MileValue is part of an affiliate sales network and receives compensation for sending traffic to partner sites, such as CreditCards.com. This compensation may impact how and where links appear on this site. This site does not include all financial companies or all available financial offers. Terms apply to American Express benefits and offers. Enrollment may be required for select American Express benefits and offers. Visit americanexpress.com to learn more.

Note: Some of the offers mentioned below may have changed or are no longer be available. You can view current offers here.


Last month I flew from Bogota, Colombia to Washington, DC in economy with a layover in Miami. I was able to get free lounge access in Bogota and Miami from my Citi Prestige® Card.

The Citi Prestige® Card offers free Priority Pass Select lounge membership, which gives free access to over 700 lounges worldwide. Download the Priority Pass app to your phone or search for lounges here. Normally Priority Pass access costs $399 per year. It also offers American Airlines lounge access on any day you are flying American Airlines flights.

I wrote up all the details of the Citi Prestige® Card‘s lounge access in Complete Guide to Citi Prestige Lounge Access, including the fact that you can bring in free guests to Priority Pass and American Airlines lounges. In this post, I won’t rehash all the rules, I’ll just show what lounge access I got on a single trip to take the lounge access from the abstract to the concrete.

Bogota

This was my third time flying out of Bogota’s airport in six months, so I already knew that Priority Pass has two partner lounges in the airport: Salon VIP LAN and Avianca Sala VIP. I reviewed both thoroughly in Best Lounge at Bogota El Dorado Airport, Colombia. The takeaway is that LAN’s lounge, while smaller, has much better offerings.

I went to the LAN lounge after clearing security and presented my Priority Pass Select card.

Screen Shot 2015-05-02 at 2.02.16 AM

Remember I was flying American Airlines and not LAN, but the airline you’re flying NEVER matters when you use Priority Pass lounge access.

I was given entry and a free wifi code. I picked a couch as my seat and hit the buffet.

IMG_1549

There are no outlets in the main dining area, but it would be a comfortable place to enjoy some food while chatting, away from the quieter lounge area.

IMG_1548

The buffet area was beautiful with a wine-and-wine-glass theme.

IMG_1547

The buffet itself is modest, but there is enough food for a meal. There were delicious sandwiches–I loved the chicken and sundried tomato on a bagel–cheeses, fruit, and sushi.

IMG_1545

IMG_1544

IMG_1542
IMG_1540

There were self-serve liquors, wines, and several varieties of Bogota Beer Company craft beer.

IMG_1541IMG_1543

IMG_1539

IMG_1546

To top it all off, there was a nice ice cream selection.

IMG_1551

I had a breakfast of fruits and sandwiches before my 7 AM take off for Miami.

The LAN lounge in Bogota also has showers and nice private bathroom stalls.

Miami

When I arrived in Miami and cleared immigration and security with Global Entry (don’t forget the $100 credit for a Global Entry application is another benefit of the Citi Prestige® Card,) I headed straight for the nearest American Airlines Admirals Club.

To get into the Admirals Club, I had to show my Citi Prestige® Card and my American Airlines boarding pass.

Screen Shot 2015-05-01 at 6.30.43 PM

I found a seat in a quiet area and set my bags down to tour the lounge. American Airlines has one section of the lounge with paid premium foods and drinks.

Screen Shot 2015-05-01 at 1.20.24 PM

Here was the menu.

Screen Shot 2015-05-01 at 1.20.16 PM

I skipped this area because I prefer free food and drinks. The free food included fruits…

Screen Shot 2015-05-01 at 1.20.08 PM

…cookies…

Screen Shot 2015-05-01 at 1.19.48 PM

…cheese, crackers, and veggies…Screen Shot 2015-05-01 at 1.19.43 PM

…and two types of soup–a creamy tomato soup and a veggie soup.

Screen Shot 2015-05-01 at 1.20.30 PM

I loved both soups and had several bowls of each. I preferred the food options in Bogota, but I had a filling meal in Miami also, completely for free!

There was also a free bar with beer, wine, and liquor.

Screen Shot 2015-05-01 at 1.19.58 PM

The American Airlines lounge even has free showers, just ask the lounge attendant for the key.

Screen Shot 2015-05-01 at 5.40.01 PM

Bottom Line

You can read about the lounge access offered by the Citi Prestige® Card, but what does it look like in practice on a real trip?

I used the Priority Pass access in Bogota to get into the LAN lounge. I got a very comfortable couch, delicious fruit and sandwiches, and free wifi. I turned down free booze, including local craft brews, sushi, and a shower.

I used the American Airlines Admirals Club access in Miami. I got a quiet place to work, delicious fruit and soup, and free wifi. I turned down free booze, paid food options, and a shower.

If I hadn’t had lounge access, I would have bought food at both airports for around $20 total; had to work at gates with less comfortable seating, more noise, and fewer power outlets; and had to purchase wifi. The lounge access offered by the Citi Prestige® Card was huge for me on my trip from Colombia to the United States. It should be useful for you on most trips too.

The Citi Prestige® Card comes with 40,000 bonus ThankYou points after spending $4,000 in the first three months. ThankYou Points can be used like cash to purchase any flight at a rate of 1.33 cents per point, or you can transfer them to 12 airline miles including Singapore, Virgin Atlantic, and Air France. The card offers an annual $250 Air Travel Credit. This is a calendar year benefit, so you get the $250 twice in the first year of cardmembership, once in the calendar year you apply and once early in the next calendar year before your annual fee is due. You even get a $100 reimbursement for a Global Entry application, and three free rounds of golf per calendar year. Why I got the card.

Application Link: Citi Prestige® Card

Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.

Just getting started in the world of points and miles? The Chase Sapphire Preferred is the best card for you to start with.

With a bonus of 60,000 points after $4,000 spend in the first 3 months, 5x points on travel booked through the Chase Travel Portal and 3x points on restaurants, streaming services, and online groceries (excluding Target, Walmart, and wholesale clubs), this card truly cannot be beat for getting started!


Editorial Disclaimer: The editorial content is not provided or commissioned by the credit card issuers. Opinions expressed here are the author’s alone, not those of the credit card issuers, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by the credit card issuers.

The comments section below is not provided or commissioned by the bank advertiser. Responses have not been reviewed, approved, or otherwise endorsed by the bank advertiser. It is not the bank advertiser’s responsibility to ensure all questions are answered.