Priority Pass is an international access card for airport lounges. It is very useful for travellers who want to wait for their flight in optimum comfort without necessarily travelling in business class or with a particular airline. I’ll explain the benefits of the Priority Pass card, how it works and how to get one.
What is Priority Pass?
Access to airport lounges is traditionally granted to business class passengers and holders of a high status in the frequent flyer program of the airline operating the flight (or of a carrier on the same alliance). These passengers have the privilege of waiting in more refined conditions than those prevailing in the boarding areas. Comfortable armchairs and sofas (and sometimes beds), workspaces equipped with an internet connection, complimentary snacks or hot and cold meals with alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages, showers and other relaxing services are available.
Priority Pass is a network of over 1,500 lounges worldwide, including airline-owned lounges, airport-managed lounges and independent lounges. Passengers who join Priority Pass can enter all these lounges without prior booking, whatever their travel cabin or airline. This means they can take advantage of these exclusive facilities when flying in economy class without any loyalty relationship with the carrier, even when traveling on a low-cost airline.
In a growing number of airports, being a Priority Pass member also gives you access to restaurants, services and activities such as facial and body spa treatments, video game sessions and more. The cost of the bill or service is covered by Priority Pass.
Not all airports have lounges, restaurants or service providers open to Priority Pass members, while some may be accessible only to passengers in a particular terminal. Use the search engine on the Priority Pass website to check that your departure, connection and destination airports are covered by the network.
Priority Pass membership takes the form of a plastic card with your name on it, to be presented at the entrance to the venues visited. This card is also virtualized as a QR code available in the member’s account on the Priority Pass website or in the mobile app downloadable from App Store and Google Play.
How much costs Priority Pass and how to get the card?
Annual subscription to Priority Pass
A Priority Pass card can be obtained by purchasing an annual subscription. There are three levels of membership in three currencies:
- “Standard” for the occasional traveler: USD 99 / GBP 69 / EUR 89 per year + USD 35 / GBP 24 / EUR 30 per visit
- “Standard Plus” for the regular traveler: USD 329 / GBP 229 / EUR 289 per year with 10 visits included + USD 35 / GBP 24 / EUR 30 per extra visit
- “Prestige” for the frequent traveler: unlimited visits for USD 469 / GBP 419 / EUR 459 per year.
A mandatory USD 10 / EUR 10 delivery charge is added (free in UK).
Annual subscription rates for the Priority Pass airport lounge network
The currency of payment is determined by Priority Pass according to your country of residence.
The Standard Plus plan is more economical from 7 lounge visits within a year, while the Prestige plan pays for itself with 14 or more visits when the subscription is paid in USD, 16 visits in EUR, 18 visits in GBP. You need to assess your projected usage over 12 months to choose the card best suited to your needs. You can upgrade or downgrade your membership at the time of annual renewal.
It is possible to be accompanied by one or more persons of your choice, who do not have to be members of Priority Pass. The guest may board on the same flight as the host or on a different flight. Each guest is charged USD 35 / GBP 24 / EUR 30, regardless of the membership plan, and the amount is automatically debited from the credit card used to purchase the membership. However, it is forbidden to lend your Priority Pass card to a third person.
The virtual Priority Pass card is issued immediately after payment of the annual membership fee and is immediately functional. The physical card and welcome pack will arrive within one to two weeks.
Priority Pass with Radisson Rewards
The Priority Pass Standard Plus card is a reward from the Radisson Rewards hotel loyalty program, which can be ordered for 160,000 points (see redemption procedure).
Priority Pass with American Express Platinum
Holders of an American Express Platinum credit card enjoy, among other benefits, a Priority Pass card giving unlimited access to all the network’s airport lounges.
The annual fee for an American Express Platinum card and the requirements for applying for it differ from country to country. One or more guests may be admitted free of charge, again depending on the country where the Amex card is issued. For more information, visit the American Express website in your country of residence.
There is one major restriction with the Priority Pass card offered by American Express: all venues other than lounges are excluded.
How to use the Priority Pass card?
In airport lounges
A valid Priority Pass card (physical or virtual) must be presented at the lounge entrance, together with a boarding pass for a flight departing on the same day. Please note that the Amex Platinum cannot be used as a sesame: the Priority Pass card obtained through American Express is always required. A receipt specifying the number of accesses used must be signed.
Some lounges impose a maximum duration of stay on site (generally between 2 and 5 hours), an information mentioned on the description of the lounge on the Priority Pass website. There are two ways of enforcing this rule: ask the person to leave when the time limit expires, or restrict access to the hours before boarding. It’s the latter technique that is mainly used by lounge managers. But when the first method is applied, there’s nothing to stop you presenting your Priority Pass card again to stay longer: the operation is neutral for holders of an unlimited membership plan, and a second visit is billed or deducted from the remaining balance for others.
When the lounge offers showers or spa treatments, the service is often subject to reservation. In this case, you need to inform the staff on arrival that you would like to take advantage of the service, so that you can be put on the waiting list and notified when the time comes.
Holding a Priority Pass card is not an absolute guarantee of access to a lounge during very busy periods. As a contractual obligation between the lounge and its airline customers, business class passengers and loyalty cardholders with the appropriate status will enter first. Priority will also be given to travelers paying the full price displayed at the lounge door when the lounge is selling single-entry pass or its own subscriptions.
In airport restaurants and for activities
In restaurants, the Priority Pass card must be presented when ordering. It entitles the holder to a lump sum, specified on the restaurant’s presentation sheet on the Priority Pass website, which can be spent on food and beverages.
For holders of the Standard plan, a USD 35 / GBP 24 / EUR 30 visit is charged. With the Standard Plus plan, one visit is deducted from the Priority Pass card balance. It is therefore imperative to check that the allowance is at least equal to the value of the visit before using Priority Pass in a restaurant. This is not a problem with the Prestige unlimited plan.
If the bill exceeds the amount authorized by Priority Pass, the difference must be settled by any other form of payment accepted by the point of sale. If the bill is lower, the difference will not be carried forward or refunded. When a tip is customary in the country visited, it must be paid in addition by the customer as usual (it cannot be withdrawn by the waiter from the credit paid by Priority Pass to the restaurant).
For activities, holders of Priority Pass Standard or Standard Plus cards are again strongly advised to ensure that the cost of the visit for which they will be billed or deducted is competitive with the public rate for the same service.
Do you have your Priority Pass card to wait comfortably for your next flight in the airport lounge?
