Amex Platinum vs Priority Pass – any priority difference for lounge access?
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Just wondering if Amex Plat and Priority Pass (free with Amex Plat) would have exactly the same priority if a lounge is busy?
i.e. Does someone entering e.g. Plaza Premium at T5 using their Amex Plat cause an extra visit fee to be charged to Amex (= extra revenue for the lounge), whereas using the Priority Pass it would already be inclusive in the membership?If both methods are equally likely to be turned away when busy, then I guess the advice would still be to pay the reservation fee in advance.
But it feels wrong to have to pay when you already have 2 theoretically valid ways in!The PP would generate a per-visit charge that the lounge operator bills PP for. So I think what you’re asking is what charge is levied on PP versus Amex.
But if there is a difference, is it likely the front desk attendants will be sufficiently briefed to treat differently? Economics would suggest yes; but in reality I suspect not. I’m still baffled by my visit to Aspire LPL when they didn’t know what to do with a LH J boarding pass so I just entered using PP.
Recently when I asked at the desk they said I could get in 3 hours before my flight with Platinum vs 2 hours before with PP.
Recently when I asked at the desk they said I could get in 3 hours before my flight with Platinum vs 2 hours before with PP.
Interesting; I wonder is that an expectation that Plats have long ago lost the lounge novelty and thus tend to down less of the lounge’s alcohol supply. Whereas PPs may still be in their first flush of giddy lounge excess.
One small difference is that in most (all?) Plaza Premium lounges, the shower fee is waived when you enter with Amex Platinum (but not when you enter with PP), e.g. DXB, SIN.
The PP would generate a per-visit charge that the lounge operator bills PP for. So I think what you’re asking is what charge is levied on PP versus Amex.
Yes, well decoded!
Interesting comments. Overall it does seem to suggest that an Amex Platinum entry earns the lounge operator a higher fee than PP.
Has anyone been refused entry with a PP due to “capacity limits” but subsequently allowed in after producing their Amex Platinum? Might be an interesting experiment…
Also, it is now possible for one Amex Cardholder to enter a Plaza Premium lounge with 2 guests without extra charge, once with the Amex Platinum card and once with the PP card, each time +1 guest. I guess that’s possible because the t&cs for Amex and PP visits don’t interact, and Plaza Premium is happy about the incremental revenue. I guess it’s equivalent to entering with Guest A on Amex, then leaving and entering with Guest B on PP, although this was never physically required.
Also, it is now possible for one Amex Cardholder to enter a Plaza Premium lounge with 2 guests without extra charge, once with the Amex Platinum card and once with the PP card, each time +1 guest. I guess that’s possible because the t&cs for Amex and PP visits don’t interact, and Plaza Premium is happy about the incremental revenue. I guess it’s equivalent to entering with Guest A on Amex, then leaving and entering with Guest B on PP, although this was never physically required.
I was specifically stopped to do this at T5, as one boarding pass/one entry right match rule (could not use the same boarding pass with two – or more- method of entry, it was either Platinum, PP or Dragon Pass).
Well, not a complete answer, but may add to the lounge pass mystery…
I was declined access at Manchester UK with PP, Dragon Pass, and Platinum.. was told it was full and they had to keep spaces for first class and business class users??
I’d have thought I would have qualified on that alone..
I put it down to how appalling the whole airport service is at Manchester.. always awful.Has anyone ever got into a lounge at BHX with PP or Amex Plat?
There were three lounges , 2 Aspire and the No1 but now only 2 as Aspire south closed. Yesterday the queues were astonishing. Aspire queue was 20 minutes only to arrive at the desk and be told it was pre bookings only. I could see many empty seats. The no 1 lounge was the same although I couldn’t see what seats were free.
I conclude, that at BHX at least, there is zero value in the cards. I’ve also been put in a virtual queue at LHR T5 and received a text 8 hours later to say I’d reached the front and could go in!
Do the lounges get more revenue from those that pay and reserve in advance ?
Seems I can only be sure of lounge access at T5 if flying CE or CW and not at all at BHX. I contacted Amex yesterday on this and they basically said it was subject to availability and therefore tough. I just question whether this is a genuine benefit of the Amex Plat at all.Seems I can only be sure of lounge access at T5 if flying CE or CW and not at all at BHX. I contacted Amex yesterday on this and they basically said it was subject to availability and therefore tough. I just question whether this is a genuine benefit of the Amex Plat at all.
Yes Annie, that’s pretty much how it works. Literally never got in at Manchester, Birmingham or Leeds/Bradford, and only once at Heathrow. The good news is that the general experience is that it is far rarer to have the same issue overseas – e.g. I’ve never been turned away anywhere outside the UK over 3 continents worth of usage.
Basically I’d view both Priority Pass and direct Amex PLat entry as cards that gives you free entry to non-UK lounges only, with a discount on (where you can reserve) – or a tiny unreliable chance of free – entry, and use that idea to plan your travel and decide how much you value it as part of the Amex PLat offering.
Yep – what the Squirrel said.
We’ve been very fortunate as a family and have only once failed at Edinburgh. We even managed to squeeze ourselves in at Stansted when, on rejection, I pulled my sad face and asked if there wasn’t even space for 15 minutes to grab some quick breakfast before our flight.
The staff took pity on us that time, seating us at one of many empty reserved tables where we were true to our word. It was much appreciated as there aren’t really any restaurants where you can grab and go in 15 minutes.
Needless to say we were surrounded at 8am by groups drinking beer and white wine.
I do wonder if the lounge operators have good management accountants as a family of four having breakfast on a priority pass is likely more profitable than four lads competing to see how much alcohol they can down.
But family adventures aside I was slightly below 50:50 when travelling with work when the brain’s trust in finance decided that it was cheaper to fly from Edinburgh to Stansted than to City. Thankfully that ended when we hacked the travel booking system to bypass the finance team, with approval from one of the big cheeses. “It’s just Finance financing” he said. “Ignore it”
You can pre book some of the UK lounges with a £6 fee
https://no1lounges.com/priority-pass-cardholder/
I haven’t tested this with an Amex issued priority pass but with another priority pass issued with another card
As most of us know the Amex issued priority pass is a bit inferior to the actual priority pass as it doesn’t have the restaurant credit.
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