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Priority Pass Review: Maximize Your Membership
Posted on Aug 11, 2022
Updated on Jan 8, 2024
Airport lounges can be an absolute necessity when you have an 18-hour layover or a 6-hour delay. Gone those days when they were a luxury treat for rich people. Today anyone who is willing to pay can get lounge access, you don't even have to have a membership. However, being a member of a lounge network like Priority Pass can bring greater value and even some extras. Priority Pass offers lounge access at a reduced price or free of charge! Sounds interesting? Read our Priority Pass review to find out more.
What is Priority Pass?
Priority Pass is an independent network of lounges that provides airport lounge access worldwide. With over 1,300 lounges around the world Priority Pass is the world's largest airport lounge network and continues to grow.
However, many of the Priority Pass lounges are located outside of the U.S. Still, there are Priority Pass lounges in more than 40 U.S. airports. Some of the U.S. airports even have more than one lounge that accept Priority Pass members - quite enough to unwind, wait out the layovers or even work.
While the Priority Pass network is large, not all airline lounges participate in the program. For example, none of the Delta Sky Club®, American Airlines Admirals Club® or United Club℠ airport lounges participates in Priority Pass. If you want to get access to these airline lounges as well, you might need to look for other ways to do so.
Priority Pass membership levels?
Priority Pass has three membership plans to choose from. Which Priority Pass membership makes more sense for you depends on how you travel and how often you plan to visit Priority Pass lounges. Priority Pass membership plans include:
- Standard: $99 annual fee. What's included: member visits for $35 each, guest visits for $35 each.
- Standard Plus: $329 annual fee. What's included: 10 free member visits, then member and guest visits for $35 each.
- Prestige: $469 annual fee. What's included: all free visits for members, guest visits for $35 each.
Don't confuse these three Priority Pass membership levels with Priority Pass Select, though. Priority Pass membership can be purchased directly from the company site. Meanwhile, Priority Pass Select is something you get with some credit cards as a benefit.
Priority Pass Select offers slightly different benefits. Those usually vary from bank to bank and from card to card. For instance, Priority Pass Select membership can include free guest access to lounges or Priority Pass restaurant benefits. An important thing to keep in mind when you are approved for a credit card that offers complimentary Priority Pass Select membership: you will need to activate your membership and wait for your membership card to arrive in the mail before you can enjoy the benefit.
Credit cards that offer Priority Pass Select membership
Travel credit cards offer a lot of benefits and Priority Pass Select membership can be included as well. You can usually find this benefit offered with some travel rewards credit cards issued by American Express, Chase, Citi, U.S. Bank, Barclays, and some other issuing banks. Credit cards below include Priority Pass Select membership as a complimentary cardmember benefit. The memberships also include free guest visits.
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Intro APR on Purchases
N/A
Regular APR
19.99% - 29.99% (Variable)
Annual Fee
$395
Lounge Access
Unlimited complimentary access for you and two guests to 1,300+ lounges, including Capital One Lounges and the Partner Lounge Network
- Click "APPLY ONLINE" to apply now
- Earn 75,000 bonus miles when you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening, equal to $750 in travel
- Receive a $300 annual credit for bookings through Capital One Travel, where you'll get Capital One's best prices on thousands of trip options
- Get 10,000 bonus miles (equal to $100 towards travel) every year, starting on your first anniversary
- Earn unlimited 10X miles on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel and 5X miles on flights booked through Capital One Travel
- Earn unlimited 2X miles on all other purchases
- Unlimited complimentary access for you and two guests to 1,300+ lounges, including Capital One Lounges and the Partner Lounge Network
- Use your Venture X miles to easily cover travel expenses, including flights, hotels, rental cars and more—you can even transfer your miles to your choice of 15+ travel loyalty programs
- Elevate every hotel stay from the Premier or Lifestyle Collections with a suite of cardholder benefits, like an experience credit, room upgrades, and more
- Receive up to a $100 credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck®
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Intro APR on Purchases
N/A
Regular APR
22.49% - 29.49% Variable
Annual Fee
$550
Lounge Access
Access to 1,300+ airport lounges worldwide after an easy, one-time enrollment in Priority Pass™ Select and up to $100 application fee credit every four years for Global Entry, NEXUS, or TSA PreCheck®
- Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $900 toward travel when you redeem through Chase Travel℠.
- $300 Annual Travel Credit as reimbursement for travel purchases charged to your card each account anniversary year.
