Priority Pass - Access Denied (lounge full)
#16
Join Date: Apr 2015
Posts: 456
Think of it this way. Since this is flyer talk, let's think of lounges as operating something similar to airplanes.
Lounge access due to premium cabin boarding pass on affiliated airline - Self explanatory, you're the top dogs and you board first.
Lounge access obtained from official lounge annual membership (Directly through the lounge) - These can be compared to "full fare air tickets" with high airline status
Lounge access from day passes - These would be something like heavily discounted economy tickets with little to no airline status and purchased through one of those desperation channels such as "Name your price" on Priceline. They're going to try and bump you first if they're overbooked.
Lounge access from third party membership like Priority Pass/Airport Angel, et al. - Sorry to break it to you, but you're basically flying standby on your dad's airline employee family pass... and the gate agent knows and hates your dad.
Fortunately, in most of the airports I frequent there has been plenty of capacity. But that sadly isn't the case for all airports, especially domestic ones. I would hope that this would improve, but it doesn't seem to have gotten much better in the past two decades. I'm not holding my breath.
Lounge access due to premium cabin boarding pass on affiliated airline - Self explanatory, you're the top dogs and you board first.
Lounge access obtained from official lounge annual membership (Directly through the lounge) - These can be compared to "full fare air tickets" with high airline status
Lounge access from day passes - These would be something like heavily discounted economy tickets with little to no airline status and purchased through one of those desperation channels such as "Name your price" on Priceline. They're going to try and bump you first if they're overbooked.
Lounge access from third party membership like Priority Pass/Airport Angel, et al. - Sorry to break it to you, but you're basically flying standby on your dad's airline employee family pass... and the gate agent knows and hates your dad.
Fortunately, in most of the airports I frequent there has been plenty of capacity. But that sadly isn't the case for all airports, especially domestic ones. I would hope that this would improve, but it doesn't seem to have gotten much better in the past two decades. I'm not holding my breath.
Last edited by baroqen; Aug 9, 2017 at 2:21 am
#17
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: Ann Arbor, MI, USA
Programs: Amex Plat, Bonvoy Gold, lots of points, & timeshares I got for free. To talk travel deals, PM me!
Posts: 255
2-year-old thread, but still relevant
Also, if turned away on Priority Pass, I assume there is usually still the option to pay for one-day access?
#18
Moderator
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: Miami, Mpls & London
Programs: AA & Marriott Perpetual Platinum; DL & HH Gold
Posts: 48,954
No. Lounge attendants know nothing about your Priority Pass membership, and there are many variations: paid, sponsored; unlimited visits, limited visits, pay for every visit; free guests, paid guests etc. All the lounge does is scan the card and record the number of guests (if any).
However, Priority Pass has also added restaurants, and memberships sponsored by American Express are not valid at those locations. The restaurant knows this, and may ask who sponsors yours. In this regard, a membership sponsored by American Express is inferior to those offered by other banks.
However, Priority Pass has also added restaurants, and memberships sponsored by American Express are not valid at those locations. The restaurant knows this, and may ask who sponsors yours. In this regard, a membership sponsored by American Express is inferior to those offered by other banks.
Last edited by mia; Aug 7, 2019 at 2:40 pm
#19
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Feb 2001
Location: Berkeley, CA USA
Programs: Piggly Wiggly "Shop the Pig!" Preferred Shopper
Posts: 57,074
However, Priority Pass has also added restaurants, and memberships sponsored by American Express are not valid at those locations. The restaurant knows this, and may ask if who sponsors yours. In this regard, a membership sponsored by American Express is inferior to those offered by other banks.
#20
Moderator
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: Miami, Mpls & London
Programs: AA & Marriott Perpetual Platinum; DL & HH Gold
Posts: 48,954
If I understand correctly that the restaurant is paid a flat fee per person, the same as a lounge, the transaction amount wouldn't need to be passed to Priority Pass. I hope that the Priority Pass system would reject the card in real time.
#21
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: Ann Arbor, MI, USA
Programs: Amex Plat, Bonvoy Gold, lots of points, & timeshares I got for free. To talk travel deals, PM me!
Posts: 255
No. Lounge attendants know nothing about your Priority Pass membership, and there are many variations: paid, sponsored; unlimited visits, limited visits, pay for every visit; free guests, paid guests etc. All the lounge does is scan the card and record the number of guests (if any).
However, Priority Pass has also added restaurants, and memberships sponsored by American Express are not valid at those locations. The restaurant knows this, and may ask if who sponsors yours. In this regard, a membership sponsored by American Express is inferior to those offered by other banks.
