Priority Pass ‘digital membership card’ now available

Priority Pass, the airport lounge network which offers access to 850 lounges worldwide, rolled out the final stage of its relaunch yesterday.

As part of this – and I think this is a relatively new feature – Priority Pass is now offering a digital membership card via its app.

This has two benefits:

If you pay to join Priority Pass (plans start at £69) you can access lounges immediately by using the digital card.  The app is even available for a Blackberry which will please my wife.

You no longer need to worry about packing your plastic card as long as you have your smartphone with you.

To be 100% fair, the Priority Pass website does say that the ‘majority’ of lounges are accepting the digital membership card but that you should carry the plastic card for 100% certainty.

You can use the digital card even if your Priority Pass is provided free with your American Express Platinum.  You need to have a username so – even if you registered for the old version of the Priority Pass website which worked via your membership number – you need to re-register to set up a username.

It only took me a few seconds to do this and I was then able to download the app and log in.

If you have a Priority Pass card, I recommend that you download the app now even if you have no immediate plans to use it.  You never know when you will be in an airport and decide you want to use your pass – even if you have lounge access already, you might decide the Priority Pass option is better.

How to get FREE airport lounge access via UK credit cards (December 2021)

As a reminder, here are the three options to get FREE airport lounge access via a credit or charge card:

The Platinum Card from American Express

30,000 points and an unbeatable set of travel benefits – for a fee Read our full review

The Platinum Card from American Express comes with two free Priority Pass cards, one for you and one for a supplementary cardholder. Each card admits two so a family of four gets in free. You get access to all 1,300 lounges in the Priority Pass network – search it here. 

You also get access to Plaza Premium, Delta and Eurostar lounges.  Our American Express Platinum review is here. You can apply here.

American Express Preferred Rewards Gold

Your best beginner’s card – 20,000 points, FREE for a year & two airport lounge passes Read our full review

American Express Preferred Rewards Gold is FREE for the first year. It comes with a Priority Pass card loaded with two free visits to any Priority Pass lounge – see the list here. 

Additional lounge visits are charged at £20.  You get two more free visits for every year you keep the card.  

There is no annual fee for Amex Gold in Year 1 and you get a 20,000 points sign-up bonus.  Full details are in our American Express Preferred Rewards Gold review here.

HSBC Premier World Elite Mastercard

A huge bonus, but only available to HSBC Premier clients Read our full review

HSBC Premier World Elite Mastercard gets you get a free LoungeKey card, allowing you access to the LoungeKey network.  Guests are charged at £20 although it may be cheaper to pay £60 for a supplementary credit card for your partner.

The card has a fee of £195 and there are strict financial requirements to become a HSBC Premier customer.  Full details are in my HSBC Premier World Elite Mastercard review.

PS. You can find all of HfP’s UK airport lounge reviews – and we’ve been to most of them – indexed here.