According to an official announcement from Zhishixingqiu, you can now use a PPS card to enter domestic high-speed rail lounges in China, and you can scan the QR code on the electronic PPS card when entering. The high-speed rail lounge is operated in partnership with YueTu. Today (July 16), these high-speed rail lounges can already be found in the Priority Pass app and on the website (you must be logged in; you won’t see them if you aren’t). Search for railway, and you’ll see a lot of high-speed rail lounges. (According to information from members, at the moment only Chase-issued PPS cards can see the high-speed rail lounges.)

What’s the benefit for our readers in the U.S.? Of course, it means you can get a PPS supplementary card for family members in China so they can use it when taking high-speed rail! The following two cards are worth noting, and both allow you to apply for free supplementary cards for family members:

  • Chase Ritz Carlton card: supplementary cards have no fee, and each supplementary card comes with its own PPS card. So cardholders may want to consider applying for family members.
  • BofA Premium Rewards Elite: you can designate up to four supplementary cards to receive PPS for free

About Priority Pass

Priority Pass (PPS) is an airport lounge alliance that partners with 1,200+ airport lounges around the world. With a Priority Pass membership card, you can pay a certain amount (or enter for free) to access partner airport lounges and enjoy comfortable sofas, free alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks, some food, free Wi-Fi, and more. Priority Pass also partners with banks such as Chase, AMEX, and Citi to include Priority Pass membership directly on premium cards, allowing cardholders to enter partner lounges for free. Priority Pass has a very wide network of partner lounges. Basically, most U.S. airports that have lounges will have partner lounges, although the drinks and food are fairly ordinary. In Asia, the partner lounges are much more upscale. For example, the lounges at Beijing Capital Airport and in Hong Kong are quite good, and the food is also very good.

I’ve personally been to quite a few Priority Pass partner lounges, and I feel that having a free drink and being able to relax in a less crowded area and lean back on a sofa is actually already very satisfying. Being able to wait for your flight with ease is pretty nice.

Priority Pass membership

Priority Pass has versions available around the world, and the pricing and benefits for the U.S. version are shown below. It looks like, aside from business travelers and frequent flyers, this membership is still a bit expensive. If you go through airports often, it’s actually not bad, since airport food and drinks are pricey.

I believe everyone’s PPS card comes from a credit card.

Activating the Priority Pass card and the app

Almost every premium credit card offers a PP card. Normally, you can use the PP card without activating it. You’ll often find that when the PP card is mailed to you, it comes with a four-digit Web PIN. If you need an electronic PP card or want to log in to the PP card app, you’ll need that PIN. The official PPS app also provides very detailed lounge descriptions, of course, and includes maps.

  • For credit cards that offer a PPS card and reviews of PPS card usage, you can refer to the articles we’ve published on the blog
  • App download link: https://www.prioritypass.com/en/member-support/apps
  • To register the app from within mainland China, you’ll need VPN support
  • Pros: provides an electronic PPS card; the official claim is that 90% of PP lounges support scanning the electronic card. You can stack all your PP cards into one Apple Wallet card slot, which is very convenient.
  • Cons: it cannot provide the free lounges tied to the credit card itself or to elite airline status, such as the Centurion Lounges, Delta Sky Club lounges, and Airspace Lounge offered by AMEX Platinum, or lounges for alliance gold status members, etc.;

Note: If you forget your four-digit Web PIN, you can call PPS customer service. After they verify your basic information, they will tell you the PIN.

Entering Priority Pass lounges

Premium credit cards are pretty widespread now, so I guess everyone has a Priority Pass card, right? No matter where you use it, I think the most important thing is to bring the right Priority Pass card. The PP card that comes with different cards has different privileges. Some cards are basically just for show, and you still have to pay extra every time you enter; some cards only let you bring one guest, and any additional guests have to pay; some cards let you bring in unlimited guests. My advice is to choose the PP card with the highest privileges and throw the rest into a corner of a drawer. For those that still require extra payment to enter the lounge, just cut them up.

If you bring the physical PP card, that’s best, since all lounges support direct card swiping. However, when you swipe the card, you can’t see whether it will charge you, so make sure you don’t bring the wrong one. If you don’t have the physical card, you can download the Priority Pass app. After logging into your account, an electronic card will be generated automatically. With the QR code on the electronic card, the front desk can scan it and let you in. Of course, there are also cases where they simply register your membership number and other information directly.

Some lounges in China do not indicate at the entrance whether PP cards are accepted, so I recommend that everyone download the Priority Pass app. In the app, you can see information about the lounge. Whether or not it says electronic card access is supported, go ask at the front desk anyway, since you’re there already.

If the PP card issued by your credit card cannot be added to the app to generate an electronic card, it’s best to write down your membership number (not the card number), expiration date, and name. Sometimes they’ll let you in after simply registering it.

