Ending your Priority Pass membership made easy

About Priority Pass

Priority Pass operates as one of the world's largest independent airport lounge access programmes, providing members with entry to over 1,300 airport lounges and travel experiences across more than 600 cities worldwide. The service has been facilitating comfortable airport experiences for travellers since 1992, offering a respite from busy terminal areas with amenities including complimentary food and beverages, Wi-Fi access, business facilities, and shower rooms.

In the United Kingdom, Priority Pass serves as a standalone membership service and also partners with various credit card providers and banking institutions to offer lounge access as part of premium account packages. This means that UK consumers may hold Priority Pass membership either through direct subscription or as an ancillary benefit attached to their banking products. Understanding which type of membership you hold is crucial when considering cancellation, as the process and implications differ significantly between these arrangements.

The service appeals particularly to frequent travellers who value comfort and productivity whilst waiting for flights. However, circumstances change, and many UK consumers find themselves needing to cancel their Priority Pass membership for various reasons. Travel patterns may shift dramatically, with remote working reducing business travel requirements or personal circumstances limiting leisure trips. As a result, what once seemed an essential travel companion becomes an unnecessary recurring expense.

Financial considerations often drive cancellation decisions, especially during periods of economic uncertainty when households scrutinise discretionary spending. The annual membership fees, whilst providing value for regular travellers, represent a significant outlay for those whose travel frequency has diminished. Therefore, understanding your rights and the proper cancellation procedure becomes essential to avoid paying for a service you no longer require or use.

Subscription plans and pricing

Priority Pass offers three distinct membership tiers in the UK market, each designed to accommodate different travel patterns and budgetary requirements. Understanding these subscription levels helps clarify what financial commitments you may be seeking to terminate and ensures you approach cancellation with full awareness of your contractual position.

Standard membership tier

The Standard membership represents the entry-level option, requiring an annual membership fee with additional charges applied each time you visit a participating lounge. This structure suits occasional travellers who want the flexibility of lounge access without committing to higher upfront costs. Members pay approximately £69 annually for the membership itself, with each lounge visit then incurring a fee of around £24 per person. This means your total annual expenditure depends entirely on usage patterns, making it potentially economical for infrequent travellers but expensive for those making regular airport visits.

Standard Plus membership tier

The Standard Plus tier offers a middle-ground solution, combining an annual membership fee with a specific number of complimentary lounge visits included within that fee. Typically, this membership costs approximately £229 per year and includes ten free lounge visits. Any visits beyond this allocation incur the standard per-visit charge. This arrangement benefits moderately frequent travellers who can predict their approximate annual travel schedule and want to secure better value than the basic Standard membership whilst avoiding the highest-tier commitment.

Prestige membership tier

The Prestige membership represents the premium offering, providing unlimited lounge access for a single annual fee without additional per-visit charges. This tier typically costs around £369 annually and suits frequent travellers who visit airport lounges regularly throughout the year. For those making more than fifteen lounge visits annually, this tier often delivers the best value. However, when travel patterns change, this becomes the most expensive membership to maintain without utilising the benefits, making cancellation particularly important for protecting your financial interests.

Additional considerations regarding pricing

Priority Pass pricing remains subject to periodic review and adjustment, meaning the fees you originally agreed to may have increased during your membership period. The company typically notifies members of price changes in advance, though these notifications sometimes arrive via email and may be overlooked amongst other correspondence. This means you might be paying more than you initially anticipated, providing another compelling reason to review whether the membership continues to serve your needs.

Guest access represents an additional cost consideration across all membership tiers. Bringing companions into lounges with you incurs per-person charges, typically matching or exceeding the standard per-visit fee. Families travelling together can therefore face substantial costs even with Prestige membership, as the unlimited access applies only to the named member. Understanding these cumulative costs helps explain why many UK consumers decide that Priority Pass no longer represents value for money in their circumstances.

Cancellation terms and conditions

Understanding the contractual terms governing your Priority Pass membership is fundamental to protecting your consumer rights and ensuring you cancel effectively without incurring unnecessary charges. UK consumer law provides important protections, but you must still follow the specific procedures outlined in your membership agreement to exercise your cancellation rights properly.

Membership renewal and automatic payment cycles

Priority Pass memberships typically operate on an automatic renewal basis, meaning your subscription continues indefinitely unless you actively cancel. The membership renews annually on the anniversary of your original sign-up date, with payment taken automatically from the card or account details you provided during registration. This automatic renewal system serves the company's commercial interests but requires vigilance from consumers who wish to discontinue the service.

