/static-assets/statics-12295/images/financebuzz.png)
/images/2018/01/23/navina-side-hustle-mid_MPfEDfV.jpg)
/images/2019/12/06/smart_strategies_to_save_money_on_car_insurance.jpg)
/authors/ben_walker_updated.png)
/authors/michael-kurko-financebuzz_b2TuPBa.jpg)
/images/2021/04/20/woman-enjoying-airport-lounge.jpg)
Priority Pass aims to bring some enjoyment back to the airport experience by offering access to airport lounges where you can often wait in comfort until your flight is ready. Comfort is key because many Priority Pass lounges provide free food, beverages, Wi-Fi, and ample seating.
Many travel credit cards offer a free Priority Pass membership and other useful benefits, which can help you pay for a dream trip. To give you an idea of how nice an airport lounge can be, here are the best Priority Pass lounges in some of the busiest U.S. airports.
The Club at ATL
Airport: Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL)
Location: International terminal/concourse F
Hours: 6:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily
Priority Pass members are familiar with The Club lounges because they’re scattered throughout loads of U.S. airports. The Club at ATL offers Wi-Fi, food, and beverages. It also has showers available and alcoholic drinks for passengers 21 years or older. This lounge is open to passengers three hours before their scheduled departure.
If you need a quick break before continuing your travels, Minute Suites in concourse B offers one hour free to rest and relax in solitude.
The Club at DFW
Airport: Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport (DFW)
Location: Terminal D
Hours: 5:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily
The Club at DFW is located in terminal D and offers Wi-Fi, food, and beverages. Alcoholic drinks can be ordered at the bar for passengers 21 years or older and the Club location has showers.
DFW also offers two Minute Suites locations (terminals A and D) and two Gameway locations (terminals B and E). Gameway offers a two-hour video game station visit for Priority Pass members plus one free bottle of soda and two snacks.
Swissport Lounge
Airport: Chicago O’Hare International Airport (ORD)
Location: International terminal 5
Hours: 1 p.m. to 9 p.m. daily; closed Dec. 25 and Jan. 1
According to Google and Yelp reviews, this lounge has seen better days. But because it’s the only Priority Pass lounge at Chicago O’Hare, you can’t be too picky. The Swissport Lounge offers drinks and refreshments, Wi-Fi, and a place to sit away from the gates. Even if you don’t want to stay here, it could still be worth stopping by and grabbing some drinks and snacks.
Be Relax Spa
Airport: Los Angeles International Airport (LAX)
Location: Terminal 1
Hours: 6 a.m. to 11 p.m. daily (hours may vary according to flight schedules)
Be Relax Spa locations can be found in multiple U.S. airports, including LAX. This location offers Priority Pass members a free selection of one pampered experience. These range from a 10-minute foot massage with aromatherapy and an oxygen session to a 30-minute lounger massage.
Considering how unique this experience is for airport lounge memberships, it’s likely worth checking out if you’re traveling through LAX.
Minute Suites
Airport: Charlotte Douglas International Airport (CLT)
Location: D/E connector near the food court
Hours: 24 hours daily
Charlotte Douglas International Airport has two Minute Suites locations, both located near the food court. The point of Minute Suites is to provide a private location for you to take a quick nap, get some work done, or simply sit and relax away from the bustle of the airport.
Priority Pass members get one hour to relax at Minute Suites locations. Most rooms typically have a bed, workspace, and access to a bathroom and showers.
The Club at LAS
Airport: McCarran International Airport (LAS)
Location: Terminal 1
Hours: 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily
LAS offers one The Club location in terminal 1 and another in terminal 3. You can visit either location, but this information pertains to the lounge in terminal 1.
The terminal 1 lounge is located between Brooks Brothers and Tumi and has plenty of space to spread out. It also offers a relaxing environment compared to the slot-machine-filled halls of the airport. Light food, refreshments, and beverages are typically offered and a bartender will take orders for alcoholic drinks.
The Club at MCO
Airport: Orlando International Airport (MCO)
Location: Terminal A, concourse 1 (Gates 1-29)
Hours: 5 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily
Another airport with two The Club options is MCO in Orlando, Florida. Both locations are similar, but we’re specifically looking at the lounge serving gates 1-29 in terminal A, concourse 1.
The lounge is available up to three hours before your departure and offers food, beverages, and Wi-Fi. This could be a nice place to relax before flying home if you’re finishing up a busy family trip to the nearby theme parks. Your wallet will thank you because the kids can load up on free snacks and drinks.
The Club at SEA
Airport: Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA)
Location: Concourse A
Hours: 5 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily
The Club at SEA (SeaTac) can provide a welcome escape before boarding your departing flight from the Emerald City. It offers the same selection of food, refreshments, and beverages as other The Club lounges, including alcoholic drinks at the bar. The lounge is located in concourse A, but there’s another Club location next to gate S9 in the south satellite area.
It should be noted that certain Priority Pass members at SEA can also get free credits at two Priority Pass restaurants. If you have a credit card from an issuer that offers this benefit, you can get around $28 in free credits to use at the Trail Head BBQ Bar and Bambuza restaurants.
