Complete Guide to Priority Pass Membership

If you travel often you might be wondering how to get Priority Pass lounge membership¹, to make your journeys a little bit more relaxing. International travel can be tiring and stressful, so popping into the lounge to wait before your flight or during connections can be a welcome break, with space to work or rest, food, drink and free wifi.

This Priority Pass guide walks through how you could get access to some of the 600+ lounges in the network. Plus, we’ll touch on Wise as another perfect pick for frequent travellers. Get a Wise account and card for easy spending at home and abroad, with mid-market exchange rates and low fees from 0.33%². More on that later.

What is Priority Pass Lounge Membership?

Priority Pass operates airport lounges in 145 countries, which offer travellers access to lounge benefits including free food, drink and alcohol, wifi and a place to work or rest before getting on a flight³.

You’ll find lounges offer a calm environment, which is popular with leisure and business travellers alike. Priority Pass offers different membership options which you can choose based on how frequently you’re likely to travel. Some credit cards also offer lounge membership as part of their benefits which could net you free access to lounges in Australia and overseas.

As well as access to lounge locations, Priority Pass members can also get extra benefits including⁴:

• Discounts or complimentary spa services at select locations
• Car hire and airport transfer booking services
• Gaming stations for relaxing with computer games
• Preorder airport food to collect and take away, so you’ll have fresh food on the plane
• Bookable workspaces and meeting rooms
• Meet and assist service to help you navigate large and busy airports

The exact benefits you get might vary depending on the pass you hold and whether you’ve signed up yourself, or been given a pass as part of another package, such as by your bank or card provider.

Read on for all you need to know, including Priority Pass fees and how to get signed up. You may also be interested to look at Priority Pass reviews online, to get a feel for whether or not the service is right for you. On Trustpilot which aggregates live user feedback, Priority Pass has a 3.5 star rating out of 5, from over 25,000 reviews⁵.

How Priority Pass Lounge Membership Works

You can sign up for Priority Pass membership on an annual basis and can then enter airport lounges within the network. In some cases you’ll need to pay a fee every time you go into the lounge, on top of the annual costs - some account plans waive the entry fees for members though, which can be attractive for frequent visitors.

Once you’ve signed up you’ll get a physical card mailed to you which you can use to enter a lounge. You may also get a digital card which means you can go to a lounge right away if you want to.

Different lounges offer their own features and service, but it’s often possible to book in advance to ensure there’s space, and to take in a guest for a fee.

Membership Options and Fees

Different airport lounge services have their own pricing policies. While some are open for public access, some are only available for people who are eligible through their bank, card network or similar. Priority Pass offers both options, allowing you to buy a membership yourself if you choose to, or to find a credit card or bank which includes the pass as one of its member perks.

If you’re signing up directly, Priority Pass offers three different membership tiers - Standard, Standard Plus and Prestige. Standard membership is recommended for occasional travellers while the Prestige pass is aimed at very frequent fliers. The passes have an annual fee, and then may have fees to pay every time you visit a lounge - the costs and options depend on the plan you pick. Here’s a look at the Priority Pass fees for different plans:

If you’re weighing up Priority Pass against other lounge membership options, it’s worth noting that this compares pretty favourably with alternatives like Dragon Pass.⁶ Dragon Pass also has 3 membership tiers with annual and per visit fees. Annual fees run from 99 USD to 429 USD, with a 35 USD per visit fee once you've used up any allocated free visits.

Priority Pass Lounge Network

There are Priority Pass lounges in 600 cities, spread over 145 countries.

Elsewhere in the world, there are 150+ lounges in the network in North America, 370+ in Europe, 70+ in the Middle East and 440+ in Asia Pacific.

While the services available may vary from one airport to the next, your lounge will offer a quiet space to relax or work, complimentary food and drink, and free wifi. In some locations you can book space in the lounge in advance, which gives peace of mind if you’re travelling during peak times.

Lounge access is available for local and international flights, and regardless of the airline you’re flying with. There are helpful tools on the Priority Pass website to help you find a lounge which is on your journey. You’ll also be able to learn more about the features and services in the specific lounge you’re planning to visit.

How to Sign Up for Priority Pass Membership

You can easily sign up for Priority Pass membership online - here’s what to do:

1. Visit the Priority Pass website and select Join
2. Pick the Priority Pass membership plan you would like to buy
3. Follow the prompts to enter your personal and contact details
4. Enter the delivery address for your pass
5. Pay using your debit or credit card
6. Activate your membership to start getting lounge access

You may also find that you’re eligible for Priority Pass membership as part of your credit card package. Some cards, like the Citibank Prestige Card or Premier Card, for example, offer unlimited lounge entry for card holders⁷.

Introducing Wise for International Spending

While you’re sorting out the details of your trip, check out Wise to see if you can save on your international spending.

Open a Wise account online or in the Wise app, to hold and exchange 40+ currencies, and order your Wise card for low cost cash withdrawals and international spending. Top up your account in AUD from your bank or with a card, and spend and withdraw wherever you travel, with great exchange rates and low fees.

Sign up for Wise today

Wise doesn’t charge a foreign transaction fee, and all currency conversion uses the mid-market exchange rate with no markup or hidden charges. Instead you’ll just pay low transparent conversion fees, from 0.33%. Plus, you’ll get 2 ATM withdrawals up to 350 AUD in value every month for free, for those times when only cash will do.

Conclusion

Priority Pass lounge membership allows you to go into airport lounges in 145+ countries, for a relaxing place to wait for your plane. Lounges are popular with business travellers who need to work, and frequent fliers who want to start their trips in style - but they’re really a good option for anyone who will be passing through an airport and wants to make the experience as easy as possible.

With several different plan options, Priority Pass can offer decent user value - and you might even find you get membership as part of your credit card membership if you’ve got an eligible card. Use this Priority Pass review to get a feel for the service and how it might suit you - and don’t forget to take a look at Wise for low cost spending and cash withdrawals no matter where you’re heading off to.