Withdrawal of Priority Pass restaurant access via American Express

Updated May 21, 2025
Fact checked by
Alexandrine Bertrand
Alexandrine Bertrand Alexandrine Bertrand
An avid solo traveller, Alexandrine is an expert on loyalty programmes such as Aeroplan, Avios, AIR MILES, Flying Blue and Marriott Bonvoy. With a budget-conscious approach, she helps travellers make the most of their points and miles to experience affordable, off-the-beaten-path getaways. She also shares a love of gastronomy and enjoys exploring local flavours and culinary traditions.
All posts by Alexandrine Bertrand
To the point As of August 1, 2019, holders of Priority Pass cards obtained via American Express will no longer have access to Priority Pass airport restaurants. Did the LoungeBuddy deal have anything to do with it?

American Express withdraws access to Priority Pass restaurants

The news literally went around the world yesterday: American Express Hong Kong was the first to fire when it announced these changes. Followed by American Express USA… and finally American Express Canada has confirmed that this will also affect Canadian cardholders.

american express logo lounge

Technically, this mainly concerns holders of:

… with unlimited access to Priority Pass airport lounges for the cardholder and one guest.

 

restaurant priority pass 1

This was a practical advantage to have, especially when dealing with Priority Pass lounges which can be particularly busy.

I use it regularly, especially on connections to Boston at Jerry Remy’s restaurant:

restaurant priority pass 1

And since last year, many more restaurants have joined Priority Pass:

Country City Airport Restaurant Expenses covered
Australia Brisbane BNE Corretto Cafe & Bar 36 AUD$ / Pers
Australia Brisbane BNE Graze Grill & Bar 36 AUD$ / pers
Australia Brisbane BNE Bar Roma 36 AUD$ / pers
United States Boston BOS Stephanie’s 28 US$ / pers
United States Boston BOS Jerry Remy’s Sports Bar and Grill 28 US$ / pers
United States Cleveland CLE Bar Symon 28 US$ / pers
United States Washington DC DCA Bracket Room 28 US$ / pers
United States Washington DC DCA American Tap Room 28 US$ / pers
United States Denver DEN Timberline Steaks & Grill 28 US$ / pers
United States Fort Lauderdale FLL Kafe Kalik 28 US$ / pers
Brazil Sao Paulo GRU Bleriot Bar & Lounge US$ 27 / pers
Brazil Sao Paulo GRU La Bonbonniere US$ 27 / pers
United States Greenville-Spartanburg GSP RJ Rockers Flight Room 28 US$ / pers
United States Washington DC IAD Chef Geoff’s 28 US$ / pers
United States Houston IAH Cadillac Mexican Kitchen & Tequila Bar US$ 28 / pers
United States Houston IHA Landry’s Seafood 28 US$ / pers
United States Indianapolis IND The Fan Zone 28 US$ / pers
United States New York JFK Bobby Van’s Steakhouse 28 US$ / pers
United States Los Angeles LAX Rock & Brews 28 US$ / pers
United States Los Angeles LAX P.F. Chang’s 28 US$ / pers
United States Lexington LEX Kentucky Ale Taproom 28 US$ / pers
United Kingdom London LGW Grain Store Cafe & Bar 15 £ / pers
Peru Lima LIM Bleriot Bar & Lounge US$ 27 / pers
Peru Lima LIM La Bonbonniere US$ 27 / pers
United States Miami MIA Viena 28 US$ / pers
United States Miami MIA Corona Beach US$ 28 / pers
United States Miami MIA Air Margaritaville 28 US$ / pers
United States Portland PDX House Spirits Distillery (Bar) 28 US$ / pers
United States Portland PDX Capers Market 28 US$ / pers
United States Portland PDX Capers Cafe Le Bar 28 US$ / pers
United States Seattle SEA Floret by Cafe Flora 28 US$ / pers
United States San Francisco SFO Yankee Pier US$ 28 / pers
United States San Francisco SFO San Francisco Giant’s Clubhouse 28 US$ / pers
Singapore Singapore SIN The Green Market (TGM) 27 US$ / pers
United States St. Louis STL The Pasta House and Schlafy Beer 28 US$ / pers
United States St. Louis STL The Pasta House 28 US$ / pers
Australia Sydney SYD Wok on Air 36 AUD$ / pers
Australia Sydney SYD Bar Roma 36 AUD$ / pers
Australia Sydney SYD MoVida 36 AUD$ / pers
Australia Sydney SYD Bistro 2020 & Bar 36 AUD$ / pers
Australia Sydney SYD Peroni Bar 36 AUD$ / pers
Australia Sydney SYD Mach 2 36 AUD$ / pers
Australia Sydney SYD Better Burger 36 AUD$ / pers
United States Syracuse SYR Johnny Rockets 28 US$ / pers
Israel Tel Aviv TLV Schmoozy Bar 27 US$ / pers
United States Tampa TPA The Café by Mise en Place 28 US$ / pers

Are other credit cards offering Priority Pass affected?