The renewal date holds particular significance because Priority Pass generally does not offer refunds for membership fees once the annual period has commenced. This means that cancelling mid-cycle typically results in you maintaining access until your current membership expires but receiving no financial reimbursement for the unused portion of your subscription. Therefore, timing your cancellation appropriately becomes crucial for avoiding wasted expenditure on services you no longer intend to use.

Notice period requirements

Priority Pass requires members to provide advance notice of their intention to cancel, typically specifying a minimum notice period before your renewal date. The exact notice period can vary depending on when you joined and which specific terms applied at that time, but commonly ranges from 14 to 30 days prior to renewal. Failing to provide adequate notice may result in another year's membership fee being charged before your cancellation takes effect.

This notice requirement underscores the importance of initiating cancellation well in advance of your renewal date rather than waiting until the last moment. In practice, submitting your cancellation request at least 45 days before renewal provides a comfortable margin for postal delivery, processing time, and any unexpected delays. This approach protects you from the frustration and expense of an unwanted automatic renewal whilst your cancellation request remains in the administrative pipeline.

UK consumer protection legislation

The Consumer Rights Act 2015 and the Consumer Contracts Regulations 2013 provide important protections for UK consumers entering into service agreements, including subscription-based memberships like Priority Pass. These laws establish your right to clear information about cancellation procedures and protect against unfair contract terms that make cancellation unreasonably difficult or expensive.

Under these regulations, companies must present cancellation terms clearly and accessibly, ensuring consumers understand their rights and obligations before committing to membership. If Priority Pass has made material changes to your membership terms without proper notification or consent, you may have additional grounds for cancellation that supersede the standard notice requirements. As a result, reviewing any correspondence you've received about terms and conditions changes can strengthen your cancellation position if disputes arise.

Refund policies and partial reimbursement

Priority Pass maintains a generally strict policy regarding refunds, typically stating that annual membership fees are non-refundable once paid. This means that cancelling partway through your membership year usually results in continued access until expiry but no financial recovery of unused months. However, exceptional circumstances may warrant different treatment, particularly if you can demonstrate that the service has failed to meet advertised standards or if material contract terms have changed without proper notification.

Documentation becomes crucial if you believe you have grounds for requesting a refund outside the standard terms. Keeping records of any service failures, communication difficulties, or misleading information provides evidence supporting your position. In practice, whilst Priority Pass may maintain its standard non-refund policy in routine cancellations, documented consumer rights violations can shift the balance in your favour when seeking financial redress.

How to cancel Priority Pass by post

Cancelling your Priority Pass membership by post represents the most reliable and legally robust method available to UK consumers. Whilst digital communication offers convenience, postal cancellation provides verifiable proof of your cancellation request, creates an official record with specific dates, and ensures your instructions receive formal processing through established administrative channels.

Why postal cancellation protects your interests

Sending your cancellation request via Recorded Delivery post establishes an indisputable paper trail that proves exactly when you submitted your cancellation notice. This documentation becomes invaluable if disputes arise regarding whether you provided adequate notice before your renewal date or if the company claims never to have received your cancellation request. The Royal Mail tracking system provides independent verification that your letter reached the correct address on a specific date, removing any ambiguity about timing or delivery.

Postal communication also creates a more formal record within the recipient organisation's systems compared to email or online form submissions, which can sometimes be overlooked, filtered into spam folders, or lost within digital customer service platforms. A physical letter arriving at the registered business address requires logging, processing, and filing according to established administrative procedures. This means your cancellation request receives appropriate attention and handling rather than potentially disappearing into an overloaded digital inbox.

Furthermore, postal cancellation aligns with traditional UK consumer rights practices and legal precedents. Courts and dispute resolution services recognise posted correspondence as carrying particular weight in contractual matters, especially when sent via tracked delivery services. Therefore, should you ever need to escalate a cancellation dispute to the Financial Ombudsman Service or pursue other complaint procedures, postal cancellation provides the strongest evidential foundation for your case.

Preparing your cancellation letter

Your cancellation letter should contain specific information that clearly identifies you as the member, explicitly states your intention to cancel, and provides all necessary details for processing your request. Begin by including your full name exactly as it appears on your Priority Pass membership, along with your membership number, which you can find on your membership card or in correspondence from Priority Pass. Including your current contact address and email address ensures the company can acknowledge your cancellation and send confirmation.

State your cancellation intention clearly and unambiguously using direct language such as \