Stop Googling airport lounges — use this AI prompt instead

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I miss LoungeBuddy. It used to answer the only question that matters when you're wandering through a terminal at 6 a.m.: "Which lounge will let me in, and is it worth the walk?"

Sadly, it shut down in early 2025. And while newer apps like Loungepedia have stepped in, I'm trying to delete apps, not adopt new ones.

So now I use AI as my airport lounge concierge — to sort through what's in my wallet and give me one clean answer.

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If you Google "lounges at JFK Terminal 4," you'll get a list. That's not the hard part. The hard part is figuring out which lounges you can enter and which ones are worth your time.

Terminal 4 is a perfect storm of confusion, with multiple Delta Sky Clubs, a Delta One Lounge, an Amex Centurion Lounge, a Chase Sapphire Lounge, a Capital One Lounge, an Emirates lounge, and several Priority Pass options.

And they aren't created equal. The Air India Lounge is notoriously underwhelming, while the Chase lounge offers à la carte dining, and the Amex lounge has a somewhat hidden speakeasy.

Some are a two-minute walk from your gate. Others require a 20-minute trek to the other end of the concourse. Or worse, they may require you to re-clear security.

Your access can depend on your credit cards, airline status, ticket class, whether you're flying domestic or international, and sometimes your exact fare type.

That's where a good AI prompt helps. Instead of guessing, you feed it your exact inputs, and it spits back a shortlist that actually matches your situation.

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Before you paste anything into ChatGPT, Gemini, or Claude, grab three things:

• Your trip details
• Your access methods (cards, memberships, status)
• Your priorities

Here's the template I use. Copy it, fill in the brackets, and paste:

Act as my airport lounge assistant. Goal: (1) complete eligibility inventory, then (2) rank the best lounges I can reach airside from my departure area.

RULES (must follow)

- Inventory first, ranking second. Do not recommend anything until the full list is complete.

- Airside check must use official sources (airport maps, operator pages). For each option, mark Reachable airside (Y/N/Uncertain). If it requires exiting and re-clearing security, mark NOT REACHABLE.

- Priority Pass sweep is mandatory: list every Priority Pass option I can reach airside, including lounges AND non-lounge experiences (i.e., spas, nap rooms, gaming/sleep pods, lounges labeled as “experiences,” dining credits, etc.), and include common name variants and rebrands.

- Priority Pass issuer matters: for every Priority Pass option (including non-lounge experiences), check whether access depends on the card issuer (Amex vs. Chase vs. Capital One vs. other) and any issuer-specific limits/exclusions. If uncertain, label UNCERTAIN and state exactly what to verify.

- Chase Sapphire Lounge by The Club: do not assume all Priority Pass memberships work. If my Priority Pass is not Chase-issued, explicitly check for issuer-specific restrictions and any annual visit limits. If not confirmed, label UNCERTAIN and state what to verify.

- Include “situational” options even if access may be blocked by hours, capacity controls, flight requirements, or ticket rules. Label them UNCERTAIN and state exactly what to verify.

- Respect my constraints: max walk, max line, and “no re-clearing security” if set to YES.

TRIP

Airport: [ ]

Departs: [hh:mm] Boards: [hh:mm] Be at gate [ ] min before departure

Airline/flight: [ ]

Domestic or international: [ ]

Cabin: [basic economy/economy/premium economy/business/first ]

Departure terminal/concourse/gate: [ ]

Connection (arrive -> depart): [none / T# -> T#] (only if connecting)

Time you have (minutes): [ ] (from clearing security until “be at gate by”)

ACCESS

Cards (note personal/business): [ ]

Priority Pass: [Y/N], issuer: [Amex / Chase / Capital One / other]

Airline status (and alliance tier if known): [ ]

Lounge memberships: [ ]

Guests: [none / #]

PREFERENCES

Priorities (rank): [closest to gate, best food, quiet, showers, work space, coffee, etc.]

Max walk each way: [ ] minutes

Max line: [ ] minutes (how long you’ll wait to get in)

No re-clearing security: [Y/N]

OUTPUT (in this order)

1) Time window: usable lounge window + “leave by” time (be-at-gate minus walk minus 5 min buffer). State airside connectivity for this airport/route (Y/N/Uncertain + verify).

2) Full inventory grouped by entry method: Card programs / Priority Pass / Status+alliance / Cabin+paid / Memberships.

For each option include: Name (+variants), Why eligible + key restrictions, Location, Reachable airside (Y/N/Uncertain), Walk time, Line risk (L/M/H), Usable today? (Y/N/Uncertain).

Also list “Not usable under my rules” (do not recommend).

3) Top 3 ranking: prioritize time/reachability risk, then experience, then my priorities. For each: what to show at the door + 3 to 6 bullet tradeoffs.

4) Coverage checklist: explicitly confirm you checked Amex Platinum, Venture X/Capital One, all Priority Pass options, airline lounges by cabin/status, and membership lounges.

5) Verify list: official lounge/operator pages, card benefit pages, Priority Pass listings, and airport maps.

If anything is unclear, label UNCERTAIN and say exactly what to confirm.

When I tested this at JFK, the AI correctly identified that a Capital One Venture X card would get me access to the Chase Sapphire Lounge once per calendar year.

It also warned me that while I could technically access the Virgin Atlantic Clubhouse with Priority Pass, the access hours were restricted during my visit. It even flagged that the Capital One Lounge might have a wait, but noted I could join their digital waitlist instead of standing around.

However, AI isn't perfect. It occasionally confuses Priority Pass membership levels or terminal layouts at big airports. Use it to create your shortlist, then verify using the official links it provides.

Apps tell you which lounges exist, but the right AI prompt can help you decide which one is worth the walk.

It pulls context together to prevent you from sprinting to the wrong terminal for mediocre hummus.

Just remember the golden rule: Shortlist with AI, verify with official sources. Policies change fast, and the last thing you want is to be turned away at the door and do the walk of shame back to the gate.

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