Priority Pass is trying to expand its footprint by partnering with non-lounge members. The most common type of partnership is with airport restaurants, like Bobby Van’s in JFK airport, but there are other opportunities that Priority Pass is taking advantage of. When I was taking a morning flight from Charlotte airport, I looked to see if I could get any lounge access since I always overestimate how early I need to arrive for my flight.
There isn’t a Priority Pass lounge in Charlotte, but there is an option if you need to spend some time relaxing before your flight…
Minute Suites – Charlotte Airport
The Minute Suites is a location in Charlotte Airport consisting of six different rooms for you to relax, nap or get some work done before your flight.
The Minute Suites are located in the main atrium of the airport, right in front of the food court.
Since I saw there were only six rooms available, I went to the website the evening before my flight and made a reservation. It’s relatively easy to set up an account and book a room using a Priority Pass membership. You’re able to stay for an hour for free with Priority Pass, so that’s what I booked.
When it came to select a room, I didn’t know which one to choose. Here are the hints from the website:
For two or up to four travelers, choose First in Flight, Carolina, Panther or Queen City Suites (daybed with trundle).
Solo travelers may prefer the smaller Uptown or Speedway Suites (daybed only).
I’m not a football or NASCAR fan so I stayed away from the Panther and Speedway suites. I decided on the Carolina suite as that sounded the most generic choice. I picked a time about 90 minutes before my flight, figuring I’d need to be at the gate at least 30 minutes before departure.
I received an email confirmation almost immediately. The next morning, I managed to wake up for the second of my alarms, which meant I arrived at the airport 20 minutes later than I originally was planning.
Little did I notice the emails I received from the Minute Suites, rescheduling my appointment. Apparently, they run a very punctual ship and the front desk agent was proactively delaying my arrival to ensure that I still received a full hour. That meant I was rebooked into the First in Flight room, the closest room to the Atrium.
When I arrived, he quickly checked me in, almost forgetting to scan my Priority Pass card. I received a quick run through of the room, the WiFi password, the noise canceling settings and was shown the keycard so I could leave the room to go the bathroom which was, “around the corner, next to the Papa John’s.”
Upon entering the room, you see the daybed. It looks comfortable enough if you need somewhere to catch a well-needed nap.
On the other side of the room was the desk and the TV:
You could sign on to any one of your streaming TV services to binge watch your favorite shows. I still need to watch Westworld on HBO but I’m really looking forward to the new Twilight Zone episodes on CBS All Access.
On the wall was the setting for the noise canceling speakers. I never had to use it as I wasn’t trying to sleep in the room.
The snacks in the room were a’la carte. Here’s the price list:
I especially liked the Brother P-Touch label reminding people not to unplug the fridge.
Here are the obligatory snack pictures:
Final Thoughts
After close to an hour of sitting in my room, reading emails and getting ready for my flight, I left my Minute Suite. I wanted to make sure I got to my gate on time in case American started boarding my flight early. I did manage to catch a quick Starbucks coffee on the way.
Normal pricing for one hour in a Minute Suite is $42. Is it worth that? For me, nope. I took advantage of my Priority Pass hour because it was free. I had a couch, a TV and snacks I could pay for. There was WiFi but I used my phone the whole time so that didn’t matter to me. If I had a long layover in Charlotte and wanted to catch a nap or needed to get some work done, it might be worth the $30 to $60 to have a bed to sleep on with noise canceling speakers or a desk with consistent internet coverage,
So I guess that means Your Mileage May Vary to the value you’ll give to a stay in a Minute Suite.
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This post first appeared on Your Mileage May Vary
1 comment
I’ve used them a couple times at DFW when I got tired of the AA club. Just make sure to set an alarm; I slept very well. But, no, I wouldn’t pay for the privilege.