On a recent trip to visit family in Western North Carolina, we flew through Greenville-Spartanburg International Airport (GSP) and had a chance to visit the Escape Lounge before our flight back to Texas.
Escape Lounge Greenville-Spartanburg Location
Greenville-Spartanburg International Airport is separated into two concourses though, in reality, it’s all one long building. The Escape Lounge is located in Concourse B. After clearing security, take a right and head towards the B Gates. You’ll see a set of stairs/escalators going up towards the departure gates and, to the right, you’ll see a short hallway.
Down the hall you’ll find the entrance to the Escape Lounge clearly marked. If you accidentally pass this you’ll find yourself in some airport offices and will need to double back.
Escape Lounge Greenville-Spartanburg Hours of Operation
The Escape Lounge is currently open between 4:30a and 7:30p daily. This covers all but a couple of departures from the airport.
Escape Lounge Greenville-Spartanburg Entry Requirements
Escape Lounges are open to the departing passengers, regardless of airline, for a $55 fee. American Express Centurion and Platinum cardholders can access the lounge free of charge. Priority Pass cardholders can also access the lounge by presenting their card. Delta passengers, with a Delta SkyMiles Reserve Card, can also enter the lounge free of charge.
There were a couple of people in front of us when we arrived though the line moved quickly. The lounge was almost at capacity due to the early morning departure bank so we had to wait for some seats to open up before entering. After a swipe of our American Express Platinum cards we were welcomed into the lounge.
Layout
The lounge is laid out as a long, skinny rectangle that is separated into a few distinct rooms. After entering the lounge, the first seating area is to the left of the reception desk. It has a few groupings of different chairs with small tables in-between. The floor to ceiling windows provide great views of the ramp, once the sun comes up.
A floor to ceiling shelf divides the first seating area from the lounge bar and dining spaces and has a few chairs sitting in front of it.
The middle room is split between the bar and the seating area for the buffet. The bar is located on the left and has a decent number of seats for a lounge this size.
The dining space is outfitted with two-person cafe style tables along with some high top seating along the wall.
Finally, you’ll find the buffet and restroom areas at the rear of the lounge.
Food and Beverage
Our visit to the lounge was during breakfast and the lounge had a surprising number of good options on offer. While Escape Lounges tend to be on the smaller side, they do a great job with the food on offer.
On the hot bar, breakfast potatoes, eggs, and sausage were available.
Bowls of fruit and hard boiled eggs were also out on the buffet.
Cereal, pastries, and chips were also on offer with multiple different options for each.
On the beverage front; orange juice, infused water, and tap water are available for guests.
If you’re interested in other beverages, coffee, a coffee machine, hot tea, and flavored syrups are
The Escape Lounge also has a fully stocked bar with a wide variety of spirits. While the majority of the spirits offered are an additional charge, the bar still has plenty of complimentary beverages on offer.
When we arrived around 6:00a, the full bar was open for business. Based on what I saw, there didn’t appear to be any limitations on service but, your mileage may vary.
Atmosphere
We arrived at the lounge just before 6:00a and found the place packed. It was difficult to find a space but the lounge was well staffed and were doing their best to find space for guests. The lounge did clear out during our visit and was roughly half full when we departed just after 6:35a.
We got lucky and found a couple of seats near the entrance. That allowed us to have a home base but it wasn’t a very relaxing experience. While I appreciate the efforts of the staff which did everything possible to make things easy for us, I still felt cramped in the space. The food and hospitality were great but that wasn’t enough to overcome the crowding issues.
Summary
The Escape Lounge is the only lounge available for passengers travelling out of Greenville-Spartanburg International Airport and, while the space gets busy at peak times, the staff does a great job of accommodating guests. If there isn’t a line out of the door, I’d recommend dropping by the Escape Lounge for a brief visit prior to departure.
