After a fairly short Delta flight from Atlanta to New York we parked at JFK’s terminal 2 and I was one step closer to my Singapore Airlines Suites flight to Frankfurt. I quickly made my way to the tarmac bus transfer station and took a short bus over to terminal 4. Once in terminal 4 I made my way to the Virgin Atlantic Clubhouse to relax before my flight.
Virgin Atlantic Clubhouse New York Location
The Virgin Atlantic Clubhouse is conveniently located on the second floor of Terminal 4 just above gates A4 and A5.
The above sign is on the left side of Terminal 4-A as you make your way toward gates A6 and A7. Just to the left of this sign is a set of stairs which takes you upstairs to the airline lounge area. If you don’t have lounge access the area is still a nice retreat from the crowded terminal.
The entrance to the lounge seemed a little small given the large interior space. It surprised me how understated the entrance to the lounge is.
How To Access The New York Virgin Atlantic Clubhouse
Virgin Atlantic Upper Class Passengers, Delta Medallion Elites (with same-day nonstop flights to the U.K. operated by Virgin Atlantic or Delta), Flying Club Gold Elites, Singapore Airlines Suites/First Class passengers, and TAM First or Business Class Passengers all have complimentary access to the Virgin Atlantic Clubhouse. Virgin Atlantic Elevate Gold Elites and Premium Economy passengers may also access the lounge for a fee.
I had complimentary access to the lounge since I was flying Singapore Airlines Suites Class to Frankfurt. The check-in agent seemed surprised I did not yet have a Singapore Airlines boarding pass, but had a list with my name on it which allowed entry to the clubhouse. After checking in at the desk the Virgin Atlantic agent placed a call to Singapore Airlines informing the airline of my arrival and that I’d need a boarding pass. The agent then directed me into the lounge and gave me a quick tour.
Virgin Atlantic Clubhouse New York Seating
By far the most interesting part of the entire lounge is the interior design. The clubhouse reminds me of futuristic scenes from old movies. Much of the seating options are better to look at than to sit on, but the design is impressive nonetheless.
Above is the central area of the Clubhouse. The entire lounge is separated into various sections with unique seating options in each. Toward the end of the evening as the lounge cleared out I sat in this area and found the “pod” seats to be terribly uncomfortable.
The above seats are very similar to those found at the Dallas Fort Worth Centurion Lounge. I love these little nooks as they offer a little more privacy than other seating options.
The Clubhouse also features these swanky imbedded pods. These seats reminded me of the test scene from Men In Black!
Billiards balls and cues are available upon request. One couple began playing, but after a few minutes decided the noise was too disruptive for the somewhat quiet atmosphere of the lounge. Before I left I made sure to sit on the couch in the background and am happy to say it was unbelievably comfortable.
It’s also worth noting there is a full sit-down bar just to the right of the central seating area, but it was fairly uncomfortable to sit at. The bar is sunken into the floor and you’re sort of hovering over everyone working, I did not like ordering directly from the bar.
Virgin Atlantic Clubhouse New York Food and Beverage Options
One thing I absolutely loved about the Clubhouse is that all food/drink options are available at any table around the lounge. Each table has a full food and drink menu and you can order at any time. There is also a special dining area for a more formal meal, but most guests opted to sit in other areas to dine.
I took multiple pictures of the Virgin Atlantic Clubhouse menu, but found it online. If you are interested in the various menu options please check out the menu here. During my visit I opted to ordering just two “Clubhouse Tapas.” The menu has changed slightly from my visit, but I ordered the Fried Cockles and
As you can see from the above image the Clubhouse Tapas are extremely small. If you have an large appetite I’d recommend ordering more than two. I wanted to save room for the food on my flight, but wish I would have ordered more.
I chose the Pimm’s Cup to accompany my Clubhouse Tapas which didn’t disappoint. The cocktail list is extensive and everything in the Clubhouse is complementary.
Virgin Atlantic Clubhouse New York Restrooms
The more I write reviews the more I realize how important a quality restroom is to my overall experience. I know it’s a bit odd to talk about a “public” restroom, but I feel in this situation talking about the restrooms is completely warranted.
The Clubhouse restrooms are at the back of the lounge and nearly impossible to miss. The hallway to the restrooms is a long sweeping hallway which is lit by color changing LEDs. All of the restrooms are single unisex rooms. Restrooms on the left side of the hall are simply toilets while the right side of the hall features shower rooms. I don’t believe there are any specific markings which inform guests the rooms are shower rooms.
All showers are on a first come first served basis and there is no formal reception area. If a room is open you guests are more than welcome to take a shower at any time. The check-in agent told me to “go in anytime, as long as no one else is in there…” I thought that was a fairly comical comment after my nTH Pimm’s cup.
The shower is quite large and somewhat difficult to use. I couldn’t seem to find a comfortable temperature. Also, I’m not sure if you’re supposed to inform the bathroom attendant you’d like to shower, but there was no shampoo in the shower as I showered. The body wash did dry my hair out a bit…
Final Thoughts
Of all the lounges I’ve ever visited in the United States the Virgin Atlantic Clubhouse at New York’s JFK is my favorite. The food and drinks are the best around and the full service aspect of the lounge allows you to sit back and relax before a long flight. It was a little awkward ordering things at first since I’d never been to a full service lounge before. All of the servers seemed happy to bring me whatever I requested at any point in time.
Unfortunately I didn’t have a chance to visit the Spa or Salon in the lounge, but it’s worth mentioning the lounge offers complimentary massage treatments. The lounge also has a full service salon that offers complementary haircuts in case your life is so busy that the airport is the only place you can get a haircut!