For now, only Priority Pass memberships obtained through American Express are affected.

This means that if you have obtained a Priority Pass card through other issuers such as Scotiabank, you are not affected by this measure.

For example, if you have subscribed to the Scotiabank Passport™ Visa Infinite* Card – and registered for Priority Pass via the link provided in your welcome kit – you can continue to enjoy your 6 free annual Priority Pass airport lounge AND restaurant accesses.

Which is a good reminder of the importance of diversifying your credit card portfolio with different issuers! If one takes away your benefits… you can always switch to another to continue enjoying them!

In our couple, we always have between 4 and 6 Priority Pass accounts per year, depending on our credit card subscriptions!

priority pass cards amex platinum

My opinion on the matter

Some will see this as a further withdrawal of benefits, particularly for holders of the American Express Platinum Card®.

However, I’m one of those people who think there’s something going on between American Express and Priority Pass. It was becoming illogical and uneconomical for American Express to offer unlimited annual access:

  • at Priority Pass restaurants
  • at Priority Pass bars
  • Priority Pass lounges
  • in the Centurion lounges

Each time a cardholder accesses one of these Priority Pass lounges/restaurants, American Express pays around US$20-25 to Priority Pass.

And some were taking unfair advantage of the system by making “lounge rounds” at the same airport:

  • 2 drinks in a Priority Pass bar
  • meal in a Priority Pass restaurant
  • relax / work at lounge Priority Pass
  • and why not take a nap in a lounge Centurion!

I don’t accuse anyone… since I already did it 😉

Rather than remove the “unlimited annual” character, American Express preferred to cut ties with restaurants. But I think in the future, American Express wants to go further with the lounges.

The purchase of LoungeBuddy by American Express

American Express already has a network of lounges it operates itself: the Centurion lounges.

centurion las vegas

There are some in the biggest American airports like San Francisco, Miami, New York or Las Vegas.

And even internationally like Hong Kong.

american express centurion lounge hong kong 03
American Express Centurion Lounge Hong Kong

But American Express recently decided to go one step further with lounges. Indeed, in March-April 2019, it acquired the platform
LoungeBuddy
.

loungebuddy lounge 1 1

LoungeBuddy is a digital platform for discovering different airport lounges and finding out how to get there… but it can also be used to book admission.

This is a very useful application as it allows you to immediately identify, based on your credit card portfolio / Priority Pass / LoungeKey subscriptions…

loungekey cards

…which lounge is/are available at the airports visited….

loungekey bnc 1

… and which card(s) to use from your portfolio:

loungekey cards 1 1

If you would like to have a US$10 credit to use for future bookings with LoungeBuddy, here is my referral code: zD5WrxmJJj

As of April 01, 2019, only American Express cardholders can book lounge access at airports doing business with LoungeBuddy, as mentioned in the frequently asked questions related to the acquisition.

Bottom Line

In the short term, the withdrawal of restaurants for holders of Priority Pass subscriptions via American Express is a further loss of benefits. However, I think we need to look at the longer term.

It would not be surprising if, in the future, LoungeBuddy were to become a competitor to Priority Pass / LoungeKey by dealing directly with each lounge… which would allow American Express to detach itself from Priority Pass by directly offering ITS lounge network.

This is all supposition… but the acquisition of LoungeBuddy in April 2019… then the withdrawal from Priority Pass restaurants announced in May 2019 for August 2019 seem to be good indications of how things will turn out!

Come to discuss that topic in our Facebook Group!
Jean-Maximilien Voisine
Jean-Maximilien Voisine
Jean-Maximilien, President and Founder of Milesopedia, is a recognized expert in rewards programs, credit cards, and travel in Canada and France. Approaching forty and a father of two, he has travelled to over 100 countries, half of them with his children and his wife, Audrey. Specializing in top loyalty programs like Aeroplan, American Express Membership Rewards, and Marriott Bonvoy, he guides travellers to maximize their benefits across North America and Europe.
All posts by Jean-Maximilien Voisine

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