Wingtips Lounge, New York (NY) John F. Kennedy International (JFK)

Introduction

Wingtips Lounge is located in Terminal 4 at JFK Airport outside New York. The lounge is used by most airlines in Terminal 4 that do not have their own lounge or do not cooperate with the major airline in the terminal, Delta Airlines. Among the airlines using the lounge are Singapore Airlines, Etihad, China Airlines and China Southern. It is also possible to gain access as a member of Priority Pass and Diners Club, you can also pay at the entrance. The lounge is not very difficult to find, but you have to know where to look. After security control, go to the right and continue straight ahead and you eventually come to the entrance on your left. Unlike virtually everything else in the terminal, the lounge is on a balcony on the floor above the gates and shopping area. Therefore, if you start your journey in New York you should not take the escalator one floor down (like all the other passengers do), which is not entirely clear when following the signs. Wingtips Lounge is just a year old and is the replacement for the former Oasis Lounge, which had the major drawback of preceding security control. The was very impractical, especially in the US where controls can often be quite time consuming. This is no longer a problem. The lounge is not so bad for a third-party Lounge, particularly in the US where standards vary widely. After passing through the rather discreet entrance (opposite the terminal's art exhibition), you come to the reception desk where you can then continue to the right or to the left. The lounge is divided into two sections with a kitchen in between. To the left is the restaurant section with a large self-service buffet and several dining tables. To the right are several different seating sections with sofas and armchairs, multiple TVs and a beverage station. The decor is quite pleasant and the whole lounge has large panoramic windows offering great views of the apron and runways, this makes the lounge very light.

Food and drink

The self-service buffet provides a surprisingly good selection of food, including a variety of hot meals at lunchtime, such as pasta or rice with chicken, which was available during this test visit. In addition, there is soup, a small salad, bread, fresh fruit and ready-made sandwiches. For dessert there are cookies and cakes. All drinks are available for self-service at a separate table, including a good selection of alcoholic beverages. Among these were; three white wines, three reds and a standard range of spirits. The only disappointment was the plastic glasses used for the wine, certainly not as desirable as real glasses. Next to the drink station, in two refrigerators, is beer, a wide selection of soft drinks and carafes of juice. There is also a coffee machine on the table. In the other part of the lounge there is another beverage area with a coffee machine, fruit, cookies and nuts.

Facilities

At the far end of the lounge there is a business centre with computers. Free WiFi is available throughout the lounge (password on the signs). Newspapers and magazines are provided in a shelf, and in one of the seating areas there are televisions showing mostly news. Toilets can be found at the back of the lounge.

Conclusion

A pleasant surprise for a third-party lounge in the United States. A large selection of food and drinks, including hot food and a variety of wines. A very nice view for those who like pass time gazing out the window.