Are you a frequent traveller? Are you looking for a comfortable stay at airport lounges during your travels? If the answer is yes, take a look at this in-depth review of Priority Pass.
Travel by airplane is hard enough as it is. But with a layover of 18 hours or a delay of 5 hoursthose luxurious airport lounges are starting to look more and more attractive.
In this review of the Priority Pass card, we'll look at the incredible airport lounge programmes based on membership for turning those dreaded stopovers into a comfortable stay.
Priority Pass is a worldwide network of airport lounges available to its members.
Although they talk a lot about the innumerable amenities, we are here to offer a Priority Pass impartial review to see if it's really worth your money.
So fasten your seatbelts because we're going for a ride.
📝 What is Priority Pass?
Priority Pass is a global membership programme for travelers in which they can accessing a network of airport loungesrestaurants and mini-lounges all over the world.
In other words, Priority Pass membership is the globetrotter's key to the most luxurious lounges and other airport facilities at over 1200 locations worldwide.
This is true regardless of the airline you choose or the class of ticket. Priority Pass is itself a luxury lounge with its own separate lounges.
Smaller airports sometimes combine Business and Priority Pass lounges.
As part of the Priority Pass package, lounges offer complimentary refreshments, hot meals and cold cocktails.
Gone are the days of overpriced, tasteless airport food.
Instead, you can lean back in your comfy armchairs, stream your favourite TV show with the free WiFi and block out the clamour of the airport.
There are many ways to sign up for Priority Pass.
🤑 Free Priority Pass
To get the Priority Pass card for free, there are several options, but you have the following options you must meet certain requirementsHere are some options for you to consider for a Priority Pass membership:
1. Through your bankSome banks offer Priority Pass membership free of charge to their most select customers, depending on their credit level.
If you have a prestigious credit card such as a American Express Platinum, Visa Signature, Visa Platinum, Elite Mastercard, or similar, you may be eligible for free Priority Pass membership. I suggest that you contact your bank for further information.
2. Buy a membershipIf you do not have access to a free membership through your bank, another option is to purchase a Priority Pass membership directly from their website. The cost of membership depends on the plan you choose and the number of times you wish to access lounges. Plans range from USD $99 per year to USD $429 per year.
3. Through your travel insurance companySome travel insurance companies offer Priority Pass memberships to their customers as part of their benefits. If you have a travel insurance policy, I suggest you contact your company to find out if you have access to a Priority Pass membership.
Depending on your preference, you can either sign up directly with them or take advantage of it as a perk along with premium travel cards.
As Priority Pass is an annual membership based service, it has different membership packages, from the most basic to the most comprehensive.
Depending on the affiliation you choose, you can pay between 71 and 390 euros per year.
Now that you know the basics, let's dive a little deeper into this Priority Pass review.
Priority Pass lounges map (VIP lounges)
As of November 2020, there are a total of 1,300 Priority Pass lounges worldwide. In the United States alone, there are more than 40 airports that recognise Priority Pass members.
The map below shows the global distribution of Priority Pass networks and lounges. It will help you locate a Priority Pass lounge.
As you can see, there are very few locations worldwide.
Europe and East Asia have a high concentration of lounges.
So, whether you're planning a holiday destination in Europe or travelling on business in Asia, you and your fellow travellers will certainly enjoy the benefits of Priority Pass.
If you want to see all the Priority Pass lounges click on this link. You can find the airports you use most frequently or search for any airport you are interested in.
✅ How does Priority Pass work?
Now that we've piqued your interest, let's take a look at how the Priority Pass actually works.
Once you have purchased your package, it will take a few days for it to arrive in the post. When it does, you will see some explanatory brochures and the prestigious membership card.
The Priority Pass works in conjunction with the Priority Pass app. Through the app, you can locate Priority Pass lounges with a quick swipe.
→ Radical Storage Opinions: When you need to store luggage
Once you have confirmed the location of a VIP lounge, you are all set.
Once you've gone through the tedious check-in and security process, you can navigate the airport with the app to your Priority Pass lounge.
Once in the lounge, all you need is your membership card and boarding pass. Shortly after, you'll be escorted away from the hustle and bustle of the airport and into your peaceful sanctuary.
If you haven't already noticed, you've skipped the long queues and arduous bookings.
Once inside the lounge, you can enjoy the food from their hot and cold buffet and relax with a couple of glasses of spirits. While you wait, you can charge your phones, take a nap or even take a shower.
You can stay in the lounge as long as it is open. Airport lounges usually close at night, as there are not so many people.
If this happens, you will have to spend the rest of the waiting time on your terminal.
