Priority Pass Review: Are The Perks Worth The Purchase?

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Laptop and food in airport loungeAre 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.

Priority Pass logoVisit the Priority Pass Website

Priority Pass

6.9
Benefits 8.0
Cost 7.0
Availability Worldwide 8.0
Customer Service 6.5
User Reviews 5.0

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

Coupon

Our link above applies discounts if available.

What Do Members Have To Say?

We’ve researched Priority Pass customer feedback around the web. Here are some positive and negative reviews we found.

Positive Priority Pass Reviews

I have to say that I did not have many problems using my Priority Pass. Before using a lounge, I normally ask if I can see how busy they are. Some lounges are not as good but some are amazing. When delayed, I appreciate that I can have shower, drinks, food and comfortable chair. – Zabka, TripAdvisor 1/6/2016

I fly twice a week in Europe and never leave home without my Priority Pass card. The lounge access is great as I can relax and get work done instead of having to scramble for a seat in departures as children run around screaming. – Tim R., Trustpilot 11/10/2014

Negative Priority Pass Reviews

The problem with PP is that they don’t manage any lounges themselves, and their contracts with the contract lounges they use gives people the lowest priority access, after all the other companies they’ve contracted with and of course those that book direct with the lounge. – USBusinessTraveler, TripAdvisor 1/2/2017

Between lounges that are coincidentally “temporarily closed” for priority pass members at weird times (2 pm through 7pm , wingtips in JFK), blackout times (nothing after 5:30 PM in terminal 1 JFK), and few lounges (see Washington D.C. area), this service sucks. If you’re a business traveler like me who’s got the chase sapphire reserve and is looking to unwind after a client meeting, this is just going to let you down. You’re better off going with your airline rewards program. – Gerardo, Trustpilot 12/24/2016

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. Or go it your own, save money and upgrade your accommodations by reading our review to find the best vacation rental site. And last but not least, secure a nice carry-on bag to safekeep your valuables and make your in-flight experience seamless.

Do you use airport lounges? Think Priority Pass may be worth it?

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Disclaimer: the information provided through this website should not be used to diagnose or treat a health problem or disease; it is not intended to offer any legal opinion or advice or a substitute for professional safety advice or professional care. Please consult your health care provider, attorney, or product manual for professional advice. Products and services reviewed are provided by third parties; we are not responsible in any way for them, nor do we guarantee their functionality, utility, safety, or reliability. Our content is for educational purposes only.

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The customer service of Priority Pass is really bad. They seem to operate by rigid scripts and you don’t feel like they understand your needs. In fact, I was trying to get my membership upgraded from the Standard Option to the Prestige Option, but they would talk about their yearly renewal cycles, and how they’re sorry but cannot do this, how they need to talk to someone else to check, etc etc etc

Juan sorry to hear you have not had a good experience with them but appreciate you sharing!

We have it for free, which is about what it’s worth. I’d say we’re able to use lounges only about 1/3 of the time because they are often in completely different terminals or the nearby lounge has huge restrictions on hours of use. Very disappointing.

My husband and I have a priority pass and couldn’t imagine what travel was like before having one. Granted they’re not in every airport or open all the time but for the most part they have the entire world covered. We even went to 3 lounges in one day/airport when we had a long layover at JFK. The Air France one had open bar, showers, TVs and all the lounges we’ve experienced thus far were so calm, relaxing and take the stress out of traveling. I will note though you can’t hear the announcements for gate changes and other possible delays so make sure you keep an eye on the flight status online (using their FREE wifi).