Priority Pass Select: How to Get Real Value

Priority Pass operates a network of more than 1,900 airport lounges and travel experiences worldwide. While you can purchase a Priority Pass membership directly, many travel credit cards include a version called Priority Pass Select.

Here's the catch: The program's popularity has led to many crowded lounges and long lines, and the food and facilities are sometimes mediocre. Priority Pass Select can still pay off for frequent travelers, but it's helpful to know which lounges to look for (and which ones to skip). Here's how you can actually get strong value from your membership.

How to use your Priority Pass membership

Enroll in Priority Pass

Most credit cards that include Priority Pass Select require you to enroll separately through your card issuer’s benefits portal before you can begin using your membership. If you’re applying for a credit card specifically for airport lounge access, leave yourself enough time before your trip to receive your card, enroll in Priority Pass and activate your membership.

Use the Priority Pass app or Priority Pass+ app

Once you’ve enrolled, download the Priority Pass app (or, if available to you, the newer Priority Pass+ app) to your smartphone and log in to your account. The app lets you search for participating lounges, airport restaurants and other experiences, view lounge hours and amenities, and access your digital membership card or QR code. Some members may also be able to manage multiple Priority Pass memberships in one account, though availability varies as the rollout continues.

Enter the lounge

When you arrive at a participating lounge, present your digital Priority Pass membership card or QR code in the Priority Pass app (or your issuer’s app, if available). You can also use your physical Priority Pass membership card if you have one. You’ll also need to present a same-day boarding pass. Lounge staff will verify your membership and any complimentary guest benefits included with your card.

What you actually get

The appeal of airport lounges is access to quiet spaces with free food, drinks and Wi-Fi. Some airport lounges do deliver, but not always.

Inside, expect benefits that vary in quality but may include:

• Free Wi-Fi.

• Complimentary food.

• Alcoholic beverages.

• TVs.

• Air conditioning.

• Flight information.

Some lounges also have conference rooms, free spa treatments, showers and private rooms for sleeping.

While Priority Pass lounges can be crowded, they're typically quieter than the rest of the airport. It's also generally acceptable to leave your bags at your seat (at your own risk, of course), whereas TSA announcements in the main airport warn against leaving bags unattended.

Wi-Fi tends to be faster, and most lounges offer greater power outlet availability than what you’ll find in the main terminal, too.

And some lounges come with benefits that go far beyond those basics. In one Minneapolis/St. Paul, Minnesota, lounge, you can play video games and order drinks from a robot bartender, for example.

Other lounges have been known to have sleep pods, massages and even manicure services (though sometimes those incur an extra cost).

Overcrowding at lounges

The growing number of Priority Pass members, combined with limited lounge spaces, has led to one common problem: overcrowding.

During peak travel times, you might find yourself waiting in line just to get into a lounge.

The Club SFO is one of the best Priority Pass lounges at San Francisco International Airport. Still, on one NerdWallet staffer’s past three visits, there was a queue just to register with the front desk (about five to 15 minutes each time). After arriving at the front of the line, travelers had to give a phone number. Then, they’d receive a text telling them when they could enter the lounge (which took another five to 15 minutes each time).

» Learn more: The best travel credit cards right now

That lounge can be worth the wait, considering its ample seating, thoughtful design and fresh food. But that’s not the case at other lounges.

Lounges that don’t limit guest access sometimes leave you searching for an available seat. You might be left settling for a table with the last person’s crumbs still strewn about. If you're traveling with high hopes of lounging in comfort, be prepared for potential disappointment.

The Premier Club at Kahului airport in Maui almost always has a line out the door with people on a waitlist. Once inside, there aren't many places to sit, and there are only cookies, coffee, tea and a soda machine. It’s hardly worth the effort, says one NerdWallet staffer who frequents the airport.

And food quality can vary. Some lounges offer hot meals local to the region. Others offer mediocre cold sandwiches, and sometimes only prepackaged snacks.

