I’ve been flying regularly for over twenty years now, yet until recently I’d never had access to an airport lounge. I never had enough points to fly business class, and don’t have enough loyalty to any particular airline to get status.
After two decades of noisy terminals, terrible food, bad Wi-Fi, and the world’s least-comfortable seats, I decided it was time to try a different approach, and bought a Priority Pass membership. There are only so many miserable layovers a person can handle in their lifetime, and I think I’d reached my limit.
My year’s subscription is up next month, so now seemed a good time to reflect on my experience with the program, and how well (or otherwise) it’s worked.
What Is the Priority Pass, Anyway?
In brief, the Priority Pass is a global membership program for airport lounges. Rather than being tied to your ticket type or airline status, you get access to any of the lounges in the program regardless of who you fly with.
Along with a physical membership card, there’s a companion app that lists every available lounge, with descriptions and details on how to find them. That app also provides a digital version of your membership card in case you’ve left yours behind. Not every lounge accepts them, but many do.
Where Can You Use It?
Priority Pass boasts access to “over 1300 lounges in more than 600 cities across 148 countries.” That number is increasing all the time — my app has updated every month or two, with several more lounges each time.
Obviously those lounges aren’t evenly spread around the world. There are hundreds in the US and Europe, for instance, but comparatively few in Australia and New Zealand. Still, it’s been rare for me to be traveling through a decent-sized airport that doesn’t have at least one lounge, and most of the big ones have two or three different options.
If your travels regularly take you through particular airports or countries, take a look at the site to see how many lounges you’ll be able to access before you buy.
How Much Does It Cost?
The program has three annual membership tiers, based on how much you expect to use it. The Standard $99 tier just buys access to the program, but doesn’t include any lounge passes. You’ll pay $32 every time you use a lounge, charged to your credit card. It’s a good way of testing out the service if you’re not sure how much you’ll use it.
If you suspect you’ll visit a few lounges throughout the year, however, it’s worth springing for the Standard Plus option. This is the one I chose, which includes membership and ten lounge passes for $299. After that, it’s that same $32 fee per use. Passes don’t carry over from year to year, so use them or lose them.
For those flying a lot, the $429 Prestige membership gives unlimited access. If you’ll get to more than 14 lounges in a year, this option will save you money.
This top-tier version also means you don’t need to try to get the most “value” out of your lounge visits — if you’ve only got a short layover, you can pop into a lounge to grab some food and drink on your way to the gate. If the lounge gets busy, you can switch to a quieter one. There’s no need to ration your usage.
Note that regardless of the membership tier you choose, each pass only covers the person whose name is on the card. If you want to take a partner into the lounge you can, but it’ll cost an extra $32.
Memberships are priced in local currency around the world, so you’ll pay £69 for a base membership in the UK, for instance, or €99 in Germany.
What’s It Like in Reality?
The membership pack arrived in the mail within a couple of days of purchase, and contained some explanatory information and the all-important membership card. My first opportunity to use it came in Los Angeles, before a late-night flight to Mexico City.
I’ve spent enough time at LAX to know it’s far from my favorite airport, so was interested to see whether the lounges were any better than the rest of the terminals. That’s not a high bar to jump.
I used the app to quickly find which lounges I had access to, and cross-referenced with LoungeBuddy for unbiased reviews. The Air Canada Maple Leaf lounge looked good and made the most sense, since it was in the same terminal I’d be departing from.
Once through check-in and security, the location instructions in the app were easy to follow. After a swipe of my membership card and showing my boarding pass at reception, I was ushered into an oasis of calm. Probably due to the time of day, there were only half a dozen other people in the lounge.
I hadn’t had dinner, so helped myself liberally to the hot and cold buffet, and equally liberally to the wine selection, before settling into a chair to work and charge my gadgets for a couple of hours.
The Wi-Fi was fast and reliable, the seats were comfortable, and it was one of the quietest places I’ve ever found inside an airport. Literally the only problem was the 10:30 pm lounge closing time, which meant having to return to the din and bright lights of my boarding gate for an hour before getting on the plane. At least after three glasses of wine, it wasn’t hard to take a nap.
After arriving in Mexico City at 6 am, spending two hours in a non-airconditioned immigration line and then another hour sitting on the floor waiting to recheck for my onward flight, it’s fair to say I wasn’t at my freshest. Fortunately, the Grand Lounge Elite lounge wasn’t hard to find.
