Airline Clubs - The benefits of airline club membership

Airline clubs can be well worth the annual fee if you use one airline more than any other. Escape from the hectic terminal, check e-mail, make calls, take a smoke break or hold meetings in these

comfortable lounges. Learn more about what these clubs have to offer so that you can best take advantage of them. Airline clubs can offer quiet, comfortable, and relatively private sanctuary to the weary traveler. Where else can you get a shower, a nap, some decent food, a place to stow gear, computers, telephones, faxes, and copy machines, reservations, boarding passes, even a private conference room to hold a quick meeting? They've even been used for dancing and acting auditions.

Fees run around $150-400 annually. For business travelers or leisure travelers who fly often, that's cheap.

Do some research before you choose a club. You'll want to make sure that the one you choose is ensconced at the airports you use most frequently.

Once you choose an airline club, check whether or not they offer long-term deals; you can save money by purchasing a two- or three-year membership.

If you're having trouble picking an airline club, your best choice might be the Priority Pass, which buys you unlimited access to over 300 clubs worldwide. The Priority Pass is offered at a 25% discount by the International Airline Passengers' Association.