A complete guide to Plaza Premium Lounges

If you find yourself standing outside of a Plaza Premium lounge wondering how to get in, let us take away the mystery and show you how some of the cards you might have in your wallet right now can grant you access. 

How do I get into the Plaza Premium Lounges?

Plaza Premium lounges have one of the most diversified, and confusing, policies for entry into their lounges. Whether or not you can enter into their airport sanctuaries depends on the credit card you own, the membership you are a part of, or even the type of airline ticket you’re flying.

Priority Pass Membership

In 2021, Priority Pass and Plaza Premium parted ways, but in 2023 they got back together, albeit on a limited basis.

Many of the Plaza Premium Lounges are a part of the Priority Pass network, which offers membership through many U.S. based credit cards. Premium cards such as the Chase Sapphire Reserve®, Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card, and The Platinum Card® from American Express all offer cardholders free Priority Pass membership.

Not all Plaza Premium lounges are a part of the Priority Pass network, so if you do have a membership, check your app to see if the lounge is listed. If you see it in the app, you’ll be allowed in. Alternatively, there is a list on the Priority Pass website that shows the airports that have Plaza Premium lounges that are part of the partnership. The silver lining here is that both U.S. Plaza Premium lounge locations are included on the list. 

Capital One and American Express

Both Capital One and American Express have a separate partnership with Plaza Premium. Simply by presenting your card at various lounges, you’ll get access as a part of your card membership.

American Express has a partnership of over 80 lounges while Capital One has a more extensive relationship, with over 100 lounges in their portfolio.

These relationships help to cement both the Capital One Venture X card and the Platinum Card by American Express as the true leaders in airport lounge access worldwide.

The Platinum Card® from American Express

See Rates and Fees

Intro bonus

Earn 80,000 Membership Rewards® Points after spending $8,000 on purchases on the Card in your first 6 months of card membership

Annual Fee	$695
Purchase APR	See Pay Over Time APR
Foreign Transaction Fee	None

To view rates and fees of the The Platinum Card® from American Express, see this page

Paid Access

In many locations, even if you don’t have a membership you can request to buy a one-time visit pass. Prices will range depending on the location and local currency, but if you’ve got a long layover, this could be a worthwhile option.

Another way to gain entry is by purchasing a lounge membership to Plaza Premium. You can buy access with different pass packages, from two packs to even a 10 visit pass. There are constant promotions on their Plaza Premium website, so if you’re thinking of going this path, check out their promotion page to see if there are any deals.

Where are the Plaza Premium Lounges located?

Plaza Premium operates an extensive network of over 250 lounges in more than 80 international airports in 30 countries. Don’t be shocked if you haven’t seen many of them in the U.S., as their only two locations are in Dallas and Orlando.  

They do have a very large footprint in Asia, with over 30 lounges in Mainland China and dozens more spanning the Asia Pacific region. You’ll find lounges as well in Canada, Western Europe, and even South America.

Since Plaza Premium helps to manage some airline lounges as well as their own branded lounges, you’ll find that you might even be able to get into the Air France lounge in Montreal, and SkyTeam lounge in Sydney, and a network of Avianca lounges throughout Colombia.

What are some of the amenities inside the Plaza Premium Lounges?

Just like most major airport lounges all over the world, expect to find a hot and cold food buffet, soft drinks, select alcoholic drinks such as beer and wine, and snacks. 

Nearly every location will have Wi-Fi so you can stay connected while abroad and, depending on the size of the lounge, you might even find showers. There will usually be a business center where you can have a desk to work, plenty of comfortable chairs to relax, and a dining area if you’d like to sit down and have a bite to eat.

It should be noted that some of the locations may come with a surcharge for some of the extra features such as premium alcohol or shower suites, so make sure to check with your lounge before you end up disappointed.

Plaza Premium First Lounges

There is also an elevated lounge called “Plaza Premium First” which operates in three locations in Asia; Hong Kong, Jakarta and Kuala Lumpur, with their Macau location coming soon. These special lounges offer an elevated experience that includes made-to-order meals and a concierge to help with your airport journey. 

Capital One and American Express cardholders both have access to the Kuala Lumpur lounge via their extended relationship, so if you find yourself traveling through that airport, you can get a truly exclusive first class experience. If you’re heading to Macau or Jakarta and have the Capital One Venture X card, you’ll get into these locations as well.

Are the Plaza Premium Lounges worth it?

If you have access via one of your credit cards or the Priority Pass membership and don’t have to pay an entrance fee, then these lounges are absolutely worth it. Being able to get free food, free drinks, a solid Wi-Fi connection, and a quiet area to work are the best benefits of all.

Since the cost to buy a one-day pass can be fairly steep, it might not be worth it to pay upwards of $70 to get in, unless you’re planning on eating or drinking your way through that amount in the airport.

The takeaway

The Plaza Premium lounges offer a welcome time out from the stress of today’s airports. If you have a long layover, you can hang out and eat and drink for free while enjoying a relaxing experience. 

The lounges may not be the most luxurious lounges in the world, but at the end of the day they’re helping you get on your way in a more comfortable manner, and as long as you don’t have to pay anything extra, you should absolutely check one out on your next trip.

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Eligibility and Benefit level varies by Card. Terms, Conditions, and Limitations Apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefits guide for more details. Underwritten by Amex Assurance Company.

Please note that card details are accurate as of the publish date, but are subject to change at any time at the discretion of the issuer. Please contact the card issuer to verify rates, fees, and benefits before applying.