Cabo San Lucas and Airport Lounges

Read about our awesome long weekend in Cabo San Lucas, and my airport lounge reviews.

In this post, I am going to review several airport lounges, as we spent a lot of time in them on this trip. The highlight of this vacation was spending time with new friends, enjoying conversation and fellowship in a lovely setting. Despite multiple annoyances and setbacks, we kept a positive attitude and ended up having a wonderful adventure. Check out our pix from this trip here.

Leaving Little Rock

We met some amazing friends through our personal trainer, Sandie, and they invited us to visit them during their month-long honeymoon in Cabo San Lucas. We booked our flights for February 1 and began making plans! Of course, we planned to check bags. We needed golf clothes, golf clubs, casual yet fancy clothes, active wear, bathing suits, etc…

At the beginning of the week, the weather forecast began to look ominous… ice storms swept across the country and caused widespread travel disruption. We were nervous, but determined to get there. The wintry mix started in Little Rock the day before we were set to leave. On the advice of our trainer (pro-tip, thanks Sandie!), we booked a hotel near the airport so we did not have to drive on icy roads at 4:00 in the morning. We stayed at the Fairfield Inn, which was fine. But, if you choose to stay at this particular hotel, bring food. Their “restaurant” is not a restaurant, and dining options near the hotel are limited; however, they did start serving breakfast at 4:30 am!

I just knew in the back of my mind that our flight from Little Rock to Dallas was going to be canceled. I kept checking the app, and the flight was still on time as of 4:00 am… so we packed it up, grabbed some breakfast, and headed the 0.5 miles to the airport with two large suitcases and Vuong’s golf clubs. We could not park in the lot we usually use, because the ticket dispenser was frozen solid!

Debacle in Dallas

Our flight departed Little Rock on time. When we left Little Rock, the flight to Cabo San Lucas was still scheduled to leave on time. Unfortunately, when we landed… canceled! I tried to rebook our flight on the American Airlines app, but no flights were available until Saturday. This was not going to work, as we were supposed to fly home on Sunday. The monitors showed flight after flight canceled. We went to the American Airlines help desk, hoping for a miracle. The agent placed us standby on a flight the next morning.

The problem is that we were not guaranteed seats on that flight, and the flight could very well be canceled. More wintry weather was in the cards for Dallas. While standing in line, I had found two seats on a discount Mexican Airline, Viva Autobus. This flight took us the long way to Cabo- it added a 14-hour layover in Monterrey, Mexico. We decided to book the flight as we stood in front of the agent. A bird in the hand is better than two in the bush, right?? So… I asked her to send our bags out in Dallas so we could pick them up and re-check them with Viva.

Not A Chance!!! The agent said there were 1.5 million bags in limbo at DFW and we would likely never find ours if she added them to the mix. She told us those bags would be on the next flight to Cabo, unless we changed our destination. The bags would follow us. At this point, we had to make a decision. Our options were: 1. Take our chances on the standby flight, 2. Go home (not really an option, since few flights were leaving), 3. Go to one of the destinations that still had flights going out, like Vegas, or 4. Hop on that Viva flight and add an element of adventure, then let our bags catch up with us in Cabo.

Capital One Lounge

We headed to the new Capital One Lounge near gate D22 to consider our options and plot our next move. There is only one Capital One Lounge at the time of writing, but two others are opening in Denver and Washington Dulles in 2023. There are a few ways to access these lounges. The first is through Capital One’s premium card, the Venture X. This card offers unlimited access for the cardholder and two guests, with additional guests admitted for $45. Venture and Spark Miles cardholders get two free passes per year, and can visit for $45 after those are used up. Anyone else can visit for $65.

The Capital One Lounge at Dallas is on par with the Amex Centurion Lounge, with the advantage of being less crowded (at least for now). The space is modern, fresh, and open, with light woods and contemporary decor. Rather than having a standard buffet line like Centurion, there are numerous stations with small plates. Selections included mac and cheese with or without bacon, pulled pork sliders, chicken adobo, meatballs, roasted carrots, hummus, and a variety of pastries and cookies. There are several beverage stations, one of which has a tap that dispenses cold brew coffee.

The bar area is spacious and the service excellent. They offer a variety of craft cocktails as well as classic cocktails, beer, and wine.

By the entrance/exit, there is a kiosk with to-go items, which is great if you don’t have time to sit and enjoy a meal. There were Nutella and banana sandwiches, chicken salad, and yogurt parfaits, along with AHA sparkling waters.

The restrooms are individual rooms with modern/Asian decor and spa music playing. Additionally, they have relaxation rooms and a cycling/yoga room, which I didn’t see this time but these are great perks.

