Sydney Airport’s Priority Lane could reopen to frequent flyers

Sydney Airport’s Priority Lane – formerly branded as Express Path – could once again admit top-tier frequent flyers, based on the airport’s ongoing discussions with airlines.

The Priority Lane was introduced after international travel resumed following the ‘pandemic pause’, and unlike the Express Path is restricted to first and business class passengers.

Travellers must show their printed or digital boarding pass to enter the lane, which skips the general departures queue to provides a time-saving shortcut to the immigration and security checkpoints.

Unlike the old Express Path, frequent flyers don't have access to the Priority Lane.

That stands in stark contrast to those shiny pre-Covid days, when elite frequent flyers – typically those with Platinum or equivalent status, depending on the airline’s loyalty program – could pick up an Express Path-branded paper slip at the checkin counter and make a beeline for this fast-track lane.

During peak travel times, those slips were worth more than their weight in gold – and most frequent flyers kept a few spares stashed away ‘just in case’.

The old Express Path saved time and headaches for frequent flyers.

But those frequent flyers might rejoin the fast lane. Executive Traveller understands that Sydney Airport is currently consulting with airlines about expanding access beyond pointy-end passengers, on the proviso of course that each airlines pays their share.

Although Executive Traveller has heard reports of some high-ranking frequent flyers in premium economy or economy having their boarding pass endorsed for Priority Lane access, all international airlines we approached for comment maintained that only passengers travelling in first class or business class were eligible to use the Priority Lane.

The Priority Lane opens into its own branch of passport gates and security scanners.

Those booked in premium economy or economy class still don’t make the cut, regardless of how lofty their status is – but as soon as that changes, we’ll share the good news here.