakfast option available in an IAD Priority Pass lounge. Coffee is poor, there are no showers, and the seating is less comfortable than in the British Airways lounge, unless you can snag a couch. Nevertheless, it’s a solid choice if you are looking for a quick bite to eat.
2. Air France/KLM Lounge
With plenty of seats and an open floor-plan, I love the style of this lounge. I also like the lounge’s fairly extensive selection of food and drink during the day, including sandwiches, bread, cheese, pizza, soup, crudités, fruit, and desserts. Showers are available and Priority Pass lounge hours are extended (7:00 A.M. to 8:30 P.M.) compared to the British Airways and Virgin Atlantic lounges. Do note, however, that between 3:00 P.M. and 7:00 P.M. Priority Pass members may be turned away if the lounge is crowded. I have visited during those hours before and was still allowed in. Power outlets are sparse: be warned.
1. Turkish Airlines Lounge
I’d say the Turkish Airlines lounge wins by a long shot. This lounge is open to Priority Pass members from 6:00 A.M. to 11:00 P.M. (as well as to Star Alliance Gold and business class flyers). While breakfast is about on par with the Virgin Atlantic lounge, lunch and dinner are truly a treat, with an excellent selection of Mediteriean-themed dishes. A full bar is available as are showers and the best coffee of all the Priority Pass lounges. Service is also excellent in this lounge. While the lounge can get a bit crowded in the evening, keep in mind there is a “hidden” seating area down the hall past the restrooms and showers.
CONCLUSION
It is great to have choices and you certainly have options at Washington Dulles. While all four lounges are respectable in their own way, I’d head straight to the Turkish Airlines lounge every time.
top image courtesy of Washington Dulles International Airport
I always head straight to Turkish Airlines, nice spread friendly staff.
same as me, heading straight to Turkish lounge. BA lounge is the worst.
While I agree TK has the best PP facility in general, crowding is a real problem there, depending on the time. Personally, I also like the food and champagne in the AF lounge, but I have seen people turned away in the afternoon when the AF TATL flights are. One factor for me is which gate I am flying out of. These lounges are all in A/B, while UA, which I am flying the majority of the time, flies out of C/D, which means you can visit the A/B lounges only when you have a nice amount of time. However, UA uses the low A gates (1-5) for some UA regional jets, and then the VA and AF lounges make a lot of sense. My personal favorites at IAD, though not PP, are the BA Concorde Room and the LH Senator Lounge. The only lounge I have not been to is Etihad. Perhaps in a few years when IAD gets a Polaris lounge, C/D might have a decent lounge to visit.
I agree on your rankings. May want to mention also that Turkish has been blocking entry lately until 7pm due to overcrowding.
Also – not only is BA the distant fourth, the staff there can be downright rude.
One of my favorite things to do when I’m waiting for my flight at Dulles is to buy a meal from Wendy’s and sit in their seating area in the terminal and watch all the crowds trying to get access to the Turkish lounge.
I have used the KLM/Air France several times with Priority Pass – always with a badly hidden snob tone in the reception that clearly made me feel like a second rate human.
Now Turkish Airlines is my preferred lounge with no competition.
@a Actually not so jealous now after seeing the inside of these lounges. They aren’t _that_ great.
So, I’ve got an IAD conundrum coming up. The last few years almost all flying has been on DL, F9, and WN, with nothing but short jaunts to the west coast from my home base in DEN.
But next month my buddy and I are coming through IAD on the way to Europe and I’m going to have close to 5 hours on the ground, likely arriving at C and leaving from D.
Here’s my issue. Do we schlep over the the B terminal and pay Priority Pass $54 (I have just the basic PP and don’t travel enough anymore to bother chasing a full pass) to get in the Turkish Lounge, do I pay UA $120 to just use one of their lounges closer to my gate, or is there someplace nice at IAD that’s at least as nice to hang out at for 4 hours that’d cost no more than these options?
Of course, we might opt to bail on the airport altogether and head over Udvar-Hazy Center for a bit, but I’ve been and my buddy’s not that into planes.
I would not waste your money. Check out the Udvar-Hazy Center or stop by the BA lounge and smuggle out some packaged apples, chips, and cookies for a snack. The United Club is not worthwhile.
I figured as much. Hell, I’m based in Denver and haven’t felt compelled to ante up for United Club membership. Thanks for confirming my instincts.
Udvar Hazy is nice if you haven’t seen it and like aircraft history. But if staying in the airport, I’d use PP. TK only has one shower, though, if you want to use it, sign up early. The UCs are definitely not worth it. Downright embarrassing to United for a paid business class passenger to go to such a place..
In the Turkish Airlines lounge right now. Entered without a problem on PP around 3:30pm on Monday, December 30th. Didn’t even ask to see my ticket. Busy, but found a seat right away. Staff keeping the tables cleared and buffet dished filled.
Delicious spicy beef stew, curried chicken, yellow rice, vegetables, red lentil soup… Plus hummus, baba ganoush, minted yogurt, grilled pita, cheeses, quinoa taboule, salads, fruit and baklava. Topped off with a glass of champagne it’s definitely worth the trip from C Terminal since I’ve got 2 1/2 hours to kill.