While airport lounges will vary in quality dramatically based on everything from airport to the airline or credit card company operating them, the undisputable rule of lounge access is that it is a luxury perk available only to those in higher fare classes or who have earned it through another means — status with the airline or by spending on a high-earner credit card.
Delta (DAL) clamped down on access earlier this year by introducing annual visit caps and raising the cost of credit cards needed to gain it, while the American Express (AXP) Platinum card gets one access into the 25 Centurion lounges currently operating around the world.
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Not previously home to any airline or credit card lounges, Chicago’s Midway International Airport (MDW) just opened its doors to the first paid access lounge. The smaller airport is closer to downtown Chicago than O’Hare and is frequently used by low-cost airlines such as Spirit Airlines (SAVE) and Southwest (LUV) (it is one of the airline’s Midwest bases.)
This is what you’ll find at Chicago Midway’s first airport lounge
Spanning 3,265 square feet and located between the airport’s Concourses A and B, The Club MDW welcomed its first guests on Sept. 25. It is open daily from 4 a.m. until 10 p.m. and available to anyone traveling through the airport on a same-day ticket for a $50 day pass. Travelers who have Priority Pass Select or LoungeKey, a general lounge access pass usually given out as a perk for spending with certain credit cards, get access for free.
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“For the first time in its history, the new passenger lounge is now a key part of our continued efforts to enhance the travel experience in Chicago for both leisure and business passengers,” Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson said at the opening. “Club MDW will allow Midway passengers to escape the hustle and bustle of the airport and unwind in this 3,200 square feet of lounge space.”
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‘A proud moment for us,’ say people behind the lounge
Similarly to other lounges, The Club MDW will offer more comfortable spaces to work, faster Wi-Fi and a selection of complimentary foods and beverages from partner breweries such as Revolution Brewing and Two Brothers. The lounge is large enough to accommodate up to 76 visitors at a time.
The lounge is operated by Airport Dimensions, the company behind a number of different airport lounges across the country. For the first 30 days after opening, The Club MDW will also be running a virtual food bank drive with the The Greater Chicago Food Depository; Airport Dimensions is contributing $10,000 to the cause.
Similar paid lounges at airports across the country include the Star Alliance network at airports such as LAX and Paris’ Charles De Gaulle Airport (CDG) as well as Vancouver International Airport (YVR)’s Plaza Premium Lounge that starts at $55 CAD (roughly $41 USD) per two hours.
"The fact that this is the first shared-use lounge in Midway's 96-year history, we needed to do something special,” Airport Dimensions’ VPof Global Business Development told travel website The Points Guy. “So the fact that we could be the first is really special and a proud moment for us.”
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