Throughout my journey to Japan by way of Mongolia, I had the possibility to take a look at a number of lounges at New York JFK Terminal 1 previous to my Air France A350 flight to Paris. The lounge that I spent essentially the most time in was the Air France Lounge New York JFK, which is open to each SkyTeam enterprise class passengers and Precedence Cross members.
This was my favourite lounge that I visited in Terminal 1, and I’d say it’s fairly strong for an outstation lounge. Along with a reasonably trendy and open design, the lounge additionally has a superb meals choice and complimentary spa therapies. Individually, I additionally reviewed the the Lufthansa Lounge, the Primeclass Lounge, and the Turkish Airways Lounge.
Air France Lounge New York JFK location
The Air France Lounge New York JFK is situated in Terminal 1, proper subsequent to gate one. After clearing safety (hopefully by utilizing the VIP ONE Lounge expertise), observe the signage in that course.
Then while you get to the very finish of the concourse, you’ll see the doorway to the Air France Lounge proper there — you may’t miss it!
Air France Lounge New York JFK hours
What are the hours of the Air France Lounge JFK? That’s a fantastic query. In line with Precedence Cross, the lounge is open from 10AM till 11:45PM. In line with Air France, the lounge is open from 10AM till 11PM. Nonetheless, after I confirmed up on the lounge at 10AM, I discovered that it had already been open for fairly a while.
So yeah, I’m undecided what precisely the hours are, nevertheless it’s open for a lot of the day.
Air France Lounge New York JFK entry necessities
The Air France Lounge New York JFK is meant largely for premium Air France passengers, provided that the airline operates a number of every day flights to the airport. Nonetheless, that’s not the one method to entry the lounge:
Air France Lounge New York JFK seating & format
The Air France Lounge New York JFK is roughly 10,000 sq. ft, and is unfold throughout two ranges. The lounge feels fairly spacious and vibrant, because of the complete lounge having excessive ceilings and floor-to-ceiling home windows.
Solely the primary flooring of the lounge is open within the mornings and early afternoons, after which the second flooring opens up later within the day (usually round 2PM), because it’s primarily supposed as a eating facility for premium passengers on Air France.
Anyway, previous the reception desk on the primary flooring you’ll see some seating alongside a slim corridor, proper by the steps and escalator main as much as the second flooring.
Whenever you stroll deeper into the lounge, you’ll discover a number of cafe type tables, every of which seats two folks. That is close to the primary flooring buffet.
Past these tables and nearer to the home windows, you’ll discover seats organized in rows dealing with each other, in addition to some chairs in clusters.
That’s the extent of the primary flooring. Then while you go as much as the second flooring, you’re discover that the realm is sort of completely devoted to the eating facility, with a bunch of eating tables that seat anyplace from two to 4 (or so) folks. This contains eating tables with chairs, in addition to some cubicles.
There’s even an space roped off for Flying Blue Final members, which is the provider’s top-tier standing. Air France tends to have such an area in a lot of its lounges.
The second flooring additionally has the personal Air France La Premiere Lounge, for top quality passengers, which I’ve reviewed previously.
Air France Lounge New York JFK meals & drinks
The meals choice within the Air France Lounge New York JFK adjustments all through the day. All through the day there’s an in depth cold and warm buffet, although plainly the choice will get higher later within the day, when the lounge is primarily supposed for Air France premium passengers.
Now, right here’s one thing to concentrate on. Again in 2018, Air France launched a pre-flight eating facility for these touring in enterprise class on the late night time New York to Paris flights. The thought was that you possibly can order off the identical menu that you just’d get onboard.
Sadly this has been lower as of 2023, and is not supplied. As a substitute, the airline now completely affords a buffet. In equity, it’s a superb buffet, top-of-the-line buffets I’ve seen at any outstation enterprise class lounge in the US.
To start out, let’s take a look at the buffet on the primary flooring within the mornings. The buffet contained a number of kinds of salads (with fairly just a few customization choices), chilly cuts and cheese, yogurt, fruit, smoothies, cereal, madeleines, pancakes, scrambled eggs, turkey sausage, hash browns, and turkey bacon. Not dangerous for a contract lounge or Precedence Cross lounge, eh?
So far as drinks go, there was an espresso machine, tea, gentle drinks, juice, and a choice of wine and liquor. There was even a good champagne possibility, as you’d hope for, from a French airline.
Now let’s check out the buffet on the second flooring of the lounge, which is simply arrange within the afternoons round 2PM, previous to the primary Air France departure. That is basically supposed as a pre-flight eating facility, so that individuals can maximize their relaxation onboard.
Whereas the buffet isn’t large, the standard is superb. There was the identical salad choice as earlier within the day on the primary flooring.
On high of that, there was a choice of sizzling dishes, together with spinach quiche, quiche lorraine, gratin dauphinois, basmati rice, beef bourguignon, and rooster basquaise.
There was additionally a choice of chilly cuts, in addition to quite a lot of desserts, together with two sorts of muffins, plus some tasty tarts and pastries.
Then there was a self-serve drink choice, much like what you’ll discover on the primary flooring.
So it’s unhappy that Air France lower its a la carte eating for enterprise class passengers, however I’d nonetheless say this is among the higher outstation lounges in relation to eating choices.
Air France Lounge New York JFK Clarins Spa
There aren’t many airport lounges with spas these days, however that is an space the place Air France continues to take a position. The Air France Lounge New York JFK has a Clarins Spa, which is open every day from 2PM till 10PM. It’s situated simply inside the doorway to the lounge, and to the appropriate. The 30 sq. meter (~323 sq. foot) spa is on the market to Air France first and enterprise class passengers, in addition to Flying Blue Elite Plus members, on a primary come, first served foundation.
Therapies final for quarter-hour, and you may select from the “Jet-lag aid,” “Detox time,” or “Eye should” therapy.
To make an appointment, simply go to the iPad situated proper by the lounge’s reception desk, the place you may reserve any out there spot.
I ended up deciding on the “Jet-lag aid” therapy, which was a nice retreat from a day in any other case spent within the terminal.
It’s good how constantly Air France affords spas in its lounges, as a number of of the provider’s Paris lounges have related facility.
Air France Lounge New York JFK bogs & showers
The Air France Lounge New York JFK has a set of bogs and showers inside the doorway to the lounge and to the left. The boys’s room had two sinks, a urinal, and two stalls. That appeared a bit small, given the dimensions of this lounge, however then once more, there’s one other set of bogs on the second flooring.
On high of that, the lounge additionally has a few bathe suites, that are useful, however not notably luxurious. These have a sink, a bathroom, and a walk-in bathe, with Clarins merchandise in wall-mounted containers.
Backside line
The Air France Lounge New York JFK is the most effective lounge in Terminal 1. The lounge has a number of pure mild, two full flooring, a strong choice of meals and drinks, and complimentary spa therapies. This is among the finest outstation lounges you’ll discover in the US, in my view. Nonetheless, it’s value acknowledging that Air France has lower its a la carte pre-flight eating facility, which was a function that set this lounge aside.
What do you make of the Air France Lounge New York JFK?