- Earn 5x total points on flights and 10x total points on hotels and car rentals when you purchase travel through Chase Travel℠ immediately after the first $300 is spent on travel purchases annually. Earn 3x points on other travel and dining & 1 point per $1 spent on all other purchases
- Get 50% more value when you redeem your points for travel through Chase Travel℠. For example, 60,000 points are worth $900 toward travel.
- 1:1 point transfer to leading airline and hotel loyalty programs
- Access to 1,300+ airport lounges worldwide after an easy, one-time enrollment in Priority Pass™ Select and up to $100 application fee credit every four years for Global Entry, NEXUS, or TSA PreCheck®
- Count on Trip Cancellation/Interruption Insurance, Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver, Lost Luggage Insurance and more.
- Member FDIC
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Priority Pass member benefits
Priority Pass membership is not only about lounge access. Members also get access to other Priority Pass benefits. However, their availability can vary from lounge to lounge, airport to airport. Therefore, we advise you to check what's available while you are planning your trip and not after.
- Lounge amenities & perks. Most Priority Pas lounges offer pre-flight bite and drink from the selection available, including free alcohol. You will also be able to use free Wi-Fi and charge your devices in lounges. Some lounges also offer private working spaces and conference room access. If you need some peace and quiet, lounges can offer you comfortable recliners and quiet environment to relax. Shower facilities, gyms, spa treatments, nap rooms and some other extra perks may not be available in all lounges.
- Restaurants and Minute Suites credits. Priority Pass partners with select airport restaurants, mini-suites and more, to give its members an opportunity to enjoy perks at other locations at a discounted rate.
- Faster check-in and security lines. Some airports allow Priority Pass members to skip the long lines.
- Discounted car rentals and accommodation choices. Priority Pass partners with IHG and Avis to offer benefits and discounts with those two brands. You will need to log in to your Priority Pass membership portal to take advantage of those perks.
- Family & guest passes. This benefit is not available to every member. Usually, you can get it if you have a credit card that offers Priority Pass Select. However, it's not always added into the membership as a complimentary benefit, and some lounges may limit access to guests and children.
Again, these benefits may not be available to everyone, as the facilities in the Priority Pass network vary by owner and location. Plus, your membership may not include some benefits. We recommend you to always check the rules of your desired lounge location and your Priority Pass membership to be sure of what is available to you.
Is Priority Pass membership worth it?
Yes, but not for everyone. It usually depends on how often you travel, your usual travel destinations, and how often you use participating lounges.
If you do not go on frequent international trips, Priority Pass might not be a good option. Also, check out available lounges at airports you frequently travel to and from and make sure you will be able to access them via Priority Pass. Another thing to note, is if you typically travel in business class, you don't really need Priority Pass membership because lounge access is usually included.
Some travelers also find it worthwhile to get an airline lounge membership from the airline they regularly fly with. For example, you may have Admirals Club membership through a Citi credit card and be absolutely happy with it. But if you have several connections in different cities or countries, there may not be any airport lounge at that location.
Travel can never be as smooth as we want it to be, and many variables may come our way. Often, a Priority Pass membership is a good way to be covered and make sure you won't get stuck in a crowded airport without being able to escape to the quiet of a lounge. Plus, it's always nice to have alternative lounges you have access to.
Bottom line
Priority Pass membership is a benefit that can help improve your travel experience, but at the same time, not everyone will find it worthwhile. Luckily, there are several levels of membership to give Priority Pass a try. Plus, if you were looking to apply for a premium travel credit card, you may get it with the card as a complimentary benefit. When you do not know if the thing is worth it or not, sometimes the best way to find out is to just give it a try.
Best credit cards for frequent flyers from our partners
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Intro APR on Purchases
0% Intro APR (15 months)
Intro APR on Balance Transfer
0% Intro APR (15 months)
Regular APR
18.24% - 28.24% Variable APR
Balance Transfer Fee
3% intro balance transfer fee, up to 5% fee on future balance transfers (see terms)*
Annual Fee
$0
- UNLIMITED BONUS: Unlimited Mile-for-Mile match for all new cardmembers—only from Discover. Discover gives you an unlimited match of all the Miles you’ve earned at the end of your first year. You could turn 35,000 Miles to 70,000 Miles. There’s no signing up, no minimum spending or maximum rewards. Just a Miles-for-Miles match.
- Automatically earn unlimited 1.5x Miles on every dollar of every purchase
- No annual fee
- Turn Miles into cash. Or redeem as a statement credit for your travel purchases like airfare, hotels, rideshares, gas stations, restaurants and more.
- 0% intro APR for 15 months on purchases. Then 18.24% - 28.24% Standard Variable Purchase APR will apply.
