Soho Lounge JFK Terminal 8 Review
The Soho Lounge at JFK is the upper-tier American Airlines and British Airways oneworld lounge in Terminal 8, located above Gate 14 and open daily from 4:15 am to 11:30 pm. It sits between the more accessible Greenwich Lounge and the more exclusive Chelsea Lounge: harder to enter than Greenwich, easier to enter than Chelsea, and in my experience one of the best US airport lounges if you qualify.
Before my flight to Japan, I visited the Soho Lounge in JFK Terminal 8 thanks to my American Airlines Platinum Pro status. Given that I had been to the nearby Greenwich Lounge several times before, I wasn’t too sure what to expect, but I was pretty pleased with what I experienced: fantastic aesthetics, decent food, runway views, showers, phone booths, a quiet room, and a full-service bar.
Quick Facts: Soho Lounge JFK Terminal 8
- Airport and terminal: New York JFK Terminal 8, the American Airlines and British Airways oneworld terminal.
- Location: Above Gate 14, sharing the elevator/check-in area with the Chelsea Lounge.
- Hours: Daily 4:15 am to 11:30 pm, per American Airlines.
- Best for: Qualifying oneworld Emerald, top-tier AAdvantage/Alaska status members on eligible international itineraries, oneworld first class passengers, and ConciergeKey members on eligible oneworld/Aer Lingus-operated itineraries.
- Standout amenities: A la carte mobile ordering, chef-inspired buffet, full bar, library/work areas, phone booths, quiet room, runway views, charging, and shower suites.
- Not the same as: SoHo Grand Hotel or Grand Bar in Manhattan. This review is for the Soho airport lounge at JFK.
How To Access The Soho Lounge In JFK Terminal 8
This lounge is a little bit trickier to access than the Greenwich Lounge, but is still heaps easier to access than the Chelsea Lounge. American Airlines says access depends on status, fare class, ticket, and the operating/marketing airline, so always verify your own itinerary before relying on lounge access.
The Soho Lounge is open to the following guests:
- ConciergeKey: Access when traveling on a flight marketed and operated by a oneworld airline, or marketed by Aer Lingus and operated by American, in any cabin. AA lists immediate family or up to 2 guests for this category.
- Qualifying AAdvantage and Alaska Atmos Rewards members: AAdvantage Executive Platinum, AAdvantage Platinum Pro, Alaska Airlines Atmos Titanium, and Alaska Airlines Atmos Platinum members can access the lounge on qualifying same-day international itineraries marketed and operated by American, a oneworld airline, or marketed by Aer Lingus and operated by American. AA lists 1 guest for this category.
- Oneworld First Class: Access when flying first class on any oneworld airline between the U.S. and Africa, Asia, Australia, Europe, the Middle East, New Zealand, or South America. AA lists 1 guest for this category.
- Other oneworld Emerald: Access when flying on any oneworld flight, with 1 guest listed by AA. For AAdvantage and Alaska members, AA points travelers back to the qualifying AAdvantage/Atmos rules above.
Notably, the entry requirements are a bit tighter for those with AA/Alaska status since there are a significant number of those folks flying in/out of JFK. If you have British Airways Gold status, you’ll get oneworld Emerald, which can make the Soho Lounge much easier to access when flying through JFK on oneworld.
For AAdvantage/Alaska status access, AA/Alaska members have to also be flying one of the following types of routes:
Flagship International: Seats ticketed as Flagship between the U.S. and:
- Asia
- Australia
- Europe
- Middle East
- New Zealand
- South America (excluding Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, Guyana, Peru, Suriname and Venezuela)
Oneworld long-haul: Any flight marketed and operated by a oneworld airline between the U.S. and:
- Africa
- Asia
- Australia
- Europe
- Middle East
- New Zealand
- South America
In my case, since I am an AA Platinum Pro flying an international long-haul flight, I qualified for access.
If you want to also access this lounge, you can search for qualifying international award flights with your oneworld points and miles via Roame.
Where Is The Soho Lounge In JFK Terminal 8?
JFK’s Terminal 8 is home to the American Airlines and British Airways joint premium lounge complex. Right after security, you can find the major lounges located to the left and right of the first intersection. The Soho Lounge is above Gate 14, in the same area as the Chelsea Lounge. The Greenwich Lounge is nearby above Gate 12.
What Are The Soho Lounge’s Hours?
The Soho Lounge is open daily from 4:15 am to 11:30 pm. If you need more time in the lounges, the Greenwich Lounge closes at 1:15 am, so it can be the better fallback for very late departures if you are eligible for Greenwich access.
Soho Lounge vs Greenwich Lounge vs Chelsea Lounge At JFK
If you are deciding among JFK Terminal 8 lounges, think of the three joint AA/BA premium lounges as a ladder. Greenwich is the broadest premium lounge, Soho is the upper-tier oneworld Emerald/first-class lounge, and Chelsea is the most exclusive lounge for the narrowest set of travelers.
- Choose Greenwich Lounge if: you have access through a broader premium/business-class or oneworld Sapphire path, or you need the later 1:15 am closing time.
