MasterCard LoungeKey Increases Lounge Access Fee

We all want free airport lounge access and high-end credit cards that provide two different lounge access programs.

World Elite Series MasterCard credit cards use Mastercard Airport Experiences Provided by LoungeKey to provide free lounge membership + free visits. Depending on the World Elite Series credit card, some of these cards provide free visits and some of these don’t.

If you do not have free lounge visits, starting October 1, 2019, any chargeable airport lounge visits will increase from $27 to $32 US per visit per person. It will not affect your free or complimentary visits.

For example, credit cards like the BMO World Elite MasterCard and the BMO World Elite Air Miles MasterCard come with 4 and 2 free lounge visits, respectively. But if you want additional visits beyond your free entitlements, you will pay $32 US for each additional visit starting October 1, 2019.

Many other Canadian World Elite series credit cards come with free lounge membership provided by LoungeKey, but not free visits. The Brim World Elite MasterCard, Rogers World Elite MasterCard, WestJet World Elite MasterCard, and possibly PC World Elite MasterCard are just a few examples. If you have one of these cards, you can visit a lounge that’s covered by the LoungeKey program by paying $32 US per visit.

Another lounge access program, Priority Pass, which is owned by the same parent company as LoungeKey, already increased their lounge visits (after free ones) to $32 US about a year ago.

You may ask whether it is worth paying $32 to visit a lounge if you don’t have free access. The answer is it depends. If you eat at an airport restaurant and have a few drinks, you will exceed far more than $32. A lounge can provide you with all the food and drink you want and more.

You will also enjoy a far superior ambient relaxing environment and better seating arrangements. Some lounges also have shower facilities and amenities that can far exceed the $32 spent.

However, my recommendation would be to get a credit card that provides free lounge access if you use a lounge more than two times per year.

You many want to view these videos on Lounges: