For the subsequent portion of my assessment journey, I checked out the three “new” American Airways & British Airways lounges at JFK’s Terminal 8, previous to my British Airways first-class flight to London. On this submit I’ll assessment the Soho Lounge, after which in separate installments I’ll assessment the Greenwich Lounge and the Chelsea Lounge.
The Soho Lounge is meant to be someplace between a primary and enterprise class lounge, because it’s primarily for oneworld Emerald members, which is the top-tier elite standing within the oneworld alliance. Total, this lounge impressed me. It has attractive decor, an elevated choice of meals & drinks (together with a restricted a la carte menu), and a few additional facilities, like a leisure space and bathe suites.
Fundamentals of American & British Airways JFK lounges
To offer a little bit of background, in late 2022, British Airways moved to Terminal 8 at JFK. American Airways and British Airways have a profitable transatlantic three way partnership, and New York to London is without doubt one of the most vital air markets on this planet. Because of this, this terminal transfer was a giant growth for the 2 airways.
Given how huge the mixed presence of the 2 carriers is at JFK, we’ve seen main lounge investments at Terminal 8. There are actually three premium lounges within the terminal — the Greenwich Lounge, the Soho Lounge, and the Chelsea Lounge.
Whereas it’s cute that they’re named after neighborhoods that exist in each New York and London, the names don’t do an entire lot to inform you which is most premium, and which you have got entry to.
To briefly summarize the fundamentals of the three lounges:
- The Chelsea Lounge is probably the most unique lounge, and is roughly 10,000 sq. ft with seating for 128 passengers, and it’s an all-new house; it’s open to pick out first-class passengers on American and British Airways, and it replaces the previous Flagship First Eating facility
- The Soho Lounge is the subsequent lounge, and is roughly 12,000 sq. ft with seating for 282 friends, and it’s an all-new house; it’s open to oneworld Emerald members on choose itineraries
- The Greenwich Lounge is the ultimate lounge, and is roughly 27,000 sq. ft with seating for 590 friends, and it replaces the previous Flagship Lounge; it’s open to pick out enterprise class passengers on all oneworld airways, plus oneworld Sapphire members on choose itineraries
I’ll go into extra element on every of the lounge’s entry necessities with the person critiques, however needed to offer a primary overview.
Soho Lounge New York location
The Soho Lounge New York is simple to seek out. When you clear safety at JFK Terminal 8, simply stroll down the principle pathway towards the gates, previous the Bobby Van’s Grill (which is on the precise).
You’ll see signage above the walkway pointing within the route of the assorted lounges, and as you possibly can see, the Soho Lounge and Chelsea Lounge are to the precise.
Once you flip proper towards gates 14-20, you’ll instantly see the elevators to the Soho Lounge and Chelsea Lounge to the precise (in the meantime in the event you flip left, you’d instantly see the elevators to the Greenwich Lounge to the left).
There are indicators on the terminal stage explaining the entry necessities for the 2 lounges, since this may clearly trigger some confusion.
When you’re up a stage, you’ll see the doorway to the Soho Lounge straight forward, and the doorway to the Chelsea Lounge to the precise. I’ve to acknowledge that the workers working the entrance desk had been tremendous pleasant throughout my go to. They took time answering every visitor’s questions concerning the new lounges, and even offered excursions, to offer friends a way of the structure.
I additionally couldn’t assist however snigger at how one of many staff described the brand new lounges to a passenger — “yeah it’s all a bit elevated in comparison with earlier than, you could possibly say we married British Airways, they usually classed us up a bit.”
Soho Lounge New York hours
The Soho Lounge JFK is open every day from 4:30AM till 11PM, masking just about all departures from the terminal. Should you’re departing on a oneworld flight, then the Greenwich Lounge needs to be open.
Soho Lounge New York entry necessities
The Soho Lounge New York is a completely new idea for Terminal 8 at JFK. Whereas the Greenwich Lounge is for premium enterprise class passengers and the Chelsea Lounge is for premium first-class passengers, the Soho Lounge is someplace within the center, and is meant primarily for top-tier elite members. The Soho Lounge may be accessed by:
- American AAdvantage Platinum Professional and Govt Platinum members, in addition to Alaska Mileage Plan MVP Gold 75K and MVP Gold 100K members, on any similar day lengthy haul oneworld itinerary
- American Concierge Key members on any similar day oneworld itinerary, even when it’s home
- oneworld Emerald members with overseas frequent flyer packages on any similar day oneworld itinerary, even when it’s home
- Passengers touring in oneworld first-class on the identical day (nonetheless, these flying on American Airways and British Airways in first-class can use the Chelsea Lounge, so I can’t think about many individuals entry the lounge utilizing this technique, given how few different oneworld first-class merchandise there are)
Anybody eligible to entry this lounge can even carry one visitor with them.
Soho Lounge New York structure & seating
The Soho Lounge JFK is 12,000 sq. ft, with seating for 282 friends. Bodily that is my favourite of the three lounges, as I like the mixture of the elegant decor and the nice views (the decor is way nicer than within the Greenwich Lounge, and the Chelsea Lounge doesn’t have any home windows or pure mild).
Once you enter the lounge, you’ll first discover the bar space, that includes a wide range of cafe-style tables, cubicles, and even high-top seating on the bar counter.
