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Norwegian drops lounge access for flyers in the Norwegian Premium cabin

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Norwegian has quietly removed lounge access for the majority of its Premium customers.

As posted by a HfP reader yesterday, it turns out that the rules were changed on 21st December. 

Norwegian Premium loses lounge access

From that point, only customers booking refundable PremiumFlex tickets have had lounge access included in their ticket.  This will presumably cut the number of lounge visitors by about 80%.

Here is the current list of perks by seat type from the Norwegian website:

Norwegian Premium benefits

The timing is odd.  The new My Lounge at Gatwick South, which I reviewed yesterday, is heavily branded ‘The home of Norwegian’ but will now have very few Norwegian customers using it.

Norwegian is saying that anyone who booked a Premium ticket before 21st December will still get lounge access, but you will need to visit a check-in counter to pick up a paper invitation.  Hand-baggage only customers cannot simply turn up at the lounge and gain access.

Whilst this is understandable given Norwegian’s financial issues, it removes a key point of difference between Norwegian Premium, Virgin Atlantic Premium and British Airways World Traveller Plus.

I would still recommend Norwegian Premium, purely because you get a bigger and better seat but the other perks seem to be withering away.

Getting airport lounge access for free from a credit card

How to get FREE airport lounge access via UK credit cards (April 2024)

Here are the four options to get FREE airport lounge access via a UK credit card.

The Platinum Card from American Express comes with two free Priority Pass cards, one for you and one for a supplementary cardholder. Each card admits two so a family of four gets in free. You get access to all 1,300 lounges in the Priority Pass network – search it here.

You also get access to Eurostar, Lufthansa and Delta Air Lines lounges.  Our American Express Platinum review is here. You can apply here.

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If you have a small business, consider American Express Business Platinum instead.

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American Express Preferred Rewards Gold is FREE for the first year. It comes with a Priority Pass card loaded with four free visits to any Priority Pass lounge – see the list here.

Additional lounge visits are charged at £24.  You get four more free visits for every year you keep the card.  

There is no annual fee for Amex Gold in Year 1 and you get a 20,000 points sign-up bonus.  Full details are in our American Express Preferred Rewards Gold review here.

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HSBC Premier World Elite Mastercard gets you get a free Priority Pass card, allowing you access to the Priority Pass network.  Guests are charged at £24 although it may be cheaper to pay £60 for a supplementary credit card for your partner.

The card has a fee of £195 and there are strict financial requirements to become a HSBC Premier customer.  Full details are in my HSBC Premier World Elite Mastercard review.

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PS. You can find all of HfP’s UK airport lounge reviews – and we’ve been to most of them – indexed here.

Category

General

Comments (171)

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

  • Anna says:
    15 Jan15 January 11:14

    OT – great excitement as I just discovered PoundLand takes Amex (sorry if you all knew already). Gonna be a big shop to hit that sign up target…

  • Rob says:
    15 Jan15 January 11:42

    The article says it was announced last year – however the implementation date was only released yesterday AFAIK.

  • r6mile says:
    15 Jan15 January 11:53

    Can I ask a bit of an off-topic question?

    I have around 100,000 Avios in my BA Household account, of which roughly 65,000 in my name and 35,000 in my wife’s name. I also have approx 60,000 Amex Rewards points.

    I am looking to make an Iberia redemption for 120,000 Avios. I have on many occasions transferred Avios between my BA and Iberia accounts, with relatively few problems. Is there any way to utilise the Avios in my wife’s name for this redemption? Ie is it possible to transfer Avios between BA household members (and from there to Iberia), or another solution?

    Between my Amex and my Avios I have enough for the redemption, but obviously I would rather use my wife’s Avios instead of the Amex rewards points if there is any way to do that.

    • Alan says:
      15 Jan15 January 11:56

      If you’re in a BAEC household account then it automatically draws the Avios pro rata from each account.

      For example say you had 150k Avios between you, 100k in your account and 50k in your wife’s. You then make a redemption for 60k. It would take 40k from your account and 20k from hers. No extra action or transfers required on your part. So if you already have 100k between you then just transfer 20k from Amex to your account and as you’ll then have 120k in your HHA you’ll be able to make the redemption 🙂

      • Alan says:
        15 Jan15 January 12:11

        Apologies read it as you wanting to make a BAEC redemption rather than doing it in Iberia!!

