Lounge Review: Air France Lounge – Dulles (IAD)

by Adam Stuart | September 9, 2024 | 0 Comments

…stylish lounge in DC

When: October 18, 2024

Rating: 7/10 – Very fine

Access: Priority Pass

Back to Dulles – this time an airline lounge…and not just any airline. Air France!

During the early part of the day, Air France’s lounge is open to Priority Pass members. In the evening, this stylish lounge is limited to qualified passengers mainly headed over the Atlantic. The lounge is small but tres chic with a clean fresh look, sporting Air France’s bright colors. The buffet is surprisingly substantial even during non-peak hours. Showers are available. The bar sports champagne.

a group of people sitting at tables in a restaurant

The lounge is in Concourse A at IAD. In reality, Concourse A and Concourse B is really just one long terminal concourse divided in two sections. These concourses house most all foreign carriers and US carriers other than United and Air Canada (though United regional flights use a small pier off of Concourse A).

Depending on the crowds, entry might be barred to Priority Pass members. That will be noted in a sign right by the entrance – fortunately there are other options at Dulles.

Upon entry, the main part of the lounge is to the right: the small but elegant bar, most seating, the buffet, the bathrooms and showers. My favorite feature of the lounge is how stylish the décor is. It’s brightly colored, with curved lines and great tarmac views. A secret – behind the reception desk is another room with table seating: perfect for getting work down or eating. Outlets are generally easy to find in this lounge.

Carb lovers rejoice: The buffet is a highlight with some really tasty baguettes as well as a variety of items to fill up on. One thing I noticed: most loungers were drinking champagne or wine- which makes sense because that was what the bar featured. The lounge can get very crowded and once, to get me in, I told the folks at reception that I would only be there for an hour!! The staff is inconsistent: friendly to rude.

food on a counter in a restaurant
a group of people in a room
a bathroom with a glass door and sink
a plane on the tarmac

I rate this lounge 7/10. Best features: The buffet and décor. Flaws: Service can be inconsistent and it can get very crowded, meaning the lounge can be frequently at capacity.  

