The easiest and most affordable way to access airport lounges is by carrying the right credit card.
Some of the best travel credit cards come with a Priority Pass membership that gets you access to 1,300+ airport lounges. And now, this benefit is becoming even more valuable.
Priority Pass has announced that members will regain access to 63 Plaza Premium lounges around the globe. These lounges were removed from the Priority Pass network in 2021 and with their return, members will have new options for relaxing at airports from Singapore to Orlando and dozens of locations in between.
Here's what you need to know about how to access these lounges and when they'll be available to Priority Pass members.
Credit cards with Priority Pass lounge access
You can purchase a Priority Pass membership for $99 to $469 per year. However, the paid memberships pale in comparison to the Priority Pass access you get with premium cards such as The Platinum Card® from American Express, Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card (see rates and fees) and Chase Sapphire Reserve®.
The highest tier of paid Priority Pass access grants the member unlimited lounge visits for no additional cost, but guest visits are $35 each. With the previously mentioned cards, the cardmember gets unlimited lounge visits for themselves and at least two guests. While these cards all have significant annual fees, they have other benefits, such as generous statement credits, that can help offset all or part of the cost.
The Platinum Card® from American Express offers a variety of statement credits worth over $1,500 annually when fully maximized, including up to $200 in airline fee credit, up to $200 Uber credit, up to $240 in digital entertainment credit and up to $155 in Walmart+ credit. In addition to Priority Pass lounges, cardholders can also access Amex Centurion Lounges, Delta Sky Clubs when flying Delta Air Lines and more. (Enrollment is required for select benefits.) Terms apply.
The Platinum Card® from American Express
Rewards
Earn 5X Membership Rewards® Points for flights booked directly with airlines or with American Express Travel up to $500,000 on these purchases per calendar year, 5X Membership Rewards® Points on prepaid hotels booked with American Express Travel, 1X points on all other eligible purchases
Welcome bonus
Earn 80,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $8,000 on eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Apply and select your preferred metal Card design: classic Platinum, Platinum x Kehinde Wiley, or Platinum x Julie Mehretu.
Annual fee
$695
Intro APR
None
Regular APR
See Pay Over Time APR
Balance transfer fee
N/A
Foreign transaction fee
None
Credit Needed
Excellent/Good
See rates and fees, terms apply.
The Chase Sapphire Reserve and Capital One Venture X both come with annual travel credits worth up to $300, among other useful benefits like unlimited access to Chase Sapphire Lounges by The Club and Capital One Lounges, respectively.
Chase Sapphire Reserve®
Rewards
Earn 5X total points on flights and 10X total points on hotels and car rentals when you purchase travel through Chase Travel℠ immediately after the first $300 is spent on travel purchases annually. Earn 3X points on other travel and dining & 1 point per $1 spent on all other purchases plus, 10X points on Lyft rides through March 2025
Welcome bonus
Earn 75,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $1,125 toward travel when you redeem through Chase Travel℠.
Annual fee
$550
Intro APR
None
Regular APR
22.49% - 29.49% variable
Balance transfer fee
5%, minimum $5
Foreign transaction fee
None
Credit needed
Excellent
Terms apply.
Read our Chase Sapphire Reserve® review.
Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card
Rewards
10 Miles on hotels per dollar and rental cars, 5 Miles per dollar on flights when booked via Capital One Travel; unlimited 2X miles on all other eligible purchases
Welcome bonus
Earn 75,000 bonus miles once you spend $4,000 on purchases within the first 3 months from account opening
Annual fee
$395
Intro APR
None
Regular APR
19.99% - 29.99% (Variable)
Balance transfer fee
$0 at the Transfer APR, 4% of the amount of each transferred balance that posts to your account at a promotional APR that Capital One may offer to you
Foreign transaction fees
None
Credit needed
Excellent
See rates and fees. Terms apply.
Prior to this announcement, American Express and Capital One already had their own partnerships with Plaza Premium so Chase Sapphire Reserve cardholders and other Priority Pass members will benefit from this the most.
Plaza Premium lounges joining Priority Pass
Plaza Premium lounges will become available to Priority Pass members throughout June 2023.
The first batch of locations opened to Priority Pass members on June 6, including six lounges in the U.S. and Canada — Dallas Fort Worth International, Orlando International, Toronto Lester B. Pearson International, Vancouver International, Edmonton International and Winnipeg J.A.Richardson International. Additional locations include:
- Dubai International
- Edinburgh International
- Hong Kong Chek Lap Kok International
- Istanbul Sabiha Gokcen International
- Jeddah King A Aziz International
- London Gatwick
- London Heathrow
- Phnom Penh International
- Siem Reap Angkor International
- Singapore Changi International
- And more
The rest of the lounges will join on June 20, including locations at the following airports:
- Adelaide International
- Beijing Daxing International
- Brisbane International
- Helsinki Vantaa
- Kuala Lumpur International
- Melbourne
- Rome Fiumicino
- Sydney Kingsford Smith
- Taipei Songshan
- And more
Plaza Premium Lounges generally offer a range of seating options, complimentary food and drinks and Wi-Fi. Some locations offer additional amenities like showers and private rest areas. Note that this partnership does not extend to Virgin Atlantic Clubhouses, which are managed but not operated by Plaza Premium.
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Bottom line
Plaza Premium airport lounges are rejoining the Priority Pass network. This gives Priority Pass members access to over 60 additional locations.
One of the best ways to get a Priority Pass membership is through a credit card. Premium cards such as The Platinum Card from American Express, Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card and Chase Sapphire Reserve provide generous airport lounge benefits and statement credits that help offset their annual fees.
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For rates and fees of the The Platinum Card® from American Express, click here.
