Eating for free at restaurants is one of the many benefits Priority Pass holders can take advantage of
There are 5 benefits that Priority Pass holders can use around the world
It doesn't matter whether you travel first class or Ryanair, whether you fly from Genoa to Palermo or Malpensa to Auckland, whether you you are a Priority Pass holder your journey will always be a better journey.
In this article:
Thanks to access to more than 1,300 lounges at airports in (almost) all over the world you will find at least one lounge where you can rest, recharge your cell phone, drink, and always eat for free. But what not everyone knows is that thanks to this card you can also eat in dozens of restaurants (for free), use SPA services, get discounts and benefits in businesses at airports, and much more.
There are two ways to obtain the paper:
- Subscribe at a cost of €399/year for the Prestige card, which offers unlimited access to all lounges. Otherwise, the cost per access is 28$
- Be American Express Platinum holders and get the Prestige card for free which also allows a guest to have free access
Who is better off being a Prestige cardholder
As we have written several times on this site, this card is very important for the occasional traveler, who travels in economy and is not a "loyal" customer of any particular airline. Similarly, it is also very useful for the compulsive traveler who, thanks to the benefits of the card, can have access to different lounges than he normally has access to as a frequent flyer of a specific airline.
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If, for example, you often depart from Bergamo, you will know that security checks can (pre-pandemic, of course) take upwards of 30 minutes to complete. If, on top of that, you also have a suitcase to board, at the very least, you'll be standing in line for another 30 minutes at the check-in counters. This is where the PP card changes your day and pays for itself.
Orio al Serio Airport has two lounges, both of which are accessible to holders (even on the same day). The interesting thing is that the first one is located outside the sterile area, so before the security checkpoints and offers all its guests access (free of charge) to the fast track that allows them to skip the line and go directly to the scanners. This is not the only benefit of this lounge, the second benefit is that there is a real check-in counter inside, so you can board your luggage directly from here, without standing in line at the check-in counters while sipping a hot cappuccino and eating a jam brioches.
If, on the other hand, you travel with traditional airlines, thanks to the card you will be able to access To lounges from Nice to Riga, Dubai to London.. And take advantage of independent lounges that are not infrequently better than the official ones.
If I had to put a value on this benefit I would say no less than 20€ per visit per person. There is not only the savings in terms of money - eating and drinking are always free - but also and especially a comfortable chair, clean bathrooms, availability of power outlets, and other small benefits that make travel significantly less stressful.
But let's come to the 5 benefits that not everyone knows about:
Access to more than 1,300 lounges
Thanks to the official app, it is possible to know the location of the lounge and figure out whether it is "Landside," meaning before security checks, or "Airside," meaning in the sterile area after security checks. In the former case, one must take into account that the time needed to reach the gate will be longer. The app is crucial because it also contains the digital card to be used to gain access.
If there is more than one lounge at an airport, it is safe to visit all of them, at no extra cost. It is good to know that some lounges have specific schedules and rules, particularly when they are official lounges of a company that at off-peak times also open access to outside guests.
Among the benefits of the card issued to American Express Platinum holders, there is that of having access with a guest free of charge. This means that if you are traveling as a couple, but also if you meet a friend or client who has a destination other than ours, you will be able to accommodate them without charge. This is no small benefit and one that it's not even a given with frequent flyer cards Of many airlines.
Using Sleep Pods in Dubai
What you see above are the Sleep Pods available to guests of one of the British Airways' proprietary lounges in London, where unfortunately you cannot access with your Priority Pass. However, if you are in Dubai, you can use the even nicer ones at the Emirates airport.
Thanks to your card, you can enjoy two free hours inside these cells, which close completely and, if desired, turn into a bed.
Access to the SPA at London Heathrow
If you are in transit from London Airport Terminal 5, your card grants you access to the Aspire Lounge, which not only offers a great view of the runway at one of the world's busiest airports, but also offers guests the chance to enjoy a relaxing treatment in the in-house spa.