One thing I love about this lounge is that they cater to folks with dietary restrictions and preferences. I am personally an omnivore, but I try to eat healthy and they provide healthy options. There are vegan, vegetarian, and gluten-free choices as well. When you consider the cost of airport food and the fact that most of your choices will be fattening and unhealthy, paying the annual fee or the single visit fee for healthy food, drinks, and a nice environment seems more reasonable.

At first, it was hard to justify the $395 annual fee for the Venture X card, since we have access to the Centurion Lounge and the only Capital One Lounge at this time is in Dallas. But, with generous points bonuses for travel, 75,000 bonus miles after spending $4000 in 3 months, 10,000 bonus points per year, global entry fee credit, and $300 a year travel credit, it is totally worth it! In addition, they have a good travel insurance policy. We love the Centurion Lounge and actually prefer their food offerings, but the lounge has been crowded and difficult to get in at times. But, this lounge is hip, modern, and geared toward young professionals and we really love the vibe. Apply for the Venture X card here.

American Airlines Lounge, Terminal C

The American Airlines agent told us to confirm our standby status for the Cabo flight the next day at 10:20 am, 24 hours ahead of that flight. Rather than wait in the now-massive line at the customer service desk, we headed to the Admiral’s Club. We have access to this group of lounges through my American Airlines Executive World Elite Mastercard. Apply for it here. This card give you Admiral’s club membership, priority check-in (to avoid those long lines at the ticket counter), priority boarding, free bags, and a discount on in-flight snacks. While I have frequent flyer accounts with all the major airlines, we usually fly American Airlines when possible. Our loyalty has gotten me to Platinum Pro status, which comes with its own perks. We have high priority for upgrades and have elevated status for customer service issues, not to mention 80% bonus miles.

Platinum Pro also grants One World Emerald status, which opens up some really nice international lounges to us. Read about the benefits of status on American Airlines here.

DFW has Admiral’s Clubs in every terminal, but most were closed on this day, due to staffing issues with the ice storm. So, we headed to Terminal C between gates 19 and 20. Admiral’s Clubs are nice and comfortable, but the food offerings are pretty basic. There is usually hummus, veggies, fruit, cheese, one or two soup selections, and cookies. At some lounges, I have seen a little cart where they make fresh guacamole for you. It is good to have the option, but if other lounges are available, I will choose them.

Carla

As far as Admiral’s Clubs go, this one is very nice. The entryway is grand, and there are 5-6 stations for agents to check you in. The decor inside is a neutral palette. Numerous separate seating areas make the space feel intimate and peaceful. The snacks are the same as every other Admiral’s Club, but this one felt nicer.

One advantage of having Admiral’s Club Lounge access is to have access to agents to help with flight issues inside the lounge, where the lines tend to be shorter and the level of service elevated. Carla helped confirm us on the next day’s flight to Cabo, after expressing overwhelming empathy and intentions to pray for us to make it to our vacation. I told Carla about our plans to take the Viva Aerobus flight and asked her if we would run into any problems doing this. She assured us that our bags would get to Cabo.

Also- little known fact. If you skip the second leg of your outgoing flight, your return flight reservation may be canceled. We found this out on a trip to NC where we skipped our connecting flight so we could drive to auditions for The Amazing Race (a story for another time). When we tried to check in for our return flight, there was nothing to check in for. So, Carla advised me to call once we arrived in Cabo to let them know the situation and be sure we kept our return flight.

In summary, we had a plan and a back-up plan. If that Viva flight flew, we were going to be on it! If not, we had seats on another flight the next morning. Either way, our bag would be sent to SJD Airport and then be delivered to our villa in Cabo.

Or so we thought…

Centurion Lounge

We didn’t visit the Centurion Lounge on this trip, but we have been there many times and this seems like a good place to share. Amex Platinum cardholders and their authorized users can access Centurion Lounges. Guests will be admitted for $50. The lounges are nicely decorated and offer excellent food (for an airport). The DFW Lounge is across from gate D12, and thanks to the SkyLink train, you can get there easily from any terminal. The lounge is long and narrow, with lots of seating areas in the entry/hallway. The buffet and bar are in the middle of the lounge, and you have to walk through them to get to the more open seating area in back. I find the layout kind of awkward, as you have to scoot between dining tables and maneuver around lines. But, we have never had trouble finding a seat.

The buffet usually has a soup, two proteins, a pasta or rice dish, salad, and dessert. The bar is extensive and drinks are included. I always try to remember cash to tip the bartender.

