Which UK airport restaurants offer £18 credit to Priority Pass cardholders?

Airport lounge access card Priority Pass is not just about lounges. It also has deals with many airport restaurants where you can receive a free or discounted meal by showing your Priority Pass card.

As I mentioned in our article on the Lloyds Bank World Elite Mastercard on Monday, which comes with a Priority Pass offering restaurant credits, I promised to update our list of participating UK airport restaurants.

At any of these restaurants, you will receive £18 credit towards a meal or drinks. If your Priority Pass allows a free guest and you arrive with someone else, you will receive a £36 credit between you.

Unfortunately these deals are NOT available to anyone who gets their Priority Pass via American Express. It is available to anyone who gets their pass directly from Priority Pass or via the £15 per month Lloyds Bank World Elite Mastercard.

It is also available on cards with stricter eligibility requirements such as the HSBC Premier World Elite Mastercard (requires a HSBC Premier current account) or the Capital on Tap Pro Visa card (for Limited Company owners).

Remember that you could visit multiple sites on the same day if you wish, or visit a restaurant before or after visiting a lounge. Priority Pass has a grumpy warning on their website saying that you really shouldn’t do this but I’ve never heard of anyone getting into trouble ….

London:

London City Airport

• Juniper & Co
• Soul & Grain

London Heathrow

• Big Smoke Taphouse & Kitchen (Terminal 2, image above)
• Evergreen Bar & Restaurant (Terminal 3)

London Gatwick

• Tortilla (North)
• Juniper & Co (North)
• The Breakfast Club (North)
• BrewDog (North)
• Pizza Express (South)

Pizza Express is the only venue on this list which DOES accept American Express-issued Priority Pass cards.

London Luton

• Avalon Crafted Coffee
• Big Smoke Taphouse & Kitchen
• Nolito

London Stansted

• The Camden Bar & Kitchen

Outside London:

Birmingham

• Shelby & Co. Bar + Kitchen

Bristol International

• Starbucks
• Cabin Bar
• Tortilla
• Brigg & Stow

Cardiff

• Y Castell

Glasgow International

• Bird & Signet

Liverpool John Lennon

• Sable & Co

Manchester International

• Starbucks (Terminal 1)
• The Grain Loft (Terminal 1)
• The Evergreen Bar & Brasserie (Terminal 2)

Newcastle International

• Aster & Thyme Bar & Kitchen

But if your Priority Pass is issued by American Express ….

There is only ONE restaurant globally that Amex-issued Priority Pass customers can use.

This is Pizza Express at London Gatwick’s South Terminal. Given that this is the British Airways terminal, it is at least convenient for most HfP readers.

There was a 2nd option, in Berlin, but it was removed a few weeks ago.

My best guess is that Priority Pass wants to charge American Express a higher fee for restaurant visits, as it pays out more than it pays a lounge operator, and that the two parties could not reach an agreement.

Unfortunately the chances of this changing are slim. Sentiment is going the other way – both Chase and Capital One in the US have recently banned restaurant visits from the Priority Pass cards they issue.

You can find out more about these Priority Pass options by searching for an airport via the Priority Pass website.

PS. Without wishing to state the obvious, you should not take part in any of these restaurant deals if you have a ‘pay per use’ or – if you’re not alone – a ‘pay for guests’ Priority Pass. The guest fee is now £24 and you are getting £18 of restaurant credit so you can see the problem!