Priority Pass memberships provided by credit cards

Chase

Chase offers PPS with the following cards:

  • Chase Sapphire Reserve: can be used at many lounges worldwide, and supplementary cardholders can also access lounges with their own separate PPS. You can bring 2 guests with you. Note: this benefit must be activated in the Benefit section before you’ll receive the membership card. Also, supplementary card users on this card can have the same Priority Pass. This card’s Priority Pass also has a digital version now! Just register the PP card you received at this link,
  • Chase Ritz-Carlton Rewards. The primary cardholder gets it for free, and supplementary cardholders can also access lounges with their own separate PPS. The PPS from this card allows guests to enter for free, and Priority Pass does not specify a limit on the number of people who can accompany the PPS cardholder into the lounge.
  • JP Morgan Reserve. Can be used at many lounges worldwide, and supplementary cardholders can also access lounges with their own separate PPS. The PPS from this card allows guests to enter for free, and Priority Pass does not specify a limit on the number of people who can accompany the PPS cardholder into the lounge.

Among these three cards, the last one is specifically for JP Morgan Private Banking clients and is rarely obtained, while the other two are available to everyone.

These Chase-issued PPS cards have the following characteristics: they have a total of 11 digits (usually arranged as 3 digits, 7 digits, and 1 digit) or 16 digits. (If not, count again! XD)

AMEX

AMEX has the following cards that come with PPS:

  • All versions of the personal and business Platinum Card from American Express. After receiving the card, you need to enroll yourself first. It can be used at many lounges worldwide, and authorized users with their own separate PPS can also enter lounges. AMEX has improved this now: with the PPS card that comes with the Platinum Card, you can bring two people into the lounge for free.
  • AMEX Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant: primary cardholder unlimited visits, guests can bring 2 people

AMEX-issued PPS cards are basically all 11 digits long, start with 142 and end with 1.

BofA

  • Bank of America Premium Rewards Elite: primary cardholder unlimited visits, up to two guests. You can designate four authorized users to get PPS for free. And this PPS has restaurant access — a full-featured PPS!

Citi

Citi has the following cards that come with PPS:

  • Citi Prestige: primary cardholder gets free access, and authorized users with their own separate PPS can also enter lounges. The PPS that comes with this card can bring in guests for free, but there is a limit of 2 guests.

Citi-issued PPS cards are basically all 11 digits long, start with 142 and end with 1, just like AMEX.

US Bank

City National Bank

Capital One

Starting March 1, 2025, Capital One changed from unlimited guest access to a limit of two guests.

Tips

Here is a very practical way to tell them apart: check the expiration date.

Chase-issued PPS cards are basically valid for 1 year, and the expiration date is basically the last day of each month (maybe that's an official rule?); AMEX and Citi-issued PPS cards are basically valid for 3 years.

Some users have also reported that some PPS cards are valid for 2 years. If you know the reason, feel free to share in the comments below.

Of course, there is a more accurate way to identify them: call the customer service number on the back of the PPS card directly, but be prepared — you may have to wait a long time.

Other services

Worth noting: in addition to lounge access, Priority Pass also offers extra benefits such as spas and restaurants. However, the benefits in this area vary by credit card.

Restaurants

Recently, Priority Pass has also partnered with airport restaurants to provide free dining credits. However, participating restaurants change frequently at the moment, and each location has a different free credit amount. It is recommended to check the participating restaurants directly based on the airport you are going to.

Currently some restaurant lists are as follows

However, Priority Pass memberships provided by some credit cards have already had this benefit terminated, so be careful not to choose the wrong one and end up getting the short end of the stick. The cards that currently can enjoy these services are

SPA

Now Priority Pass members can also enter Be Relax Spa at 14 airports in North America for free, and can even enjoy a free spa treatment. Note that pp cards issued by AMEX and Capital One do not include spa services; cards from other banks, such as the PP card from Chase Sapphire Reserve, do include them. The specific airports are

I checked, and at ATL you can use this spa benefit to enjoy one of the treatments for free. If you have enough time, I think it makes sense to go get a spa treatment first and then head to another lounge to eat...

Cardholders can use their lounge visit entitlement to take advantage of one of the following options:

  • Be Back 30-minute Massage (a US$35 value)
  • or Be Back 15-minute Massage plus Aromatherapy & 02 (a US$35 value)
  • or Head Up on lounger 10-minute plus Aromatherapy & 02 (a US$38 value)
  • or Be Feet on lounge 10-minute plus Aromatherapy & 02 (a US$38 value)

As for tipping, in general it’s customary in the US to tip, though of course it’s up to you—after all, it’s not like you go there very often.

Priority Pass Lounge Reviews