Priority Pass sale: Up to 25% off membership
Is it worth joining from Australia for lounge access?
Airport lounge access scheme Priority Pass is offering discounts for new members of up to 25% as part of a (northern hemisphere) summer promotion.
A quick refresher: Priority Pass doesn't operate its own lounges, but allows access to lounges operated by other third parties like Plaza Premium and Aspire. That can be handy if you regularly switch airlines when travelling, or if you end up in airports where there's no "official" lounge at your destination airport.
Priority Pass only has a handful of international lounges in Australia, offering access to Melbourne Plaza Premium, Brisbane Plaza Premium, Cairns Reef Lounge, Darwin Catalina Lounge, plus Rex lounges in Sydney, Melbourne and Adelaide. You can also use your lounge visits to score $36 off in selected cafes and restaurants in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Gold Coast terminals. That means it's better value if you're regularly flying overseas.
During the sale, the following discounts are running:
- Standard membership is reduced from US$99 to US$74, a 25% reduction. With this membership, you still need to pay US$27 each time you enter a lounge.
- Standard Plus membership is cut from US$249 to US$199, a 20% reduction. This gives you 10 free visits; subsequent visits are charged at US$27 each.
- Prestige membership drops from US$399 to US$359, a 10% discount. This offers unlimited lounge visits.
The discounted rates are on offer until 22 July 2018. If you're interested, head to the Priority Pass site to join.
There are two aspects to check before signing up. Firstly, some credit cards offer Priority Pass passes to their members, while others have different lounge access arrangements. Check out our guide to cards that offer Priority Pass and cards with free lounge access to see if that's a better deal for you.
Secondly, it's worth bearing in mind that Priority Pass doesn't guarantee you entry to lounges. If a lounge gets crowded, then Priority Pass members are likely to be told they can't get in (I saw this happen in Edinburgh a fortnight ago).
THE POINTS FINDER TAKE
If you travel overseas regularly with a mix of airlines, Priority Pass membership can be useful, and this makes it more affordable. If you're only flying domestically, then Qantas Club, Velocity membership or just paying for your own food and drinks is likely to be a better deal.Latest Points Finder headlines, tips and guides
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