How to access French airport lounges for free
Bank accounts and loyalty schemes can open doors while you are waiting for your flight
At a busy airport, it's good to have somewhere luxurious to escape to
Pack-Shot / Shutterstock
Retreating to the quiet and comfort of an airport lounge is an attractive option before a flight - and a number of bank accounts and cards now include passes for free
If you sign up for an Ultra plan with online bank Revolut, one of the benefits is free access to more than 1,400 airport lounges worldwide. The account costs €45/month for the first three months, then goes up to €55/month.
Alternatively, you can opt to pay an annual rate of €540 which would save you €90 over the monthly payments.
Once the Ultra plan is opened, you can reserve a lounge pass through the banking app, either in advance or at the airport.
It is also possible to buy additional passes for other people travelling with you at around €25 each. A single lounge pass is valid for one visit per person and you can only enter one lounge in a two-hour period.
A cheaper option is Revolut’s Premium plan at €9.99 per month. This offers discounted lounge passes for around €25 each rather than free ones.
Read more: New London - Brest easyJet route announced for June
Bank cards that offer lounge passes
Certain bank and credit cards provide a similar offer, including Mastercard World Elite which gives lounge access through its LoungeKey programme.
To apply for one of these cards you will need to go through a bank, for example Crédit Mutuel or Crédit Agricole, and pay an annual fee for the service.
You may receive a set number of complimentary lounge visits depending on your provider, with additional and guest visits costing €30 each.
An American Express Platinum card provides the added benefit of airport lounge access for both the main and secondary cardholders.
The card costs €59/month and, alongside a host of other perks, you are given two Priority Pass cards free of charge worth a total of €918. You must sign up separately to receive the Priority Pass cards as this is run by an independent organisation.
These passes are valid in 1,400 plus airport lounges across the globe and allow you to take a guest with you. This means a total of four people could visit a lounge, including the two AmEx cardholders. Extra guests are then charged at €30 per person.
With all these offers, look out for any conditions that may apply. Check which lounges are included, whether you need to book a specific time slot and how long you are permitted to stay.
For back-up in the case of a delayed flight, some Visa and Mastercards come with an insurance called SmartDelay.
As long as you have registered your flight details with them beforehand, this cover will provide lounge access once your flight is delayed beyond 60 minutes.
BoursoBank includes SmartDelay with its premium Metal card, which costs €9.90/month.
Read more: Inquiry gives its support to Nice airport expansion, recommends environmental checks
Airline loyalty schemes and independent passes
If a premium bank account or card is not the best option for you, there are other ways to access airport lounges.
As a regular flyer, signing up for airline loyalty programmes will reward you with free lounge access once you reach a certain level of points.
For just a single visit you can pay ahead to access a specific airline’s lounge. Note that this can be expensive, with entry to Air France’s Charles de Gaulle airport lounge costing €75.
Another method is to sign up for the Priority Pass as a standalone subscription. Plans range from Standard at €89/year to Prestige at €459/year for frequent travellers.
Lounge visits then cost €30 for the Standard plan or are free of charge for Prestige and cover more than 1,700 lounges in 145 countries.
Lastly, always remember that if your flight is delayed or you have missed a connection, it can be worth asking airline staff if you can wait in the lounge. As a gesture of goodwill, they may well agree.
