Priority Pass pulls shady move with latest lounge additions
Two former Etihad Airways lounges have recently joined Priority Pass. 'The House' lounges at both the Melbourne and Sydney airports are now a part of the Priority Pass network, according to One Mile At A Time. For travelers through either of these airports, this will give a boost to the otherwise slim lounge offerings for Priority Pass members.
Priority Pass members will be able to access the Melbourne lounge from 5:30 a.m. until 10:30 p.m. and the Sydney lounge from 5:30 a.m. until 10 p.m. This will be the second Priority Pass lounge at both Sydney and Melbourne, in addition to a plethora off restaurant options.
There is a bit of a catch with this latest addition, however. Priority Pass members will be charged a fee of 20AUD or about $13.75 to use either of the lounges. While it's not an outrageous fee, it's still a fee. Worst case, this could be a trial for other lounges to see if Priority Pass members are willing to pay a small fee to access lounges that are part of the network.
At its core, Priority Pass is a rapidly expanding network of airport lounges, mini-suites and restaurants. It boasts more than 1,200 eligible locations in some 600 airports in more than 140 countries. The company was created in 1992 and it claims to be the largest airport lounge network in the world. Although these numbers sound impressive, the vast majority of lounges are outside of the US, and many are in small airports.
Related: Best Credit Cards for Priority Pass Lounge Access
For most travelers, the Priority Pass Select membership that now comes with a plethora of rewards credit cards is one of the best value-added perks. If you don't have elite status with an airline or the ability to travel in business class on your company's dime, the extra value of a pre-departure lounge can really add up. That is, unless we have to start paying additional fees to use these lounges.
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| 2X miles | 2 miles per dollar on every purchase |
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The Capital One Venture X Business Card has all the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card has to offer and more. It offers an incredible welcome bonus and requires an equally impressive spend to qualify. In addition, the card comes with premium travel perks like annual travel credit. (Partner offer)Pros
- The Capital One Venture X business card has a very lucrative welcome offer.
- In addition, the card comes with many premium travel perks such as an annual $300 credit for bookings through Capital One Business Travel.
- Business owners are also able to add employee cards for free.
Cons
- The card requires significant spending to earn the welcome offer.
- Another drawback is that the annual travel credit can only be used on bookings made through Capital One Business Travel.
- LIMITED-TIME OFFER: Earn up to 400K bonus miles: 200K miles when you spend $30K in the first 3 months, and an additional 200k miles when you spend $150k in the first 6 months
- Earn unlimited 2X miles on every purchase, everywhere—with no limits or category restrictions
- Earn 10X miles on hotels and rental cars and 5X miles on flights and vacation rentals booked through Capital One Business Travel
- With no preset spending limit, enjoy big purchasing power that adapts so you can spend more and earn more rewards
- Empower your teams to make business purchases while earning rewards on their transactions, with free employee and virtual cards. Plus, automatically sync your transaction data with your accounting software and pay your vendors with ease
- Redeem your miles on flights, hotels and more. Plus, transfer your miles to any of the 15+ travel loyalty programs
- Every year, you'll get 10,000 bonus miles after your account anniversary date. Plus, receive an annual $300 credit for bookings made through Capital One Business Travel
- Receive up to a $120 credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck®. Enjoy access to 1,300+ airport lounges worldwide, including Capital One Lounge locations and Priority Pass™ lounges, after enrollment
- Enjoy a $100 experience credit and other premium benefits with every hotel and vacation rental booked from the Premier Collection
- This is a pay-in-full card, so your balance is due in full every month