Priority Pass = chocolate teapot?
Discussion
Prob my worst buy of 2024.
Turned away from 4 lounges at LGW in a Jan low season Tues at 11am as full and as I 'hadn't booked'! Now I see booking is £6 per person EXTRA and also extra hassle! We did get a cuppa and biscuit in SJO sat in like an Asda café for £24. Poor value, hassle, no extravagant sybaritic luxury!
Have we been unlucky - does it work for anyone?
Turned away from 4 lounges at LGW in a Jan low season Tues at 11am as full and as I 'hadn't booked'! Now I see booking is £6 per person EXTRA and also extra hassle! We did get a cuppa and biscuit in SJO sat in like an Asda café for £24. Poor value, hassle, no extravagant sybaritic luxury!
Have we been unlucky - does it work for anyone?
Its usefulness varies from airport to airport.
Some lounges are really good, some just ok, some lounges are always really busy, some arent.
I had it when i did a lot of travel for work and thought it was great. That said, i was probably away 45 weeks a year monday to thursday, so 90 lounge accesses for £300 or so at the time was a bargain. Peak summer season i got turned away maybe twice.
I've one now with my AmEx and i think it gets me maybe 6 lounge accesses a year, and we use it for holidays.
Some lounges are really good, some just ok, some lounges are always really busy, some arent.
I had it when i did a lot of travel for work and thought it was great. That said, i was probably away 45 weeks a year monday to thursday, so 90 lounge accesses for £300 or so at the time was a bargain. Peak summer season i got turned away maybe twice.
I've one now with my AmEx and i think it gets me maybe 6 lounge accesses a year, and we use it for holidays.
I use Priority Pass about 5/6 times a month, flying out of LHR, various terminals, and in destinations around the world but usually in the USA or Germany. I pay £15/month for mine, as it's included in the Lloyd's World Elite credit card. My wife also gets one within that fee but she only uses airports for holidays, maybe 4 lounge visits a year.
I have never encountered a full lounge, and I'm very happy with it. Most lounges like the LHR ones are good, some are just ok (Frankfurt), but the best one so far was the Eventyr Lounge at Copenhagen. Especially given the price of buying food and drink at Copenhagen airport.
I have never encountered a full lounge, and I'm very happy with it. Most lounges like the LHR ones are good, some are just ok (Frankfurt), but the best one so far was the Eventyr Lounge at Copenhagen. Especially given the price of buying food and drink at Copenhagen airport.
We get 4 free passes a year. You have to either reserve 3 months ahead at a cost at Gatwick or Stansted we have found. Gran Canaria lounge is great, not Fuerteventura though. My wife booked Gatwick north in error yesterday and they wouldn't swap it over to the south, huge queue, angry punters, one member of staff who was overwhelmed having to tell customers to stop shouting at her.
chip* said:
For those who have been refused entry, did you join and pay for the PP programme separately, or were these the freebie pass from your credit card? Just curious if there was some sort of priority system in place!
Did a Black Friday deal on mine as have given up on the pricy Amex card bundles etc. Maybe that's lower priority entry but they did seem to be turning many away at Gatwick. TBF we then just had breakfast at the Carluccios instead which was lovely and cost half the lounge palaver.. Really not seeing the value in rammed lounges any more - maybe that's just Gatwick and San Jose ;-)chip* said:
For those who have been refused entry, did you join and pay for the PP programme separately, or were these the freebie pass from your credit card? Just curious if there was some sort of priority system in place!
No, if you have a PP, then you have a PP. No league table of importance. Unless you pre book your slot. I used my PP at LHR T2 yesterday and Cologne / Bonn today with no issue. The Cologne lounge is a bit limited, but a great location, in a glass mezzanine overlooking the runway.
Edited by TwigtheWonderkid on Tuesday 4th March 20:40
I have DragonPass with my bank account. The only place I’ve really had a problem is AMS. The lounges there are shared with airlines as opposed to being dedicated as pay lounges. When I wanted to use the lounge there between 8am - 11am it was always a problem & rarely got in. Elsewhere I’ve not had a problem.
TwigtheWonderkid said:
TwigtheWonderkid said:
I've not flown out of LGW since I've had my PP. But I'm due to fly out of LGW next week. Will pre book.
Ffs, £6 each for me and the wife. A bit irritating given I only pay £7.50/month per pass. 
Ziplobb said:
used it at Heathrow T3 and T5
southampton airport think we were the only people in there. get it for free probably would not bother if I had to pay for it. No where near as good as Airline loungues.
Same here. I get LoungeKey free and use it a few times a month. Only been turned away probs 10 times over the years. MAN disproportionately so…southampton airport think we were the only people in there. get it for free probably would not bother if I had to pay for it. No where near as good as Airline loungues.
Used in LAS, LHR T3 and T5. The lounge in T5 was s
t, but I prebooked the others so can't complain really. It's not the last word in luxury, but when you would probably spend £24 on a burger and beer in most airports, I'm still pleased I've got it.
t, but I prebooked the others so can't complain really. It's not the last word in luxury, but when you would probably spend £24 on a burger and beer in most airports, I'm still pleased I've got it.Edited by anonymous-user on Thursday 6th March 20:55
Wife and I used the Porto lounge yesterday, and it was very nice. The pastal de natas were as good as any we had whilst we were there.
The only annoyance is that there were no chairs at tables, just tables between each pair of leather armchairs., Between the right arm of one and the left arm of another. Really irritating.
The only annoyance is that there were no chairs at tables, just tables between each pair of leather armchairs., Between the right arm of one and the left arm of another. Really irritating.
Zaichik said:
I get it included with Amex but find in the uk it is generally poor. LHR term 3 has an actual Amex lounge though (need Amex for this not priority pass) and it is far better.
In term 5 and Gatwick they are terrible.
I used it at Gatwick S terminal last week and it was fine. I only had about 15 mins to spare but the macaroni cheese with bacon and a glass of the pink fizz hit the spot. In term 5 and Gatwick they are terrible.
Maybe I just have lower expectations. All I want is low level noise, a comfortable chair, somewhere to charge the phone if needed, a selection of tea/coffee, beers, wines and spirits and some reasonable food options. I don't expect scantily clad maidens dropping peeled grapes into my mouth.
Edited by TwigtheWonderkid on Tuesday 18th March 07:49
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