Lounge Review: Escape Lounge - Sacramento (SMF) Terminal A
While on a trip to California, I visited both Escape Lounges at Sacramento International Airport (SMF). In this review, I will cover the Escape Lounge located in Terminal A. I arrived around 16:00 (4 pm) on a Saturday and enjoyed some snacks and beverages, while I was there for approximately an hour.
There are two Escape Lounges in Sacramento; see the review for Escape Lounge in Terminal B.
Location and Access
The Escape Lounge in Terminal A is located in the central area, just past the security screening area, near gate A10. Sacramento terminals A and B are not connected airside, so you must exit the terminal if you are connecting on an airline not operating from Terminal B. The lounge is open Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Saturday, and Sunday from 04:30 to 20:00 (8 pm) and Thursday and Friday from 04:30 to 22:00 (10 pm).
I was flying on Delta, and used my American Express Delta Reserve Card to gain access to the lounge. When I arrived, I was the only one in line, and the entire process took less than 5 minutes. The desk agent asked to scan my boarding pass and my credit card, and I was quickly checked in.
Note: Terminal A has much less traffic than Terminal B, but serves Air Canada, American, Delta, and United.
Complementary entrance to the lounge can be gained using an American Express Platinum or the Delta SkyMiles Reserve credit card (when flying a Delta-marketed flight). Priority Pass and Dragon Pass are also accepted for lounge entrance. Walk-up access to the lounge can be purchased for $60 or pre-booked for $45 (plus tax) per person. Children aged 0-24 months may enter free of charge. This is a common-use lounge, so your status or airline affiliation does not matter; all you need is a same-day boarding pass and a method for entry.
Lounge Amenities
Overall, the lounge was comfortable and a nice place to stop before departing. The lounge is divided into several distinct areas: a bar and dining area, a seating area with small tables and a TV, and a side working area featuring a flight information screen and workstations. There are two other flight monitors around the lounge to help keep track of your flight while in the lounge. There were ample charging plugs located around the lounge; although not all seating areas had plugs, most did. Under the listed amenities, the lounge mentioned it had a PressReader service, but I was unable to get it to work, even after connecting to the lounge Wi-Fi.
Seating and Work Areas
The lounge features multiple seating areas. There is a central sofa area with tables, as well as a more private seating area with chairs and side tables. There are also padded chairs located around the lounge, which are great for solo travelers. The lounge features two TVs, one situated over the bar and the other in the central seating area. When I was there, one was showing sports (baseball) and the other one (over the bar) was turned off or maybe broken. There were also some larger tables, which were great for working on a laptop or eating.
Food and Beverage
The food was limited but good. I arrived in the early evening, and there were a handful of food choices. Since I had other dinner plans, I just did a little snacking. On the buffet, they were serving roasted broccoli with parmesan cheese, baked mac and cheese, garlic herb chicken and rice, sandwiches, bean dip, salsa, and chips. I really did like the plateware they were using. Besides the bar, they had a selection of canned sodas in the fridge, hot tea, and the always popular Eversys espresso machine. The items on the buffet were clearly labeled and had information on dietary restrictions such as vegetarian, vegan, and gluten free.
Items tasted:
- Beandip, Salsa and Chips = 4
- Macaroni and Cheese (with salsa) = 3
- Local draft beer = 4
The bar area was small but nice and located next to the buffet area. The bar had two craft beers on tap and a small selection of cocktails. They offered complimentary and premium liquor choices for $4.
Restrooms and Showers
Unfortunately, the lounge did not have restrooms or a shower. The closest restroom was located in the terminal, approximately 30 seconds from the lounge, near Gate A10.
Internet and Noise
The lounge provides internet access, and I was able to connect without any problems. The speed results were not very impressive. I ran two tests, and the fastest of the two was 14.9 Mbps (down) and 4.1 Mbps (up). The noise level was moderate (52.1 dB) around 4:30 pm.
Overall Rating: 3.2*
Pros: comfortable seating and tables, espresso machine, nice staff.
Cons: no outside views, no restrooms, limited food and snacks, and slow internet speeds.
- Amenities: 3.3
- Food: 3
- Beverages: 3.6
- Seating & Tables: 3
- Service: 4.2
- Wow-Factor: 2
* scored using Nerd Score 1.0
Summary: The lounge was a nice and quiet place to relax before my flight. There were some good snacks and a full-service bar with many options. I only wish that the lounge had windows with outside views.
Related
Closing Thoughts
Since the two terminals are not connected, it is very nice that they have built two Escape lounges, so passengers have an option when traveling. There are no other lounges, spas, or relaxation features currently available at the Sacramento airport, but both terminals do have a Vino Volo.