Priority Pass Services
You've had a brief look at some of the Priority Pass amenities available to you. But there are many more. Let's take a detailed look at them.
Salons
Normally, lounge access is very limited, if not completely inaccessible, to frequent flyers.
One of the only ways to enjoy the lounge experience is with a business class ticket. Well, not any more!
With Priority Pass, you are entitled to all the facilities and privileges of a business class lounge. These include:
- Soft drinks
- Meals and buffets
- Numerous recharging points
- Complimentary drinks
- WiFi access
- Showers
- Free newspapers and magazines
- A quiet and peaceful place to relax
- Skip the check-in and security queue at some airports
- Discounts in restaurants, shops and spas
And you know what? You can share all this with a guest!
If you're not flying alone, your travel companions are always welcome as guests in Priority Pass lounges.
Restaurants
In addition to the designated lounges, Priority Pass offers its members the possibility to enjoy a proper meal in a restaurant for a reduced price.
If your airport doesn't have a lounge, or if you don't want to eat in the airport lounge, you can show off your membership card and enjoy a fine dining experience at the airport.
Basically, your membership card gives you a restaurant credit. It's usually around 28 euros per person - that's worth a whole main course!
Discounted accommodation
When you have a connecting flight, one of the most maddening things can be waiting at the airport for hours on end.
Luckily, with the Priority Pass, you can get discounted access to temporary accommodation.
This includes sleeping pods at Dubai International Airport and tiny suites at Atlanta, Philadelphia and Dallas Fort-Worth airports.
But the real icing on the cake is that the Priority Pass is associated with IGH. This means you can enjoy benefits outside the airport too, taking advantage of spectacular discounts at various hotel chains.
To do so, you will need to access the IGH website via the Priority Pass Portal and enter your Priority Pass membership number.
Rent a car
Many people don't know that they can get easy car hire through Priority Pass. Thanks to their partnership with Avis, you can enjoy the Avis Preferred Plus programme at no extra cost.
Through this programme, members can benefit from a high priority or availability of cars and a free additional driver.
When we said there is a plethora of Priority Pass services, we weren't kidding.
How to register for Priority Pass
Let's face it. Priority Pass membership must seem very attractive to you right now.
So how exactly can you become a member?
The process is simple, depending on how you choose to become a member.
You can sign up directly through their website or with various credit cards.
Affiliation through the website
The easiest way is to register directly through the Priority Pass website. Once you follow all the steps and register successfully, you will receive your membership card in the mail within a few days.
You can also opt for a digital membership card with which you can start using Priority Pass facilities immediately.
This direct affiliation is recommended because it makes things a little easier in the future compared to affiliation via credit cards with travel benefits.
Priority Pass Select through credit cards
Priority Pass Select refers to Priority Pass membership via a credit card.
If you are a US citizen, you can benefit from Priority Pass Select through a number of US financial institutions.
For example, many travel credit cards include Priority Pass Select membership.
There are many credit cards and travel cards that offer Priority Pass membership as a benefit.
As you can see, most of them are American Express Cards. However, American Express has recently restricted some Priority Pass services, such as dining credit.
So you will have to do some research on these cards first.
More importantly, if you are not a US citizen, Priority Pass Select is not for you at all.
Can you get free access to the Priority Pass lounge?
You may have heard from many travellers that free lounge access is completely fake news. However, that's just a rumour.
Although there is a fee of €32 per lounge visit, it only applies to Standard and Standard Plus memberships. Even with Standard Plus, you get the first ten lounge visits completely free.
In addition, the Prestige membership offers exclusively free lounge visits for the duration of your membership.
That's right; there are no limits or visitation fees.
See related: Free printable travel planner
Priority Pass pricing and membership levels
When you register, you will be presented with three affiliate offers from which you will have to choose one.
These membership levels are Standard, Standard Plus and Prestige. As a result, members can enjoy different amenities depending on the package they purchase.
More than 1300 Priority Pass lounges in most airports around the world. That's nothing.
Standard membership
Standard membership is aimed at the occasional traveller. It costs 71€ per year and has an annual fee of 28€. by visiting members and guests.
However, the membership fee of €71 only gives you access to the programme. To enter any Priority Pass lounge, you must pay a visit fee of €28 each time.
This means that if you only board one or two flights a year, you will be paying at least €131, which is not worth it.
Standard Plus Membership
Standard Plus membership is ideal for the regular traveller. It costs €233 per year with 10 free visits and then has a visit fee of €28.
The first ten visits are completely free of charge.
This is perfect for seasonal holidaymakers or international students who will not exceed the first ten free visits.
