Is Priority Pass Worth It?

We arrived in Lisbon after 15 hours of traveling (an overnight flight from Newark, plus a layover in Porto). We were tired and hungry and just wanted to sit somewhere comfy. Plus, we still had a layover and another flight to Vienna. So where did we decide to go? You guessed it – KFC.

KFC is a treat for us. So, it was pretty nice. But then we had another couple hours to sit and hang out in the crowded Lisbon terminal.

Only after we had eaten did we remember we had Priority Pass. I hadn’t looked into it at all before we left. I just knew it was something that came with my new credit card. So while we sat in the food court, I did a little bit of research and found out there were two lounges available in Lisbon. We decided to check it out and see if Priority Pass was worth it.

Both Ty and I got free access to the lounge in the Lisbon airport from one membership. And we were blown away by it. We had comfy seats, food and drinks, and fast Wi-Fi and outlets. Why hadn’t we realized Priority Pass could actually be helpful for our trip sooner?

What is Priority Pass?

Priority Pass offers a membership that allows you to access various facilities in airports around the world. There are 1,300 lounges that are open to Priority Pass members worldwide. In addition, you may have access to:

• Minute Suites
• Spa services
• Retail discounts
• Restaurant credits ($28-30/person, depending on the offerings)

Specific offerings vary by airport. You can check what is available on the Priority Pass app or website. It gives you detailed information about the offerings, hours, and location to help you choose one that meets your needs.

What are the benefits of having a lounge?

Before we used it in Lisbon, I had never used an airport lounge. It wasn’t worth it to me to spend the money (though they can be worth it sometimes). I was very impressed by the Lisbon lounge and every other one I have used since.

These lounges offer:

• Comfortable seats (There may not be any seats outside the lounge depending on the airport.)
• Food and drinks (sometimes including alcoholic beverages)
• Wi-fi and electric outlets (It beats fighting over the only one available at your gate or having extremely slow internet shared by the rest of the airport.)
• Newspapers and magazines
• Workspaces and conference rooms
• Potentially, shower and nap facilities (There may be an extra fee for this.)

When you’re traveling all day, these benefits are wonderful. I loved sitting in a nice comfy chair snacking on local hors d’oeuvre and sipping coffee while working on my laptop.

How did we use it?

We used a Priority Pass lounge at multiple airports on this trip. A few of them even offered multiple lounges to choose from. In each one, we were pleasantly surprised by how helpful and comfortable they were.

Lisbon – We didn’t exactly use Priority Pass in its optimal way in Lisbon. We had already eaten a full meal at KFC. But, we still wanted to check it out. We ended up with a nice place to relax for our two-hour layover. Later on, we got coffee and sampled some of the snacks too.

Prague – We had a comfortable couch and table to sit at in the Prague airport. We both had lunch and coffee. We were only here for about an hour, but it was very refreshing.

Warsaw – The Warsaw lounge was crowded because we were flying at about the busiest time possible. However, we were still able to find a seat. We had some nice Polish food (it tasted homemade). We were also able to charge our electronics.

London – London offered a luxurious lounge with couches, a movie room, and conference areas. It was bright and sunny. We were there for a few hours and it was so much comfier than our gate was. They even offered a made-to-order menu!

How much is it?

There are a few options to get Priority Pass. You can sign up for membership directly from their website. There are three levels to choose from, making it easy to pick one that works for you.

The Select level is the level included with some premium credit cards. This is what we had. So, we paid our annual card fee, and Priority Pass was included for free. You even get 2 guests accesses included. This meant both Ty and I (plus another guest) could access the lounges for free.

Is Priority Pass worth it?

Priority Pass is worth it depending on how you travel. It may be worth it if you will use their services enough. Priority Pass may be very useful if you have long layovers or frequent airline travel.

If not, you may want to rethink it. Be sure to check the lounge locations to see if your destinations have included lounges. If so, it is a great service to have available and can be a total game-changer for travel.

We have Priority Pass through my Chase Sapphire Reserve credit card. The membership came included with the card. For us, it is totally worth it. The amount of comfort (and coffee and food) we got on just one trip was worth it. Since we have it through my credit card, we have guest access. Ty and I usually travel together. This saves us about $30 each time.

How do you sign up for Priority Pass?

You can sign up for Priority Pass through their website. It is easy and quick.

Or, you can get it by opening a premium credit card that includes it. Some cards that include Priority Pass are:

• Chase Sapphire Reserve
• The Platinum Card from American Express
• Citi Prestige
• Hilton Honors American Express Aspire card
• Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express Card

Over to You

Priority Pass has become a game-changer for the way we travel. Long layovers are not so much of a hassle. We actually save money because we aren’t afraid to have longer layovers. I love having access to the lounges.

How will you use Priority Pass to make air travel easier?

Photo by Erik Odiin on Unsplash