The Best Alaska Airlines Lounges on Priority Pass

Looking for an airport lounge? There’s nothing quite like stepping away from the bustle of the terminal for some free food and drinks. Luckily, airports abound with lounges, though access policies vary.

If you have a Priority Pass membership, you may be looking for Alaska Lounge Priority Pass options. Here's a look at where Alaska Airlines lounges are available, the best ones you’ll find on Priority Pass and some best alternative options.

Priority Pass membership

Priority Pass is a membership program that provides access to more than 1,300 airport lounges and restaurants. While you can purchase a membership, many high-end travel cards offer a complimentary Priority Pass Select membership to cardholders. You’ll find options from card issuers such as American Express, Chase and Capital One, among others. Some of these cards’ Priority Pass Select membership offers unlimited access to priority pass lounges. These include:

• Chase Sapphire Reserve®.

• The Platinum Card® from American Express. Enrollment required.

• The Business Platinum Card® from American Express. Enrollment required.

• Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card. Enrollment required.

• Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card. Enrollment required.

• Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card.

• Terms apply.

The U.S. Bank Altitude™ Reserve Visa Infinite® Card and Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card also offer a limited number of free Priority Pass visits on an annual basis. Enrollment required. Terms apply.

Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card cardholders who enrolled in Priority Pass on or before Jan. 31, 2023 will no longer have a membership as of Feb. 1, 2024. Cardholders who enroll between Feb. 1, 2023 and Jan. 31, 2024 will continue to have membership through Oct. 31, 2024. Terms apply.

» Learn more: The best travel cards right now

Alaska Airlines lounge locations

Although Alaska is an airline based out of the West Coast, the company maintains a network of airport lounges across the U.S., with a handful of locations, including:

• Anchorage.

• New York-JFK.

• Los Angeles-LAX.

• Portland.

• San Francisco.

• Seattle-Tacoma (three lounges).

In the past, nearly all of Alaska’s branded lounges participated in Priority Pass. In 2021, however, most of these were cut off. At this time, just one location (New York-JFK) continues to participate.

Best Alaska Lounge on Priority Pass: New York-JFK

The competition for the best Alaska Lounge on Priority Pass is limited since the only one you’ll be able to enter is at New York-JFK, which opened in 2018.

The lounge is in Terminal 7. After passing through security, proceed to the mezzanine level.

Hours of operation are fairly generous: It's open from 5 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily and is closed only on Christmas.

Keep in mind that these lounges are capacity controlled. This means that at certain hours of the day, you may not be able to enter the lounge if it’s especially busy. If this is the case, you can join a waitlist to be notified when there's space.

Like other Priority Pass lounges, there is a time limit to how long you can stay. Those using their Priority Pass membership at this Alaska Lounge are allowed entry only within two hours of their flight’s departure.

Other ways to enter Alaska Airlines lounges

Although there’s just one Alaska Lounge that currently participates in Priority Pass, it’s possible to enter other lounges.

One option is to buy a membership to Alaska lounges. There are two levels from which to choose.

• Alaska Lounge Members: Access to all eight Alaska lounges, $450/year ($350 for elite members).

• Alaska Lounge+ Members: Access to 90+ partner lounges in addition to all Alaska Lounges, $600/year ($500 for elite members).

You can also opt for a day pass for $60. Some cards that offer annual travel credits can help offset these costs.

Those who have Alaska MVP Gold, Gold 75K or Gold 100K elite status receive complimentary Alaska Lounge access when flying to a location outside Canada, the U.S. or Mexico on any Oneworld airline.

» Learn more: Your guide to Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan

Other Priority Pass lounge options

If you’re traveling to one of the above locations without an available Alaska Lounge on Priority Pass, you may have other options.

For example, Priority Pass membership will give you access to the Air France-KLM Lounge and the British Airways lounge at the San Francisco airport. At Seattle-Tacoma, you’ll have access to the British Airways lounge and The Club SEA.

Still, other airports offer Priority Pass members refreshing experiences, such as the Be Relax Spa at Los Angeles-LAX, or restaurant discounts, such as at Portland airport’s Capers Cafe Le Bar.

Note that if your Priority Pass Select membership is through American Express or the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card (beginning Jan. 1, 2023) you’re not eligible to eat at Priority Pass restaurants.

Alternative airport lounge access

We’ve covered Alaska Airlines lounge access for Priority Pass members — and a few Priority Pass alternatives — but what if none of these options are available?

If you’re a frequent traveler looking for airport lounges around the world, you may want to consider getting a travel card with expanded access to lounges. High-end AmEx travel cards, for example, are able to take advantage of the Global Lounge collection.

This collection includes a Priority Pass Select membership and several other branded lounges:

• The Centurion Lounge.

• The International American Express Lounges.

• Escape Lounges — The Centurion Studio Partner.

• Plaza Premium.

• Aspire lounge.

• Delta Sky Club when flying on a same-day Delta Air Lines flight.

• Select Lufthansa lounges when flying on a same-day Lufthansa flight.

» Learn more: What you should know about American Express Lounge Access

If you’re looking for the best Alaska Lounge on Priority Pass

Since the only Alaska Lounge participating in Priority Pass is located in New York-JFK, you may be wondering how else to get airport lounge access. Happily, there are several other options from which to choose.

Those with eligible elite status, for example, can access all Alaska Lounges on select itineraries for free. Otherwise, consider alternative options for lounge access, such as the Global Lounge Collection available to certain AmEx cardholders.

Photo courtesy of Alaska Airlines.