Airport lounge - annual passes

[Trikster]

Well, changing jobs, and whilst still loads of travel the new company insist on flying coach, understandable - especially in today's climate, but had got very used to the front of the plane over the past 10 years.

Anyway, as I sleep during flights not too worried about that part, but do value access to the lounge, especially at peak holiday season.

Does anyone utilise one of the annual airport lounge passes? I'm looking at various options (though I am struggling to find one that has access to a lounge at T5) Any recommendations?

[Mattt]

If you're flying a lot will you not reach a Frequent Flier status which gives you lounge access?

[siscar]

I use Priority Pass, that gives lounge access everywhere I need it but they don't have T5. Then again I would rather gnaw my own leg off than willingly fly BA, particularly in economy.

[bull996]

Which lounges can you access with priority pass?

[Kermit power]

siscar said:

I use Priority Pass, that gives lounge access everywhere I need it but they don't have T5. Then again I would rather gnaw my own leg off than willingly fly BA, particularly in economy.

Another vote for Priority Pass here. I've yet to find an airport where they didn't have a lounge, although I wasn't aware T5 didn't have one.

If you earn over £75k a year, it's worth looking at the NatWest Black card. It's got an annual fee of £250, but that includes the top level Priority Pass access with unlimited annual lounge access. That would be £259 from Priority Pass, so it's a bargain if you're travelling often enough, especially as you get a whole load of other stuff, including Europe-wide Green Flag cover.

I assume they work on the basis that most of the people with these cards won't travel often enough to make it unprofitable for them to offer at that price.

[siscar]

bull996 said:

Which lounges can you access with priority pass?

There are about 600 - www.prioritypass.com

The only place I've been where there wasn't one was East Midlands.

Kermit power said:

Another vote for Priority Pass here. I've yet to find an airport where they didn't have a lounge, although I wasn't aware T5 didn't have one.

If you earn over £75k a year, it's worth looking at the NatWest Black card. It's got an annual fee of £250, but that includes the top level Priority Pass access with unlimited annual lounge access. That would be £259 from Priority Pass, so it's a bargain if you're travelling often enough, especially as you get a whole load of other stuff, including Europe-wide Green Flag cover.

I assume they work on the basis that most of the people with these cards won't travel often enough to make it unprofitable for them to offer at that price.

I get it through an Amex platinum card - same sort of arrangement

[Puggit]

To be honest, even when flying economy I've found it fairly easy to maintain gold status on bmi. This gives Star Alliance gold status - and there's a lounge in many many airports - and they are better than Priority Pass lounges on the whole.

[krusty]

siscar said:

I get it through an Amex platinum card - same sort of arrangement

+1 for Amex Plat. Great card if you travel regularly

[tvrolet]

Priority Pass works for me, and I've never had a major airport that doesn't have a lounge you can get into - except curiously in the UK!

T5 (which I try to avoid anyway) only has BA lounges, T1 only has a BMI lounge airside past the domestic 'control' (but I've got a BMI card anyway). BHX T1 only has a FlyBE lounge - they closed the ServiceAir lounge a few monthe back, and SOU only has a FlyBE lounge too (but I've also got a FlyBE card). The ServiceAir lounge at STN is on an international pier so you can't get into it on a domestic route.

Best check that PriorityPass has the lounges you need off the web site. I've always had the pay-all-up-front/nothing-per-visit option as even on the cost of a drink and snack per visit if nothing else it pretty much pays for itself for me. The ServiceAir lounges in particular (again, just in the UK) can get busy and loud as quote a few holiday travellers seem to end up there if they pay extra on a lowcost/package trip.

The actual airline lounges you get into (Continental/Delta/United etc) are much better. Also, the text service is quite good where you arrive at an unknown airport and text the airport code to PriorityPass, and they text you back directions to the lounge(s) you can get into.