Review: Virgin Atlantic Clubhouse at San Francisco International Airport (SFO), A Gates

…Cool vibe, music and décor enhance this small space – but Priority Pass travelers..be prepared to pay for some items

The Virgin Atlantic Clubhouse at the A gates of SFO’s International Terminal has a lot going for it: great design and ambiance, amazing background music, decent buffet, and some elevated offerings. However, the elevated offerings come at a cost for those entering the clubhouse with Priority Pass, who only have access for limited hours. 

The summary

The lounge is on Floor 5 of the A gates in the International Terminal. From noon to 4:00 PM, Priority Pass members are not admitted due to the timing of Virgin’s flights to London and the overall small space of the lounge. This is the only lounge on this floor – one floor above many other lounges. Signs at the beginning of the A gate concourse direct travelers to the lounges. On the 5^th floor, it’s impossible to miss the Virgin branded entry.

After reception, you will immediately notice the Virgin Atlantic (VA) vibe. The VA clubhouses look like no other lounges and resemble a cross between a sleek hotel bar, nightclub, and traditional airline/airport lounge. This lounge is an example of how a designer can effectively maximize a small space – the designers of the China Airlines lounge below (and others) should take note. One entire wall is taken up with floor to ceiling windows. To the left, there is bench seating with tables and a series of small tables with blue chairs. Two of the walls here are wood paneled – which add some warmth to the place.

To the right after entry, is the bar, buffet, and additional seating. The bar is backed by a blue wall as is the adjoining buffet with several light items, sandwiches and pastries: nothing that substantial. This area also has additional seating, including some cool red chairs that overlook the tarmac.

You can order more substantial food items and drinks via a QR code that is affixed to every table and by every seat. A server will bring you what you order. I took a screenshot of the food and hot beverage menu but did not get one of the full cocktail menu. There is a charge for most of the items ordered. For example, a chicken burger is $14 and a cappuccino is $5. I will leave it up to you whether it is worth it – but the prices seem to be less than what you would find at the restaurants in the terminal. You can also reserve a shower the same way – via a scanned QR code for $15. I availed myself of none of the charged items – as I came here primarily to write a review.

Speaking of writing, I found that finding an outlet for my computer to be a surprising challenge. However, the internet was very fast and did not (if I recall) require a password. One more note – I LOVED the music. I have never said that about a lounge before. As a child of the 70s and 80s, I heard Bowie, Fleetwood Mac, the Police, and Bruce. That was awesome! Note that the lounge is most convenient (shortest walk) for travelers departing from the A gates, but the walk is not that long from Terminal 1 (B and C gates).

The wrap:

…The details. Date – April 26, 2025. Rating: Very fine. Access: Priority pass

..What I like: The décor and music

..What I don’t like: The charges for the best items, limited hours and outlets.