However, Priority Pass has also added restaurants, and memberships sponsored by American Express are not valid at those locations. The restaurant knows this, and may ask if who sponsors yours. In this regard, a membership sponsored by American Express is inferior to those offered by other banks.
So, is there some way to offer to pay for lounge access if one has a Priority Pass membership that lets one in for free? I do have another membership (through a Marriott-owned timeshare program) that includes pay-per-day Priority Pass membership. However, I have never bothered to get a paid Priority Pass membership, and I doubt I have time to get a card for the paid program before my trip.
And, if I take it correctly, my Amex Plat card doesn't help in any way with getting into a Priority Pass lounge?
#22
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: Verdi, NV, SFO & Olympic (aka Squaw )Valley.
Programs: Ikon Pass Full + AS Gold + Marriott Titanium + Hilton Gold. Recovering UA Plat. LT lounge AA+DL+UA
Posts: 3,823
Well you can order a Priority Pass with your Amex Plat which will grant you access to non-restaurant lounges. Most restaurants, of course, are happy to let you settle the tab on your amex.
#23
Join Date: Apr 2015
Posts: 456
Thanks for the great reply! Yeah, I've heard about the downgrade where restaurants are no longer paid for by Amex. Luckily, I have both Amex Plat and CSR.
So, is there some way to offer to pay for lounge access if one has a Priority Pass membership that lets one in for free? I do have another membership (through a Marriott-owned timeshare program) that includes pay-per-day Priority Pass membership. However, I have never bothered to get a paid Priority Pass membership, and I doubt I have time to get a card for the paid program before my trip.
And, if I take it correctly, my Amex Plat card doesn't help in any way with getting into a Priority Pass lounge?
So, is there some way to offer to pay for lounge access if one has a Priority Pass membership that lets one in for free? I do have another membership (through a Marriott-owned timeshare program) that includes pay-per-day Priority Pass membership. However, I have never bothered to get a paid Priority Pass membership, and I doubt I have time to get a card for the paid program before my trip.
And, if I take it correctly, my Amex Plat card doesn't help in any way with getting into a Priority Pass lounge?
#24
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Feb 2001
Location: Berkeley, CA USA
Programs: Piggly Wiggly "Shop the Pig!" Preferred Shopper
Posts: 57,074
My sense as well. So if my guess is right, an Amex-issued PP card won’t work at all at these restaurants. The cardholder might have a restaurant bill of $5 or $500, but there’s no way for the restaurant to send that information through the system.
#25
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: Blue Ridge, GA
Posts: 5,509
It's still unclear to me how the restaurant interacts with PP. Places are pulling out altogether, while others just deny Amex-issued cards. A few are lunch only, not breakfast. Hard to believe PP codes in the expiration date of participation on all those instances in real time across all avenues of membership. As the British say, it's a total pig's breakfast.
#26
Moderator
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: Miami, Mpls & London
Programs: AA & Marriott Perpetual Platinum; DL & HH Gold
Posts: 48,954
The lounge or restaurant would have to enforce its own time-of-day or category-of-merchandise restrictions. Priority Pass's system should enforce the sponsor exclusions.
#27
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Feb 2001
Location: Berkeley, CA USA
Programs: Piggly Wiggly "Shop the Pig!" Preferred Shopper
Posts: 57,074
It's still unclear to me how the restaurant interacts with PP. Places are pulling out altogether, while others just deny Amex-issued cards. A few are lunch only, not breakfast. Hard to believe PP codes in the expiration date of participation on all those instances in real time across all avenues of membership. As the British say, it's a total pig's breakfast.
Still, it's this really interesting psychology/microeconomics/business experiment. You have this card that gives you $x in free food/drinks at an airport bar/restaurant. The credit does not include tips for the wait staff or bartenders. Some FTers have reported charging $0.01 on their credit card and putting in a decent tip. I'm guessing that there are airport workers who have really gone to town on this benefit, and in a way that they could not comfortably do with the airport lounges.
And now we have the Amex vs. Chase aspect. So far, at least, it looks like Chase is willing to put up with the abusers so as to offer a Priority Pass benefit that is better than what Amex offers.
#28
Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: NYC
Programs: Delta Gold, Marriott Platinum, Former Amtrak Select, Former Hilton Gold
Posts: 422
#29
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Feb 2001
Location: Berkeley, CA USA
Programs: Piggly Wiggly "Shop the Pig!" Preferred Shopper
Posts: 57,074
In my limited experience and many others' who have posted, the restaurant/bar swipes the PP card and doesn't ask for a boarding pass. Maybe they're supposed to ask for it, but it doesn't seem to be scanned like it usually is at PP-accepting lounges.