Priority Pass UK is an airport lounge membership scheme that gives members reduced-price access to airport lounges via their membership.
The level of membership best suited to you depends on your travel plans and needs.
In this article, we will do a cost comparison for using Priority Pass at one of the most popular lounges, No.1 Lounges, at Gatwick Airport.
Before that, we dig a bit deeper into the question – how does priority pass UK work?
How Does Priority Pass UK Work? It’s a Membership Scheme
To access airport lounges through Priority Pass you need to join their membership scheme.
This then gives you a membership card and a digital membership which means you can access over 1300 airport lounges around the world, without the need to book. You simply present your membership card.
There are often several lounges at an airport that accept Priority Pass members which can be really handy by helping you to avoid the busiest lounges.
Not having to book gives you the freedom to decide whether you want to use your pass or not. For example, if you get to the airport later than planned, or security checks take longer than you thought you may not have enough time to get the value out of a lounge visit. Priority Pass membership means you are not committed to visiting a lounge.
That said if you plan on using the No.1 Lounges you can pay an additional £6 to guarantee entry with your Priority Pass membership. That’s because at peak times lounges give preference to those who have booked direct and Priority Pass members may get turned away.
This has happened to me once. There had been a series of flight delays at an airport and all the lounges were still full of guests that were booked on those earlier flights but had been unable to leave.
If your flight is delayed and you are in an airport lounge then you would be able to extend your stay until your flight departs so it is a fair system.
How Does Priority Pass UK Work?
Other Membership Benefits
Priority Pass also offers its members meal deals at the airport which can be handy if you don’t want to use a lounge.
There are some good deals on airport transfers with reduced rates being offered to members.
You can also order duty-free shopping through the app as well.
I have never used these benefits because for me the benefit of airport lounge access is worth the membership cost alone.
How Does Priority Pass UK Work?
2023 Membership Cost
Priority Pass UK Cost?
Priority Pass has 3 different membership levels and costs. Standard membership is £68 per year with each lounge visit charged at an extra £24. Standard Plus membership is £229 per year, and it includes 10 lounge visits with extra visits charged at £24. Prestige Membership is £419 per year and it includes unlimited lounge visits for the membership holder.
How Does Priority Pass UK Work?
Is Priority Pass UK Worth It?
As a general rule if you are planning on using airport lounges more than 5 times a year then Priority Pass is going to work out better value than paying as you go.
Here is a comparison if you were going to be using the No.1 Lounge at London Gatwick Airport (this is one of the most popular airport lounges).
How Does Priority Pass UK Work?
6 Lounge Visits – Pay As You Go Lounge Access
To book this lounge direct through No.1 Lounges the cost is £36 per visit
Booking through Holidayextras the cost is £36 per visit
To book through Loungepass the cost is £36 per visit
6 visits to the No.1 Lounge paying as you go = £216
These visits are guaranteed entry because you are booking directly.
How Does Priority Pass UK Work?
6 Visits – Priority Pass Standard Membership
6 Visits to No.1 Lounges Without Guaranteed Entry
Standard Membership is £68. It doesn’t include any visits to lounges. These are all paid additionally at £24 per person.
6 x £24 visit fee plus £68 membershp fee
Total cost for 6 visits to the No.1 Lounge using your Standard Membership = £212
6 Visits to No.1 Lounges with Guaranteed Entry
£24 visit fee x 6 = £144 plus £6 guaranteed entry fee x 6 = £180 plus £68 membership fee = £248
Total cost for 6 visits to the No.1 Lounge with guaranteed entry = £248
6 Visits
Pay As You Go
£216
6 Visits
Standard Membership
£212
6 Visits
Standard Membership & Guaranteed Entry
£248
How Does Priority Pass UK Work?
7 Visits – Priority Pass Standard Membership
7 Visits to No.1 Lounges Without Guaranteed Entry
7 x £24 visit fee = £168 plus £68 membership fee = £236
The total cost of 7 visits to No.1 Lounge using Standard Membership = £236
Standard Plus Priority Pass Membership is £229. This means that if you are using No.1 Lounges without paying the £6 fee to guarantee entry, or any other airport lounges Standard Plus is better value once you use airport lounges more than 7 times a year.
7 Visits to No.1 Lounges and Guaranteed Entry
7 x £24 visit fee = £168 plus 7 x £6 guaranteed entry fee = £210 plus £68 membership fee = £278
Total cost of 7 visits to No.1 Lounge using Standard Membership and guaranteed entry = £278
How Does Priority Pass UK Work?
7 Visits – Standard Plus Membership
7 Visits to No.1 Lounges Without Guaranteed Entry
Standard Plus Membership is £229. This includes 10 lounge visits.
7 visits With Standard Plus Membership to No.1 Lounges Without Guaranteed Entry = £229
7 Visits to No.1 Lounges with Guaranteed Entry
If you choose to pay the £6 booking fee to guarantee entry at peak times to the No.1 Lounge with your Priority Pass Standard Membership the total additional cost would be £42
The total cost of 7 lounge visits with Standard Plus Membership and guaranteed entry = £271
If you are planning to use No.1 Lounges then StandardPlus membership is better value than Standard Membership whether you choose to pay the guaranteed entry fee or not. It also includes 10 lounge visits in total.
Cost Comparison for 7 Visits to No.1 Lounges
| Pay As You Go | Standard Membership | Standard & Guaranteed | Standard Plus | Standard Plus & Guaranteed |
| £252 | £236 | £278 | £229 | £271 |
8 Visits to No.1 Lounges with Standard Plus Membership
Standard Plus Membership is £229. This includes 10 lounge visits.
8 Visits to No.1 Lounges Without Guaranteed Entry
Total Cost of 8 visits No.1 Lounges Without Guaranteed Entry = £229
8 Visits to No.1 Lounges with Guaranteed Entry
If you choose to pay the £6 booking fee to guarantee entry at peak times to the No.1 Lounge with your Priority Pass Standard Membership the total additional cost would be £48
The total cost of 7 lounge visits with guaranteed entry = £277
Cost Comparison for 8 Visits to No.1 Lounges
| Pay As You Go | Standard Plus | Standard Plus & Guaranteed |
| £288 | £229 | £277 |
Conclusion – How Does Priority Pass UK Work?
- Priority Pass is a great option to access airport lounges in a flexible way without having to book (for the majority of visits)
- For busy lounges, there is the option to pay a small fee (£6) and guarantee entry
- There are other member benefits such as transfers and meal deals.
- Priority Pass membership makes sense for 5 visits or more a year, less than that and pay-as-you-go will be the cheaper option
- Standard Plus Membership is great value if you plan to use airport lounges 7 or more times per year
Other Articles
If you have found this article about Priority Pass Cost useful you might also like;
Priority Pass Membership – everything you need to know
Airport Lounge Membership Comparison – quickly find the best membership scheme for you
Are Airport Lounges Worth It? – quickly find your best option for pay-as-you-go or membership based on your travel plans
You can find lots more articles on my Airport Lounges page
Further Reading
- How to Get Priority Pass
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