How LoungeBuddy Works: Get More Lounge Access for Less Money

LoungeBuddy is an airport lounge platform that can help you search, compare, and book a lounge visit. It has hundreds of lounges in many airports worldwide. You can buy single-use passes on the day of your flight or up to two months in advance. To buy a pass, you must use an American Express card.

LoungeBuddy is available through its online platform or app, which is only available for iOS devices, such as iPhones and iPads. You can input your trip to see what lounges are available and which you already have access to based on your elite status or memberships.

In our experience, we found that lounges on LoungeBuddy cost $18, $25, $55, or more per visit. Some lounges aren’t bookable since they are exclusive to specific memberships or programs.

Key takeaways

• LoungeBuddy is available through its iPhone app or online portal, which Android devices can access. It allows travelers to search, compare, and book access to hundreds of lounges in domestic and international airports.
• Travelers can buy single-use passes on the day of their flight or up to two months in advance. Keep in mind that the booking service is exclusively available to American Express cardholders.
• LoungeBuddy offers access to airport lounges for as low as $18 per person. However, the cost varies depending on the lounge. We found many lounges that cost between $35 and $60 per visit.
• LoungeBuddy provides access to over 200 lounges worldwide, with locations ranging from Dubai to Germany to the U.S.
• While Priority Pass offers more locations and added perks for frequent travelers, LoungeBuddy stands out as a cost-effective option for occasional visitors as it has no membership fee.

What is LoungeBuddy?

LoungeBuddy is an iPhone app that allows you to input your trip to see what lounges are available and which you already have access to based on your elite status or memberships.

American Express card members can book access to airport lounges on demand. If you're an American Express cardholder, uou can reserve access to a lounge months in advance for a specific date. You can also make a booking at the last minute. If you book access for the current day, you’ll receive access instantly. So if your flight is delayed and you want to live it up while you wait, you’ll be able to pay for immediate access to a lounge directly from the LoungeBuddy app.

Why use airport lounges?

You might desire access to an airport lounge for a variety of reasons. Maybe you have a long layover and need Wi-Fi to stay productive. Maybe you need a cocktail in a comfy chair to stay sane. Or maybe you’re flying with your kids and you need some space for them to run around before the next plane ride. Whatever your reason, having airport lounge access can really level up your travel experience.

And getting into an airport lounge doesn’t have to cost a fortune. LoungeBuddy allows you to book single-use access to a lounge, on demand, and for as low as $18. LoungeBuddy was acquired by American Express, so only Amex cardholders can use the LoungeBuddy app to book lounge access. If you already have an Amex card, you’ll want to know how this app works. And if you don’t have an Amex card, this might be a reason to get one.

How to use LoungeBuddy

You can book a pass to get into a variety of different airport lounges around the world via the LoungeBuddy app or web portal. Here’s how to use the LoungeBuddy app on your iPhone to get access to a lounge:

1. Click the “Purchase Access” button from the home screen to see a list of partner locations.
2. Click on your airport and scroll through the lounges available for booking on LoungeBuddy. Click the “Get Access” button and then tap “Get Access Now.”
3. Enter the number of guests to see the final rate for access.
4. Enter your American Express card information.
5. Click “Complete Purchase.”
6. Show the lounge desk agent your confirmation code within one hour of your reservation time to get access.

How much does LoungeBuddy cost?

The amount you’ll pay for lounge access varies by lounge and the number of guests in your party. Although access starts at as low as $18 per person, most airport lounges are within the $35-$60 range. There’s no membership fee to use LoungeBuddy, so you’ll pay only for the lounge pass. With some lounges, you’ll pay for a limited time period. Other passes are for a full day pass, or as long as the airport stays open.

If you use your American Express^® Green Card to book access through LoungeBuddy, you can earn up to $100 in statement credits per calendar year, which means you could get up to four lounge visits free of charge. 

That’s pretty generous for a card with only a $150 annual fee and many other perks, including up to a $199 CLEAR Plus credit if you pay for your membership using your card.

You can also earn 3X points on eligible travel and transit purchases, and at eligible restaurants worldwide, including takeout and delivery in the U.S.; and 1X points on all other eligible purchases using this card.

Where is LoungeBuddy accepted?

You can use LoungeBuddy to book instant access to more than 200 lounges worldwide, in locations ranging from Australia to Armenia to Atlanta. To find out whether there’s a participating lounge available at your airport, you can check the complete list of LoungeBuddy locations or search for your airport on the web portal or app.

Here’s how many LoungeBuddy lounges you’ll find at the 20 busiest airports in the world:

LoungeBuddy vs. Priority Pass

Priority Pass is a membership program that gets you access to more than 1,300 airport lounges around the globe. You’ll certainly have more lounge options using Priority Pass to access the list of Priority Pass lounges. But you’ll also pay an annual membership fee, unlike with LoungeBuddy.

Priority Pass currently has three membership options:

• Standard: For $99 per year, you can pay $35 per lounge visit
• Standard Plus: For $329 per year, you get 10 free lounge visits, then pay $35 per lounge visit after that
• Prestige: For $469 per year, you get unlimited lounge visits at no additional charge

For all membership options, the fee to bring a guest with you to an airport lounge is $35. However, some of the best travel credit cards come with a complimentary Priority Pass Select membership. Getting one of these credit cards is even more valuable because most of them also allow you to bring up to two guests free of charge.

There are other perks to having a Priority Pass membership as well. You gain access to more than 800 offers, which include discounts on retail, dining, and spa services at the airport. Priority Pass restaurant credits can get you a free or discounted meal at dozens of restaurants across the U.S., and you can often double the credit if you bring a guest.

Frequent travelers who want airport lounge access during every trip will be better served by a Priority Pass membership than by using LoungeBuddy, as Priority Pass has more locations and added perks. But for those who want an occasional visit to an airport lounge at a low cost, LoungeBuddy comes out ahead. There’s no commitment and no annual fee, so if you go a year without taking a trip, you’re not losing anything. And the on-demand access allows you to decide last minute whether you want to utilize the convenience of an airport lounge.

Is LoungeBuddy worth it?

If you already have an American Express rewards card, you’ve got nothing to lose by downloading the LoungeBuddy app to your iPhone. There are no annual fees, and you can check out the price of a lounge near you to assess whether it’s worth it.

If you think you might use LoungeBuddy a few times per year, you might want to consider applying for the American Express Green Card. This card offers up to $100 in LoungeBuddy credit, which nearly offsets the $150 annual fee, and you’ll get plenty of other travel perks with the card as well. 

Given that most airport lounges get you complimentary beverages and snacks and unlimited Wi-Fi, you might end up spending just as much procuring snacks from the airport convenience store or paying for airport Wi-Fi as you would spend on getting into a lounge through LoungeBuddy. Plus, you’ll be able to escape the chaos of the crowded airport and relax in style.

That said, if you're interested in access to Centurion Lounges, you won't be able to get that with LoungeBuddy. You'll be better off looking at getting access through a card like The Platinum Card^® from American Express, which also gets you complimentary access to Priority Pass lounges as well. Enrollment is required for select benefits.

LoungeBuddy: bottom line

There are many different factors that will determine whether using LoungeBuddy will be worth it to you. But since there’s no commitment, you can decide on the spot if an airport lounge is worth the cost. Whether you need a shower, a cocktail, or a space to work uninterrupted, booking access to an airport lounge through LoungeBuddy is an inexpensive way to make traveling more comfortable.

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