We have a simple rule for airport lounges – If we have two or more hours to kill, particularly with a flight delay, we go straight to the nearest lounge! The benefits of getting onto decent Wifi, having some peace and quiet away from the crowds, and being able to eat and drink what we want, far outweigh the cost of using a lounge for that kind of time period. In fact, we’ve often saved money – have you seen how expensive a meal with drinks for two can be airside?
We signed up with Priority Pass a few years ago. The biggest benefit of being a member is that you actually get access to the lounges, using your digital or plastic card. Depending on which level of membership you sign up for, entry can be free or about £15 per person. We are standard members, so that means each time we use a lounge, we pay a total of £30 (one membership allows a guest for each visit.) But to reiterate my point above, the key thing is we can actually use the lounges, which in many cases are restricted to business or first class passengers.
The app that comes with membership is excellent – it instantly gives you details of more than 950 airport lounges around the world you can visit, with their opening times, facilities and what type of food they serve. It also keeps a record of each visit, so you can instantly work out if you would be better off upgrading to a higher level of membership.
The lounges available range from simple, basic ones, like the VIP lounge at Lanzarote Airport, to super luxurious lounges like our favourite at Heathrow Terminal 5 – Aspire, which features a spa as well!