Prestige affiliation
If you're a fairly frequent traveller, the Prestige subscription is definitely the way to go. It costs 399 euros per year. The hefty membership fee is paid off with free unlimited lounge access.
Let's say you are a businessman who travels once a month, which is a total of 24 non-stop flights (if you are lucky).
If you use the lounge facilities even half of those times, you will only be paying 36 euros for each visit to the lounge.
✅ Advantages and disadvantages of Priority Pass
For the sake of a final verdict on this Priority Pass review, let's look at a list of unfiltered pros and cons.
Priority Pass Advantages
Let's summarise all the good things we have learned about Priority Pass:
- Any airline, any ticket. You don't need to be a business class or premium airline passenger.
- Membership is an additional advantage for many travel reward credit cards. Essentially, you are paying much less by opting for a travel rewards credit card if you travel frequently, while getting a very high return.
- Incredible amenities. Not only do they serve you inside the airport, but they also give you discounts and credits on accommodation and car rentals.
- At some airports, Priority Pass members can skip the long and exhausting queues.
- Priority Pass app. The app is the most convenient thing about Priority Pass. You have to do a lot of research on locations, services, etc., and the Priority Pass app has all the answers.
Comfort
With Priority Pass, you can access lounges at airports around the world. These lounges offer amenities such as comfortable seating, free food and drink, Wi-Fi access and more.
Saving time
Another important advantage of Priority Pass is that it can help you save time. Instead of waiting in a crowded lounge, you can relax in a lounge before your flight.
Flexibility
With Priority Pass, you'll have access to a wide range of lounges around the world. This means you can enjoy the comfort and luxury of a lounge, wherever you are travelling.
Cons Priority Pass
It would not be a fair review of Priority Pass if we did not look at the possible negative aspects of Priority Pass membership:
- Not all airports have lounges. Only 40 of the thousands of airports in the US have Priority Pass. In fact, some large hub airports such as Denver, Chicago Midway and LaGuardia do not have Priority Pass lounges.
- The remaining 1,160 Priority Pass lounges are outside the US. So unless you are travelling abroad, you may not be able to use your membership.
- VIP lounges may reach capacity, preventing you from entering them.
- Like all airport lounges, some Priority Pass lounges have a time limit. This means that you may not be able to stay for more than, for example, three hours at a time.
- You have to do a lot of research. Due to the scarcity of lounges and cap limitations, you will have to do a lot of research to see whether or not you can access a particular lounge.
Verdict: Is Priority Pass worth it?
At the end of this Priority Pass review, we are left with one question: should you become a member?
The point is this: Priority Pass may be the best airport lounge membership, only if you are the right person for it. Standard Membership is completely useless whether you are a frequent flyer or not.
In addition, if you are already travelling in Business Class, acquiring a Priority Pass membership would be redundant.
This is because you will already have access to the same amenities through your business class ticket, so Priority Pass would only be duplicating.
Now, let's assume you are a regular or frequent traveller, making at least ten trips a year.
If you don't want to pay the additional 32 euros for each journey, opt for the Standard Plus card.
Otherwise, if your entire livelihood involves incessant travel, you should definitely consider Prestige membership.
Even in the worst case scenario, when you only travel once a month, you will save a lot of money.
Priority Pass Reviews
The reviews of Priority Pass are good. See all Priority Pass reviews and ratings at:
La importancia de las opiniones: Las opiniones de los usuarios son esenciales para entender el valor real de un producto o servicio. En el caso de Priority Pass, estas opiniones nos ofrecen una visión clara de lo que realmente ofrece la membresía y cómo ha impactado en la experiencia de viaje de muchos.
El auge de Priority Pass: Desde su creación, Priority Pass ha crecido exponencialmente, ganando la confianza de viajeros de todo el mundo.
Historia y evolución: Fundado en 1992, Priority Pass ha pasado de ser un pequeño programa a una red global con más de 1300 salas VIP en más de 500 ciudades.
Logros y hitos: A lo largo de los años, Priority Pass ha recibido múltiples premios y reconocimientos, consolidándose como el líder en su categoría.
Priority Pass Opiniones: Experiencias de primera mano, Para muchos, Priority Pass ha transformado la manera de viajar, ofreciendo comodidad y lujo a un precio accesible.
Beneficios de usar Priority Pass: Más allá del acceso a salas VIP, los miembros disfrutan de descuentos en tiendas, restaurantes y spas en los aeropuertos. Además, la aplicación móvil de Priority Pass facilita la localización de salas y la gestión de la membresía.
