I get the question often…How did you get into that Airport Lounge?!?
Seems everyone wants into the airport lounge, even if you are flying coach, we've got the tips and tricks on how you can access it next time you fly!
Priority Pass is a club or membership company that partners with airline and airport lounges to grant you access when you are traveling for free. There are MANY different flavors and types of PP. You can visit their website by clicking here.
Say you are traveling the "C" word, COACH, and have a long transfer time in Seattle. Well, PP has you covered with access to the Alaska Lounges and some others, click here for Seattle.
Of course there are rules about capacity limits, how many guests you can bring in and in fact how much it will cost you depending on your type of membership.
Looking at PP website, these are the current rates and memberships they offer USA residents.
But here's the BIG secret! No one I know buys a PP membership from PP. They all have it as a credit card benefit!
The Chase Rsv and AmEx Platinum offer access to you and up to 2 guests for free! You can compare the benefits of the two cards in our past post, here.
What's great is that Chase Rsv and AmEx Plt cards allow access for you and up to two guests! Even better, the AmEx plt has additional lounges in its network! The Centurion Lounges and a handful of others.
As the annual fee on the Chase Rsv card is $450 (you get $300 back, making the net annual amount $150). AmEx Plt fee is $550, but you can get a majority of that fee back each year!
You can also use PP when you are on staff travel!
Some Negatives, but not all bad!
Some locations have certain hours and restrictions. For example, the LAX Korean Air lounge is only open from 12p-7pm for PP members. They are open other others, but you can't access it if you are using PP.
There have been reports of access being denied due to overcrowding. We've experienced this issue as well. HOWEVER, PP is making improvements! For example, in certain cities they offer a food & bev credit at an air-side restaurant. Hot tip, Check out PDX!
Some of the lounges in the network aren't 4 star, however, free drinks and snacks are always better than the airport terminal in most cases.
If you travel one or more times a month, investing in a higher end Credit Card (Chase RSV AmEx PLT) card is a great idea for the benefits and the PP membership.
Questions? Ask in the comments below! Hope you enjoy your next lounge experience!