Passengers flying through London Stansted, Manchester, East Midlands, and Bristol Airports will be able to pre-book access to Priority Pass lounges. For just £6 ($7.2), you can skip the queues, or worse, avoid getting turned away before your next flight, a good deal for the prices. All these airports are owned by the Manchester Airports Group (MAG) and are now online to book immediately.
It’s been no secret that trying to get into paid lounges in UK airports has gone from a card swipe to a lottery ticket since 2021. To combat this, lounges have begun offering pre-booking, allowing you to secure your place for £6 (or more at some facilities). Currently, it is available at London Heathrow, Gatwick, and Birmingham (and many other countries).
As reported by Head for Points, four airports managed by MAG have signed up for the program. Each pre-booking costs, £6 ($7.2) unless stated otherwise.
- London Stansted Airport: Escape Lounge
- Manchester Airport: Escape Lounges in Terminals 1, 2, and 3 and the premium 1903 Lounge in Terminal 2 (£21/$25.6)
- Bristol Airport: Escape Lounge and 1903 Lounge
- East Midlands Airport: Escape Lounge
It’s not only Priority Pass, members of LoungeKey and DragonPass can also sign up for prior access. Note that you have to book at least 24 hours in advance to get access and any reservations need to be canceled by then as well.
How hard is it to get in?
Paying £6 ($7.2) is definitely worthwhile if you have a long layover and would like to rest, grab a bite to eat, and freshen up before the flight. However, considering a family of four would pay £24 ($29.1) for entry, it may not be worthwhile if you only have a short time in the terminal. But sit-down food and drink at airports are notoriously expensive, so a trip to the lounge might make sense for you.
From personal experience, getting in at London Stansted has been a hit and a miss, with more tending toward the former recently. The lounge quickly asks you to join a sign-up list but this clears up quickly, even in the morning peak hour departures. Last time, we got a message within 10 minutes of signing up at 07:15, but this would increase as departures grow.
As someone who usually reaches the airport with 90 minutes to two hours before departure, I’m happy to wait in the terminal if I don’t get off the waitlist in time. But if you’re hungry, £6 is a great deal (try the croissants at the Escape Lounge!).
A global practice
It’s not just the UK where Priority Pass members have the chance to pre-book access. In the US, the Turkish Airline Lounges in Miami, The Club in Orlando, The Lounge in San Juan, and Escape Lounge in Syracruse are included. Mexico, Panama, and Brazil also offer Priority Pass members to guarantee entry, so remember to check the app if you’re going to be there for a while!
Source SimpleFlying.com
