Super Useful: JFK VIP One Lounge Review (Priority Pass)

Worth Coming to Airport Early For: No (bare bones amenities but this place will help you clear security in a breeze)

Better Than The Terminal? Yes (as long as it’s not too busy. JFK’s terminal 1 right now is pretty old and worn)

Introduction

Honestly, this may be one of the most reliably useful priority pass lounges in the world, not because it’s particularly nice, but because it can get you through security in less than 3 minutes at what is notoriously one of the slowest and oldest terminals in the US (JFK’s Terminal 1).

I was flying out of Terminal 1 to head over to Paris from NYC on Air France. I won’t be reviewing that flight since it was in coach and was boring and I slept for all of it, but the experience at JFK was made a lot better because of this special lounge that gets you through TSA quickly.

This lounge is unique in that it’s:

1. A functional lounge with snacks and drinks where you can relax in
2. Provides priority access to the front of the line at terminal 1 JFK, which is VERY valuable during peak periods (yes, even Precheck can get backed up here)

In this post, you’ll find:

How to Access The VIP One Lounge JFK

This lounge is accessible via priority pass for free. This allows you to also cut to the front of the line of Terminal 1 security, which is by far the biggest (and most unique) perk of this lounge. I have priority pass via my Amex Platinum (see my post HERE if you’re thinking about getting it).

I honestly don’t know how this lounge is allowed but hey – whatever makes JFK TSA faster is much appreciated. Without priority pass, you can pay $65 for the equivalent service with VIP One, which is definitely not worth it.

This “lounge” is currently open from 8am – 12am daily. It’s located right behind counters E and F next to the TSA checkpoint. I doubt this lounge will continue in operation after JFK’s much needed new terminal 1 opens up, but who knows, maybe they have a special contract with the Port Authority or something.

But for now, this lounge provides a much needed way to cut through what is one of the oldest and worst security chokepoints at any major international airport.

VIP One Lounge JFK Review & Experience

I arrived at terminal 1 just an hour before boarding, mostly because I knew I had access to this lounge and also was flying coach on Air France and didn’t care much about visiting any of the priority pass lounges in Terminal 1, given they were all likely slammed given it was a peak international departure bank in early evening.

The airport actually wasn’t too crowded this evening, but there was still a small line towards the front. As you can imagine, during peak times this security line is a nightmare.

I headed straight for the VIP One lounge, which was tucked away right between the E and E pillars by the end of the check-in desk rows.

Here’s the entrance to the lounge:

Check in was super quick with a friendly lounge attendant. She asked if I wanted to go straight through security immediately or hang out in the lounge. I opted for the latter, just for a bit, to check things out.

The lounge itself is nothing special, with decent seating and light snacks. Here’s the main room at the entrance. You can see the door here that cuts you straight to the front of the line.

Are here’s the main lounge seating area:

The food selection is pretty basic, so I wouldn’t show up here with an empty stomach expecting to be fed a proper meal. The beverage selection was standard, with water, beer, and wine.

Very healthy snacks:

And a beer selection if you want a wobbly flight:

One interesting thing to call out is you actually can order food from QR codes on the table, that are made directly by the kitchen in the lounge. I wasn’t hungry so didn’t try anything, but it’s a decent option for a priority pass lounge. The options looked pretty basic, however.

There was also a partitioned off sleeping room that was available by reservation. This looks like it would actually be a pretty decent place to stay if on a weirdly long layover. However, one important thing to note is that this lounge does not have a bathroom, so you have to exit the lounge to the main terminal for a bathroom which is not ideal.

And on to the final and main event: cutting the security line!

The lounge side door cuts directly to the front of the security line (pictured below):

Honestly, the process was kind of embarrassing but also exactly as advertised. A very aggressive lounge agent pushed people aside who were already in line to make sure I was escorted straight to the front, and then they helped me put all my things on the conveyor bet. I could feel the glares from other people behind me, but hey – I didn’t wait at all.

Conclusion

All in all, I really liked the VIP One Lounge, mostly because it basically guarantees you make it through JFK terminal 1 security in a few minutes. It’s a really unique lounge concept that I will definitely use in the future, and makes the whole JFK T1 experience much, much better. Anyways, next stop: Paris for a few days.