I used to love going to the airport lounge before a flight. I’ve only flown business class a handful of times, but I also used to get Priority Pass and Dragon Pass access through my credit cards — even when flying economy. The early days of this were golden. However, the landscape has changed, so if you’re thinking about going for airport lounge access on your next trip, you might want to consider a few things first.
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Is airport lounge access still worth it?
Ultimately my answer has to be no. But it somewhat depends on how you acquire that lounge access and which lounge you’re going to. We’ve been to some grim lounges lately, and haven’t even been able to get in in some cases because they were at capacity.
I don’t think it’s worth paying real human currency (usually around 50 USD per person). But there are a lot of ways you can get “free” lounge access without shelling out for a business class ticket.
Lots of credit cards come with a set number of annual lounge visits per year — and they don’t even have to be premium card tiers. More on this in the “best airport lounge access credit card section” below.
Additionally, two eSIM companies, Jetpac and Saily, include airport lounge access as an added perk with your data plan.
And while it’s a very cool perk, it kinda only works if you’re one of few people who have it. When everyone and their uncle has access, the lounge becomes no better than an airport bar. In fact, it’s not just busy, the overall quality of what’s on offer goes down.
Packed full airport lounge
Obviously if you’re flying business and lounge access is included, it can’t hurt. Many lounges do prioritize or even reserve access exclusively for business class ticket holders — which leads me to my next point.
Some airport lounges are still reserved exclusively for business class passengers. For example, Qatar’s famous Al Mourjan Business Lounge isn’t open to people with Priority Pass or Dragon Pass. In fact, even when we upgraded from economy to business class on a Qatar Airways flight, we still weren’t eligible to get into that lounge.
I kind of respect it, but was obviously disappointed from a personal perspective lol. Especially after forking out an extra €800 for the upgrade.
Why are airport lounges worse now?
They used to be more exclusive — really just for business class passengers and a few other people who could afford to pay for the comfort. So they used to be quieter and more premium.
But these days it’s common to see a lineup to get in, which you can guarantee means you’ll have trouble finding a seat once you’re inside. It also means they have to provide a higher volume of buffet food, which decreases the quality.
I also find the unspoken lounge etiquette has eroded a bit. It’s not always bad, but it used to be a chill haven away from the busy terminal. Recently I was sitting next to someone who had their kid watching YouTube videos without headphones. Their phone kept ringing on full volume and they weren’t picking up (or even turning it down).
Most lounges also enforce a 3-hour limit on visits. It wasn’t always as strictly applied when they were less crowded — another sign of how stretched they’ve become. If you have an 8-hour layover, the 3 hours in the lounge doesn’t feel like much.
Hey, please wear shoes in the airport lounge.
When an airport lounge might still be worth it
They do still provide free booze, and the food is free even if it’s not great. It’s easy to spend $50 at a sit-down airport restaurant, so when you have free lounge access it can actually be a bit more budget-friendly. Especially if you plan to take advantage of the usually-free alcohol.
But not all lounges are created equal. So if you only have a few airport lounge passes for the year or you’re considering paying for access, it’s worth looking up some specific reviews before you commit. You might find the lounge at your departure airport isn’t worth using a precious pass on. More admin, but can save you from disappointment.
Once a lounge at Vancouver International Airport was undder construction. So they literally just made a makeshift fenced off area of the terminal with free porridge and sandwiches. The vibes were bad.
Look for amenities like showers if you have a long layover and want to refresh. Some have little business cubicles if you want a quiet space to work. Some have specially-designed nap-friendly chairs in a quiet room to catch a snooze. A few of the world’s best lounges have spa treatments, à la carte dining, and Champagne bars. But those are the exception, not the rule and often the kind of lounges that are reserved for business class travellers.
It’s usually still worth it if you have a lot of time to kill. I usually don’t bother unless I’m on a layover. By the time you’ve checked your bag (no more than 3 hours before departure) and gone through security, you get 1-2 hours in the lounge before boarding. If you have a long layover it’s better value even if there’s a 3-hour limit.
The value of what’s behind those guarded lounge doors is kinda meh these days and doesn’t correlate to the cost if you’re actually paying for it.
How to get free airport lounge access
If I haven’t put you off and you still want to see what’s beyond the exclusive-looking doors, here’s how to get complimentary access to airport lounges.
- Through your credit card. Look at your bank’s card options to see if any come with Priority Pass or Dragon Pass. It’s most common with premium or travel-focused cards like the Amex Platinum or Scotiabank Passport Visa.
- Get the right eSIM plan. Jetpac gives you (and a friend!) free lounge access if your flight is delayed. Or you can pay for passes through the app. Jetpac’s JetPro subscription includes one DragonPass lounge visit per month with 7GB of data. Saily Ultra is another monthly eSIM subscription with 30GB of data and 1 lounge visit per month. The lounge visits rollover if you don’t use them.
- Your airline loyalty program. Air Canada has one of the worst points programs out there, but they do include some lounge passes as a reward at certain tiers.
- Use Seats.aero to find a good business class ticket you can buy with points. It will include lounge access as if you’d paid outright.
You can also just pay for Priority Pass or Dragon Pass membership straight up. It’s not free, but it’ll give you access. LoungeKey access is only available through something like your credit card or Jetpac eSIM.
Priority Pass app
Best airport lounge access credit cards
Of course, the “best” credit card for airport lounge access really depends on where you live, how much you spend on average, and how often you fly.
But here’s a quick breakdown of good value credit cards that offer free airport lounge access in a few different countries.
- Canada — Scotiabank Passport Visa Infinite: I used to have this one (before I moved all my money to New Zealand). No complaints, and it gives you 6 free airport lounge visits per year.
- Canada — AMEX Platinum: Currently, this gives you unlimited access to Plaza Premium and Priority Pass lounges. However, they’ll start capping it at 12 annual visits starting in 2027 (according to Travel Pulse). With a high annual fee, it might not be worth it for you, but it does come with a ton of other travel perks.
- Australia — AMEX Velocity Platinum: Gives you unlimited access to Virgin Australia lounges, but you have to be flying with Virgin Airlines. The card also gets you one domestic return trip every year, so if you’re a local jet-setter this might be the one.
- USA — Capital One Venture X: You get unlimited access to Priority Pass lounges and the Capital One network of lounges. An added perk is the $300 annual travel credit and 10k miles as an anniversary bonus every year that never expire.
- UK — HSBC Premiere World Elite Mastercard: Get unlimited access to Priority Pass lounges worldwide.
- New Zealand — Westpac Airpoints World Mastercard: Another card offering unlimited Priority Pass access for you and a pal. You can also stack up Airpoints pretty quickly with this one!