Even more fortunately, it had super-clean shower facilities. Most fortunate of all, it had chilaquiles on the menu, my breakfast extravagance of choice whenever I’m in Mexico.
All of that was complimentary, as were the snacks, drinks, and Wi-Fi. After checking my emails and finishing my breakfast, I curled up in one of the chairs, set an alarm, and grabbed some of the sleep that had eluded me on the flight.
Heading to my gate a few minutes before boarding time, I was much less smelly, hungry or tired than I had any right to be after an overnight flight.
I used that same lounge again on the way out of Mexico a month later, and spent a couple of hours answering emails while gorging myself on crackers and hummus in Miami’s Avianca VIP lounge while waiting for a flight to Madrid.
The lounge was almost full, but the food selection stayed full and fresh, the mixers for the complimentary vodka stayed cold, and the Wi-Fi stayed speedy throughout my stay.
Any Downsides?
So, all of those experiences were great, and vastly better than sitting in any departure area. My Priority Pass experience hasn’t been flawless, however — not due to the program or lounges themselves, but because of the airports they’re in.
I found a cheap flight from Taipei to Melbourne with Philippine Airlines, with an 11-hour layover in Manilla. I knew from past experience that the airport was one of the worst in the world, so was only prepared to endure that layover if I had a lounge to do it in.
My flights arrived and departed from Terminal 1, but the only lounge I could access with the pass was after security in Terminal 2. When I asked a staff member about the best way to get to that lounge, I was told, apologetically but firmly, that it wasn’t possible.
Transferring between terminals takes over an hour, there’s no way of doing so without going back through security, and without a boarding pass for a flight departing from Terminal 2, I wouldn’t be allowed through anyway.
The end result? Half a day stuck in a hot, fly-infested terminal, with half a dozen terrible food outlets that didn’t accept cards. Fortunately I had a few US dollars stashed away for emergencies, so I could at least eat the awful meals on offer, albeit via the worst exchange rate in the Philippines. Not quite the layover experience I was hoping for.
My advice would be to carefully check lounge locations against your arrival and departure terminals before booking flights, especially in larger airports. You won’t have this problem everywhere (in Miami, I was able to use the lounge in a different terminal with only mild grumbling from the TSA person), but since each airport has different policies, there are no guarantees.
Speaking of policies, the other thing to mention is that since each lounge has its own set of rules and regulations, it’s worth reading the details carefully. Some have restricted opening hours, some limit you to three hours or less, some have food and drink limits, and some have no restrictions at all.
Who Should Buy It?
The Priority Pass isn’t for everyone. If you only fly once or twice a year, or typically use airports that aren’t covered by the pass, you won’t get enough benefit. Similarly, if you fly business class or have lounge access through your credit card or frequent flyer program, there’s no need to double-up.
For the rest of us, though, it’s an inexpensive way of dramatically improving the airport experience. If you work from the road, it’s a no-brainer. Access to a quiet space with comfortable chairs, power sockets, and free, reliable Wi-Fi is a godsend, and you’ll likely make back your membership fee before you’ve left the first lounge.
Even if you’re not toting a laptop, being able to get away from the mayhem of most departure lounges is well worth the money, especially after overnight flights or on long layovers. The food and drink is better (and typically free), you can relax and nap in a calm environment, and when there’s a shower on offer, you’ll feel a whole lot more human by the time you board your next flight.
Note: Some airport lounges also offer day passes to anyone with a credit card. While it’s worth considering, in my experience such lounges are relatively rare outside the US, typically quite expensive ($50 seems to be a common rate), and often need to be booked in advance, especially in busy airports or at peak times.
If you’re planning to rely on this option, do your research very carefully to ensure you’ll be able to get into a lounge when you want to.
Verdict
Since buying my Standard Plus pass, I’ve used it four times. I’ll get another couple of lounge visits out of it before the twelve months is up, which is right on the line where I start saving money over the Standard plan. With fewer trips planned for next year, I may switch to the cheaper tier — I haven’t decided yet.
Either way, though, I’ll definitely be renewing the membership. Not being tied to flying with a particular airline or alliance to get lounge access means cheaper flights, which more than covers the annual fee. Even if it didn’t, the lowered stress levels, better food and drink, comfortable environment, and improved personal hygiene would make it worth the money.
Anywhere I’ve used my pass, my time at the airport has been dramatically better. At a time when everything about the flying experience is typically so dire, having lounge access through the Priority Pass has been a rare pleasure.