Once you go slightly deeper into the lounge, you’ll discover some communal tables, in addition to rows of seats by the home windows, that are in fact the very best for airplane recognizing.
Subsequent within the lounge is the eating space, that includes each tables and cubicles that seat wherever from two to 4 individuals. As you’d count on, this place tends to get the busiest, since most individuals have a minimum of one thing to eat.
Previous the eating space is one other house with extra seating, together with communal tables, cubicles, and extra.
Lastly, there’s a comfy room within the very again of the lounge with a hearth.
There are additionally a few workstation cubicles within the again, in addition to some cellphone cubicles.
The Soho Lounge additionally has a hidden leisure space, which you truthfully wouldn’t discover except you knew to search for it. The door to that is simply inside the doorway and to the precise (in entrance of the buffet). There are day beds in addition to a few chairs, with drapes between every of them.
Avgeeks will love the views from the lounge, as you’re proper on prime of gate 14, which just about all the time has a heavy plane parked there.
Truthfully, what a beautiful lounge. I’d word that for the mornings and afternoons, this lounge stays ridiculously quiet, since there are pretty few passengers eligible for entry to the lounge throughout these instances.
Nevertheless, within the evenings the lounge will get busy, given the variety of oneworld Emerald members touring on lengthy haul flights from Terminal 8, particularly to Europe. So that you’ll have a really totally different expertise in the event you’re visiting this lounge at 8AM vs. 8PM.
Soho Lounge New York meals & drinks
The Soho Lounge JFK has an elevated meals & beverage choice in comparison with what you’ll discover within the Greenwich Lounge. So far as meals goes, there’s each a buffet, and a restricted choice of a la carte choices. I had the prospect to take a look at each breakfast and lunch.
Breakfast included a wide range of recent fruit, yogurt, chilly cuts, smoked salmon, salad, cereal, bagels, bread, pastries, oatmeal, blended nuts, chocolate, and a handful of sizzling dishes, together with scrambled eggs, potatoes, sausage, and extra.
Lunch included a wide range of salads and veggies, chilly cuts, cheese, a handful of sizzling dishes, lemon squares, chocolate cake, and cookies.
Along with the buffet, there’s additionally a small choice of a la carte eating. Once you’re within the eating space, every desk has a sticker with a QR code and a desk quantity. You possibly can open that web site, enter your desk quantity, after which you possibly can order one thing.
The choices change over time, however throughout my go to included battered cod and mushy peas, burger and fries, butternut squash curry, a kale salad, a pastrami sandwich, and extra.
I made a decision to order the kale salad and the construct your individual ice cream cookie sandwich. I discovered the ordering course of to be straightforward, and inside 10 minutes each gadgets had been accurately delivered. Each dishes had been pretty tasty.
I discovered service within the lounge to be pleasant. For instance, the server proactively introduced me silverware when delivering this meals, and likewise requested if she might get me one thing to drink.
So far as drinks go, all wine and liquor can be found on the bar, in contrast to on the Greenwich Lounge, the place it’s self-serve. Whereas there’s a type of wine fridges at the back of the lounge, this appears to be for show functions solely.
You possibly can both go to the bar to order a drink, or you possibly can order drinks to be delivered to your desk through the QR codes on the tables. Beneath is the drink choice that was displayed through the ordering system.
Past that, there was a espresso machine, some juice, drip espresso, tea, and a fridge with beer, soda, and tender drinks.
All-in-all, I believed that the choice was marginally higher than what you’d discover within the Greenwich Lounge, so I used to be impressed. My solely actual critique is how American appears to hate respectable espresso. Not one of the service’s new lounges have barista-made espresso, which looks as if an inexpensive expectation for a premium lounge.
Soho Lounge New York loos & showers
The Soho Lounge JFK has loos and bathe suites within the very again. The loos are fairly elegant, when it comes to the lighting and sinks, although I didn’t discover the sinks to be notably sensible to make use of.
There have been additionally a number of stalls and some urinals.
The Soho Lounge additionally has a couple of bathe suites, every that includes a sink, bathroom, and walk-in bathe. Whereas the bathe suites are totally different than within the Greenwich Lounge, I can’t say that one is essentially higher than the opposite.
Given how a lot effort airways put into having branded merchandise, I used to be a bit shocked that the reusable toiletry containers weren’t branded.
Backside line
I had an important expertise on the Soho Lounge, each in absolute and relative phrases. The lounge has a beautiful and splendid design, plenty of pure mild, an in depth choice of meals (together with a menu you possibly can order off of), cocktails made by bartenders, a cushty leisure space, and nice bathe suites.
Additionally, I believe it’s vital to notice what an incremental enchancment this lounge represents. Terminal 8 didn’t beforehand have a devoted lounge for oneworld Emerald members, so it’s good for these members to have entry to a particular house. Moreover, that is method higher than the oneworld Emerald part that British Airways used to have in its Terminal 7 lounge.
I do wish to acknowledge that each the Soho Lounge and Chelsea Lounge appear to be actually polarizing amongst frequent flyers. I’ve seen individuals rave about these lounges, and I’ve seen individuals closely critique these lounges. I think about that additionally largely displays the time of day that you simply go to.
What do you make of the Soho Lounge JFK?