Priority Pass gives you access to over 1,800 lounges worldwide, but the UK picture is patchier than the marketing suggests. Some airports have four or five options; others have one. Some lounges are free on the card; others charge a supplement on top of your membership. A handful cap numbers and turn people away without a pre-booking.
This guide covers every Priority Pass-accessible lounge at the eight busiest UK airports.
You may also have a DragonPass card rather than a Priority Pass — or be wondering whether it’s worth getting one instead. The short answer is that it makes no difference. Both programmes are owned by the same company (Collinson Group) and accepted at virtually identical lounge lists. Every lounge in this guide that accepts Priority Pass also accepts DragonPass, and the £15 Clubrooms supplement applies equally to both. DragonPass is more commonly issued by Chinese bank cards and certain European fintechs; Priority Pass is the dominant card in the UK, bundled with products like Amex Platinum and HSBC Premier. If you already have one, there’s no reason to seek out the other.
❖ PTP Insight
Pre-booking is now available at most UK airports for a small reservation fee (typically £5–£6). At busy terminals — particularly Gatwick, Heathrow T3, and Edinburgh — pre-booking is strongly recommended. Walk-in refusals are common at peak times.
London Heathrow (LHR)
For our full guide to the best Priority Pass options at Heathrow by terminal, see best lounge at Heathrow T3, best lounge at Heathrow T5, and best lounge at Heathrow T2.
✓ Free on PP
Pre-book recommended. Can get very busy. No runway views. Open 04:45–21:30.
✓ Free on PP
Pre-book recommended. Good runway views. Can reach capacity quickly. Open 05:00–21:00.
✓ Free on PP
Opened 2025. No windows. Pre-book available (£6). Less crowded than other LHR options as still relatively new.
✓ Free on PP
No windows. Can be very busy. No pre-booking option available directly.
✓ Free on PP
Pre-book available (£6). Renovated and reopened April 2025. Buffet, bar, cinema room, runway views. Open 05:00–21:00.
✓ Free on PP
Opened July 2025 in the former Club Aspire space. Compact (297m²), colourful Scandinavian-style design, runway views. Open 05:00–22:00.
+£15 supplement
PP visit + £15 surcharge payable at the door. À la carte menu with table service. Adults only (12+). Opened April 2025.
✓ Free on PP
Pre-book available. Less crowded than T3/T5 options — fewer flights operate from T4.
✓ Free on PP
Upper level above Plaza Premium T4. Generally the quietest PP lounge at Heathrow. Pre-book available.
London Gatwick (LGW)
For our full terminal guides see best lounge at Gatwick North and best lounge at Gatwick South.
✓ Free on PP
Pre-book available (£5). Runway views and cinema room. Consistently well-rated.
+£15 supplement
PP visit + £15 surcharge. À la carte with table service. Adults only (12+). Fast track security included when booked via No1 Lounges direct.
✓ Free on PP
Pre-book available. Casual loft-style setting.
✓ Free on PP
Pre-book available. Largest lounge at Gatwick North. Full hot and cold buffet.
✓ Free on PP
Pre-book available (£5). Runway views.
+£15 supplement
PP visit + £15 surcharge. À la carte with table service. Adults only (12+). Fast track security included when booked via No1 Lounges direct.
✓ Free on PP
Pre-book available. Runway views.
✓ Free on PP
Pre-book available. The only Gatwick lounge with an outdoor terrace.
Manchester (MAN)
✓ Free on PP
Pre-book available (£6) via Manchester Airport site. Can get extremely busy.
✓ Free on PP
Pre-book available. Walk-ins may be refused at peak times.
✓ Free on PP
Pre-book available (£6). Busy at peak times.
✓ Free on PP
Pre-book available.
✓ Free on PP
The premium option at Manchester. Pre-book fee is £21 but a noticeably quieter and higher-quality experience than the Escape lounges.
✓ Free on PP
Pre-book available (£6).
London Stansted (STN)
✓ Free on PP
Closing permanently 28 Feb 2026. Pre-book via Stansted airport site (£6). Currently the only PP lounge at STN.
PP access TBC
Opening 1 Apr 2026. PP and DragonPass access not yet confirmed. Cold buffet, drinks, WiFi. Open 04:30–20:00.
London Luton (LTN)
✓ Free on PP
Pre-book available. Opened 2025. The newer of the two Luton PP options.
✓ Free on PP
Pre-book available. Located in the main departure hall after security.
Edinburgh (EDI)
✓ Free on PP
Walk-in refusals are very common — pre-booking is essentially essential here. Paid bookings take priority over PP walk-ins.
✓ Free on PP
Pre-book available. Newer addition to Edinburgh’s PP options.
✓ Free on PP
Opened 2025. Pre-book available. Third PP option at Edinburgh, adding useful capacity.
Birmingham (BHX)
✓ Free on PP
Pre-book available. Good views. One of the better regional PP options in the UK.
✓ Free on PP
Pre-book available. Two Aspire lounges at BHX (main and south).
+£15 supplement
PP visit + £15 surcharge. À la carte with table service. Adults only (12+). Note: no fast track security available at Birmingham.
Glasgow (GLA)
✓ Free on PP
Pre-book available.
✓ Free on PP
Pre-book available.
Bristol (BRS)
✓ Free on PP
Pre-book available (£5). Basic lounge concept with buffet, bar and WiFi. Internal views only — no windows to the apron. Open 03:30–15:00 Mon–Thu, 03:30–17:00 Fri–Sun. Note: the adjacent Escape Lounge (also at Bristol) does not accept PP — make sure you head to Essence, not Escape.
Cardiff (CWL)
£18 dining credit
Cardiff’s Executive Lounge (51°) dropped Priority Pass in 2019 and does not accept PP cards for lounge access. What PP does list at Cardiff is a £18 dining credit at Y Castell bar/restaurant — each PP visit entitlement gives you £18 off a food and drink bill. This is not lounge access. DragonPass members can still access the Executive Lounge, subject to availability.
East Midlands (EMA)
✓ Free on PP
Pre-book available (£6) via East Midlands Airport site. The only PP lounge at EMA.
★ Elite Tip
Clubrooms lounges (Heathrow T3, Gatwick North, Gatwick South, Birmingham) always carry a £15 supplement on top of your PP visit. The same applies whether your card is a paid Priority Pass or comes via Amex Platinum — Amex does not cover the Clubrooms surcharge.
❖ PTP VERDICT
Gatwick offers the best PP lounge coverage of any UK airport — eight options across two terminals. Heathrow has the most choice but is also the most overcrowded; pre-book or risk refusal. Manchester is surprisingly well served with six PP lounges across three terminals. Edinburgh and Birmingham are decent; Glasgow is thinner. Stansted is mid-transition with its current lounge closing in early 2026. Pre-booking is no longer optional — treat it as standard practice at any busy UK airport. For more on whether Priority Pass is worth having, see our full guide.
