Founded in London in 1992, Priority Pass began as a membership program designed to give travelers access to airport lounges regardless of airline or ticket class. Over three decades later, it has grown into one of the world’s largest independent airport lounge networks, with more than 1,300 lounges across 148 countries. The company remains UK-based, though its footprint is global.
Priority Pass has also expanded its offerings to include dining, retail, and spa credits at select airports. Today, the program is often bundled with premium credit cards such as the Chase Sapphire Reserve, American Express Platinum, and Citi Prestige. Our review focuses on Priority Pass as provided through the Chase Sapphire Reserve Business card, as well as initial impressions as a direct member.
🌟 Quality – 1 out of 6 stars
The lounges themselves are of high quality: clean, comfortable, and equipped with Wi-Fi, food, and beverages. However, the inability to log into the Priority Pass website undermines this benefit. We received a QR code through Chase but could not manage the membership directly with Priority Pass. For a service that sells convenience, this is a major shortcoming.
💰 Value – 2 out of 6 stars
As a stand-alone product, Priority Pass costs $469/year for full membership. In our case, it came bundled with the Chase Sapphire Reserve Business card (annual fee: $795). On paper, this looks like added value. In practice, Chase’s integration with Priority Pass is inconsistent, leaving us with limited functionality and undermining the perceived value.
💵 Price – 3 out of 6 stars
Priority Pass commands a high fee, whether purchased outright or via a bundled credit card. If the service worked seamlessly, the pricing could be justified by frequent lounge access and added perks. Unfortunately, the operational disconnect between Chase and Priority Pass reduces the overall return on investment.
📞 Customer Support – 0 out of 6 stars
Customer support is Priority Pass’s weakest link. We contacted Chase, the number on the back of the credit card, and “special support lines.” None were able to resolve the account issue. Both companies pointed fingers at the other, leaving the customer stranded in the middle. For a premium service aimed at business travelers, this is unacceptable.
📲 Ease of Use – 1 out of 6 stars
Using Priority Pass via Chase is unnecessarily complicated. While Chase provides a QR code, Priority Pass’s system does not recognize the membership directly. This creates confusion about future lounge access and limits flexibility. Interestingly, signing up directly with Priority Pass was simple and straightforward — proof that the integration problem lies primarily with Chase. Still, the customer experience as delivered matters most, and it’s lacking here.
🛡️ Durability – Not Rated
Durability measures how well a service holds up over time. Since our experience is limited, we cannot yet assign a fair score. We’ll revisit this category after using Priority Pass consistently over several trips.
🏁 Final Verdict – 2 out of 6 stars
Priority Pass, as delivered through the Chase Sapphire Reserve Business card, has been underwhelming. While the lounges themselves are of high quality, integration issues, poor customer support, and a confusing user experience overshadow the benefits.
We intend to follow up with a review of Priority Pass as a direct customer. Until then, we remain unimpressed: a premium service at a premium price, but with subpar execution.
