Priority Pass Diary

Is Priority Pass Worth It? I’m Tracking Every Single Thing

I travel a lot. Lima, Iquitos, Chicago, Mexico City, Panama – sometimes all in the same week lately. So when I finally pulled the trigger on a Priority Pass unlimited membership, I decided to do something a little obsessive: track every single thing I eat, drink, and use until I break even.

The membership cost me $469. I’m keeping a running total here of where I stand.

What is Priority Pass?

Priority Pass is a membership program that gets you into airport lounges worldwide regardless of what airline you’re flying or what class you’re in. No more paying $15 for a sad airport sandwich. No more hunting for a working outlet. Just walk in, show your card, and access food, drinks, wifi, showers, and sometimes even sleeping pods.

The unlimited plan means I pay one flat fee and can visit as many lounges as I want with no per-visit charges for one year.

One important thing to know: most Priority Pass lounges only grant access within 3 hours of your departure. That window can matter more than you’d think.

The honest truth so far

Not every lounge is created equal. The Iquitos lounge, bless its heart, has a buffet that I can only describe as charming. Both times I visited this month, I was greeted by the same spread: which for a vegetarian, was a handful of olives and a super-thin sliver of cake. I had a Coke and took an agua con gas to go and called it a win. Twice. But the fact that they have a lounge in Iquitos is amazing and I’m so grateful, nothing but love for the Caral VIP lounge in IQT.

Then there was Lima at midnight. A delay and missed connection left me stranded for longer than planned, and since most Priority Pass lounges only grant access within 3 hours of departure, The Club LIM wasn’t an option yet. I ended up paying $93 out of pocket for a flex suite at Sleepover. My Priority Pass did get me a free shower though, and I realllly needed a shower after a month in the jungle. $15 saved, $93 spent.

And then 4am at The Club LIM, there were comfy seats, a bar and buffet where I got Maracuyá cheesecake, ratatouille pesto sandwiches, fresh fruit, and two lattes. At four in the morning, I became a

The running total

I paid $469. I’ve recouped $278 across 10 visits in 5 countries in one month. I need $191 more to break. (Good thing I’ve got a lot of flights ahead of me)

The live tracker is below, updated after every trip.

Who is Priority Pass actually worth it for?

Based on one month of honest tracking, here’s my take — and the number that surprised me most: at this rate, just 3 international trips could be enough to make Priority Pass worth it.

I’ve only taken 3 long journeys this month and already recouped more than half the membership cost. The math adds up faster than you’d expect.

A few standouts so far: the Air France lounge at O’Hare is a 10 out of 10. The view alone is worth it — easily one of the best airport lounge experiences I’ve had. And the Copa Club in Panama City surprised me with how genuinely nice it was. Both are exactly the kind of visits that make the membership feel like a steal.

Worth noting: lounge availability varies a lot by airport. The Cusco lounge closes at 9pm, which meant I missed it entirely on a late flight. And in Lima’s domestic terminal, TGI Fridays is the only Priority Pass option — which is still a win, just a different vibe than a traditional lounge.

It’s less worth it if you mostly fly domestic short hops with tight connections and no time to sit down.

I’ll keep updating this as I travel. Follow along on Instagram and TikTok for real-time lounge reactions.

A note for vegetarian travelers

All food I mention is vegetarian. Most airport lounges have solid veggie options. And I’ll flag the standouts as I go.