Turkish Airlines Lounges
Airport: Miami International Airport (MIA)
Location: South terminal, concourse H
Hours: Varies by flight schedule
Miami International offers multiple Turkish Airlines Lounges, but we’ll be discussing the one in the south terminal, concourse H. This Turkish Airlines Lounge has loads of natural light and plenty of amenities, including a kids area, shower suites, food, and a fully-stocked bar.
If you have an applicable Priority Pass membership, check out the Corona Beach House restaurant in the north terminal, concourse D.
KLM Crown Lounge
Airport: George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH)
Location: Terminal D
Hours: 8 a.m. to 9 p.m.
The KLM Crown Lounge is located in terminal D of IAH. You can stay for a maximum of three hours and enjoy Wi-Fi, food, and beverages, including alcoholic drinks. The comfortable seating and ambient lighting provide a relaxing atmosphere while you await departure.
For other options at IAH, you have an Air France Lounge and two Priority Pass Restaurants: Cadillac Mexican Kitchen & Tequila Bar and Landry’s Seafood.
Primeclass Lounge
Airport: John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK)
Location: Terminal 1
Hours: Monday/Tuesday/Thursday/Saturday, Noon to 6:30 p.m.; Wednesday/Friday/Sunday, 9:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.
JFK is chock-full of Priority Pass options, including the tastefully decorated Primeclass Lounge. This lounge offers food and beverages, including bar service for alcoholic drinks. You also have access to Wi-Fi and a wide variety of seating options.
You can also choose from seven Priority Pass lounges and one Priority Pass restaurant at the JFK airport. Other notable mentions include the Air France Lounge in terminal 1, the Lufthansa Business Lounge in terminal 1, the Alaska Lounge in terminal 7, and Bobby Van’s Steakhouse in terminal 8.
How to get a free Priority Pass membership
The best way for most people to get a Priority Pass membership is to qualify for a credit card with Priority Pass as a benefit. Having access to airport lounges and other experiences is a valuable benefit, especially if you frequently travel through airports with a large Priority Pass presence. Priority Pass annual memberships can cost more than $400, but these credit cards offer access for free:
| Card name | Priority Pass access | Other travel benefits | Annual fee |
| Chase Sapphire Reserve® | Priority Pass lounges |
|
$550 |
| The Platinum Card® from American Express | Priority Pass lounges |
|
$695 Terms apply |
| Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card | Priority Pass lounges |
|
$650 Terms apply |
| U.S. Bank Altitude® Reserve Visa Infinite® Card | 12-month access to Priority Pass lounges and restaurants |
|
$400 |
Many of the best travel credit cards, which often include Priority Pass, also offer loads of other travel perks and benefits. For example, you can often earn flexible rewards on your card to help cover the cost of travel expenses. You might also automatically qualify for elite status with certain loyalty programs. Overall, these types of credit cards make a lot of sense if you fly often.
Methodology
We used data from the Statista report on the busiest U.S. airports in 2020 to choose airports with Priority Pass lounges. If one of the top 10 busiest airports in the report didn’t have any Priority Pass lounges, we removed it and moved on to the next airport on the list.
For example, Denver International Airport (DEN) had no Priority Pass lounges at the time of writing, so it was removed. Miami International Airport (MIA), the 11th-busiest airport in the report, was added to the list.
Bottom line
Priority Pass membership can offer great perks and value to frequent flyers. There are more than 1,300 lounges in the Priority Pass network, including North America, the Middle East, Africa, and Europe.
If you consider how expensive airport food and drinks can be, you can get your money’s worth when you compare credit cards that offer Priority Pass memberships.
Benefits
Card Details
- Earn 25,000 online bonus points after you make at least $1,000 in purchases in the first 90 days of account opening - that can be a $250 statement credit toward travel purchases
- Earn 1.5 points per $1 spent on all purchases
- Longer intro APR on qualifying purchases and balance transfers
- No foreign transaction fees
- Apply Now
- Earn unlimited 1.5 points per $1 spent on all purchases, with no annual fee and no foreign transaction fees and your points don't expire as long as your account remains open.
- 25,000 online bonus points after you make at least $1,000 in purchases in the first 90 days of account opening - that can be a $250 statement credit toward travel purchases.
- Use your card to book your trip how and where you want - you're not limited to specific websites with blackout dates or restrictions.
- Redeem points for a statement credit to pay for travel or dining purchases, such as flights, hotel stays, car and vacation rentals, baggage fees, and also at restaurants including takeout.
- 0% Intro APR for 15 billing cycles for purchases, and for any balance transfers made in the first 60 days. After the Intro APR offer ends, a Variable APR that’s currently 18.24% - 28.24% will apply. A 3% Intro balance transfer fee will apply for the first 60 days your account is open. After the Intro balance transfer fee offer ends, the fee for future balance transfers is 4%.
- If you're a Bank of America Preferred Rewards® member, you can earn 25%-75% more points on every purchase. That means instead of earning an unlimited 1.5 points for every $1, you could earn 1.87-2.62 points for every $1 you spend on purchases.
- Contactless Cards - The security of a chip card, with the convenience of a tap.
- This online only offer may not be available if you leave this page or if you visit a Bank of America financial center. You can take advantage of this offer when you apply now.
/images/2023/08/22/boa-travel-rewards-credit-card.png)
Intro Offer
Earn 25,000 online bonus points after you make at least $1,000 in purchases in the first 90 days of account opening - that can be a $250 statement credit toward travel purchases
Annual Fee
$0
Why we like it