Here's everything you need to know about Priority Pass.
Airport lounges are the best places to pass the time before flights, as they typically offer quieter, more comfortable seating areas, free food and drink, and less-crowded bathrooms. If you don't have access to airline or credit card lounges, you might want to investigate Priority Pass, a service that provides access to more than 1,300 lounges worldwide. Even better, it's a perk included with many top-tier travel credit cards, so you might not even have to pay for it. Here's everything you need to know about Priority Pass.
Related: The Best Airport Lounges in the World - and How to Get In
Priority Pass is a membership-based network of airport lounges and partner restaurants around the world. Members who subscribe to the program are granted access to these lounges no matter what airline or class of service they're flying. The network includes more than 1,300 locations in some 600 airports all over the world.
There are two ways to get Priority Pass: purchasing a membership or activating a free membership, typically offered through your credit card. The two methods provide somewhat different services.
If you'd like to purchase a membership, you can do so directly through the Priority Pass website. There are three membership tiers: Standard, Standard Plus, and Prestige. Standard memberships cost $99 per year, and members must pay $35 per visit and an additional $35 per non-member guest. Standard Plus memberships cost $329 per year and include 10 visits, after which visits cost $35 each. Guests must pay $35 per visit in either case. Prestige memberships cost $469 per year and include all visits, though guests are still charged $35 per visit.
Certain credit cards offer a special version of Priority Pass called Priority Pass Select, which is free for cardholders. Each credit card company sets the terms of Priority Pass Select; while they all include at least 10 free visits to Priority Pass lounges, only some allow unlimited free visits. Others allow you to bring unlimited guests for free, while some cap free guests at two, and yet others still charge for guests. You'll have to check with your credit card company to find out the specific terms for your Priority Pass Select membership. Also, you'll need to activate your Priority Pass membership in order to use it, so be sure to do so online well in advance of your travels, as activation may take a couple of weeks.
Some of the credit cards that offer free Priority Pass Select memberships include Chase Sapphire Reserve, The Platinum Card from American Express, Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card, Hilton Honors American Express Surpass Card, and Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express Card.
Priority Pass lounges are found in more than 600 airports worldwide, and some airports have multiple options. On the whole, Priority Pass lounges are something of a mixed bag, as Priority Pass does not have its own lounges, but rather partners with other lounges. In some cases, Priority Pass grants access to airline lounges, while in others, Priority Pass lounges are operated by independent companies. The quality of the lounges varies greatly, too. Some are sparse rooms with only free coffee, while others are sprawling spaces with full-service bars, private phone booths, and hot food. We recommend downloading the Priority Pass app to learn about the options available in the airports you'll be frequenting - all the information about the lounges' hours and services can be found there.
In some cases, airports might not have a Priority Pass lounge, but Priority Pass may offer discounts or vouchers for specific restaurants (examples include Bobby Van's Steakhouse at John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York and Corona Beach House at Miami International Airport). If you plan on redeeming your voucher or credit, speak to your server about it before you order - some restaurants need to know upfront, while others will just ask for your Priority Pass membership card when it's time to pay the bill.
Priority Pass also has partnerships with airport spas for free or discounted services, as well as Minute Suites for some peace and quiet. You can read all the fine print about these services, from what treatments are available to the hours of operation, in the Priority Pass app.
Before you invest in a Priority Pass membership, you should know that entrance into its lounges is not guaranteed. The individual lounges can set Priority Pass hours, which could mean that members are only allowed access during off-peak times. They can also simply refuse Priority Pass members if the lounge is near or at capacity. On top of that, there may be time limits for how long you can stay in a lounge; these often range from three to five hours.
If a lounge is accepting Priority Pass members, you'll have to present your membership card at the front desk. This could be the physical card that's mailed to you after you activate your account or pay for your membership, or a digital card that you store either in your phone's wallet or in the mobile app. If you're bringing a guest, you'll have to let the agent know here.
As mentioned, Priority Pass lounges tend to limit entry during particularly crowded times (and even if you are granted entry, the lounge may be very full). Unfortunately, you probably won't have much control over when you're visiting the lounge, as your visit will likely be dictated by the time of your flight. You can, however, predict how big the crowds might be based on the number of departures from your airport around the time of your visit. For example, many hub airports in the United States have international red-eye flights - evenings at those airports are often a particularly busy time for Priority Pass lounges. You may ultimately have to put your name on a waitlist, or you might be turned away outright.
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