- Discover could help you reduce exposure of your personal information online by helping you remove it from select people-search sites that could sell your data. It’s free, activate with the mobile app.
- Discover is accepted nationwide by 99% of the places that take credit cards.
- Terms and conditions apply.
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Intro APR on Purchases
N/A
Intro APR on Balance Transfer
N/A
Regular APR
21.24% - 29.24% (Variable)
Balance Transfer Fee
Balance transfer fee applies with this offer 5% of each balance transfer; $5 minimum.
Annual Fee
$95
- Earn 70,000 bonus ThankYou® Points after spending $4,000 in the first 3 months of account opening, redeemable for $700 in gift cards or travel rewards at thankyou.com
- Earn 10 points per $1 spent on Hotels, Car Rentals, and Attractions booked on CitiTravel.com.
- Earn 3 points per $1 on Air Travel and Other Hotel Purchases, at Restaurants, Supermarkets, Gas and EV Charging Stations.
- Earn 1 Point per $1 spent on all other purchases
- $100 Annual Hotel Benefit: Once per calendar year, enjoy $100 off a single hotel stay of $500 or more (excluding taxes and fees) when booked through CitiTravel.com. Benefit applied instantly at time of booking.
- No expiration and no limit to the amount of points you can earn with this card
- No Foreign Transaction Fees on purchases
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Intro APR on Purchases
N/A
Intro APR on Balance Transfer
N/A
Regular APR
19.99% - 29.99% (Variable)
Balance Transfer Fee
Balance Transfer Fee applies to balances transferred at a promotional rate
Annual Fee
$95
- Click "APPLY ONLINE" to apply now
- Enjoy $250 to use on Capital One Travel in your first cardholder year, plus earn 75,000 bonus miles once you spend $4,000 on purchases within the first 3 months from account opening - that’s equal to $1,000 in travel
- Earn unlimited 2X miles on every purchase, every day
- Earn 5X miles on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel, where you'll get Capital One's best prices on thousands of trip options
- Miles won't expire for the life of the account and there's no limit to how many you can earn
- Receive up to a $100 credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck®
- Use your miles to get reimbursed for any travel purchase—or redeem by booking a trip through Capital One Travel
- Enrich every hotel stay from the Lifestyle Collection with a suite of cardholder benefits, like a $50 experience credit, room upgrades, and more
- Transfer your miles to your choice of 15+ travel loyalty programs
our choice
our choice
Intro APR on Purchases
0% Intro APR (6 months)
Intro APR on Balance Transfer
0% Intro APR (18 months)
Regular APR
18.24% - 28.24% Variable APR
Balance Transfer Fee
3% intro balance transfer fee, up to 5% fee on future balance transfers (see terms)*
Annual Fee
$0
- INTRO OFFER: Unlimited Cashback Match for all new cardmembers–only from Discover. Discover will automatically match all the cash back you’ve earned at the end of your first year! There’s no minimum spending or maximum rewards. Just a dollar-for-dollar match.
- Earn 2% cash back at Gas Stations and Restaurants on up to $1,000 in combined purchases each quarter, automatically. Plus earn unlimited 1% cash back on all other purchases.
- Get a 0% intro APR for 18 months on balance transfers. Then 18.24% to 28.24% Standard Variable APR applies, based on credit worthiness.
- Redeem your rewards for cash at any time.
- Discover could help you reduce exposure of your personal information online by helping you remove it from select people-search sites that could sell your data. It’s free, activate with the mobile app.
- No annual fee.
- Terms and conditions apply.
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Intro APR on Purchases
0% intro on purchases (for 15 months)
Intro APR on Balance Transfer
0% intro on balance transfers (for 15 months)
Regular APR
19.99% - 29.99% (Variable)
Balance Transfer Fee
Balance transfer fee applies
Annual Fee
$0
- Click "APPLY ONLINE" to apply now
- $0 annual fee and no foreign transaction fees
- Earn a bonus of 20,000 miles once you spend $500 on purchases within 3 months from account opening, equal to $200 in travel
- Earn unlimited 1.25X miles on every purchase, every day
- Miles won't expire for the life of the account and there's no limit to how many you can earn
- Earn 5X miles on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel, where you'll get Capital One's best prices on thousands of trip options
- Use your miles to get reimbursed for any travel purchase—or redeem by booking a trip through Capital One Travel
- Transfer your miles to your choice of 15+ travel loyalty programs
- Enjoy 0% intro APR on purchases and balance transfers for 15 months; 19.99% - 29.99% variable APR after that; balance transfer fee applies
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