typical

I get both. *shrug*

I have noticed this but it has so far been marginal.

ggonzaga

I used to have PP on my Santander Unlimited Mastercard Black (issued in Brazil) card, but then they changed it to LoungeKey. I get unlimited complimentary lounge visits but only 8 complimentary guests. It's a bad version of PP like someone else said, they try to mask that they have fewer lounges etc by showing these "airport experiences" which really means $10 voucher on a mediocre airport restaurant. No thanks.

ftrichard

Bump. Does anyone know if LoungeKey is a globally standard programme that offers access to the same list of LoungeKey lounges no matter which country/card qualifies you for access?

I know that card issuers have different rules for access (unlimited free access, 12 free visits a year, cardholder only etc.) but what I want to know is if the list of available lounges is the same no matter which institution got you eligibility.

For example, HSBC Premier World Elite Mastercard issued by HSBC Expat says it gives access to "over 750 premier airport lounges" with LoungeKey.

But the website of Mastercard Airport Experiences Provided by LoungeKey boasts more than 1000 lounges.

HSBC's Singapore Visa card says it's got 1100 lounges through LoungeKey.

So does anyone know if it's a single, standard, programme or if banks subscribe you to different levels of membership secretly? I used to have 10-12 free accesses a year with my Malaysian HSBC Premier World Travel Mastercard but they downgraded lounge access to a very limited bunch of Plaza Premier lounges a while ago so I'm looking for an alternative.

My choice from HSBC Expat is the above-mentioned Mastercard with >750 LoungeKey lounges or an Amex card that gives me Priority Pass but I'm not sure if I need the additional coverage of the PP.

typical

As far as I know, it's one list for all.

There's a lounge finder here: https://loungefinder.loungekey.com/en/elo/

My past impressions have been that LoungeKey isn't as well accepted as Priority Pass. For example LK has 3 lounges in CDG vs PP's 5, and 3 in JFK vs PP's 6 [plus both include credit at a steakhouse]. Whereas they offer the same 8 lounges at LHR, the same 12 lounges at SIN, and the same 5 lounges at JNB.

ftrichard

Thanks. It's quite believable that there's only one LoungeKey list and the discrepancy is due to poor marketing by the local banks. The logo usually appears at the Lounge Dragon's desk and so it wouldn't be practical to have different secret levels of membership with different people turning up demanding entry based on the logo. I'm guessing that the LoungeKey lounges are the cheaper ones that Priority Pass contracts with which is why LK doesn't get the full list. But who knows.

I will probably get the Premier World Mastercard from HSBC Expat because for GBP250 a year I get unlimited LoungeKey access for two cardholders whereas the Amex costs US$550 for the equivalent PP access. And Mastercard is accepted everywhere. And this card has a couple of bonus points offers in year one that will give me some welcome additional Asia Miles while I'm still using Cathay a lot.

Bussyron

Hi guys, recently I visited a Loungekey lounge in Cochin and would like to highlight my experience so you can be careful if you ever intend to use it. I asked if using a Mastercard guaranteed free entry (given the "misleading" signs they've put up around the airport terminal airside) and the staff said that they would check. I handed over my credit card and they said was it it would be free since that card could "go through in the system" (and I did not need to sign for it). Little did I know that I had been charged after a week, as shown on my credit card bill. Please take note when using lounge accesses.

Beano

Did you get the charge reversed ?

Bussyron

Hi Beano, it seems to me that they would like to channel all responsibility in this to the card issuer (i.e. the bank). The person handling my call was impolite and while they replied promptly via email, the reply largely deviated from the issue, and any email further to them has thus far drew silence.

ftrichard

Does your MasterCard issuer bank include LoungeKey entry as part of your credit card benefits? If not, then despite local logos and the ignorance of lounge dragons, what made you think you would get free lounge access with a credit card that doesn't list it among the benefits? LoungeKey is independent of Visa or MasterCard. It's an agreement between your card's issuing bank and the LoungeKey company. Issuing banks are usually very clear if they offer lounge access as a benefit and - if so - that you have to quote LoungeKey as the scheme at the entrance. It's normal to swipe your eligible LoungeKey credit card at the entrance and not be charged a cent because it's included in the credit card package of your issuing bank.

It sounds like you just paid for access direct to the lounge operator with your MasterCard. The lounge dragons who work for the lounge operator will not know the detail of each credit card's benefits from thousands banks around the world as to whether your specific bank has such an agreement.

Bussyron

Hi ftrichard, it's good that you are very aware of the scheme and how it works - I believe you do travel alot to know this or have research alot.

As a layman passenger who was faced with limited choices of food in the airport during an early morning flight, and with Mastercard signs posted throughout the airside leading to the lounge, I had thought it was worth a query at the lounge as to how it worked since I had a Mastercard.

I wasn't expecting the visit to be free, but would have appreciated that if the staff wasn't sure of how the system work, he would have advised me that he wasn't sure if I would be charged, rather than telling me it was free (I asked twice if it was really free as well). And it certainly didn't help further with the negative experiences I had when contacting Loungekey.

typical

If you want entry through LoungeKey, you need to explicitly ask for LoungeKey.

If you sign a receipt with a currency figure on it, you probably haven't got in with LoungeKey.

Bussyron

Hi typical, the thing is I was not even asked to sign anything, even when I asked if I was needed to. The staff just took my card to do a "check" (as he termed it).

ftrichard

If you're on Flyertalk then you're after insight into a travel related situation. I gave it and explained the relationship between MasterCard, the credit card issuing bank, LoungeKey and the lounge (and their staff) itself.

I hope that you feel better equipped to understand this situation in the future as a result of your sharing and the insight that you received from me. I may be wrong, but your reply to me explaining what happened feels very snippy and you're still aggrieved that LoungeKey has done something wrong when it has no relationship with you.

You've only made a few posts on Flyertalk and over time you may understand that when you explain a situation asking for feedback and you receive that feedback, it's better not to appear to be snippy if you don't like the facts.

As I say, I could be wrong in the tone of your reply and you may well have been thanking me for explaining what happened to you in your own, special, way.

Bussyron

Hi ftrichard, I think what you've provided is of good insights and will definitely benefit those reading it.
Rest assure that at no point was the the tone meant to offend you.

Being in the situation that I was in, it really had been a frustrating experience. And I'm sure that what we've shared will definitely allow others to make more informed decisions so as to avoid the situation that I've faced.

donotblink

Does anyone know if the AAdvantage Aviator Silver card is supposed to get LoungeKey access, I'm trying to put in my CC number on the registration page, but it's not taking it. I want to use it at Bobby Van's at JFK because I can't use my Amex PP card there anymore.