Closing Time: Chaos & Trash at Centurion & WingTips JFK

Centurion & Wingman JFK Lounge Review is part of the Reunion Tour Trip Report.

After spending all day at the airport, I looked forward to peace and tranquility before my 19-hour flight (see World’s Longest & Best Flight: JFK-SIN). I found chaos and trash instead.

WingTips JFK

I have visited Wingtips before and was not impressed (see Priority Pass Lounge JFK: WingTips for Cold Turkey). I went again and stand by my previous post. The place was a zoo. The animals had already fed. There was nothing but scraps left over.

Starving, I found the spicy chicken and white rice quite good. Out of plates, I was forced to eat out of a salad bowl.

TPOL’s Tip: Priority Pass used to be welcomed here. On this day, it was not.

Centurion JFK

Whenever there is the option for a business class lounge and a Centurion Lounge, I feel compelled to go to both (see Melbourne Airport Lounge Review: SQ vs. Centurion). My memories of Centurion combined with its marketing gave me high expectations for the JFK lounge. For $595 a year, such expectations are reasonable. Of course, I found the opposite. This was the worst Centurion experience, beating out the Centurion Miami and Centurion Dallas. Here’s why:

1. Bar closes at 8:30PM. The sign says that the bar closes at 9:30PM, but that was not the case. I assume this is due to Covid, the convenient excuse for all cutbacks in quality and service.

   
2. The food is removed at 8:45. There’s a last call for food? Where am I, the Turkish Business Lounge in Istanbul (see New Turkish Airlines Lounge Review: I Miss Chuck E. Cheese)? At least there are snacks in that lounge.

   

   

   

3. There are limited toilets and no urinals.
4. The lounge closes at 9. Yes, you read that correctly. In the international terminal in the ‘capital of the world,’ it’s lights out at 9PM.

   

Back to WingTips? No, that lounge closed at 8.

After spending all day in the airport (see 13.5 Hours in JFK: Wait, There Was Early Check-in?), I had one hour of lounge time. So much for rest and relaxation.