Back in the good ole days, before COVID, these lounges offered a free spa treatment, subject to availability. They also have shower suites. Hopefully, these amenities will come back soon. The lounges do get a little crowded, but Amex is beginning to limit access for guests. Hopefully this will alleviate some of the crowding. Apply for your Amex Platinum here. The card also gives access to Delta SkyClub, if you are flying Delta, and the priority pass international network of lounges. The perks and advantages of this card are immense and more than make up for the $695 annual fee if you take advantage of them. The annual fee is waived for active duty military members.

Viva Aerobus

Our one-way tickets from DFW to SJD on Viva Aerobus cost $200 per person plus fees. It would cost about $100 each extra to check a bag, but we had no bags! The basic ticket price does not include food or drinks. We took our backpacks and sense of adventure and headed out of security to the ticketing area of Terminal D to check in for our Viva Aerobus flight. There was no line and the ticket agent was super friendly. He was confident that the flight was going to go, so that was reassuring. We made our way to the gate.

This airline definitely caters primarily to Mexican customers. The announcements are only made in Spanish, and our Spanish leaves much to be desired. We have taken lessons, but when you don’t use it, you lose it. The flight was a bit delayed, and we spent THREE HOURS on the tarmac waiting for a de-icer and being de-iced. The stressful part was that we had no idea what was going on, since the announcements were only made in Spanish. We finally took off and, two hours later, landed in Monterrey, Mexico. It took us about two minutes to get through immigration, and we had no bags to pick up. So we booked a room at the nearby Fairfield Inn and caught an uber.

Monterrey, Mexico is a huge city with lots to do and is in a beautiful location. It has one of the largest town squares in the world and is a premier canyoning destination. We saw none of this on our now 10-hour layover. We stayed in an airport hotel right off the highway. The hotel was run down (vintage??), but the staff was friendly and directed us to a nearby Mexican restaurant for a late dinner.

Los Fresnos was a great choice for a late dinner! We had Cabrito tacos, the local specialty. This was the most tender, flavorful goat I had ever had! The G.O.A.T goat, in my opinion! The tacos were accompanied by the best margarita I had ever had. Now, I am not a huge fan of margaritas but, when in Mexico… to top off a fun night, we were treated to an impromptu Mariachi band performance!

OMA Premium Lounge, MTY Terminal C

The hotel had an airport shuttle which took us to the domestic terminal for our early morning flight. Terminals A and B had several lounges, even a Centurion. But terminal C only had the “OMA Premium Lounge.” We had access through Priority Pass. I had never heard of it, and our expectations were low. Man, were we surprised! The lounge was spacious and clean, and the staff very friendly. Table service was mandatory, and the main offering was chilaquiles. HOW did we miss out on chilaquiles during our 7 years in El Paso, Texas??? This was a delicious, filling, hearty breakfast.

Our flight from MTY to SJD (San José del Cabo) was on time and uneventful. Arrival was a breeze, as we had already gone through immigration and had no checked bags. Traveling with our tiny backpacks was very freeing!

Los Cabos

There are two airports in Los Cabos- CSL, or Cabo San Lucas, is a private airport. SJD, San José del Cabo Airport, is situated 8 miles from San José del Cabo and 23 miles from Cabo San Lucas. The area is collectively known as “Los Cabos,” meaning “The Capes.” The Capes are the Cape of St. Luke (Cabo San Lucas) and St. Joseph of the Cape (San José del Cabo). These are two separate towns, and we were heading for Cabo San Lucas.

Los Cabos is located at the Southern tip of the Baja Peninsula, in the Mexican state of Baja California Sur. The peninsula separates the main body of the Pacific Ocean from the Sea of Cortez, aka the Gulf of California. It is gorgeous and sunny year-round. We visited in the winter, when daytime highs reached only the upper 70s, and nighttime lows were chilly in the high 50s. Perfect weather for blankets by a fire pit!

Our friend Bridgette had arranged for transport. We exited the airport to the right and Alphonso picked us up with cold drinks and a comfy van. The drive was lovely, through tropical desert terrain populated by cardon cactuses (which look a lot like saguaros to me), agaves, and ironwood trees. We drove through mountains and were treated with our first views of the Pacific Ocean and Sea of Cortez. Our drive continued through San José del Cabo, and we passed beautiful resorts and golf courses, the latter of which seemed to taunt Vuong (we are here, but your golf clubs are not)! We continued down the oceanside drive and through the downtown area of Cabo San Lucas. The drive took about 45 minutes.

