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Priority Pass: The complete Australian guide

Everything you need to know about Priority Pass' pay-per-visit lounge scheme and when it's worth signing up.

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By

Angus Kidman

Updated

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Priority Pass members in Australia can access over 1,300 airport lounges around the world. You don't need to be flying with a specific airline to gain access, making it an appealing option if you regularly book low-fare flights but still want the luxury of a lounge.

Typically, lounges offer free Wi-Fi, drinks and snacks, somewhere to charge your devices and space to relax before flying. Some also feature showers, meeting areas and a wider range of hot meals.

But just a handful of these lounges are in Australia. So when does it make sense to join, or get a credit card that offers membership? Here's what you need to know.

What membership options does Priority Pass offer?

Priority Pass has three different membership levels:

    • Standard membership costs US$99 a year. With standard membership, you pay US$35 each time you enter a lounge.
    • Standard Plus membership costs US$329 a year. This gives you 10 free lounge visits during your membership year. Any subsequent visits are charged at US$35 each (the same rate as for standard members).
    • Prestige membership costs US$469 a year. This offers unlimited lounge visits during your membership year. Given that it costs US$140 more than Standard Plus, you'd want to be confident of making at least 14 lounge visits a year before signing up for this option.

Pay just US$32 each visit to bring a guest with you, no matter what membership level you have.

Priority Pass discounts and offers

There are regular "sales" on Priority Pass membership, offering discounts of 25% or more. If you're considering signing up, doing so during a sale is a definite bonus.

You might be able to get out of paying altogether. Some credit cards offer Priority Pass access to their members as a perk. Check out our full guide to cards that offer Priority Pass. Note that many of these deals will give you a fixed number of lounge passes. That may not be ideal if you travel overseas frequently, but if you just want lounge access on your annual holiday it might be a better deal overall.

VIDEO: How to get free airport lounge access with your credit card

Which lounges does Priority Pass offer in Australia?

As of July 2021, Priority Pass only offers access to a handful of domestic lounges and eateries within Australia. In Sydney, Melbourne and Adelaide you can access Rex lounges. Whether this is useful to you will depend on who you're flying with.

In Sydney, Rex is located in T2, so it's an option for Virgin Australia, Jetstar and Tigerair flights, but not for Qantas domestic. The same applies to Melbourne, where it's located in T4 (though it's quite a walk from most Virgin gates). Adelaide operates from a single terminal, so you could use Rex before any domestic flight, though you'll have to traverse the entire length of the airport to get to the regular Jetstar gates.

List of lounges in Australia:

  • REX Lounge, Adelaide International Airport (Terminal 1)
  • Marhaba Lounge Melbourne Airport (Terminal 2)
  • REX Lounge, Melbourne Airport (Terminal 2)
  • REX Lounge, Sydney Airport (Terminal 2)

Full list of Priority Pass Lounges

How can I use Priority Pass when there are no lounges available?


As well as lounge access, Priority Pass also offers food and drink credits at selected restaurants and bars. This means you can get $36 worth of food from specific venues and count that as one lounge "visit". You won't get access to other amenities like showers or power outlets, but you will potentially get better food than in the lounge itself.

Here's a full list of where Priority Pass offers food and drink credits in Australia (as of July 2021):

AirportPriority Pass dining
Brisbane DomesticBar Roma
Brisbane DomesticCoffee Royal
Brisbane DomesticGraze Grill & Bar
Brisbane InternationalCorretto Cafe & Bar
CanberraCapital Brewing Co Taphouse
CanberraCity Hill Coffee
CoolangattaCoffee and Co
Melbourne InternationalBar Pulpo by MoVida
Melbourne InternationalCafe Vue
Melbourne InternationalUrban Provodore
Sydney InternationalBetter Burger
Sydney InternationalChicken Confidential
Sydney InternationalMach2
Sydney InternationalPeroni Bar
Sydney T2Bistro 2020 & Bar
Sydney T2MoVida
Sydney T3 (Qantas)Bar Roma
Sydney T3 (Qantas)Wok on Air

When is it worth getting Priority Pass?

Whether Priority Pass membership makes sense depends on your individual flying patterns and plans. Here are some scenarios to consider.

  • You take lots of international trips with different airlines. This is where Priority Pass hits the sweet spot. If you're not a dedicated frequent flyer with a single airline, then Priority Pass can be a good way to get lounge access whenever you fly. Just check that your favourite destinations do have lounges available in the right terminals for the airlines you use.
  • You regularly fly domestically in Australia. It's going to be hard to get good value from this, unless you're regularly flying between east coast cities on a mix of airlines. You'd be better off concentrating on a single airline (Qantas, Virgin or Rex) and paying for access to its lounge network.
  • You largely fly with a single airline or frequent flyer alliance. Again, in this case Priority Pass isn't going to make a lot of sense if that airline has its own lounge network. However, if you're regularly using a budget airline like AirAsia or Scoot, then Priority Pass could be an affordable way to add regular lounge visits.
  • You regularly fly business class or first class. Lounge access is usually provided with business-class tickets, so this may not represent the best-value choice.

Priority Pass Review | Pros and cons

Pros

  • 24/7 member support. The Priority Pass Membership Services team is available around the clock to help you with your inquiries.
  • Priority Pass App. Access your visit history and rate lounges from your mobile phone or tablet. The app also includes a digital membership card – so you can have a first-class lounge experience at your fingertips.

Cons

  • Account set-up is required. In order to purchase any of the membership plans, you have to create an account with Priority Pass.
  • Not all airports are covered. You'll need to check if the airport on your route has a lounge that's associated with Priority Pass.

What should I watch out for when using Priority Pass?

If you plan to sign up, some other issues to watch out for:

  • You're not always guaranteed lounge access. In busy periods, Priority Pass members may be denied entry to individual lounges. This is usually because the lounge is already filled to capacity. (To be clear, this can occasionally happen even with airline lounges and regular members.)
  • You may not get access to all lounge features. Getting into the lounge doesn't always mean you can freely use everything. There may be extra fees for facilities like showers, massage or high-end alcohol. Priority Pass does a good job of listing any restrictions and extra charges in its printed and online directories and apps, so check before travel and you'll know what to expect.
  • There may be cheaper alternatives. Many of the lounges Priority Pass uses also offer general paid access and in some cases this might be cheaper, especially when you factor in your annual membership fee. Here's a concrete Australian example: to visit a REX lounge costs US$35 as a Priority Pass Standard member. However, you can visit as a casual member for AUD$33 between 9am and 2pm on weekdays, which is cheaper. Many credit cards also offer free lounge access passes as a membership perk, which may be more useful depending on your travel plans and patterns.

None of those are total deal-breakers: all lounges suffer from crowding and charges for extra services don't apply everywhere. If you travel a lot, then the convenience of a single card can outweigh having to pay individually each time.

THE FINDER TAKE

Priority Pass is affordable when compared to most single-airline schemes and it does cover a diverse range of destinations. For regular international travellers who often switch airlines, it's a solid choice. Domestic fliers will need to weigh that against the smaller number of local lounges. If you're planning on signing up, do so during a sale to cut your costs.

Pictures: Shutterstock, Amy Bradney-George, Angus Kidman

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