Travel & Adventure

Priority Pass Review (2024): Are The Perks Worth The Purchase?

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Illuminated advertising board Priority Pass Lounge Key in departure area of Vnukovo International Airport in Moscow. Entrance to VIP lounge area, priority service.

Are you tired of fighting for airport seats whenever you have a layover or delayed flight? If you’ve spent enough time in airports, you know the woes of being stuck in one of those small, uncomfortable seats for hours on end — or even having to settle for the floor during peak travel times. If you often fly for work or vacations and are looking for a better travel experience, it could be time to invest in Priority Pass. This membership gives you airport lounge access all across the globe. Check out our Priority Pass review for benefit info, pros and cons, cost and much more.

Visit the Priority Pass Website

Priority Pass logo

Product Name: Priority Pass

Product Description: Priority Pass is a program owned by Collinson Group that provides members with access to airport lounges around the world, including allowing holders to visit lounges with economy class or premium economy class tickets.

Summary

A Priority Pass membership may be worth it if you travel a lot for work or leisure, especially internationally. But our biggest word of advice is to read the terms and conditions of each membership level clearly before forking over your money. A huge majority of customer complaints we found online resulted from people who felt duped when denied access when, in fact, they didn’t read the fine print.

Overall Score

3.6
  • Benefits
  • Availability
  • Customer Service
  • Overall Value

Pros

  • Spacious, comfortable lounge seating in quiet environment
  • Unlimited free food and drinks (including alcohol)
  • Some lounges include other perks like newspapers, showers and phones
  • Not restricted based on the airline you’re using compared to many airport lounges
  • Lounges located in 500+ cities
  • Excellent option for some international airports, where ample seating, food and other resources may not be available

Cons

  • Expensive, especially with guest fees
  • You’re not guaranteed access
  • Many pass holders report overcrowding
  • Lounges vary widely in quality and amenities
  • Restricted hours at some lounge locations
  • Several complaints about poor corporate customer service

Key Priority Pass Membership Benefits

  • More than 1,000 Priority Pass lounges in airports around the world
  • Complimentary pre-flight bites and drinks
  • Free WiFi and plenty of charging stations for your devices
  • Smartphone apps to download a digital lounge access pass
  • Up-to-date, searchable listing of Priority Pass lounges via their website and smartphone app
  • Businesses can purchase Priority Pass for employees or customers

Pricing

StandardStandard PlusPrestige
Annual Membership Price$99$249$399
Member Lounge Access$27 Fee Per Member Visit10 Free Visits; Then $27 Per Member VisitUnlimited Visits
Price Per Guest Per Visit$27$27$27

Our First Hand Review

Two photos of food and drink in priority pass lounges
Food and drinks at Querétaro, Mexico and Dallas Fort Worth in November 2022.

“I’ve had Priority Pass for several years now and have been to dozens of lounges across the world, and I can’t recall what travel was like before having a membership. It motivates you to get to the airport extra early so you can have a place to relax before your flight. The lounges have monitors with flight listings so you can keep an eye on delays and boarding. Not only is it a quiet place to get work done, you usually have comfy lounge seats and tables to spread out. Some are above the main terminal floor, so you can really escape the hustle and bustle. While not every city has lounges (or ones near your gate), some give you $28 per person restaurant credits instead or discounts on airport vendors. One time my husband and I had 6 hours of layovers at 2 domestic airports and then another international layover and went to 4 lounges in 4 cities in one trip (even got to use it for a 15-minute chair massage at LaGuardia). The card pays for itself in just a few uses. Just don’t forget to bring cash to tip your server or bartender.” 

Sadie Cornelius, Frequent Flier and Travel Guru

Consumer Feedback

Here’s a balanced sampling of feedback on Priority Pass. Got your own? Let us know in the comments!

Praise

Priority Pass was accepted at a small lounge I accessed at San Francisco Airport, after a flight there from Sydney in which I missed my connection due to a late departure from Sydney. The lounge was clean, quiet, not filled with people, and I was able to relax for a few minutes. I hadn’t been able to use Priority Pass during COVID so this was a wonderful experience for me!

– James, Trustpilot 7/04/2023

“Excellent lounge in Alicante airport very helpful staff given out gate number on flight in person making you feel welcome.The clean staff also very good and efficient.choices off hot and cold foods, Spanish/European selections of teas, coffees, beers, wines, juice, over all very nice air condition lounge.”

– Patrick S., Trustpilot 6/16/2023

Complaints

“There are more time restrictions than I realized. For example British Airway lounge has a 2:00 pm cutoff time for access. However Turkish lounge was fabulous but busy. Depends on your travel time but i enjoyed the time I could use it.”

– June B., Trustpilot 7/2/2023

“I enjoyed having some quiet time before my flight. The refreshments were ok but as a vegan person there aren’t very many choices for me. Some airports are a little better than others but I’ll know more as I travel in the future.”

– Traveler, Trustpilot 6/29/2023

What Can You Expect From Priority Pass Lounges?

Sometimes pictures are better than words. Check out the video below for a glimpse into some of the world’s best airport lounges that you can access with Priority Pass.

What’s Our Final Verdict On Priority Pass?

Visit the Priority Pass Website

A Priority Pass membership may be worth it if you travel a lot for work or leisure, especially internationally. But our biggest word of advice is to read the terms and conditions of each membership level clearly before forking over your money. A huge majority of customer complaints we found online resulted from people who felt duped when denied access when, in fact, they didn’t read the fine print. Here’s an excerpt many failed to read before purchasing:

“All participating lounges are owned and operated by third party organizations…The cardholder accepts that the Priority Pass Group of companies has no control over the lounge operator’s decision whether to admit any cardholder, the number of people allowed in any lounge at any time, facilities offered, the opening/closing times, the length of time which cardholders may spend in the lounge and any charges payable for extended lounge visits or the personnel employed by the lounges.”

Where Will Your Priority Pass Take You?

Once you’ve got your priority pass, time to take advantage! Checkout our best adventure vacations article, or maybe feeling more like a European river cruise. And last but not least, secure a nice carry-on bag to safe keep your valuables and make your in-flight experience seamless.

Do you use airport lounges? Think Priority Pass may be worth it? Let us know in the comments!

Sally Jones

While attending the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill’s graduate school for journalism and public relations, Sally began a long career researching and writing about hard-to-understand topics, such as insurance and finance. Her additional experience in marketing, fundraising, public relations and financial planning at various foundations and nonprofit organizations over the years has given her the practical tools to inform consumers about making the smartest business and personal financial decisions. Her work has appeared in many notable media outlets, including The Washington Post, Entrepreneur, People, Forbes, Huffington Post, and more. Speaking of smart living — growing up in the (at-the-time) per-capita murder capital of the U.S. (Richmond, VA) taught her a thing or two about the need for personal and home safety. Sally stays on top of all the latest gadgets and services to protect her and her teenage daughters from potential predators and thieves. And she brings this knowledge to every article she writes.

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