I’m an airline lounge addict, these are my top tricks to get in

Starting your holiday the VIP way could be easier than you might expect. This frequent flyer shares the secret ways into airport lounges you thought were off limits.

I’ll never forget arriving at The Private Room – Singapore Airlines’ flagship First Class lounge.

With its own exclusive entrance tucked above the main departure concourse at Singapore Changi Airport, the bar was high from the start.

No queues, no countless check-in counters, not another passenger. In under 10 minutes, I’d gone from stepping onto the kerb to choosing which vintage Champagne would go best with lobster.

Of course, this is the crème de la crème and as I’ve discovered on my travels, not all lounges are created equal. Still, a lounge is usually one of the better places to start a holiday. A less crowded place to sit, free snacks, a barista-made coffee and maybe even a cheeky drink – it’s always five o’clock somewhere, right?

What does it take to get through those frosted glass doors? There are more ways than you think. While many assume you need to travel a lot or rack up tens of thousands of frequent flyer and status points, it really comes down to being strategic. If you have a few trips lined up and you’re looking for a bit more pre-flight comfort, here’s how to do it.

Singapore Airlines’ The Private Room at Singapore Changi Airport.

Credit card perks

If you’re in the market for a new credit card, look out for one that offers complimentary lounge access. For example, the Qantas Premier Platinum comes with two lounge invitations per year to Qantas domestic or international business lounges, while the American Express Velocity Platinum Card provides unlimited access to domestic Virgin lounges when you fly with the airline.

I once signed up to an American Express card six months out from our honeymoon to unlock lounge access across Europe. It meant we waited for flights in comfort and were fast tracked through security queues, maximising every leg of our trip.

The HSBC Star Alliance Credit Card also fast tracks travellers to Star Alliance Gold status, which includes access to more than 1000 lounges around the world with airlines such as Air New Zealand, Singapore Airlines, Thai Airways and United Airlines.

Emirates’ First Class check-in area in Terminal 3 at Dubai International Airport.

Maximise status matching

Already got status with one airline? You might hold a golden ticket to unlocking status with another. Welcome to the world of status matching where your loyalty and status can be matched across airlines.

Status matching grants you equivalent status with another airline program. This hack works best if you hold mid or high-tier status with one airline. Take Etihad Airways, for example. Last year, they ran a free status match offer for Australian residents. While the offer has ended, the airline currently matches status from Virgin Australia, Singapore Airlines, Turkish Airlines, Emirates, Qatar Airways, British Airways and Air India to the equivalent status of up to Gold or Silver.

Application fees are involved – about $155 for Gold and $92 for Silver. If approved, you’ll enjoy the status which includes access to Etihad lounges for four months. Time it right and your status can be extended for another 12 months if you catch a return flight with Etihad within those four months.

Not all airlines promote status matching. With Singapore Airlines, travellers need to contact the airline directly and request a status match. It’s useful to either point out how many Singapore Airlines flights you’ve taken to date, or better yet, highlight an upcoming booking.

Qantas Brisbane International Lounge.

You’ve gotta be in it to win it

If these options aren’t viable for you, fear not – new offers are always popping up. It always pays to sign up to airline loyalty programs (it’s free), so you can keep tabs on new offers and start building status on your own.

Once you reach status with one airline, it becomes much easier to leverage your loyalty and unlock perks with other airlines. Status isn’t just a badge, it’s a bargaining chip.

Originally published as I’m an airline lounge addict, these are my top tricks to get in