Adam Stuart

Avid traveler/lounge aficionado, who looks to maximize the fun while traveling. The journey can be as fun as the destination!
Also on BoardingArea
One Mile at a Time
Nuuk Airport Imposes Low Flight Cap, Causing Mess For Air Greenland
Greenland has seen a significant increase in air service in recent times, thanks in large part to the opening of the expanded Nuuk Airport (GOH), allowing jet service to Greenland’s capital. This improved facility, along with the general desire for unique travel experience, has caused airlines like United to add...
Miles For Family
Switching from Business to Premium Economy for Flight Home from Asia
My daughter and I have a trip to Thailand booked for next summer. I was so excited to find award availability for 2 people in business class both ways across the Pacific Ocean! Unfortunately, due to some scheduling conflicts, we decided to change our return date. Thankfully, it wasn’t too difficult...
Eye of the Flyer
What to Expect with an NCL Haven Embarkation
Introduction – Big Family Cruise in a HUGE Suite Why We Chose Alaska For Our Three Generation Cruise Crossing North America in American Airlines First Class Fairmont Waterfront Vancouver – Pre-Cruise Hotel Review What to Expect with an NCL Haven Embarkation Our First Time Sailing Norwegian Cruise Line Comparing the NCL Haven to Sister Line Oceania...
View from the Wing
Hilton Calls It Loyalty. Guests Call It $6 Worth Of Points.
Hilton is out with their fall promotion, “Stay More, Earn More” and you can register to earn 1,500 bonus points per stay October 1 – December 31, 2025. That’s generously worth about $6. This makes me sad, especially because it comes on the heels of another weak offering...
One Mile at a Time
Boeing Starts Developing 737 MAX Replacement: Overdue Or Premature?
It sounds like Boeing is working on developing its first new “clean sheet” commercial aircraft type in over two decades. I’m not sure if that’s refreshing to see and shows that Boeing is trying to innovate, or is just plain confusing, given the aircraft it’s replacing. Boeing in early stages of...
Paddle Your Own Kanoo
Emirates Warns Passengers To Fully Charge Their Devices As Tough New Power Bank Rules Come Into Force
Emirates has urged passengers not to board one of its flights unless they have fully charged their mobile phones and other electronic gadgets, as the Dubai-based carrier becomes the largest airline yet to ban the use of power banks in-flight from October 1. The airline first warned that it planned to...
Paddle Your Own Kanoo
A Secret Meeting With Rolls-Royce Revealed That Boeing Is Working On A New 737MAX Replacement
Having lost a seemingly insurmountable amount of ground against arch-rival Airbus, the embattled aircraft manufacturer Boeing is rumored to have resurrected plans to create a so-called clean-sheet aircraft design for the first time in more than two decades. The plans were revealed by anonymous sources cited by the Wall Street Journal,...
ATX Jetsetter
American and Porter Airlines Announce Partnership
American Airlines and Porter Airlines have announced a new partnership for travel between the United States and Canada. American and Porter Announce Codeshare Agreement American and Porter have announced a new codeshare partnership that will see the Fort Worth based carrier place its code on Porter operated flights. Porter will also...
2PAXfly
PASSPORT: Europe ends passport stamps from October ’25 — what Australians need to know
From 12 October 2025, the European Union will begin phasing in its new Entry/Exit System (EES), which will replace those colourful little passport stamps with digital kiosks, facial images and fingerprint scans. By April 2026, passport stamps will be fully gone across the 29 countries of the Schengen Zone. If you’ve...
PointsMath
Last Day: Buy Lufthansa Miles & More Miles with Flat 60% Bonus [1.31¢ or ₹1.15/Mile] [Sep’25]
Lufthansa is a member of the Star Alliance. Its frequent flyer program is Miles & More. Although its miles are among the most difficult to earn worldwide, you can purchase Lufthansa Miles with a Flat 60% bonus. Until August 31, 2025, a flat bonus of 50% was available to members...
PointsMath
HDFC Adds Marriott Bonvoy as Transfer Partner
HDFC Bank has added Marriott Bonvoy as a transfer partner without any noise. Now, you can directly transfer HDFC Points to your Marriott Bonvoy account, eliminating the need for the indirect route that you may still use occasionally. HDFC Marriott Bonvoy Transfer Ratio The transfer ratio between HDFC and Marriott Bonvoy is: HDFC...
Economy Class & Beyond
United Airlines lauches USCBP’s International Remote Baggage Screening on flights from Sydney
If you’ve had to connect from an international to a domestic flight in the USA, it can be a… challenging process, especially after a long flight. Well, there is some good news as United Airlines has launched a new service –  US Customs and Border Patrol’s International Remote Baggage Screening. Initially, United...
PointsMath
Meals to Miles: Earn Indigo Bluchip on Swiggy [1/₹250 Spent]
There has been a considerable increase in loyalty programs in India in the last few years. Last year, Indigo launched its frequent flyer program, “BluChip.” Earlier, you could earn Indigo BluChip when flying Indigo. Indigo and Swiggy launched their partnership in March 2025. They have now updated the earn rate,...
Frequent Miler
JW Marriott Masai Mara: A Simply Spectacular Safari Experience