All guests, with prior reservation, can enjoy a free 20-minute treatment of their choice of Eyes & Shine, Time to Glow, Lima & Polish, Hot Cream Manicure, Manly-Cure, Express Pedicure, Removal & nail save, and Neck & Shoulder massage. An ideal way to land with the perfect manicure or relax before a long journey after a vigorous massage.
Discounts in stores
Compulsive shopping in duty free? The card app comes to the rescue by telling us which stores have discounts that can be obtained with the card.
This benefit is found mainly at smaller airports in America, but also at other airports around the world. The discounts given vary between 10 and 20% depending on the expense and the store. Locating them is easy via the app, which also explains all the rules for taking advantage of the offer.
Eat for free at the restaurant
If the lounge buffet-especially in this pandemic period-is unable to satisfy your hunger, you can always use the card to eat for free at about 50 restaurants. Again, the Priority Pass allows you to dine with a guest and thus get a double discount.
On average each holder will receive about 28$ off the receipt, so if you have lunch for two at Jonny Rockets drinking the iconic milk shakes that have made this restaurant chain famous you will get 56$ off the voucher. And if you are particularly hungry nothing prevents you, if you are in San Francisco, from having lunch at both restaurants before boarding your flight. Unfortunately, there is only one affiliated restaurant in Europe, in London's Gatwick Airport, but if you are going to America you are likely to have the opportunity to take advantage of this benefit.
Restaurants in Europe
- London Gatwick (LGW): Grain Store Café & Bar - 15 pounds off
Restaurants found in American airports
- Boston (BOS): Jerry Remy's Sports Bar and Grill , Stephanies
- Cleveland (CLE): Bar Symon
- Ft. Lauderdale (FLL): Kafe Kalik
- Houston Intercontinental (IAH): Cadillac Mexican Kitchen & Tequila Bar , Landry's Seafood
- Indianapolis (IND): The Fan Zone
- Lexington (LEX): Kentucky Ale Taproom
- Los Angeles (LAX): Rock & Brews , Point the Way Café
- Miami (MIA): Corona Beach House ($30 off)
- Minneapolis St. Paul Airport (MSP): PGA MSP Lounge ($15 off)
- New York Kennedy (JFK): Bobby Van's Steakhouse
- Portland (PDX): Capers Cafe Le Bar, Capers Market , Westward Whiskey
- San Francisco (SFO): San Francisco Giants Clubhouse , Yankee Pier
- Seattle WA - SeaTac (SEA): Bambuza , Trail Head BBQ Bar
- St. Louis (STL): The Pasta House , The Pasta House & Schlafly Beer
- Syracuse (SYR): Johnny Rockets
- Tampa (TPA): The Café by Mise en Place
- Tucson (TUS): Noble Hops
- Washington DC National (DCA): Bracket Room , American Tap Room
- Washington DC Dulles (IAD): Chef Geoff's
In the rest of the world
- Montreal Pierre E.Trudeau Intl (YUL): Houston Avenue Bar & Grill ,Pork & Pickle - 37$ Canadian discount
- Sao Paulo Guarulhos (GRU): Bleriot Bar & Lounge- 27 $ American discount and Tryp GRU Airport- 28 $ American discount
- Lima Jorge Chavez (LIM): Bleriot Bar & Lounge , La Bonbonniere- 27 $ American discount
- Osaka (KIX): Botejyu - 3400 Yen discount
- Brisbane (BNE): Graze Grill & Bar, Blackbird Cafe , Correct Cafe & Bar - 36 $ Australian discount
- Melbourne (MEL): Bar Pulpo by MoVida, Cafe Vue, Urban Provodore - 36 $ Australian discount
- Sydney (SYD): Better Burger, Chicken Confidential, Mach2, Peroni Bar, Bistro 2020 & Bar, MoVida, Rome Bar , Wok on Air - 36 $ Australian discount
- Canberra (CBR): City Hill Coffee - 36 $ Australian discount
In conclusion
This is definitely one of the most attractive benefits associated with the American Express Platinum, alone worth more than half the annual fee. If you are traveling as a couple or with children, it can give peace of mind, save money and make travel less stressful. If you take at least four flights a year, it pays off. If you fly more, it's money earned.
