MAD/IB airport questions

I am travelling to ATH at the end of the month from the US and will be switching from AA to IB in MAD. I am using a coach class ff ticket for the AA portion and purchased a P class ticket on IB (my itin says it's first class but IB only has business so I'm assuming it's that?). What are my options for lounges in MAD? On the way to ATH, (as long as P class counts for lounge access) I'm assuming I can use the one for domestic/Schengen, on the way back to the US, I am not seeing much chance but hope I am reading it wrong.

The biggest problem with my return is that I made these reservations back when I had a job so I left a day between so I could try and nonrev home but I had a ff ticket as a backup. Now, I'm stuck with a 26 hr layover but no money to go enjoy the city as was my previous backup plan. I will be in the airport from 1000 on November 1 until 1210 November 2. Do I have any options since I didn't notice an arrivals lounge listed?

I would suggest posting in the tripadvisor Madrid forums--they may have an idea about cheap digs nearby. I'd just sell your soul or firstborn or a few things on ebay/craig's list and squeak in a day trip....JK--but maybe not?

Are you running that tight? You are making a trip but on your return, you have it planned out that you'll be broke by that moment? Bro. If you don't have any tip money left over when you go out to eat in a restaurant, don't go to the restaurants. That's the best option I can give you. Or try and spend less in Greece and manage your funds a little more carefully so that you can cover 26 hours in MAD. What kind of lounges are you talking about in Madrid? The membership lounges or lounges in general? Need money for those too. Unless you had bought membership when you had a job. You haven't even left country yet and you're crying poverty.

I don't know your situation, but I could easily go and have a day out in Madrid for $20.
Madrid was one of the best places I have visited and if I were you, I would go check it out.

It costs peanuts to take the Metro from Barajas into town. You can surely find a hostel/pension for a single person under 50 Euro. As the other posted said, take it a bit easy in Athens and spend the night enjoy Madrid!

Nicknak

First of all, I have paid all my major expenses for Greece, I'm not doing anything extra there either. My main concern in Madrid is that I don't want to pay for a hotel room, and without that, I'm trying to figure out a way to ditch my carry-on. I'm not about to travel in Madrid rolling a suitcase along with me. The lounge access I am talking about is due to the fact that I ended up with a first class ticket on IB (that was the cheapest fare at the time, I caught it at a really good time).

I am not crying poverty, I have been paying my bills since I lost my job 10 months ago, but I am trying to be sensible and not rack up debt (I know, that's the American way) on a vacation that was planned when I had a full-time job. I have all the essentials for the trip worked out, I just can't do as much exploring as I had hoped for. I work part-time, but make what I would make on unemployment, not really any extra (yes I have been looking for jobs, just haven't gotten a good one yet). My bills have not changed, so living on a part-time paycheck as opposed to a full-time with overtime paycheck for 10 months has cut my budget. Please don't judge me for trying not to go into debt on this trip. You do not know my situation, I hope if you ever come on hard times, people are more understanding.

My friend. Do you have a credit card? Use it and worry about the bill later when you get back home. You're only talkin 2 nights in a hotel. It's not like youre going to spend 10,000 bucks in Monte Carlo casinos rolling dice with James Bond. Going in debt for 200 dollars is not like going in debt forever like 10,000 dollar debt you can never creep out of. You sound way over nervous over small money. Do you have expensive taste and afraid to lose control? You'll get a job when you get back. Have a nice trip. Don't worry about it.