Before visiting the JW Marriott Masai Mara, I was lucky enough to have had two previous safari experiences. The first was self-driving in Kruger National Park in South Africa during my honeymoon, and the second was being guided in Land Cruisers over several days in a private conservancy, again in...
Josh Trips
My no good, very bad experiences with the Atmos Summit card
I was very, very excited about getting approved for the Atmos Summit card despite a painful approval process. Like, I was so excited to get this card that I texted at least 5 friends who aren’t that into the credit card/points space, telling them all about the card and how...
2PAXfly
UNITED AIRLINES: trialing remote baggage screening on Sydney to San Francisco route
This is good news if you hate lugging your checked bag through the transit maze at San Francisco International Airport. United Airlines has launched a new baggage screening system that eliminates the dreaded re-check step for connecting passengers. San Francisco at night [hdqwalls.com] What’s Changing? Until now, travellers arriving in the United States...
2PAXfly
VIRGIN AUSTRALIA: targetted offer of double or triple Status Credits
Check your inbox, Velocity members. Virgin Australia has quietly slipped out a double or triple Status Credits promotion – but not everyone’s been invited to the party. Double or Triple Treat This isn’t a blanket offer for all Velocity frequent flyers. Instead, Virgin has taken a targeted approach, selecting an undisclosed group...
Points With a Crew
Get An Easy $50 From Rakuten (Offer Ends Tuesday)
KEY LINK: Sign-up for a Rakuten account with a best-ever $50 bonus. Offer ends September 30th Rakuten is one of the most popular shopping portals out there. With a shopping portal, you can earn cashback, miles or points by making purchases online. Simply go through the shopping portal of your choice...
The Gate with Brian Cohen
Warning About Renting a Car in Ecuador
The warning about renting a car in Ecuador is that when I arrived at the counter of the rental car company at the airport in Quito to pick up the vehicle after being delayed at least 90 minutes due to inclement weather, the total cost of the rental vehicle had...
One Mile at a Time
United Club Philadelphia Airport Shut Down By Department Of Health
It’s probably not something people often think about, but even airport lounges can be shut down by local health authorities. Here’s the latest example of that… United Club PHL forced to cease operations temporarily OMAAT reader Alex was passing through Philadelphia International Airport (PHL) this afternoon, and while on the people mover,...
One Mile at a Time
Hilton Honors Stay More, Earn More Promotion: 1,500 Bonus Points Per Stay
Historically, Hilton Honors has done an amazing job with its global promotions. Unfortunately that has started to change in recent times, both in terms of the frequency and the generosity of the offers.The good news is that Hilton Honors has just opened registration for its latest promotion, which runs through...
Frequent Miler
Fine dining with the culinary concierge, and more (Greg’s 100K Vacay Journal)
You didn’t think that Carrie and Chef Bjarne would be the only surprise guests on this trip, did you? Read below to learn about the third and final surprise guest of this trip, and a spectacular dinner she arranged. Earlier in the day, Carrie and I snorkeled and mini-hiked. And,...
Frequent Flyer Bonuses
Earn 1,500 bonus Hilton Honors points on all stays Worldwide between October 1 and December 31
Hilton’s fall and early winter global promotion revealed today and it will provide 1,500 bonus Honors points per eligible stay from October 1 to December 31, 2025. Registration and booking is now open for the promotion. 1,500 points offers like this are great for those less expensive and/or shorter stays when...
View from the Wing
It’s Official: U.S. Has Finalized Exit Controls—Mug Shots Roll Out As Default For Permission To Leave The Country
At many international departure gates, a camera is mounted at the gate or held by a government customs officer or airline staff member, to take a live photo of each passenger during boarding. That image is sent to the Customs and Border Protection cloud-based Traveler Verification Service, which compares each...

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Categories

Recent Stories

Reviews

Read the latest reviews for road warriors and frequent flyers.
  • Live and Let’s Fly
    by Matthew
    Live and Let’s Fly
    by Matthew
    Matthew is an avid traveler​, flying more than ​200,000 miles per year​. Live and Let's Fly​ ​shares the latest news in the airline​ ​industry, commentary on frequent flyer programs and promotions, and detailed reports of his worldwide travel.
    Visit Blog Contact
  • Your Mileage May Vary
    by Joe & Sharon
    Your Mileage May Vary
    by Joe & Sharon
    A slightly off-center look at travel, points, miles, ways to save, funny stories & more, from a husband & wife team where he collects miles & points & she enjoys the fruits of his hobby.
    Visit Blog Contact
  • Sam Chui
    by Sam
    Sam Chui
    by Sam
    “My Soul is in the Sky”. Aviation and Travel is my life. I simply love flying and love sharing that experience from riding cargo hold in remote Siberia to flying Ultra luxury Private Jet, everything in between with you!
    Visit Blog Contact
  • Frequent Miler
    by Greg
    Frequent Miler
    by Greg
    Earn miles without flying
    Visit Blog Contact

Our Bloggers