4 Things to Know About Alaska Airlines Lounges

Alaska Airlines has a small, but mighty lounge presence with nine locations at major airports in the U.S.

We’ve compiled a list of things you need to know about Alaska Airlines lounges — from where they're located to how to gain access.

» Learn more: Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan: Your complete guide

There are nine Alaska lounges in six U.S. airports:

• Anchorage, Alaska (ANC).

• Los Angeles (LAX).

• New York-JFK.

• Portland, Oregon (PDX) — two lounges.

• Seattle (SEA) — three lounges.

• San Francisco (SFO).

American Airlines Admirals Club lounges

Alaska lounge members also can access select American Airlines Admirals Club locations, which adds 48 more airports to the Alaska lounge membership roster — six of which are outside the U.S. (Buenos Aires, Argentina; London; Mexico City; Paris; Rio de Janeiro and Sao Paulo). To use Admirals Clubs, you must be flying on a flight ticketed by Alaska Airlines or American Airlines.

Qantas Club lounges

Qantas is another Alaska Airlines partner that offers Alaska lounge members access to its clubs. To gain access to a Qantas Club, you must be ticketed on a same-day Qantas flight. This adds roughly three-dozen lounges to the roster, most of which are located in Australia. Note that Qantas lounge access for Alaska lounge members does not include Qantas first class lounges.

» Learn more: Baffled by points and miles? Let the 80/20 rule guide you

You can access the Alaska lounges a few ways. That includes via a lounge membership, holding high levels of Oneworld elite status, buying a day pass or when flying first class on certain flights operated by Alaska Airlines.

Fly first class on Alaska Airlines

Buying a first class flight does not guarantee access to partner lounges — only to Alaska lounges.

Additionally, access for first class passengers is limited by the fare code on your ticket, meaning it may not apply to travelers who have been upgraded to first class.

The flight also most be somewhat lengthy, as you only get in if your first class fare is on a flight of 2,000 miles or more.

» Learn more: The guide to Alaska Airlines first class

Buy an Alaska lounge membership

An annual membership to Alaska Airlines lounges is $450 for Mileage Plan MVP elite status holders. The standard annual rate for those without elite status starts at $550.

Alaska also has a lounge membership called Alaska Lounge+ membership, which includes access to more than 90 partner lounges as well as Alaska lounges. The price starts at $650.

Become an American Airlines Admirals Club member

If you don’t fly Alaska Airlines enough to merit purchasing an annual membership, consider the American Airlines Admirals Club instead. As an Admirals Club member, you’ll have access to Alaska lounges in Anchorage, Los Angeles, New York-JFK, Portland and Seattle. However, you will need to have a same-day departure ticketed on American Airlines or Alaska Airlines to access the lounges this way.

Hold elite status with the Oneworld alliance

Emerald and Sapphire Oneworld members who earned status through Alaska or American Airlines are eligible for complimentary lounge access on certain international trips. If you're traveling on an itinerary to Mexico City, Central America, South America, Europe, Africa, Asia or Australia, you're eligible to visit an Alaska lounge with your Oneworld status.

If you hold Oneworld Emerald or Sapphire status that has been earned through an airline other than American or Alaska, you are not required to have an international itinerary.

Purchase a day pass

Single-entry Alaska day passes cost $60 per person. Note that lounges can (and do) decline entry to day pass holders when they're nearing capacity.

With an Alaska lounge membership, you can bring immediate family members or two guests with you for free. If you need to bring more guests, you can purchase additional passes for $30 per visit. Members can also purchase $30 day passes for guests who are not traveling with them. Children under 2 can visit for free with applicable adults.

Pets are allowed in Alaska lounges, as long as there is no conflict with local ordinances. All pets must remain quiet, well-behaved and kenneled. Whether you’re traveling with a service animal or a family pet, no animals are allowed on furniture, and they can’t drink or eat from Alaska lounge dishes.

Lounges are known for the free food and drinks, but Alaska lounges are upping the novelty factor with an opportunity to “print” your own pancakes. The machine can produce 180 pancakes an hour, and some frequent flyers are known to plan their travel around when the pancakes are printing.

Many lounges also feature nods to local food, drinks and artists. For example, the San Francisco Alaska Airlines lounge serves San Francisco Bay-area cookies and candy, featuring Oakland Fortune Factory fortune cookies, Jelly Belly jelly beans and Ghirardelli chocolates.

Alaska offers its lounge members various opportunities to enjoy its lounges, American Airlines Admirals Clubs, Qantas Clubs, Oneworld and other partner lounges.

But given single-use day passes cost $60, it might not be worth it unless you have access through a means that doesn't require outright payment.