Currently, Bangkok Suvarnabhumi Airport (BKK) is one of the best in the world when it comes to Priority Pass lounges. The airport has one of the largest selections of Priority Pass lounges you’ll find at any airport, and they’re all relatively high quality. Well, unfortunately this will be changing shortly, for a pretty questionable reason, as flagged by The MileLion.
Bangkok Airport losing all airline Priority Pass lounges
As of April 1, 2025, we’re going to see the list of eligible Priority Pass lounges in Bangkok reduced significantly. Specifically, the following seven lounges will no longer be part of the Priority Pass network:
- The Air France-KLM Lounge (International Concourse F)
- The Bangkok Airways Boutique Lounge (Domestic Concourse A)
- The Blue Ribbon Club Lounge (Domestic Concourse A)
- The Blue Ribbon Club Lounge (International Concourse D)
- Oman Air Lounge (International Concourse E)
- Thai Royal Silk Lounge (Domestic Concourse A)
- Turkish Airlines Lounge (International Concourse E)
When all is said and done, this means the only remaining Priority Pass lounges at the airport will be those with Coral and Miracle branding. which are contract lounges that are open to Priority Pass, and available to passengers on select airlines.
Why are Bangkok lounges leaving Priority Pass?
It goes without saying that the circumstances surrounding this are unusual. Every once in a while you may see a lounge decide to leave Priority Pass, due to a strategy shift. However, to see so many lounges leave at once is something I’ve never see before.
Furthermore, it’s important to emphasize that many of these lounges probably rely on Priority Pass in order for the economics to work. Honestly, one wonders how lounges from carriers like Air France-KLM, Oman Air, and Turkish Airlines, will be sustainable with these changes.
So, what’s the logic for this? Rumor has it that the airport authority, Airports of Thailand (AOT), has a new rule that stipules that airline lounges can no longer participate in Priority Pass, and instead, can only accept passengers through their own programs (so elite status, class of service, alliance membership, etc.).
Let me emphasize that this is only a rumor, though logically, some kind of a rule stipulating that airlines can no longer participate in Priority Pass is the only logical explanation.
Why would the airport authority have such a rule? Does the airport have more of a stake in Coral or Miracle lounge locations? Does the airport get a cut on revenue for those lounges? Was the airport able to increase rent in exchange for that policy? I imagine it’s something along those lines.
Now I’m curious to see which of the other lounges end up closing in the coming months and years, because the economics just don’t make sense. I don’t know what the airport authority’s motive is here, but no matter how you slice it, this is a very customer unfriendly move.
Bottom line
As of April 2025, we’re going to see seven lounges at Bangkok Suvarnabhumi Airport leave Priority Pass, including all those lounges run by airlines. It would appear that the airport authority has a new policy preventing airline lounges from participating in these programs, instead giving exclusivity to Coral and Miracle locations.
This is a shame, and I imagine we’re going to see at least one or two lounge closures as a result of this policy shift.
What do you make of this Bangkok Priority Pass situation?
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