Priority Pass guest fee for American Express Platinum cardholders rising to £20

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• Optimus Prime says:

  31 Aug31 August 10:55

  OT – is there a non-08 number to call Avios and redeem a Lloyds voucher? 01925 848619 seems to be no longer active.

  • Optimus Prime says:

    31 Aug31 August 11:09

    Found it. Just replaced 08 with 03 as someone advised on HfP a few months ago 🙂

    • RussellH says:

      31 Aug31 August 23:09

      That is always worth a try when faced with an 08xx phone number.

• GabeS says:

  31 Aug31 August 11:19

  Morning all
  Does anyone know what happens to your Gold referral bonuses after you’ve upgraded to Platinum?The account does not change,right?So that should come through fine?Has anyone got any experience with this?

• AndyF says:

  31 Aug31 August 12:11

  OT: I’m staying at a Radisson Blu for a few days now I know from robs article on Radisson scheme if you show your ba account you can get credited with 500 Avios in check in. But is this instead of the Radisson points? Or as well as? I expect to gain a lot of points from this stay so 500 avios as a bonus would be great but I would hate it to be instead of.

  • Rob says:

    31 Aug31 August 13:41

    It is instead. If it is a pricey stay take points and top up via Amex MR to whatever you need for a free night.

• Maciek says:

  31 Aug31 August 13:12

  OT – has AmEx outsourced their phone agents again? I used to be greeted by “it’s X in Brighton, how can I help” and now not only the wait times are significantly longer than they used to be, but also agents appear to be less clued up…

  • RTS says:

    31 Aug31 August 15:58

    I either get Brighton or Manila… luck of the draw.

• John2 says:

  31 Aug31 August 14:39

  OT. Heathrow T5. Aspire on one of the galleries? which one? ty

  • Rob says:

    31 Aug31 August 16:19

    Aspire is dreadful and usually long queue. If long haul then Galleries in the B satellite is best.

• LUKE BASIL says:

  31 Aug31 August 14:54

  @Rob did you ever find out if Small Business Platinum Amex has fees waived for additional guest?

  I went at the weekend with another guest and haven’t been charged yet…..

  • Rob says:

    31 Aug31 August 16:19

    It’s not meant to be waived …

• Stefano says:

  31 Aug31 August 15:20

  Every time I access a priority pass lounge, I find a place dirty, crowded and where the qualify of food is generally terrible. Probably priority pass is working good as a model, but as a platinum customer, I would love to enter some airline lounge where the style of people and the quality of the lounge itself is far better. This is my two cents.
  Probably priority pass is trying to get more money and at the same time less crowded lounges. Down the line, the money they charge and what they give me back it’s not always worth. A pub can provide WiFi, better food and drinks and in particular times also more quiet.

  • Mark2 says:

    31 Aug31 August 15:32

    Platinum gets you into Centurion Lounges, but there are only a few, most in USA.
    Seattle is superb.

    • Stefano says:

      31 Aug31 August 15:39

      I know. Hong Kong is also awesome. Fact is Amex sells you the value of PriorityPass to justify the annual fee. Also they sell you the value and exclusiveness of the Platinum card.
      Then, you enter in a priority pass lounge, and even knowing it’s not an exclusive closed club, you find the same crowed as in the main concourse.
      Hence, my point, is that there’s no value in Priority Pass and Amex should either find a different way to get people into true lounges or scrap the priority pass and part of the fee.

  • Kai says:

    31 Aug31 August 15:57

    Amex / priority pass lounges are not great but don’t think they are below par either. At Heathrow I find all the plaza premium lounges decent enough and there are arrival lounges you can get in that premium passengers cannot. When I’m in Europe priority pass will share the same contract lounge with BA a lot of the time.

    I mean, this is something you can get for 200 quid a year, you shouldn’t expect to be treated as a first class passenger.

  • Evan says:

    31 Aug31 August 16:06

    “The style of the people”????!!!!

    Get you. You could always purchase a business class ticket if common folk are so beneath you.

    • Stefano says:

      31 Aug31 August 16:18

      Nice idea… I express wrongly myself, but the concept is clear. Discussion is not if you wear a shirt or not.

    • Tom says:

      31 Aug31 August 18:05

      I think the same of the BA Galleries lounges..which are appalling.

      I’ve been to some brilliant Priority Pass lounges that put BA to shame.

  • marcw says:

    31 Aug31 August 16:29

    It really depends on the lounge. Was earlier this week in Bangkok BKK Oman Air lounge. A nice lounge, excellent food and drinks and enjoyable atmosphere.

    • flyoff says:

      1 Sep1 September 23:02

      I agree about the Oman lounge – very nice but not as good as the Qatar lounge in BKK. A nice change to many others and must be based on light useage by Oman

  • AndyR says:

    31 Aug31 August 18:20

    If you want to enter airline lounges then pay for a business class ticket or earn status like everyone else.

• Russ says:

  31 Aug31 August 16:13

  As bits, anyone have any experience of buying Marriott gift cards to reach an Amex target? Have looked at the T&C’s which doesn’t preclude gift cards but does say prepaid cards excluded. Best guess anyone?

  • Mark2 says:

    31 Aug31 August 16:43

    No idea, but would buy a small amount first and see who charges the card. It may be a third party like points.com with hotel etc. points.

    • Genghis says:

      31 Aug31 August 16:49

      What difference would that make whether it’s points.com or Marriott? There used to be an extra bonus buying SPG points if you used the SPG card (I did it and it justified the fx fee to hit sign up).

      • Mark2 says:

        31 Aug31 August 16:54

        I read it as target for spending on Marriott for statement credit, probably incorrectly.

      • Russ says:

        31 Aug31 August 18:11

        It’s for amex Gold sign up 20,000 MR. Got the card but kept using partners as a sup on their card and just remembered it. Got a couple of weeks to go but thought I could buy gift cards for stays later, apparently you can’t unless I’ve read it wrong. As per Genghis the fx fees would be worth it on this occasion.

This article is closed to new comments. Feel free to ask your question in the HfP forums.