Leeds Bradford opens two new lounges – with the UK’s biggest Priority Pass ‘buy up’

Leeds Bradford Airport opened the first part of its terminal extension last week, and as part of this it launched what it describes as ‘upgraded lounge experiences’.

There is one new lounge and a refurbished lounge. You can see more on the airport website here.

Both accept Dragonpass and Priority Pass, although a substantial additional payment (£39) is required for the premium lounge.

What has changed at Leeds Bradford Airport?

A refurbished basic lounge, The Avro Lounge

The Avro Lounge occupies the space which was previously known as The Yorkshire Lounge, between Gate 8 and Gate 9.

This lounge is not currently available for booking, either outright for cash or for pre-booking with lounge club cards. It is open for walk-ins using Priority Pass or Dragonpass.

It is described as:

a bright and ultramodern lounge designed to cater for travellers seeking a quiet escape before their flight. From cosy sofas to dedicated workspaces, all with access to power outlets and wifi, the Avro Lounge is the perfect escape before your flight. 

The key thing to note is that The Avro Lounge does not serve hot food and does not offer a full bar service. You will need to upgrade to the other lounge if you want this.

What it does offer is:

• free hot drinks
• free cold soft drinks
• free house beer, house red wine and house white wine, capped at three alcoholic drinks per person
• free light snacks and fruit platters
• free kids boxes with savoury snacks and fruit

In terms of food:

• at breakfast – fresh pastries, cereals, fruit

• rest of the day – waiter-served snack platter including olives, tortilla chips and sundried tomatoes to ‘keep you nourished without overindulging’

Here’s some unsolicited reader feedback we received yesterday:

“We had the misfortune of experiencing the Leeds Bradford Priority Pass offering on Sunday. Avro was truly awful. Freezing cold, minimal offerings – beer, red or white wine. When someone asked what the wines were, they were told “it’s red wine from a tap”!

Waiter service but not enough staff, only one girl on when we were there who was restocking, serving, cleaning and was totally overwhelmed (and pretty rude but I could understand why!).

Food: plain tortilla chips, olives and fruit cake, and a bowl of apples and oranges. That’s it. If you’d paid for it, you’d be gutted .…”

As we noted above, you can’t actually pay at the moment, at least in advance. It’s not clear if the offering will change once cash bookings are available.

A new premium lounge, Six Eight One

Six Eight One is a brand new lounge in a brand new space in the terminal extension. Image below.

It is positioned as a ‘premium lounge …. designed for travellers who appreciate the finer details and a touch of exclusivity.’

It is certainly premium priced at £54 per person. There is a £15 discount if you can show a Priority Pass or Dragonpass.

As part of the premium approach, children are banned. You must be 16+ to enter.

Facilities include:

• Complimentary bar service with four complimentary alcoholic drinks per person
• Selection of premium beers, wines and spirits served directly to your table
• Complimentary hot and cold drinks
• Buffet-style dining

The lounge has its own signature cocktail, the Yorkshire Lass. This is an ‘elegant blend of rhubarb and ginger gin, zesty lemon juice, Passoã, and a touch of Aqua Faba to offer the perfect balance of tart and sweet, finished with a silky smooth texture’.

The food selection looks pretty good.

You can see more on the website, but the lunch and evening selections include (to quote):

• Meat & Poultry Favourites: French-style chicken chasseur, Moroccan braised beef or lamb tagine with bulghur wheat and tzatziki, or classic British dishes like giant Yorkshire puddings filled with roast meats, creamy mash, stuffing, and rich gravy.
• Global Flavours: Chicken tikka masala with pilaf rice and naan, or beef madras with flatbread.
• Vegetarian & Vegan Options: Red Thai vegetable curry, creamy mushroom pie, or plant-based chilli sin carne with rice and salsa.
• Pasta Dishes: Choose from penne with rich tomato and basil sauce, fusilli with pesto crème fraiche and spinach, or vegan gnocchi with mushrooms, squash, and vegan nduja.
• Sides & Vegetables: Rotating seasonal vegetables and accompaniments such as roast potatoes, new potatoes, cauliflower, braised red cabbage, and more.

Opening hours

Both lounges are open from 4am to 8pm daily during the summer. The closing time has historically been earlier during the winter.

A dress code applies – no shorts, baseball caps, football shirts or fancy dress allowed.

No groups of more than four adults are allowed.

What does it cost?

The Avro Lounge can be accessed for free with Priority Pass or Dragonpass. Online cash bookings are not currently possible but the link is here.

When they are available, pre-booking will also be possible for Priority Pass and Dragonpass holders, presumably for a small fee.

Six Eight One costs £54 per person when pre-booked. Priority Pass and Dragonpass holders get a £15 discount, although at £39 this is easily the most expensive ‘buy up’ option of any UK airport lounge. The Priority Pass website does not reflect this option – it only shows The Avro Lounge – but the airport website confirms the above pricing.

You can find out more about the new lounges on the Leeds Bradford website here.