Priority Pass expands airport lounge access for 2021
On the rebound from the Plaza Premium break-up, Priority Pass says it's got over a hundred new lounges in the 2021 pipeline.
By David Flynn, May 11 2021
Priority Pass intends to add more than 150 airport lounges to its worldwide portfolio by the end of 2021, alongside what it describes as "100 new premium airport experiences and off-airport lounges."
The boost follows lounge operator Plaza Premium's dramatic decision to cut its ties with the Priority Pass membership program, as previously and exclusively reported by Executive Traveller, which Priority Pass says will remove "up to 57 lounges" from its network.
Priority Pass has already signed up 32 new airport lounge partners this year, predominately in China, but also adding Lufthansa Business Lounges at New York JFK, Newark Liberty and Washington DC Dulles.
A spokesperson for Priority Pass confirmed the independent Marhaba Lounge at Melbourne's T2 international terminal will follow, although it's not yet known how Priority Pass will fill the Plaza Premium gaps at Sydney and Brisbane.
The dining area of the Marhaba Lounge at Melbourne Airport's international terminal.
Also on the list will be new lounges under development at Abu Dhabi, San Francisco's Harvey Milk Terminal 1, North Carolina's Charlotte Douglas and Cleveland's Hopkins international airports.
Priority Pass cites "encouraging growth in domestic travel in the US, China and Russia, as well as recent announcements such as the EU saying that vaccinated travellers will be welcomed without restrictions" as positive signs for a rebound by business travellers and frequent flyers.
"Our investment in Priority Pass is a clear reflection of our confidence in the travel recovery, which our research has shown will also include an increased appetite for premium spaces and experiences while travelling," says David Evans, Joint CEO of Priority Pass' parent company Collinson Group.
"And now, with a network growing to include over 1,500 lounges and premium experiences available, we look forward to welcoming travellers back to our Priority Pass programme as they return to travel."
Also read: Plaza Premium removes Priority Pass, LoungeKey access
David Flynn is the Editor-in-Chief of Executive Traveller and a bit of a travel tragic with a weakness for good coffee, shopping and lychee martinis.
14 Oct 2016
Total posts 115
They do need to add more lounges/partners in Australia, with Perth and Canberra not having any options at all.
14 Oct 2016
Total posts 115
I just noticed they've added 2 options for Canberra, this is a bit of an improvement
25 Oct 2010
Total posts 24
I am still fuming mad about PP. I was a member throughout 2020. They offered no extensions, no refunds, no changes, nothing. They banked the membership fees and laughed all the way to the bank. The only travel company in 2020 to give nothing back to customers that could not use their product. Damn PP. Never again.
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