Since becoming a Priority Pass member in late 2016, I had a chance to visit close to 50 lounges belonging to the network. Of those, I visited the following 34 last year:
- Amsterdam, Netherlands: Aspire Lounge Schengen
- Bangkok BKK, Thailand: Air France-KLM Lounge, Louis’ Tavern CIP Lounge Near Gate G2, Oman Air Lounge
- Budapest, Hungary: Menzies Lounge, Platinum Lounge Schengen, Sky Court Lounge
- Busan, Korea: Asiana Lounge (International Terminal), KAL Lounge (International Terminal), Sky Hub Lounge
- Delhi, India: ITC Hotels Green Lounge
- Dubai DXB, UAE: Marhaba Lounge Terminal 3 Concourse B
- Helsinki, Finland: Almost@Home Lounge, Aspire Lounge
- Hong Kong: Plaza Premium Lounge (Arrival Hall), Plaza Premium Lounge (East Hall)
- Honolulu, US: IASS Hawaii Lounge, The Plumeria Lounge by Hawaiian
- Istanbul IST, Turkey: Comfort Lounge, HSBC Premier Lounge, Primeclass CIP Lounge
- Jakarta CGK, Indonesia: Premier Lounge
- Jeju, Korea: Asiana Lounge
- Miami, US: Avianca Sala VIP, VIP Lounge by LATAM
- Paris CDG, France: Sheltair Lounge
- Seoul GMP, Korea: Asiana Lounge (Domestic Terminal), KAL Lounge (Domestic Terminal)
- Tokyo NRT, Japan: IASS Executive Lounge Terminal 1, KAL Business Lounge, T.E.I. Lounge Terminal 1
- Vienna, Austria: Air Lounge, Sky Lounge Schengen
- Yogyakarta, Indonesia: Borobudur Lounge
While in general, the lounges participating in the program are not the best ones out there, I still find Priority Pass membership extremely valuable. Whether for the quiet area to relax and work, free drinks and food, or the ability to take shower between two long-haul flights.
And, occasionally a Priority Pass lounge stands out – sometimes it is nice in and of itself and sometimes it offers considerably more comfort than the alternative of sitting in the terminal’s gate area.
With that in mind, I decided to compile a list of the four best Priority Pass lounges I visited in 2017.
Almost@Home Lounge (Helsinki, Finland)
The first lounge on the list is, just like its name suggests, designed as if it were a home and not a lounge.
While the Almost@Home Lounge was a bit crowded during my visit and the refreshments selection was not the most comprehensive out there (though it was decent, and certainly tasty), I really liked the way the lounge was laid out.
→ Read full review of Almost@Home Lounge
Sky Hub Lounge (Busan, Korea)
The Sky Hub Lounge at Busan Gimhae airport was one of the last lounges I visited in 2017 – and it didn’t disappoint. Especially compared to its airline counterparts, Asiana Lounge and KAL Lounge.
Given the fairly low amount of international flights out of Busan, it is understandable that the two airline lounges were very basic. However, that made the excellent selection of food – as well as more thought out design – of the Sky Hub Lounge stand out that much more.
→ Read full review of Sky Hub Lounge
Oman Air Lounge Bangkok
While the Oman Air Lounge in Bangkok has limited opening hours, other than that it is one of the best Priority Pass lounges I visited.
The lounge offers plenty of seating in the form of comfortable sofas, and even a couple of daybeds partitioned off for comfortable rest. On top of that, it also has a fairly extensive and nicely presented selection of drinks and food.
And, it even has a small aquarium with fish!
→ Read full review of Oman Air Lounge
The Plumeria Lounge by Hawaiian (Honolulu, US)
While the Plumeria Lounge in Honolulu is most certainly not the best Priority Pass lounge as such, it still offered plenty of comfortable seating and a decent selection of refreshments.
What made it stand out though was the contrast with the actual terminal. While the Honolulu airport terminal is old and in many places lacks any sort of decent seating, the lounge was a bright and modern space that certainly provided for a much more comfortable wait.
→ Read full review of Plumeria Lounge
The Four Best Priority Pass Lounges I Visited in 2017 Summary
Overall, while the above four lounges are likely not the four best Priority Pass lounges in the whole world, they are the ones that I enjoyed the most. And, they are the ones that make the membership valuable to me – as compared to the likes of the IASS lounges or domestic KAL Lounges which are barely worth a visit given the facilities they (don’t) offer.
