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Bournemouth Airport is getting an executive lounge

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Bournemouth Airport has announced plans to open its first Executive Lounge on 1st June.

The picture below is taken from some pre-design work and is not necessarily going to be the final look but it seems fairly ambitious.

Bournemouth Airport Premium Lounge

Pre-booking is available for £21.95 via the airport website here.  There is no word yet as to whether Priority Pass or Lounge Club will be accepted but I would be surprised if they are not.

Sold by Manchester Airports Group in 2017, the airport is now owned by Rigby Group.  Rigby also owns Norwich, Exeter, and Coventry Airports and has management contracts to operate Solent, City of Derry and Blackpool Airports.

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Getting airport lounge access for free from a credit card

How to get FREE airport lounge access via UK credit cards (July 2025)

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

Your best value option (but no points):

The cheapest route to a Priority Pass airport lounge card is via the Lloyds Bank World Elite Mastercard.

The credit card has a fee of £15 per month, and comes with a Priority Pass which gives unlimited free access for the cardholder. If you add a free supplementary cardholder, they will also receive unlimited free access.

Unlike the version of Priority Pass you receive with American Express, the Lloyds Bank version also lets you access £18 airport restaurant credits.

Even better, the credit card has 0% FX fees and comes with 0.5% cashback. Full details are in my Lloyds Bank World Elite Mastercard review.

Lloyds Bank World Elite Mastercard

A Priority Pass, 0% FX fees and up to 1% cashback for £15 per month Read our full review

Lounge access via American Express cards:

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 1,500 lounges in the Priority Pass network – search it here.

You also get access to Eurostar, Lufthansa and Delta Air Lines lounges.  Our in-depth review of The Platinum Card from American Express is here.

You can apply here.

The Platinum Card from American Express

50,000 bonus points and great travel benefits – for a large fee Read our full review

The American Express Preferred Rewards Gold Credit Card 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 Credit Card review here.

American Express Preferred Rewards Gold Credit Card

Your best beginner’s card – 20,000 points, FREE for a year & four airport lounge passes Read our full review

Lounge access via HSBC Premier credit cards (Premier account holders only):

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 £290 and there are strict financial requirements to become a HSBC Premier customer.  Full details are in my HSBC Premier World Elite Mastercard review.

HSBC Premier World Elite Mastercard

A good package, but only available to HSBC Premier clients Read our full review

Got a small business?

If you have a small business, consider The American Express Business Platinum Card which has the same lounge benefits as the personal Platinum card:

The American Express Business Platinum Card

50,000 points when you sign-up and an annual £200 Amex Travel credit Read our full review

You should also consider the Capital on Tap Pro Visa credit card which has a lower fee and, as well as a Priority Pass for airport lounge access, also comes with Radison Rewards VIP hotel status:

Capital on Tap Pro Visa

10,500 points (=10,500 Avios) plus good benefits Read our full review

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 (114)

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

  • Grant says:
    4 Feb4 February 20:38

    OT – Curve

    Last week’s launch FAQs have now been updated. Those who upgraded to Metal because of AMEX will be allowed to cancel and revert back to Legacy Black and have their £150 refunded.

    “I upgraded to Metal due to Amex, can I cancel and become grandfathered?

    Yes, you can. Customer Support will help you downgrade your account and refund your money. You will not be subjected to the Curve Metal Card Fee described in chapter 5.6.4.1. of our Terms of Service. Please note that your Curve Metal will be deactivated.”

  • cal says:
    4 Feb4 February 20:58

    OT but Eurostar, Ebbsfleet has a business lounge now. Accepts Amex Plat and of course business premier and carte blanche status.

    • Genghis says:
      4 Feb4 February 21:31

      Not too sure exactly how long the lounge has been there but for the last couple of years anyway since I’ve been using Ebbsfleet. I use St P when leaving from the office but now always Ebbsfleet to/from home. It’s so much more convenient.

  • Alan says:
    5 Feb5 February 05:15

    Just flying back from Sydney – Qantas First Lounge here puts CCR to shame! Superb massage and food with great views 🙂

  • Rob says:
    5 Feb5 February 08:51

    I was going to run this yesterday but it isn’t actually true – well, it is but not as general policy. Just seems to be a test to see what would happen if, during timetable disruption, they did not clean aircraft to improve turnaround.

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

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