Valley International Airport's new VIP lounge nearing completion

Jan. 25—HARLINGEN — Valley International Airport officials are closing in on a new VIP lounge designed to be a workspace for business travelers.

The VIP Club is currently undergoing a $90,000 makeover.

"We have a few more weeks or so until that opens," said Marv Esterly, director of aviation at VIA. "It's all new, brand-new. It's going to be nice. It's going to be modern, and we're excited to offer that to our frequent flyers."

The VIP Club at the airport is a members-only room where those holding a pass card can wait for a flight to depart.

Membership is $25 for two years and is aimed at business travelers.

A membership can be accessed on the airport's website under Passenger Services.

Esterly said despite the investment there are no plans as of now to raise membership fees for the VIP space.

"We could, but again, we look at it more as a way to differentiate ourselves from competitors and offer what we've always wanted to offer — the best customer service and best customer experience from the time they get out of their car until the time they get on the plane," he said. "And that's just part of it."

"It's going to be top-notch, and it's definitely going to be perk for our frequent flyers," he added. "They want that place where they can go and work."

Design of the new lounge was done by Harlingen architects Megamorphosis.