Strata Elite lounge access at SFO: every lounge it opens

Harvey Milk Terminal 1 is where the Strata Elite ($595 USD a year) does its best work at SFO. Three of the six lounges it opens sit within a few gates of each other in Boarding Area B. The other three are in International Terminal A, and two of those come with hour restrictions that matter.

If you're leaving from Terminal 1#

• The Club SFO, just before gate B4, rated 4.3. Three showers, a full bar, 5s for food, drinks, coffee and service. Open 04:30 to 23:30. This is the one to use.
• American Airlines Admirals Club, between gates B13 and B14, rated 3.8. Two showers. This is the Strata Elite's Admirals Club benefit, which is a limited number of passes a year, and you need a same-day American or oneworld ticket. With The Club a few gates away and half a point higher, there is little reason to burn a pass here.
• Alaska Lounge, across from gate B6, rated 3.6. Priority Pass is accepted with a $15 fee per person, and a same-day Alaska or oneworld ticket is required. Quiet scores a 5, food and drinks a 3.

If you're leaving from International Terminal A#

• Virgin Atlantic Clubhouse, level 5 after security, rated 3.8. Priority Pass gets in only during two windows, roughly 09:00 to 13:30 and 17:30 to 19:15, with a three-hour cap and capacity control. Craft cocktails, two showers.
• China Airlines Dynasty Lounge, level 4 near gate A1, rated 3.3. Priority Pass hours run about 08:30 to 18:00, three-hour maximum.
• Golden Gate Lounge, also near gate A1, rated 2.9. No time windows, but cleanliness and food both score 2.

My read of the ratings#

The Terminal 1 trio is a clear tier above the international side. The Club SFO's 4.3 is the highest number this card can reach at SFO. In International Terminal A, the Clubhouse is the best room but the hardest to get into. An evening departure outside its 17:30 to 19:15 window pushes you to the Dynasty Lounge until 18:00, then to Golden Gate. Golden Gate is always open to you and rarely the place you want to be.

The fine print, briefly#

A same-day boarding pass is required at every lounge. Guests cost roughly $35 each at the independents, and the airline lounges follow their own rules. The Admirals Club passes are capped per year, so plan them around airports without a good Priority Pass option. Ratings are explained in our methodology. For the full SFO ranking, including the clubs this card cannot open, see the 5 best lounges at SFO.

Putting this into practice#

The names I'd check against the actual boarding pass include The Club SFO, American Airlines Admirals Club. I would start with the terminal and the time available after security. That turns a directory into a realistic shortlist. A lounge can be excellent and still be a poor choice for this departure if reaching it uses most of the waiting time. The location notes above should do as much work as the overall score.

Related reading#

• The 5 best lounges for food at SFO
• The 5 best airport lounges for showers at SFO
• The 5 best lounges for workspace at SFO