Got a premium travel rewards credit card like the *venture x* or the *chase sapphire reserve* in your wallet? Good news: Your airport access through its complimentary Priority Pass Select membership just got even better.
One Mile at a Time was first to note that Priority Pass recently added most (but not quite all) U.S. Escape Lounges to its roster of eligible lounge locations. Effective immediately, Priority Pass holders can now get into 11 Escape Lounge locations in the states – all but four of the current U.S. locations. Six lounges in the U.K. have long been part of Priority Pass.
That's a significant addition for Priority Pass – and a big win, as most Escape Lounges are a cut above the typical Priority Pass lounge experience. While they're often on the smaller side, they almost always feature tasty food, good drinks, and comfortable seating.
We've been singing the praises of the Escape Lounge at Minneapolis-St. Paul (MSP) since it opened back in 2016, though it's undoubtedly taken a step back since the pandemic. Other locations, like the one in Phoenix Sky Harbor (PHX) Terminal 3, offer more of the same: a clean and comfortable space to relax and grab a bit (or drink) before your flight or on a long layover.
The Escape Lounge in Syracuse (SYR) has been accessible to Priority Pass members for over a year, but now 10 more are part of the portfolio. Here's the full list of Escape Lounges you can now get into with Priority Pass:
| Priority Pass Escape Lounge Locations |
|---|
| Bradley (BDL) |
| Cincinnati-Northern Kentucky (CVG) |
| Columbus (CMH) |
| Greenville-Spartanburg (GSP) |
| Kansas City (MCI) - Coming Soon |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul (MSP) |
| Oakland (OAK) |
| Phoenix-Sky Harbor T3 (PHX) |
| Rhode Island (PVD) |
| Sacramento Terminal A (SMF) |
| Sacramento Terminal B (SMF) |
| Syracuse (SYR) |
| Tulsa (TUL) - Coming Soon |
Just the following four Escape Lounges are still not accessible through Priority Pass – at least not currently:
- Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport (FLL)
- Palm Beach International Airport (PBI)
- Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport T4 (PHX)
- Reno-Tahoe International Airport (RNO)
Additionally, new Escape Lounges at Portland (PDX) and Tulsa (TUL) are currently under construction and expected to open this fall. When the new Tulsa lounge was announced late last year, it was noted at that time that Priority Pass members would have access … but there's no word on exactly who will be able to get into the Portland location just yet.
Abroad, there are six U.K. Escape Lounges which have been accessible through Priority Pass for years. And there's a new one set to open later this year for travelers down under in Brisbane (BNE), though there's no word yet on whether travelers with Priority Pass will be eligible to visit.
Before joining the Priority Pass ranks, the only other way to access Escape Lounges for free was by carrying a high-priced American Express card like *amex platinum* or the *delta reserve card*. Back in 2021, most Escape Lounges in the U.S. rebranded as “Centurion Studio Partner Lounges,” which makes this new tie-up with Priority Pass a somewhat surprising development.
While this news is certainly a win for those getting lounge access through Priority Pass and cards issued by Chase, Capital One, or elsewhere, it has to be a bit of a letdown for Amex cardholders who have taken advantage of Escape Lounge access for years.
In addition to getting in with a premium American Express card, some airlines contract with Escape Lounges to grant access for their business class passengers and you can even buy one-time access for as little as $32 per person.
Adding the masses with a Priority Pass membership into the mix will undoubtedly lead to more of the overcrowding that has plagued other lounge operators.
Getting in With Priority Pass
For anyone looking to take advantage of this new partnership, here's what you need to know about accessing Escape Lounges with your Priority Pass membership:
- Maximum stay of three hours
- Children under two years old are free and must be accompanied by an adult
- Dress code is “smart casual”
Noticeably missing from the Priority Pass Escape Lounge entry conditions is any mention of guest access … and that's somewhat intentional.
While most Priority Pass lounges allow members to bring in two guests with them, free of charge, you won't get that same luxury when visiting an Escape Lounge. A Priority Pass spokesperson confirmed to Thrifty Traveler that aside from children under two, bringing in a guest will cost $35 per person.
This does not impact American Express cardholders, however. Anyone accessing an Escape Lounge with an Amex Platinum or Centurion Card still gets to bring in two guests for free on every visit – just as it was before these lounges joined Priority Pass.
It's never fun having to pay extra to bring your travel buddy in with you, but this could help limit overcrowding somewhat. On the flip side, this issue will likely worsen next year as Delta implements new restrictions on how many times per year cardholders can access its Delta Sky Clubs. Once these new limits go into effect, airports like Cincinnati, Minneapolis, and Phoenix will likely see an influx of Delta flyers looking for an alternative to their usual Sky Club.
Bottom Line
Priority Pass recently added most (but not all) U.S. Escape Lounges to its growing portfolio of lounges. This is surely welcome news for many Priority Pass members as it opens the door to more (and typically better) lounges across the country.
Ultra-premium American Express cardholders are the biggest losers in all of this as they've long received complimentary Escape Lounge access. This new partnership will surely lead to over-crowding and longer waits to get in.
Good information and certainly good news. Any idea why Phoenix Terminal 4 Escape lounge was not included?
Shame the lounges & airports can’t/don’t put as much effort into solutions for their disabled customers on long layovers. Maybe Thrifty Travelker could.look into the trend of sticking all disabled passengers/those receiving special assistance at the sirport being shoved into uncomfortable disabled waiting areas, that actually are not disability friendly at all, with no toileting facilities, no access to food or water or a hot drink etc etc, & you can be dumped there for several hours to 8 or 12 hours on one of the transit wheelchairs. The one in Atlanta is a prime example. Great if you’re diabetic, or just dehydrated, after a long transatlantic flight, not. I got dumped there a few years ago despite telling them I had booked a lounge & it took me a couple of hours to get anyone to take me to the lounge I had paid to stay at. And that was only after emailing someone at the airport & then they forgot to come collect me fir my flight. But now it’s getting even harder to get into lounges as a paying on day or even with a membership like priority pass. In.last couple of years I have seen priority pass members be refused entry to lounges at a number of airport lounges due to it being busy or in favour of some other type of membership. As a disabled travelker that concerns me quite a bit. I like to use lounges becsuse they are safer, I can transfer onto comfy seating & get myself some food, coffee, water, use the toilet, have a snooze without worrying about getting robbed etc.
on paper, everything you said is true. in reality, I have found that half the time, lounges are not “currently accepting Priority passes.” just last week I was denied once in London and once in Dublin even though it was listed as available on the app.
Thanks for doing the research on this. I’m thinking your wrote this up because I commented on another article last week and asked you to look into this. Great job. Bummed I most likely can’t bring a guest into MSP Escape lounge. I’ll confirm with them. I work at MSP.
Hi Julie, thanks for reading and pointing it out. A Priority Pass rep confirmed that guests cost $35 per person. This does not impact Amex Platinum or Centurion cardholders, though. Only those getting in with Priority Pass.