The Definitive Guide to the Plaza Premium/Priority Pass break-up

By loungereview.com Team |

On July 1st, 2021, members of Priority Pass and LoungeKey will lose access to many Plaza Premium lounges worldwide.

Early information about the break-up between Collinson, the operator of Priority Pass and LoungeKey, and Plaza Premium, the largest independent airport lounge worldwide, left us fearing that all 80+ Plaza Premium lounges would leave the Priority Pass and LoungeKey networks overnight. The final tally is a more moderate 57 clubs that will suddenly be off-limits to Priority Pass and LoungeKey members.

We’ve compiled a complete list of all Plaza Premium lounges and highlighted those that will remain available and those that will leave Collinson’s programs, as well as alternatives where available. Alternatives include bars, restaurants, and entertainment and sleep facilities that offer a discount to Priority Pass and LoungeKey members; they are not always traditional lounges and often do not provide the same amenities as Plaza Premium Lounges.

Note that the changes do not apply to holders of the American Express Platinum and Centurion charge cards, who will continue to enjoy access to all lounges through a direct partnership between American Express and Plaza Premium.

In this post:

Plaza Premium Lounges in North America

Plaza Premium currently operates 15 lounges in North America. The operator was slated to open additional locations in the US in 2020-2021, although the pandemic has reset the schedule.

All Plaza Premium lounges in the United States and Canada will be leaving Priority Pass and LoungeKey on July 1st, 2021. The change is mostly irrelevant in the US, where Plaza Premium’s footprint is currently limited to a small location at Dallas-Ft. Worth airport. But the operator virtually owns the pay-in lounge market in Canada, and most Priority Pass and LoungeKey members will find themselves without alternatives.

Canada

Edmonton (YEG)

Toronto Pearson (YYZ)

Vancouver (YVR)

Winnipeg (YWG)

United States

Dallas – Ft. Worth (DFW)

Traveling to the US from Vancouver, BC? Priority Pass and LoungeKey members will not have access to the Plaza Premium Lounge as of July 1st, 2021, and there are no alternatives.

Plaza Premium Lounges in South America

Plaza Premium’s presence in South America is sparse, with just three lounges at Rio de Janeiro airport. All Plaza Premium lounges in Brazil will be leaving Priority Pass and LoungeKey on July 1st, 2021.

Brazil

Rio de Janeiro (GIG)

Breakfast on the ground after a long flight to Rio de Janeiro? That won’t be an option for Priority Pass and LoungeKey members after July 1st, 2021, when Plaza Premium and Collinson cut ties

Plaza Premium Lounges in Europe

Plaza Premium may not be a household name in Europe, but the operator basically controls London Heathrow, with departures and arrivals lounges in every terminal. The company also has a burgeoning Western European network with locations at Helsinki and Rome airports.

All Plaza Premium lounges in Europe will be leaving Priority Pass and LoungeKey on July 1st, 2021. The change will be particularly painful at London Heathrow airport where there are few to no alternatives.

Finland

Helsinki (HEL)

  • Plaza Premium Lounge Terminal 2 (Non-Schengen): alternative: Aspire Lounge. Note that the Aspire Lounge is located in the Schengen zone. Passengers traveling outside Europe’s Schengen zone should allow time to go through passport control. Passengers connecting in Helsinki may only use the Aspire Lounge if they are permitted to enter the Schengen space.
Italy

Rome Fiumicino (FCO)

United Kingdom

London Heathrow (LHR)

The popular Plaza Premium Lounge Heathrow Terminal 2 will soon be off-limits to Priority Pass and LoungeKey members.

Plaza Premium Lounges in the Middle East

Plaza Premium’s presence in the Middle East spans four different countries, with a recent expansion into Turkey, where the operator took over two lounges at Istanbul’s Sabiha Gökçen International airport.

All Plaza Premium lounges in the Middle East with the exception of Abu Dhabi will be leaving Priority Pass and LoungeKey on July 1st, 2021.

Oman

Salalah (SLL)

Saudi Arabia

Dammam (DMM)

Riyadh (RUH)

Turkey

Istanbul Sabiha Gökçen International (SAW)

United Arab Emirates

Abu Dhabi (AUH)

Dubai International (DXB)

The Al Dhabi Lounge at Abu Dhabi airport will remain available to Priority Pass and LoungeKey members.

Plaza Premium Lounges in Asia

Plaza Premium was founded in Hong Kong, and Asia remains the operator’s center of gravity. Plaza Premium is extremely well-established in China, India, Malaysia, and Taiwan in particular. Many locations will remain available to Priority Pass and LoungeKey members after July 1st, 2021, though even more will become off-limits.

Cambodia

Phnom Penh (PNH)

Siem Reap (REP)

Beijing Capital (PEK)

Beijing Daxing (PKX)

Guangzhou Baiyun International (CAN)

Hong Kong (HKG)

Macau (MFM)

Shanghai Pudong (PVG)

Shanghai Hongqiao (SHA)

India

Bangalore (BLR)

  • Plaza Premium Lounge – International: this location is currently closed to terminal construction. It is not known whether it will eventually be available to Priority Pass and LoungeKey members.
  • Plaza Premium Lounge – Domestic: this location is currently closed to terminal construction. It is not known whether it will eventually be available to Priority Pass and LoungeKey members.

Chandigarh (IXC)

Hyderabad (HYD)

New Delhi (DEL)

Indonesia

Jakarta (CGK)

Malaysia

Kota Kinabalu (BKI)

Kuala Lumpur (KUL)

Kuching (KCH)

Penang (PEN)

Pulau Langkawi (LGK)

Mactan-Cebu (CEB)

Singapore

Phnom Penh (PNH)

Taiwan

Taipei (TPE)

The Library Lounge at Beijing Daxing airport will not welcome Priority Pass members anymore.

Plaza Premium Lounges in Australia

All Plaza Premium lounges in Australia outside Sydney will be leaving Priority Pass and LoungeKey on July 1st, 2021.

Brisbane (BNE)

Melbourne (MEL)

Sydney (SYD)

Bottom line

On July 1st, 2021, Plaza Premium lounge will cease to accept Priority Pass and LoungeKey cards at 57 locations. Priority Pass and LoungeKey provide a few alternatives, though you may have more options depending on your destination, airline, class of service, and frequent flyer status.

The exodus is not over: Plaza Premium has joined forced with Menzies aviation, and several Menzies-branded lounges in Europe are expected to be rebranded as Plaza premium and subsequently leave Priority Pass and LoungeKey. But Collinson, the company behind Priority Pass and LoungeKey, is fighting back: in addition to negotiating deals with airport restaurants and bars as an alternative to traditional lounges, they have launched a joint-venture with British operator No.1 Lounges that will considerably strengthen the Priority Pass network in the UK.

The Priority Pass program is bound to be fluid in 2021. To find alternatives to Plaza Premium Lounges, let our Lounge Wizard do magic for you: simply enter your itinerary, memberships, and frequent flyer credentials, and we’ll tell you what lounges you can visit.

Update: Our initial post mentioned that the SATS & Plaza Premium Blossom Lounge at Singapore Changi Terminal 4 would leave the network. This was incorrect and has been addressed.

Write a comment or reply

Join the conversation! or create an account so we can keep track of your contributions and help you find lounges that you have access to.