Is help on the way? Priority Pass says a $650 million investment is coming

In September 2026, Priority Pass's parent company, Collinson, announced a five-year, 500 million pounds (roughly $650 million) investment plan. Collinson says a meaningful chunk of that money is going toward expanding lounge capacity through its sister company, Airport Dimensions, which operates The Club lounges in the U.S. and other proprietary lounge brands.

Priority Pass's network has already grown 6.7% over the past 12 months, surpassing 1,900 lounges and travel experiences globally, and Collinson frames the additional investment as necessary to keep pace with global air travel demand, which is projected to nearly double by 2045.

The company also announced other changes, such as an add-on that fast-tracks you through security and a new luxury tier of membership. For members with Priority Pass Select, though, the rollout of the Priority Pass+ app might be the most helpful change. The app consolidates account management, biometric login and the ability to view and manage multiple Priority Pass memberships (useful if you hold access through more than one credit card) in one place. Future updates promise AI-driven lounge recommendations based on your location and travel habits, in-app purchases and the ability for a primary cardholder to share their visit entitlements with a supplementary cardholder traveling independently (when their issuing bank allows it). That's potentially the most useful upcoming feature for households with multiple cardholders.

How to maximize your Priority Pass membership

To truly benefit from your Priority Pass Select membership, be strategic:

Check lounge availability in advance

Not all airports have Priority Pass lounges, and those that do may have restrictions or limited hours. Use the Priority Pass app to confirm lounge availability and amenities at your airport. Keep in mind the lounge network adds and removes locations frequently.

Arrive early — but not too early

If you want a better chance of actually enjoying the lounge experience, arrive early. Showing up with just enough time to board your flight might mean you don’t even get in — especially if the lounge is at capacity and there’s a line.

Just keep in mind that most lounges have a time limit on how early you can arrive. Typically, lounges won’t let you in more than three hours before your scheduled departure. But many make exceptions if you’re visiting as part of a layover.

Look beyond basic lounges

Some Priority Pass locations offer unique amenities like showers, private suites or even spa treatments. For example, Dallas-Fort Worth’s Minute Suites offer an hour of complimentary private space, which is ideal if you need to rest or work in silence.

Know how to navigate the airport

Some airports, like San Francisco International Airport and Los Angeles International Airport, are fully connected post-security. This makes it more convenient to access lounges in different terminals without having to clear the security screening again.

But not every airport is so convenient. For example, JFK is not fully connected between its terminals. Know where your desired lounge is in relation to your gate.

What about buying Priority Pass membership outright?

Purchasing a Priority Pass membership directly — rather than getting it through a credit card — is generally a poor value. These are the current prices for U.S. residents:

If you travel just once or twice a year, you’d be better off purchasing day passes to lounges. And in the cases of some lounges, the day pass rate is far higher than any value the lounge would actually deliver. In those cases, find a good airport restaurant and spend your money there instead.

But if you are a frequent traveler, and the airports you frequent have good Priority Pass lounges, these memberships could make sense.

Priority Pass alternatives

If your home airport doesn’t have a good Priority Pass lounge or if your local lounge is frequently crowded, there are other ways to access airport lounges. Depending on your credit card, airline or elite status, you may have access to issuer-operated lounges like American Express Centurion Lounges or Capital One Lounges. Airlines also operate their own lounge networks, such as Delta Sky Club and American Airlines Admirals Club, which may be available when you’re flying in a premium cabin, have elite status or hold a qualifying airline credit card.

» Learn more: Airline credit cards

Priority Pass Select membership: Is it worth it?

While Priority Pass Select membership can enhance your airport experience, overcrowding means it’s not always the sanctuary it once was. Make the most of your Priority Pass Select membership by being strategic, planning ahead and understanding the limitations.

Because lounge quality varies so dramatically by airport, check reviews of your home airport’s lounge to see how it stacks up — and to help decide if pursuing Priority Pass membership is worthwhile.