Priority Pass Additions — Two New Airport Lounge Alternatives Available

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INSIDER SECRET: With many of the best credit cards with airport lounge access you’ll get a Priority Pass membership that allows you to bring along guests for free, which isn’t the case with even the most expensive paid membership.

Priority Pass has added two new options for members to use in Los Angeles and Washington DC. You can use your Priority Pass membership to get a $28 meal credit at Point the way Cafe in LAX and to get a free hour at Sleepbox, located at Washington Dulles.

Neither of these are a traditional airport lounge, so let’s take a more detailed look at what your Priority Pass membership will get you. Also, if you have a Priority Pass membership associated with an Amex card you won’t have access to most non-lounge options, like restaurants, but you’ll still be able to use your membership at Sleepbox.

New Priority Pass Airport Lounge Membership Options

The best (and cheapest) way to get a Priority Pass membership is open a card that has it as a benefit. Many of these cards have high annual fees, but even paying the annual fee just for a Priority Pass membership would be better than buying a stand alone membership, let me explain.

Priority Pass charges $429 a year for its Prestige membership (the top option) which gets you unlimited airport lounge visits, but each guest you bring along costs $32. Compare that to the Chase Sapphire Reserve® which has a $550 annual fee, but comes with a Priority Pass Select membership that gets you and 2 guests complimentary unlimited lounge access. Not only that, but the Chase Sapphire Reserve also has a yearly $300 travel credit, so your first $300 in eligible travel expenses you pay with the card are reimbursed each year and it has some of the best credit card travel insurance too.

These are some of the best credit cards with airport lounge access:

• Chase Sapphire Reserve
• Citi Prestige
• The Business Platinum Card® from American Express
• The Platinum Card® from American Express
• Hilton Honors Aspire Card from American Express
• Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card – 10 visits per year

The information for the Hilton Aspire card and Hilton Surpass card has been collected independently by Million Mile Secrets. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.

As I mentioned before, Priority Pass memberships that are linked to an American Express card won’t have access to non-lounge locations, but there are exceptions to this rule. While you won’t get credit at Priority pass restaurants, you will be able to use your membership and Minutes Suites and Sleepbox locations. If you’re not sure what you’ll have access to just login into to the Priority Pass website or app and you should have access to any lounges listed.

Point the way Cafe is located at Los Angeles International Airport Terminal 6 between gates 65A and 65B. The restaurant is open from 11:00 am to 11:00 pm daily.

With your (non-Amex) Priority Pass membership you’ll get a $28 credit for you and a guest ($56 maximum). The credit can be applied to meals and drinks excluding “To-Go Orders” and “Grab and Go.” The credit also doesn’t cover the tip, which you’ll need to pay out of pocket. To get the credit you’ll need to show your Priority Pass membership and valid same-day boarding pass before placing your order.

Sleepbox is located at Washington Dulles International Airport in Concourse A, below gate A15 near the train station and is open 24/7.

Sleepbox is a micro-hotel with 16 tiny rooms equipped with a bed, outlets and a desk that folds out of the wall beside the bed. The rooms are mostly designed for sleeping, but could be a private workspace in a pinch. With your Priority Pass membership you’ll get your first hour free and for each additional hour you’ll pay a discounted rate of $24 an hour.

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Featured image by Leigh Anne Meeks/Shutterstock.