Pedregal

The Waldorf Astoria marks the entrance to the exclusive Pedregal neighborhood of Cabo San Lucas. We knew we were in for a treat…This development was built on the side of a mountain and contains beautiful villas with sweeping views of the Pacific Ocean. It is very nearly the southernmost tip of the Baja peninsula. The roads are cobbly and narrow, winding up and around in a seemingly random fashion. Every house looked unique and extremely fancy, and many driveways held high-end cars. The literal translation of Pedregal is “a stoney place,” and this neighborhood lived up to that name! Book your villa in Pedregal here. You can rent a 5 or 6 bedroom villa for less than $2000 a night. It sounds like a lot, but divided between 5 or 6 couples, it makes sense.

Up, up, and around we wound our way to Villa Pitaya, our fantasy retreat for the weekend. Pitaya refers to the fruit of a certain cactus and is very similar to Dragon Fruit.

Villa Pitaya

This place was RIDICULOUS! We certainly felt like we were on lifestyles of the rich and famous. We are so grateful to our friends, Bridgette and Lance, for inviting us to be a part of their wedding/honeymoon festivities! Two other couples shared this week with us, Adele and Shane and Denise and John. Honestly, we would have had a blast in a shanty hut with these people, but the Villa was amazing. Vuong and I were both enamored with the front door, a massive hand-crafted wooden panel that pivots on a hinge. Through that door, you enter a landing with a couple of bedrooms. You then proceed down a flight of stairs into a central open-air courtyard with seating and a fireplace.

On the other side of the courtyard is the main living area with the kitchen and dining area. Glass folding doors make up both side walls of the living area. When you open them up, the whole house is open to the sea breeze. Bedrooms are at the periphery, and a couple more bedrooms are downstairs. There are 5 bedrooms total, each with their own bathroom.

While the interior of the villa is spectacular, the outdoor areas are the main attraction. The multi-level deck has an infinity pool, hot tub, putting green, and an outdoor bowling lane. There are multiple seating areas, with loungers, a dining table, a fire pit, and numerous comfy chairs. The view of the Pacific Ocean was stunning, and we watched humpback whales spraying and frolicking all day long.

Elite Luxury Vacations

Bridgette and Lance found a concierge, Ali, with Elite Luxury Vacations, who took care of every little detail for them. They had originally booked a villa which looked lovely, but turned out to be “a house of horrors!” Avoid Corazon de Fatima (aka House of Hearts) at all costs. The owner was not responsive or helpful, the house was dated and dirty, and the location was too close to the party town below, making it very noisy.

Ali found them Villa Pitaya, arranged excursions for them and all their guests, and helped Bridgette plan their wedding! She arranged for chefs to come in and prepare meals, did their grocery shopping, and made restaurant recommendations and reservations. Message me if you would like to contact Ali! Their website is not up yet and I don’t want to put her personal phone number on here.

Cabo San Lucas

We only had three nights in Cabo San Lucas, but we will never forget this trip! We had been a couple of times on cruise excursions, but never spent significant time here. The downtown area is very easy and accommodating for American tourists. There are innumerable touristy kitsch shops, but there are also cute little boutiques, decent restaurants, and night clubs. Pharmacies are on every corner, advertising antibiotics and viagra. The touts are not nearly as pushy as we have seen, drivers are very aware of tourists, and it feels very safe. It is a great party town for college kids, and a fun town for adult kids (like us).

US dollars are widely accepted, and many of the ATMs dispense them. The water is safe to drink, but it is best to be sure it is filtered or stick with bottled water. There is excellent sport fishing, with plentiful marlins and dorado, among others. You can surf, dive, snorkel, stand-up paddleboard, kayak, or lounge on the beach. The iconic symbol of Cabo is the Arch of Cabo San Lucas, which we did not even see on this trip. You can reach this granite rock formation and its beaches by land or sea.

The best parts of our trip were spent at the villa with our friends, talking for hours by the fire, by the pool, or over food. We had private chefs prepare a fresh, gourmet lunch of Mexican food one day. We lounged by the pool, walked around the neighborhood and to the beaches, and watched humpback whales frolicking and spouting out of their blow-holes.

Unfortunately, our luggage never arrived and our time in Cabo was one night shorter than it should have been. Vuong’s golf clubs didn’t make it, so he didn’t golf. Our clothes didn’t make it, so we shopped. Now, I am not a shopper. I don’t enjoy it. But I gave my credit card a workout at a cute store in the mall called “Cabo Style.” And I enjoyed every minute of it! Shopping on American Airlines’ dime! We spent around $1000 on outfits for both of us, swimsuits, flip flops, hats, and toiletries.

