Priority Pass Adds Top-Notch Lounge and a Restaurant to Network

Feb. 12, 2017

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4 min read

Priority Pass Adds Top-Notch Lounge and a Restaurant to Network

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Back in November Priority Pass become the first independent lounge provider to offer more than 1,000 lounges across the world, as the company has steadily added lounges to its network without too much fanfare. But there are two recent additions that definitely deserve accolades: a restaurant in London's Gatwick (LGW) and the top-notch Turkish Airlines lounge in Washington DC's Dulles (IAD) airport.

Grain Store Cafe & Bar

In a first-of-its-kind move, Priority Pass has added an airport restaurant to its network. Already a well-regarded London cafe, the Grain Store Cafe & Bar has opened a new location in London Gatwick's South Terminal. Having just opened on January 28, the Grain Store Cafe & Bar isn't just a new addition to Priority Pass — the lounge network's fifth location in LGW — but the cafe itself is brand new.

Unfortunately, though, it's not all-you-can-eat. Here's how it works: the Priority Pass cardholder and any guests get £15 each (about US$19) toward any food or drink in the cafe — even alcohol. The cafe's menu (caution: PDF link) lists breakfast plates between £7-11, salads run £11-12, burgers are £11 and main dishes vary from £12.50-19.50. So the £15 allowance covers most smaller meals and a large portion of nicer dishes.

While there's no stated limit on the number of visits per day, Priority Pass' system might reject duplicate "visits."

Turkish Airlines Lounge Washington

Turkish Airlines' excellent IAD lounge has now been added to Priority Pass. Image courtesy of Turkish Airlines Lounge’s Facebook page.

We got a peek inside the IAD Turkish Airlines lounge shortly after it opened in September, and it looks great! From relaxation rooms to an impressive food spread, Turkish Airlines is definitely setting the bar high with its first lounge in a US airport. At just 5,000 square feet, the lounge might start to get crowded with this new Priority Pass partnership. But we can hope that the quality is maintained.

Priority Pass Membership

Don't have access yet? There's no compelling reason to pay outright for a membership, as there are premium credit cards that'll give you membership — often with annual fees cheaper than a Priority Pass membership. Here are the top cards that include Priority Pass membership as a benefit:

Platinum Card from American Express and the Business Platinum Card® from American Express: cardmember only; guests are $27 each
Citi Prestige: cardmember and immediate family members or up to two guests
Chase Sapphire Reserve: cardmember and unlimited guests
Chase Ritz-Carlton Rewards: cardmember. No published guest policy, but reports indicate guests are allowed for free
Hilton Honors Surpass Card from American Express: This card includes a Priority Pass membership, however visits to the lounges are not complimentary. You and your guests will have to pay a $27 fee per person, per visit.

Bottom Line

Grain Store Cafe & Bar and the Turkish Airlines Lounge at IAD are welcome additions to the Priority Pass network. We applaud Priority Pass for these excellent additions and hope for more to come. If you haven't gotten a membership through a premium credit card, there's now two more great reasons to do so.

H/T: Head For Points via One Mile at a Time