I’m sold.
Note: If you’re interested in the Priority Pass, there’s a sale running at the moment — the links and banners in this post will give you 10% off any membership.
Images via Kalliop3, Priority Pass, hojusaram, Marc van der Chijs, TravelingOtter
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Comments
A quick note, if you hold an AMEX Platinum card you get a complimentary membership in Priority Pass. You have to call the customer service line to get it, but it’s well worth the 10 minutes you’ll spend getting set up.
Indeed you do, and I think with a few other higher-end credit card programs as well. As you say, if it’s included in your program, it’s definitely worth getting it set up!
How many airline lounges actually hold you to the time limits?
I’ve never stayed in one with a time limit long enough to find out. The only time I’ve been asked to leave was from one at LAX, but that’s because it was closing. I imagine it’d depend on how busy it was at the time — if it was quiet, the staff are likely to care a lot less about how long you’ve been there.
The BMO® World Elite™* MasterCard gets you a membership also.
(and a top-notch travel rewards system)
The wife and I are hooked on lounges. There’s no going back for us.
When you consider that we would spend money to get a beer and a snack at an expensive airport bar/restaurant anyway it really makes it a no-brainer.
We used the showers once (washington I think it was) after a very long flight from Africa. That was fantastic.
When I look at the cost of the 10-lounge pass it works out to be about $25 a visit and if you consider how much you spend just on food in an airport food court you could be at $15 easy. Sounds like it’s worth it but I agree that I have to assess where I’m flying out of to make sure I’d have access to a lounge. Thanks for the review!
Yep, that was pretty much my assessment too. There’s not much price difference by the time you take food, drink and maybe Wi-fi into account, and as long as you’ll get to use all 10 passes (or close to it) over the year, you’re on a winner. Having a quiet space for a few hours to relax, nap, maybe shower, get some work done… it’s a small price to pay, really, especially in some of the more hellish airport terminals I’ve spent time in over the years!
Nice review on the stand-alone Priority Pass. Could be a good option for those who travel but not high-end credit cards with it included.
Thanks for the article, I’m debating whether this makes sense for me. Do you have to make reservations or contact the lounge before you use your card, or walk in and swipe/pay?
I’ve always just walked in and swiped. In some of the busiest lounges you’d probably benefit from contacting them in advance just to ensure you’ll get a spot, but it’s never been a requirement for me so far.
i have a 14hr layover in HK coming up.. it’s probably good value over getting a hotel room since i will also do some sightseeing while i’m there.
seems especially good for travelling alone, even for shorter transits.
Honestly, don’t bother with this product. I fly from London Gatwick every week, and I can recall only 2 or 3 occasions in the last 12 months on which my PP card has allowed me access to a lounge at the airport. PP does not own the lounges, and in reality is nothing more than a secondary revenue stream for the lounge operators at times when their lounges are under-utilised by their regular paying customers and/or airline business class flyers. Consequently, the PP card only works at super-offpeak times, which at many airports is almost never. What is more, you will find PP’s “customer service” response is truly a masterclass in brainless platitudes. My advice, don’t waste your money.
I’ve never had problems getting into any lounge, but I haven’t tried at Gatwick or other very busy airports at peak times. Worth bearing in mind if that’s likely to be a big part of your intended use of the pass, I guess.
I was 0 for 3 last week with PP (through Chase): Boise, JFK (Terminal 2) and Salt Lake City. 🙁
Can’t contest your experience with Terminal 2. You didn’t miss much in not being able to use the Mabuhay Lounge in the Philippines Terminal 2. It’s really small and no views. Pick a flight that will be using Terminal 1 next time where priority pass has several lounges and it’s just finished a complete renovation early this year – Feb 2017.
I read so many reviews of people being denied access even when the lounges are not full. I am now very worried as I have a long layover in Dubai and specifically took out the membership to use for my Dubai / Denmark long layovers.
Any good stories of Priority Pass customers at this airport ?
has the %25 discount stopped because when i clicked on the link it was only reduced by %10
It looks like it has — the 25% was a birthday special, which seems to have ended. The 10% discount is still valid, though! I’ve updated the post to reflect that.
You are not guaranteed to be grant access to the lounge! Even a vague terms indicate ‘ristricted access’ could lock you out of the lounge. I am not a frequent user of the pass, but the experience letting me think of cancelling my Shappire card as it might turn out useless when you need it most. So caution ahead!
