Which is a bigger money waster, paying for airport lounges or booking basic economy?

I hit my breaking point last month when I realized I had spent $180 on lounge access over 3 trips but only saved maybe $12 on snacks, while my buddy who flies basic economy said he got burned once on a $75 bag fee that negated any savings - so which side are you on?

2 comments

2 Comments

wells.christopher13d ago

...and honestly it's just another example of how everything's been sliced up and sold back to us in tiny pieces. You used to just buy a ticket and that was it. Now you gotta decide if you're willing to pay extra to not feel like a criminal for bringing a carry-on or sitting in a slightly nicer chair. It's like how gas stations now charge you extra to use a card or how streaming services have ads again even though you're already paying. They broke the normal thing on purpose so they could sell you the fix. That's why I'm team lounge if you can swing it - at least you're buying a moment of peace instead of playing their game of "how much can we squeeze you for a basic human need." But honestly both options just prove the airlines figured out we'll pay for anything if they make the regular experience bad enough.

willowr9613d ago

CALL me crazy but I think the airport lounge is the bigger waste unless you're literally homeless and need a place to sleep. I paid $45 for a lounge once and all I got was a stale croissant and the chance to watch people judge me for taking three cups of lukewarm coffee. Meanwhile basic economy is like playing a game where the airport always wins, you could get lucky or you could end up paying more than the guy in first class. Honestly both options feel like the airline is just laughing at us while they count their money.