Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan - Boardroom vs. Priority Pass Membership

When I voted in the Freddies, I noticed this sponsor:

http://www.prioritypass.com/join/What-It-Costs.cfm

I'm having a hard time figuring out why there would be any advantage in joining Boardroom.

Boardroom: $275/year; $100 initiation waived for MVPG; access restrictions that no one can seem to figure out.

Priority Pass: $339/15 months (??); no other fees (apparently); all of the red tape gone; and all of AS Boardrooms seem to be partners, in addition to MANY others worldwide.

Anyone have experience with this...or see the red tape I'm missing?

Per Priority Pass Website:
*enjoy access to over 500 VIP lounges in more than 90 countries and 275 cities worldwide
*guaranteed use regardless of the class of travel or airline you’re flying
*entry to 100 US lounges normally exclusively reserved for airline lounge program members

only reason not to do it is if you bring lots of guests. with boardroom membership it's free, with Priority pass you have to pony up $27 each time...

I travel alone, so for me it wouldn't matter, but for others it could...

When I voted in the Freddies, I noticed this sponsor:

http://www.prioritypass.com/join/What-It-Costs.cfm

I'm having a hard time figuring out why there would be any advantage in joining Boardroom.

Boardroom: $275/year; $100 initiation waived for MVPG; access restrictions that no one can seem to figure out.

Priority Pass: $339/15 months (??); no other fees (apparently); all of the red tape gone; and all of AS Boardrooms seem to be partners, in addition to MANY others worldwide.

Anyone have experience with this...or see the red tape I'm missing?

Per Priority Pass Website:
*enjoy access to over 500 VIP lounges in more than 90 countries and 275 cities worldwide
*guaranteed use regardless of the class of travel or airline you’re flying
*entry to 100 US lounges normally exclusively reserved for airline lounge program members

I started 2007 with a board room membership and as soon as I found PP, I changed over to that. I travel a lot internationally and the board room membership is close to useless with international lounges. I also tend to travel alone, so the lack of guest passes with the PP is a non-issue. I haven't looked back.

Former Boardroom member who changed to Priority Pass this year.

Advantages: Flexibility of choices - fly out of North Satelite in SEA and have access to United's Red Carpet Club; in ORD access to the lounge directly across the hall from gate L2B; in LAS access to US Air lounge (only lounge @ LAS).

Disadvantages: Guests cost additional $$s; higher cost per year.

All in all, I think the PP is a good deal.

Former Boardroom member who changed to Priority Pass this year.


From another one

Since I got the card a couple months ago vs. BR Membership:
Additional Benefits while flying AS:
SFO Int'l Terminal - No AS BR (nor reciprocal lounge access)
SNA - No AS BR " "
CUN - No AS BR " "
EWR - No AS BR " "

I have also used the card in 3 airports in Chile.

The big downside is if traveling frequently with guests.

Urm, yes, what they said. PriorityPass is great for Alaska and more and to be honest in my experience the lovely board room ladies at SEA rarely record guests on the slip so you get a freebie from time to time.

Former Boardroom member who changed to Priority Pass this year.

Advantages: Flexibility of choices - fly out of North Satelite in SEA and have access to United's Red Carpet Club; in ORD access to the lounge directly across the hall from gate L2B; in LAS access to US Air lounge (only lounge @ LAS).

Disadvantages: Guests cost additional $$s; higher cost per year.

All in all, I think the PP is a good deal.

The flexibility looks good, but it does cost more (especially for a perspective College Student) and I'll have guests sometimes, so again a negative. I stay on the AS routemap fairly well, and if I deviate, its usually with NW, so I'm mostly covered.

Also, I seem to recall that CO was putting in a PC to open in LAS this summer... which would be a nice new location for BR members. I'm looking into a trip there with a friend after he and I "are of age" and this would be a nice plus!

This was my first year of going with any lounge membership and I went with PP. I travel alone most of the time and the access that PP provided is far greater than the standard BR.

As a frequent traveler to EWR, the lounge in the same terminal as the AS gate is a UA RCC and that has been very helpful. The agents are always very friends when I enter a BR and always ask if I have ever visited or would like for them to show me around. :)

I am also going to enjoy my PP on a last minute trip PDX-DEN-AUS (on UA) and returning AUS-LAS-SEA (on US). Hope all goes well and I'll at least get to check out some other lounges. :)

The flexibility looks good, but it does cost more (especially for a perspective College Student) and I'll have guests sometimes, so again a negative. I stay on the AS routemap fairly well, and if I deviate, its usually with NW, so I'm mostly covered.

Also, I seem to recall that CO was putting in a PC to open in LAS this summer... which would be a nice new location for BR members. I'm looking into a trip there with a friend after he and I "are of age" and this would be a nice plus!

Maybe, it depends on your travel pattern. There's a membership that's $99/yr +$27/visit +$27/guest. There's another that's $249/yr for up to 10 visits + $27/guest. Then there's unlimited visits for the member for $399/yr + $27/guest.
I did #2 and it worked out very close to the cost of a BR membership for me.

There are also several ads that get the annual membership for the unlimited PP reduced by 15% or so. That is nice and then it is ~$330/yr + $27/guest.

I'm MVP with Alaska but just went with Priority pass cause they are very flexicle and could only use Alaska sproradically as I do a lot of travel in other parts of USA.

One thing I really like about my Priority Pass membership is on those occasions that my Alaska flight from Seattle departs out of the North Satellite gates, I've got access to UA's Red Carpet Club, conveniently located right downstairs at the bottom of the escalator.

One way to reduce the PP fee for guests is to buy the boardroom guest passes--you can buy them from $15 to $25 each. They only work at boardrooms but it does save money.

You can also buy a NW World Club 2 month pass for $85 (ish) and this works great if you will be with several people for an extended trip where you will be going to numerous lounges.

One thing I really like about my Priority Pass membership is on those occasions that my Alaska flight from Seattle departs out of the North Satellite gates, I've got access to UA's Red Carpet Club, conveniently located right downstairs at the bottom of the escalator.

I wouldn't say that's much of a benefit.... :D ;)

I wouldn't say that's much of a benefit.... :D ;)

It was a great benefit last time I flew to Newark and the flight was delayed by 45 minutes due to a gate hold. 45 minutes is not worth while to take the train back to the boardroom and back but plenty of time to make it down the RC club. Sure, its a cave but it beats hanging out in the overcrowded gate area.

It was a great benefit last time I flew to Newark and the flight was delayed by 45 minutes due to a gate hold. 45 minutes is not worth while to take the train back to the boardroom and back but plenty of time to make it down the RC club. Sure, its a cave but it beats hanging out in the overcrowded gate area.

Does it have as many rodents as the RCC's in IAD and ORD?

Does it have as many rodents as the RCC's in IAD and ORD?

You gotta pay extra for those now, just like WiFi.

Does it have as many rodents as the RCC's in IAD and ORD?

Rodents = UA FF members --- then yes.