    • Rob says:
      15 Jan15 January 11:58

      No, no way of doing this unless you pay for the transfer between the two BA accounts. (I’m assuming she is not Gold which would allow a 27k free transfer.)

  • Anna says:
    15 Jan15 January 11:57

    Sorry, just seen this. Yes it would be good if there was a way of donating avios etc (though even better if people could get their treatment in the UK!)

    • TripRep says:
      15 Jan15 January 12:09

      I think it’s the lack of time, the NHS waiting list for this treatment is high elsewhere in the UK.

      Anyhow I made a ££ donation and referenced HFP, so please don’t be shy in following suit or offering Avois, VS Miles.

      Rob – feel free to give your airline/hotel contacts the chance of a great PR promo.

  • Alex says:
    15 Jan15 January 12:23

    Edgware is in Barnet

  • Michael C says:
    15 Jan15 January 12:53

    OT with a tenuous connection to Premium Economy flights!
    We’re looking at LHR-LAX in Oct. I know AIr NZ always received rave reports, but I understand their wacky seating has now gone?
    The prices are similar, with BA working out slightly cheaper.
    Is ANZ so much better that we should go for it, or just stick with BA and accrue the miles?
    Thanks!

    • The Original Nick says:
      15 Jan15 January 13:25

      @Michael C, I’ve booked my Mum and her friend for March out to LAX (Vegas trip) on ANZ Premium Economy. Used the Amex £200 off £600 offer for this so worked out well. From what I’ve looked at I think the ANZ product will be nicer. They also had the option of booking for £50 exit seats which will be nice for them both as they’ve had hip replacements. There’s also an option to upgrade to Business via there bidding option. You can credit the miles to VS accounts. It’ll be a change for my Mum as she normally uses BA. The wacky seating has pretty much all gone now AFAIK.

  • Tetly1967 says:
    15 Jan15 January 12:56

    Well I got an Uber from Wokingham station in Berkshire on Sunday and the Uber app said it was connecting me with Uber London!

    • Rob says:
      15 Jan15 January 15:57

      I was in Wokingham last week. Very strongly recommend the new Pan restaurant in the town centre which is a) excellent and b) pitifully cheap by West London standards.

  • Joeb says:
    15 Jan15 January 13:31

    Rob, any idea if stays at the new IHG principal hotels count towards the “staying at three different IHG brands” target…no mention of this new acquisition in the terms. Thanks,

    • mutley says:
      15 Jan15 January 15:12

      Not sure if you’d want to, I stayed at the Met in Leeds recently for two nights, it wasn’t great certainly not a four star Hotel IMO but, as it only cost £73 for two nights triggering a freebie anywhere (in theory) in IHG’s portfolio I lived with it!

      • Brian Webb says:
        16 Jan16 January 00:51

        +1

        I stayed at the Met in Leeds on Sunday night for £45. I was shocked at the lack of alterations made before rebranding as an IHG brand, very dated feel at this hotel. I’ll stay once more to trigger the free night voucher but it’s not a 4 star for sure.

    • Rob says:
      15 Jan15 January 15:56

      No, I don’t think they will.

      • Hugo says:
        15 Jan15 January 19:13

        I e-mailed IHG and they said the met would count as one of my four brands

        • Hugo says:
          15 Jan15 January 19:13

          quote from e mail

          I appreciate the opportunity to assist you today. I’d like to inform that the ‘Discover our Brands’ offer requires 4 different stays at 4 different IHG brands so I’m glad to inform that your upcoming stay at ‘The Met Hotel Leeds’, shall be counted on the offer:

        • Rob says:
          16 Jan16 January 09:05

          Want to bet?

    • pommy ray says:
      15 Jan15 January 16:48

      no sorry does not I asked them !

      • tom1 says:
        15 Jan15 January 21:17

        it’s an IHG hotel – they even have a label saying “New to IHG” so can’t see how IHG can deny it’s not an IHG brand. The question is which brand!

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