What I learned and relearned

Travel 101 tells you to pack all the items you need for one day and night in your carry-on. Pack a change of clothes, flip flops, a swimsuit, and essential toiletries. We had become complacent over the years and did not do this. WE KNOW BETTER! This was supposed to be a quick, seamless trip! One hour from LIT to DFW, 2.5 hour layover, and a 2-hour flight to Cabo.

I also learned a little about the way bags are handled. We trusted American Airlines to send our bags on to Cabo, like the agent said they would. So, when we arrived in Cabo, we headed straight for our driver. We should have stopped by the Viva Aerobus baggage office and filed a claim with them. This made no sense to me, as they never touched our bags. But, they would have contacted American and taken possession of the bags, possibly getting them to us sooner. Instead, our bags made it to Cabo but not to us! They traveled home independent of us and were delivered to our house in Arkansas after we arrived home.

So, we held on to our receipts for the items we purchased in Cabo and filed a claim for reimbursement from American. Their policy says they will reimburse us for items deemed “necessary and reasonable.” They did not quote a dollar amount. I will report back when that refund is issued!

Because the airline mishandled our bags, they are responsible for reimbursing us. Travel insurance would pick up the tab for items not covered by the airline.

Restaurants and Bars in Cabo

We ate most of our meals at the villa, but we had dinner at Las Guacamayas one night. This is an open-air restaurant downtown with an extensive menu of Mexican specialties. I had two tacos- one marlin and one chorizo, and they were very good. Vuong ordered the “stone bowl.” Presentation was impressive- it was a giant stone bowl with lengthwise slices of Oaxaca cheese, cactus, and avocado draped over the edges, and chorizo, pork, and ribeye in the middle. The smell alone was heavenly. Highly recommend!

Monkey Business Bar serves innumerable variations of margaritas, served in giant blown glass martini glasses, chosen to match the margarita. For example, the strawberry banana version has red and yellow swirls, while the cucumber margarita has green ones. They made these lovely little sunbursts out of lime, which the server was happy to demonstrate how to create. This little bar is right on the main drag and is definitely worth a visit or two during your time in Cabo.

Cabo Wabo is Sammy Hagar‘s place. This huge bar and restaurant is one of the top party spots in the world and serves good food and drinks while hosting rock bands and singers. The Red Rocker himself stops by whenever he is in town. And, he has his own brand of tequila- Cabo Wabo. Sammy named the cantina and the tequila after he watched a drunk person stumbling home and thought “hey, that guy is doing the Cabo Wobble.” We had dined here in the past, and I remember it being good. But this time, we only stopped by for a t-shirt. Their women’s shirts are so soft and fit well!

Our last evening, we went out for sunset and a light dinner at Rooftop 360. Located on the 9th floor at the top of Corazon Resort and Spa, it is elegant and hip. We opted for small plates, choosing the ceviche and tuna tartare. Some folks went with the tacos, which they raved about.

There are tons of bars, restaurants, clubs, anything your tummy desires! Talk to Ali about hiring a personal chef for your group!

ATV Ride to the Beach

Ali arranged an excursion for Adele, Shane, Vuong, and me. A driver picked us up and took us to Amigos. This is a family-run operation on the outskirts of Cabo which provides ATV trips and horseback riding. Now, this activity was the boys’ choice. Adele and I were not completely onboard, but the guys always go along with our plans, so we obliged. We were so glad we did! We had a blast.

The vehicles and safety equipment were clean and seemed pretty new and in good working order. We had a guide who led us on our drive, and each couple had their own vehicle. We drove through desert vegetation, making stops to learn about the flora and fauna of the area. The trail eventually opened up into a dry river bed, and Vuong opened it up and turned the wheel this way and that, trying to fishtail and eliciting yelps from me. We continued to the beach and stopped at a rocky outcropping to watch the whales.

After our trip, we tasted locally made tequila. The tequila in Mexico is way different than what we have in the states. It goes down smooth and has a nice, spicy flavor. I’m no tequila connoisseur, but the varieties we tasted were very nice. If you want to read about tequila, here is a great article.

VIP Lounge SJD

So soon our visit was at an end. Alphonso took us back to the airport, we went straight though security (the beauty of having no checked bags), and headed to the VIP lounge. Priority Pass granted us access to this decent lounge. The decor was nice and the lounge was full, but not crowded. Snacks included soup, sandwiches, fruit, empanadas, cookies, and drinks. It is a nice respite from the busy common areas, but nothing to write home about.

Summary

We had an amazing time with great friends. Cabo is a cool town with lots to do, see, eat, and drink. Easy to reach an very friendly toward American tourists. Have you been to Cabo San Lucas? Are you going? Share your stories and ask your questions below! Contact me if you want to hire Ali as your personal concierge.