Preocupaciones comunes y sus soluciones: Como todo servicio, hay quienes tienen reservas o enfrentan problemas con Priority Pass. Sin embargo, la empresa se esfuerza constantemente por mejorar y atender las necesidades de sus miembros.
Comparando Priority Pass con otros servicios: Aunque existen otros programas similares, Priority Pass destaca por su amplia red y beneficios adicionales.
Ventajas sobre la competencia: Con una presencia global y asociaciones con aerolíneas y aeropuertos, Priority Pass ofrece una experiencia inigualable.
Testimonios de usuarios satisfechos: «Desde que me uní a Priority Pass, mis viajes son mucho más relajados y disfruto cada momento en el aeropuerto», comenta Laura, una viajera frecuente.
Cómo aprovechar al máximo Priority Pass: Para sacar el máximo provecho de tu membresía, es esencial conocer todos los beneficios y estar al tanto de las promociones y descuentos.
Consejos y trucos: Desde descargar la aplicación móvil hasta revisar regularmente las ofertas exclusivas, hay muchas maneras de optimizar tu experiencia con Priority Pass.
Errores comunes a evitar: No todas las salas VIP son iguales. Es importante revisar las opiniones y servicios ofrecidos antes de decidir en cuál pasar tu tiempo.
El futuro de Priority Pass: Con la constante evolución de la industria de viajes, Priority Pass continúa innovando para ofrecer la mejor experiencia a sus miembros.
Innovaciones y mejoras previstas: Desde la integración de tecnologías de vanguardia hasta la expansión de su red, el futuro de Priority Pass es prometedor.
Priority Pass Opiniones: Lo que los expertos tienen que decir
Los expertos en viajes coinciden en que Priority Pass es una herramienta esencial para aquellos que buscan comodidad y exclusividad en sus viajes.
Resumen
In short, Priority Pass is a membership programme that offers frequent travellers access to airport lounges around the world. With amenities such as comfortable seating, free food and beverages and Wi-Fi access, Priority Pass can help travellers travel stress-free.
Priority Pass Frequently Asked Questions
Are Priority Pass lounges usually full?
Some Priority Pass lounges are often overcrowded, depending on the airport, but in general they can be considered a time and money saver at airports where "common" services such as food and beverage, currency exchange and even immigration services can take up to 20 minutes.
Individuals looking for additional conveniences for work, such as power outlets and high-speed Internet access, should find certain Priority Pass locations more attractive than others for that convenience alone.
Is the Priority Pass worth it?
Some Priority Pass lounges are the same as those at all airports, but there are some higher quality lounges that are impressive and less crowded.
If you have to spend a lot of time at the airport or are travelling internationally, you should consider getting a Priority Pass, as you will get more for your money by using services such as showers, food and beverages and reliable internet access.
How much does Priority Pass cost?
Priority Pass offers three levels of membership plans: the Standard Membership for 71€ Standard Plus for 233€ annual and Prestige Membership by 399€ annual.
How can you get Priority Pass?
To get Priority Pass, all you need to do is visit the official Priority Pass website and follow the steps to become a member. Once you have become a member, you will receive your membership card and you can start enjoying all the benefits Priority Pass has to offer.
Why should you consider Priority Pass?
If you travel frequently, Priority Pass can be a great option for you. Not only will it allow you to travel in comfort and stress-free, but you can also save time and enjoy exclusive discounts and offers at airports around the world.
¿Es Priority Pass adecuado para mí?
Si viajas con frecuencia y buscas una experiencia de viaje superior, Priority Pass es una excelente opción.
¿Puedo llevar invitados a las salas VIP con mi Priority Pass?
Sí, pero es posible que se apliquen cargos adicionales dependiendo de tu tipo de membresía.
¿Qué hago si tengo problemas con mi membresía?
Priority Pass cuenta con un equipo de atención al cliente dispuesto a ayudarte con cualquier inquietud.
No entiendo por qué alguien pagaría por una tarjeta Priority Pass cuando puedes conseguir acceso gratis en algunos aeropuertos. ¡No tiene sentido!
¡Vaya, qué interesante! Nunca había oído hablar de la Tarjeta Priority Pass antes. ¿Alguien ya la ha probado? ¿Vale la pena?
No sé si vale la pena el precio de la tarjeta Priority Pass, ¿alguien la ha probado?
Yo he probado la tarjeta Priority Pass y la verdad es que vale cada centavo. Las comodidades y beneficios que ofrece en los aeropuertos son inigualables. Si viajas con frecuencia, definitivamente es una inversión que no te arrepentirás de hacer.