- Choose Soho Lounge if: you qualify for both Greenwich and Soho. It felt cleaner, quieter, and more refined to me, with better bathrooms, phone booths, a quiet room, and a stronger overall atmosphere.
- Choose Chelsea Lounge if: you qualify for the most exclusive option and value the champagne bar, personalized service, and more premium dining setup over Soho’s broader upper-tier access.
My Impressions Of The Soho Lounge: Beautifully Designed
When you go up the elevator to the check-in desk, you’re immediately greeted with a very beautiful array of patterned grays and whites. This has a much nicer feel than most other check-in areas I’ve seen before.
Soho Lounge check-in
The desk agent quickly scanned my boarding pass and verified my ID using my passport. She then directed me to the entrance to the Soho Lounge. The moment I walked into the general area, I raised an eyebrow. The entire space was also very well put together and clean, with many complementary colors coming together. I really liked the color scheme used here for some reason (albeit basic).
Soho Lounge main room
On one side, there was a hot buffet. I had come into the lounge right before 11 am, and they were switching from the breakfast to lunch menu at that point.
Once you walked past the main area, there were some additional rooms, one of which had a massive fireplace right in the middle of it with several private seating areas and a large table.
The lounge also had its fair share of unique amenities, such as a row of private phone booths and a relaxation area where you could lie down and even take a quick nap before your next flight.
There was also a full-service bar alongside even more seating areas near the initial entrance.
The bathrooms did not fall short either. Although they used the same D.S. & Durga brand as seen in the Greenwich Lounge at the time of my visit, this bathroom was significantly nicer and cleaner than its Greenwich counterpart. The faucet was particularly unique looking; it took me a second to figure out how to use it.
The Food At The Soho Lounge: Hot Buffet & A La Carte, But A Mysterious Order System
Once the staff started populating the lounge with lunch, I immediately noticed it was the same food as the Greenwich Lounge. Not necessarily a bad thing, since the Greenwich Lounge food is pretty good, but I was a little disappointed since I thought the Soho Lounge would have a more exclusive hot buffet.
Nonetheless, I enjoyed a small plate of the chili shrimp and chicken thigh alongside the stuffed tortellini.
When I sat down at my table, I realized there were little QR codes you could scan. This made me realize that you could actually order a la carte from the kitchen, and this menu was far more interesting than the typical foods I saw at the Greenwich Lounge.
There were several options here, including an all-day menu, a special chef menu, a drinks menu, and a dessert menu. From the all-day menu, I ordered a sticky Chinese pork belly.
A la carte online QR code menu
From the special chef menu, I ordered a lamb and beef kofta. I also ordered an affogato for experimental purposes.
A la carte online QR code menu
As you can see, there’s a little timer for each order. Once I clicked submit in my cart, I got a little confirmation with a note that the kitchen was preparing my food. So I patiently waited for 15 minutes... then those 15 minutes became 30 minutes...
I slowly realized no one around me was getting their food either. So I went to ask a representative directly if she could check on my table’s order. When she came out, even though I had given her my table number, she still wandered around a bit trying to find my table. This a la carte system was not off to a great start, as it was clear to me that orders were not being delivered for some reason after significant waiting.
However, the food was pretty good. The pork belly was definitely a little bit on the sweeter side while the kofta was a bit dry. Nonetheless, it was yummy overall.
By the way: my affogato never came, after 45 minutes of waiting. I had to go at that point, so I never got to try the elusive affogato.
There was also a drinks station, where you could make yourself a coffee or pour yourself some water. To the immediate left were some bottles of champagne, but these were mostly for display.
The Showers At The Soho Lounge: Quite Nice
Given I had a pretty long flight coming up and that I had just run a few miles in the morning before hauling myself to JFK, I decided to take a quick shower. The process to use the shower was pretty standard: go to the front desk and sign my name on a shower list. I’ve never really understood why all the lounges require folks to do this, but I guess it helps with resource management.
After a few minutes, the shower was ready. I think I was told that I had about 30 minutes to use the shower suite. Overall, the shower rooms are very nice and clean. You’re given a fresh set of towels and have access to a multi-functional shower with an overhead rain shower head.
Although I had no idea what shampoo, body wash, or conditioner brand I was using, the water pressure and water temperature were both great and customizable.
My Overall Rating Of The Soho Lounge JFK Terminal 8: A Close 9/10
I rate lounges based on a few general criteria:
- Food Quality & Variety: 8/10
- Cleanliness: 10/10
- Interior Design: 9/10
- Unique Amenities: 8/10
While this lounge is extremely clean and beautifully designed, I still think it falls short of the Singapore Airlines SilverKris Lounge, especially when comparing against the food and amenities. I knocked off a point here since the Soho Lounge uses the same food as the Greenwich Lounge, and while the a la carte concept is awesome, it is a bit hit or miss it seems on whether or not they’ll deliver on it.
Nonetheless, the showers and bathrooms were incredibly nice for a US-based lounge, with incredible views of the tarmac and a great aesthetic. Having a little room for naps is a great touch as well. Notably, given this is a more exclusive lounge, it definitely is a lot easier to keep clean.
