Are Mastercard World Elite credit cards swapping from Lounge Key to DragonPass?

Certain Mastercard World Elite credit cards in the UK offer airport lounge access via the LoungeKey network. The two you are most likely to come across are Curve Metal – which charges £20 for every lounge visit – and the HSBC Premier World Elite credit card (review) where lounge access for the cardholder is free.

LoungeKey is owned by Priority Pass and the lounge networks are very similar, although not identical.

In some parts of the world, Mastercard World Elite has started to migrate to DragonPass.

It has just been announced that World Elite credit cards in Canada will be switching between now and mid May. It also appears to be live for cardholders in Qatar, Bahrain and Pakistan.

It isn’t clear if this is a global switch or not. It would be good news if Mastercard World Elite in the UK switched to DragonPass, however.

The key difference between DragonPass and Lounge Key / Priority Pass is that the former has access to Plaza Premium airport lounges. If Mastercard UK switches, you would gain access to the excellent Plaza Premium lounges at Heathrow Terminals 2, 3, 4 and 5 and at Gatwick’s North Terminal. Let’s see what happens.

PS. It isn’t yet clear if Barclaycard will be offering any lounge privileges with the new Barclaycard Avios Plus credit card, which is a World Elite product. I imagine it is unlikely, as nothing has been announced, but I have asked for more information on which World Elite benefits it intends to offer.

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Want to earn more points from credit cards? – March 2023 update

If you are looking to apply for a new credit card, here are our top recommendations based on the current sign-up bonuses.

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