Which 10 UK airport lounges can now be pre-booked by Priority Pass cardholders?

Many UK airport lounges, particularly in London, are now so busy that it is hard to get in at peak times using a lounge club card such as Priority Pass. This was particularly acute last year, when travel roared back but many lounges had yet to re-open.

To combat this issue, Priority Pass has been working with lounges to let you pre-book slots for £6. Whilst not ideal, it does at least guarantee you a spot when you want it.

Priority Pass has recently loaded five more UK airport lounges into the reservation system, taking the total that offer pre-booked timeslots to ten. It is worth noting that Priority Pass has an indirect shareholding in all ten.

You can pre-book all the following lounges on the Priority Pass pre-book website here. There is also a link to this page in the Priority Pass app on the page for each participating lounge.

You can also make reservations if you have a Lounge Key card via a HSBC Premier World Elite Mastercard.

10 UK lounges you can pre-book with Priority Pass

Heathrow Terminal 3

Three lounges are available to pre-book at Heathrow – two in Terminal 3 and one in Terminal 5:

Club Aspire Lounge Heathrow Terminal 3 (review here): opened in 2016, the lounge can accommodate just over 120 guests and is located near Gate 9. In addition to all the usual amenities (wifi, food and drinks including wines and spirits) the lounge also features showers, a quiet zone and (most importantly!) runway views. Reservations are £6.

No1 Lounge Heathrow Terminal 3 (review here): this is a bigger facility than Club Aspire and opened in 2011. This lounge features 12 bedroom pods for transiting passengers – the first of their kind in the UK – as well as showers and a spa. The 10-seat cinema/TV lounge is still operational, whilst food, drinks and wifi are standard. Reservations are £6.

Heathrow Terminal 5

Club Aspire Lounge Heathrow Terminal 5 (review here): this is the only Priority Pass lounge available at Heathrow Terminal 5 – the only other independent lounge is the Plaza Premium, which is a mirror image of this one (Plaza Premium accepts American Express Platinum cards and DragonPass but not Priority Pass). The Club Aspire is a relatively narrow lounge located on a thin terrace near Gate 18. Whilst the natural light and airiness is excellent – it is open to the wider terminal – it is often overcrowded. Reservations are £6.

Gatwick North

Clubrooms Gatwick North (review coming this month): Clubrooms is the top-tier lounge brand in No1 Lounge stable with table service and a la carte dining. As such, Priority Pass charges an additional £15 fee on the door even if you’re not pre-booking in advance. Whilst the food and service here are undoubtedly premium, the windowless room means that it feels like you’re in a basement. Reservations are £15 and include fast-track security.

No1 Lounge Gatwick North (review here): At almost 1000 square metres this is a large facility with panoramic floor-to-ceiling windows occupying what used to be the lower floor of the British Airways lounge. Inside you’ll find a spa and showers available for an extra charge, as well as a small kids play area and a cinema / TV lounge. Reservations are £6 and include fast-track security.

Gatwick South

My Lounge Gatwick South (review here): My Lounge is the cheapest of No1 Lounges brands but that doesn’t mean that the company has cut costs on the design. It looks trendy with industrial-style design, (fake) exposed brickwork and the like. It’s not huge but has been partitioned into a variety of rooms. It also features – uniquely – an outdoor terrace. A small buffet is available, as are self-pour wines and spirits. Reservations are £6 and include fast-track security.

No1 Lounge Gatwick South (review here): Another No1 Lounge, it is relatively small and can therefore get quite busy, particularly during peak times. If you can get in you’ll be treated to a bright, open stylishly designed space with wrap-around windows and warm wood and leather furniture. A central bar dishes out alcohol, although you’ll have to pay for anything more than the basics. A makeshift buffet serves food. There are toilets but no showers. Reservations are £6 and include fast-track security.

Clubrooms Gatwick South (review here): This is the original Clubrooms lounge and opened in 2015. Originally intended to offer genuinely private club rooms, the model has changed somewhat and it now offers a typical lounge experience but with premium table service and an a la carte menu. As at Gatwick North, you’ll need to pay a £15 additional fee whether you reserve in advance or not, so it’s worth pre-booking to get fast-track security bundled in. Reservations are £15 and include fast-track security.

Birmingham Airport

Clubrooms Birmingham (review here): Close to Gate 54, the Clubrooms at Birmingham Airport opened in 2019. Blue wood panelling, large windows and a parquet floor mean this lounge really does make you forget you’re at an airport. As with other Clubrooms, a la carte dining and table service mean you don’t even need to get up. Image above. Reservations are £15.

No1 Lounge Birmingham (review here): Last refurbished in 2019, this No1 Lounge features an unusual mezzanine level with sofas in addition to its dining area and armchairs. A meeting room, TV room and private room can be pre-booked, whilst a small buffet is on offer with alcoholic drinks available from behind the bar – although expect to pay more for champagne or prosecco. Reservations are £6.

Conclusion

You can now pre-book access at 10 UK Priority Pass lounges. Whilst this comes at an additional fee, it does guarantee you entry and at Gatwick you’ll even be able to use fast track security.

If you want to visit a Clubrooms lounge, reservations are a no-brainer. The fee is the same as the supplement you would need to pay on the door anyway, and at Gatwick you get fast track security included.

To pre-book, head to the Priority Pass pre-booking site here (branded as No1 Lounges, confusingly).

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How to get FREE airport lounge access via UK credit cards (September 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 1,500 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.

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

SPECIAL OFFER: Until 22nd October 2024, the bonus on American Express Business Platinum is increased to up to 80,000 Membership Rewards points, worth 80,000 Avios. You will receive 8 points per £1 spent for the first three months, on up to £10,000 of spending. Click here to read our full card review. Click here to apply.

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.

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.

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