Get in!:

Staring at 24+ hours of economy class gourmet, I was sure to stuff my face.

Notes: My first thought when I hopped the quick escalator ride up to the Skyview Lounge at Changi was that I was about to be scammed. I’d use up a valuable Priority Pass tick and have spent an hour plus in a skyway that’s not really even separate from the airport. But once you’re in, this open-air bridge style lounge… feels like a lounge. The main area is spacious and seating areas are sectioned off nicely for both small groups and singles making connections or departing from Terminal 1.

Food is equal to or greater than most indie lounges than I’ve visited. For this breakfast visit, I had an assortment of pastries, snacks and western or Asian entree items. Tiny chocolate croissants (okay, some Euro representation there too), mini-pancakes and noodles were enough to get me started on a full day of economy flying back to the US.

Wi-Fi: Yes/Complimentary. Speed was acceptable but not blazing fast.

Service: Front desk staff were friendly, efficient and helpful. Lounge was kept impossibly clean by staff on this visit so the entire crew was on their game.

Convenience to gate: This is a large terminal so ask at the front desk what the trip to your gate will take. For Delta flights, it’s a quick jump (about a 3 minute walk).

How I got in/Strategies: Priority Pass. If you’re not particularly loyal to a specific airline or don’t travel enough to justify the cost of a full lounge membership, I highly recommend joining. If you’d like to buy a pass in advance and are paying in British Pounds (GBP), try goSimply.

Rating: 3 hops (of 5)

Notes: The Miro Lounge in Barcelona’s new Terminal 1 is by our account, almost fantastic. We were welcomed by a friendly agent who promptly checked us in and pointed out a couple of the lounges features. By normal international business/first class lounge standards, food choices were lacking but  far better than anything you’ll ever find in a US domestic lounge. Cereals, muffins and other small pastries and snacks were spread out over a long buffet table. [*If you visit this lounge at another time during the day and find better food options, please comment!] A seemingly endless choice of non-alcoholic beverages are offered, while a self serve bar with a limited supply of the basic mixers is also available. (No. 6 am is not too early for scotch and soda.)  The endless sea of deep leather seats were perfect for our early-morning state. Shower facilities are available and we also discovered a secluded area with small sleep kiosks for those awaiting a connection and could use a few winks. Business services and a small  meeting room are also available.

Wi-Fi: General Airport wi-fi is available for a fee. Stationary internet kiosks are available for use free of charge.

Service: While it may vary depending on time of day or how crowded the lounge is, We found the service to be acceptable. Clean up was prompt and everything was well stocked. Because there is no particular airline affiliated with this lounge there are no agents in-house that can make changes to your ticketing or seating but a full flight display board is found near the front desk.

Convenience to gate: To be safe,  add 15-20 minutes to your airlines suggested gate arrival time. Flying to the US in particular can involve very thorough extra screening at the gate.

Rating: 4 hops (of 5)

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How we got in/Strategy: We used our Priority Pass membership (recommended) to enter the Sala VIP Miro Lounge. Passengers flying in SkyTeam Alliance premium cabins (business class, first class) are granted complimentary access. Single visits are sold at UK sites like gosimply.com if you like to plan ahead (it’s important to note that if you’re not in the UK, You’ll be paying in GBP (British Pounds). At the time of this writing we were unable to confirm the ability to buy single passes at the lounge. [/access]