Travel Review

The Club LAS airport lounge at Las Vegas’s McCarran Airport has re-opened and is implementing new COVID-19 precautions. The Club opened on June 29, 2020, and overall the experience felt more similar to its pre-COVID state than I imagined it would.

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What does The Club LAS look like amid COVID?

Location

The Club LAS has two airport locations. Currently, only the Terminal 1 location is open. The lounge is located airside at D Gates. The lounge is situated between Brooks Brother and Tumi near gate D33.

Hours of Operation

Due to COVID-19, The Club LAS restricted it’s hours of operation to 6 am-3 pm. I wish they would expand the hours to 5 pm. I feel 3 pm is too early and is inconvenient for many travelers. Although, maybe that is the point.

Access

The arrival process is the same. I used my Priority Pass that I get through the Chase Sapphire Reserve or American Express Platinum Credit Card.  The attendant at the desk requested my ID, boarding pass, and Priority Pass membership card. A pass holder can still bring two companions into the lounge for free. The only difference was a hand sanitizer station and a plastic divider between you and the desk attendant.

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Amenities

The restrooms were open and clean. The only difference is that the showers are unavailable.

Layout

The main change at The Club LAS since reopening is the seating and food service. In the lounge, every other seat, including enclosed booths, were blocked off. I arrived at 11 am, and there were only about ten people in the lounge. The bar area was the only section of the lounge that was closed, but there were plenty of other options, and it was easy to spread out. 

Food and Beverage

The most significant change came in the foodservice. A buffet was available with the standard options, but the area was roped off. If you wanted a particular item, you ordered it from the attendant standing behind the rope. This included juice, water, and coffee. All of the food options were covered with saran wrap or prepackaged except for the cereal, which was still in a glass dispenser. Options included yogurt parfaits, grapes, hard-boiled eggs, and danishes.

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Of course, I left the most important information for the end. Does the lounge still serve alcohol? Yes, they do. I originally ordered from the attendant behind the buffet, but there was a waitress circulating the lounge floor taking drink orders and clearing tables. The bar area was closed.

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The Club LAS and COVID-19

All of the employees were wearing masks and gloves and they are required to have their temperature checked before their shift. There were hand sanitizer stations throughout the facility. Patrons cannot get their own food or beverages. And of course, masks are required for all patrons.

Conclusion

Yes, I understand the word is changing, and there is a new normal, but I haven’t been looking forward to the changes in the travel industry. I am one of the few travelers that purposely arrives at the airport early. My experience at The Club LAS reassured me that airport lounges would make a return.