Priority Pass has a rating of 1/10 of 100 reviews on Trust Pilot.com
See: https://www.trustpilot.com/review/www.prioritypass.com
Be aware, Be afraid.
Almost all of the negative reviews are complaining about not being able to access a lounge during peak periods, and that does seem to be an increasing problem at busy airports. I had my first experience of that at LAX a few weeks ago — a sign at the bottom of the elevator saying there was no access for Priority Pass holders. I think it can still be a good option, but it really depends on which airports you’ll be using.
I would not recommend Priority Pass. It is oversubscribed by passengers, and adopted by too few lounges. As a member of Priority Pass through Chase Ultimate Rewards, it is not a useful benefit.
The experience so far has been (1) lounge not available at the airports I am using, (2) KAL lounge at Terminal 1 JFK closes as early as 4:30 pm, (3) No 1 lounge is oversubscribed by Norwegian Premium class passengers at Gatwick, meaning that there is no room for others until the delayed Norwegian flight departs.
In short, (a) passengers, do not spend money to subscribe to this program, (b) airlines, esp. Norwegian, do not use Priority Pass lounges, (c) credit card companies, please provide other lounge options that will be a real card benefit.
.. and (d) lounges, please do not allow yourself to be listed as a Priority Pass lounge, you are signing up for a ‘commitment’ you cannot honour, and something that only hurts your reputation
However, on the plus side, the Grain Store restaurant at Gatwick is a great opportunity for Priority Plus card holders. A very good meal, veg friendly if needed, with fresh food and a good drink selection, can be had, with a 15 pound per passenger rebate through PP, no minimums. The wait staff is professional, friendly, and helpful. There is plenty of space, and just as much respite, if not more, from airport noise and bustle as airport lounges provide. A model for more Priority Pass listings??
I find that it is getting worse! I was recently denied access to the KAL lounge in LAX which is a priority Pass lounge. Having been there many times before they have a new time restriction for Priority Pass members – you cannot enter between 8pm and midnight. The staff were extremely rude and this time frame was not on the app. This was new and extremely disappointing. I will not bother with Priority Pass in the future. What is the point of planning to be in the lounges and finding them when you arrive only to be turned away because you are a Priority Pass member?
Thank you for the tip about the automatic renewal charges. I’m not planning on renewing my membership either so I’ll make sure to cancel a month in advance. I don’t travel that much but I thought PP might be a relaxing way to go. The one time I tried to use it, it was too early in the morning for the lounges to be open. If I used my pass at one of the member restaurants, I would have been charged more for my visit than my out-of-pocket breakfast expense. Not cost effective.
Cancelling the Priority Pass card as well as my credit card.
Went to Premier Lounge in Singapore by myself. Five days later my credit card was charge for 5 additional guests.
Phoned Priority pass to dispute and they responded “they only do the billing, if the lounge said you had 5 guests then the lounge is correct and if a mistake was made it’s your fault for not catching it at check in time.
After complaining for awhile a supervisor said they will contact the lounge to see how this mistake could have been made and it would take 24-72 hours for a response. After 5 days and no response I called priority pass again. This time they said “oh it can take up to 30 days for a response’ and they would have someone check on it and get back to me.
After 30 days and no response I called again. The person who answered said it can take up to 30 days for a response. I said it’s already been 30 days at which time she replied it takes a long time.
Contacted my credit card company who issued me the Priority Pass card to dispute it with them. After 3 weeks I got a reply from the credit card company saying if the charge is incorrect I need to provide a credit card receipt with the correct amount. Well, the entrance was suppose to be complimentary so no charge and thus no credit card receipt for a value of $0.
Just saw this article. My 2cents: NOT WORTH IT. I experienced Priority Lounge personnel will turn away members in favor of travelers with one day passes.
For example, on June 7, 2021 in Tahiti’s Fa’a’a International Airport, ourselves and another couple (who we learned were Priority Pass members) were turned away from the Priority Pass lounge. The other couple remarked: “we paid over $10K for first class seats and this membership, and that’s not enough?”
A luxury travel agent who befriended us was right in front of us and rushed into the lounge (he told us upon boarding all he had was a day pass).
The Priority Pass staff at the desk said the lounge was too crowded and they had to regulate the amount of people inside. Our friend (the travel agent) indicated there was hardly anybody inside and the amount of people in the lounge was nowhere near the COVID capacity limit.
Lesson: save your $$$ and buy a one day pass. You will be given access over the Priority Club members.