Our review of Aspire Rewards – and how Priority Pass lounge visits count

Aspire Rewards is the little-knowm reward scheme for Aspire and Club Aspire airport lounges in the UK.

It isn’t widely used, but it shoud be on your radar because Priority Pass visits count.  Visits via Lounge Key and DragonPass also count.  What is better than picking up an extra reward from something that you are not paying for in the first place?

You can find out more on the Aspire Rewards website here.

Aspire Rewards is app based, available via the Apple and Google app stores.  There is no ‘non digital’ alternative.

You need to download the Aspire Rewards app, create an account and then scan the QR code in the app each time you enter an Aspire lounge.

As far as I can see, there is no ability to drop the membership card into Apple Wallet which is a little annoying.

What happens to my LoungeMiles card?

Aspire Rewards replaces the previous card-based LoungeMiles scheme.

If you still have a LoungeMiles card you can continue to get it stamped until it is full, but no new cards are being issued.  You will need to switch to Aspire Rewards at that point.

Cards must be redeemed within 24 months of the first stamp.  If you have a completed LoungeMiles card which you have been unable to redeem due to coronavirus, you can contact customerrelations@executivelounges.com and they will try to help.

How do you earn Aspire Rewards points?

The scheme is simplicity itself:

You earn 4 points per £1 if you book via executivelounges.com or pay on the door

You earn 50 points per lounge visit (25 points for a child) if you enter via a Priority Pass, Lounge Club or other lounge scheme card

Importantly, “multiple visitors within one transaction can be added to one loyalty account“

You can only earn points at UK Aspire lounges.

How do you spend Aspire Rewards points?

There are two sorts of rewards:

500 points gets you a free lounge visit – this does NOT seem to be transferable because you redeem by scanning your phone

700 points gets you a £5 shopping voucher for:

John Lewis

Amazon

Marks & Spencer

You are basically getting 35p per lounge visit, assuming you get in via a Priority Pass or Lounge Club card, as the only redemption worth getting if you have such a card is the shopping voucher.

It is a lot more generous if you are paying cash for your visits.  At an average of £25 per visit, you’d be getting a free pass after every five paid visits.

Note that your points have a 24 month hard expiry – activity does not keep them alive.  However, Aspire Rewards has extended all accounts by 12 months during coronavirus.

Which lounges take part in Aspire Rewards?

Here are the participating lounges, according to the app.  I have linked to our reviews:

Belfast City lounge (Aspire) – review here 

Birmingham North lounge (Aspire) – review here 

Birmigham South lounge (Aspire) – review here 

Bristol lounge (Aspire) – review here 

Bristol lounge (Aspire Plus) – review here 

Edinburgh x 2 lounges (Aspire) – review here and review here

Humberside lounge (Aspire) – review here 

Inverness lounge (Aspire) – review here 

Liverpool lounge (Aspire) – review here 

London Gatwick North lounge (Club Aspire) – review here 

London Gatwick South lounge (Club Aspire) – review here

London Heathrow Terminal 3 lounge (Club Aspire) – review here 

London Luton lounge (Aspire) – review here but has been refurbished

Manchester Terminal 1 lounge (Aspire) – review here 

Manchester Terminal 2 lounge (Aspire) 

Newcastle lounge (Aspire) – review here 

Newcastle (Aspire Plus) – review here 

Note that the lounge in Heathrow Terminal 5 does NOT take part.

You can find out more about Aspire Rewards on its website here.

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.