Priority Pass Has Named the World’s Best Airport Lounge — And You Don’t Need an Elite Credit Card to Get Inside
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Savvy travelers know that, despite their glamorous reputations, airport lounges can be hit or miss. Some provide a truly luxe moment before a flight, some are quiet enough to provide a little peace during a long layover and some mostly exist to remind you that “premium travel experience” sometimes means a piece of cheese and free can of Sprite.
According to Priority Pass members, one lounge in the United States is doing it better than the rest and, even better, it’s accessible to all travelers.
Escape Lounge at Portland International Airport was just named Global Lounge of the Year in the 2026 Priority Pass Excellence Awards, which were based on more than 700,000 member ratings and reviews. The awards looked at member feedback across categories like service, food and drink, facilities, comfort, ambience and overall satisfaction.
The Portland win makes sense for anyone who has followed the airport’s recent glow-up. PDX has been leaning hard into a more local, design-conscious airport experience, and the Escape Lounge is an extension of that larger identity. Priority Pass pointed to the lounge’s contemporary design, regional cuisine, local artwork and a layout built for both relaxing and getting a little work done before a flight.
In other words, it is not just another beige room with snacks.
Tom Waldron, chief experiences officer at Escape Lounge Portland, called the award “an incredibly proud moment” for the team, adding that the lounge is meant to be “more than just part of the airport journey.” He said the goal is to create “vibrant, welcoming environments shaped by a true sense of place,” with locally inspired food and drink and a more personal experience for travelers.
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The awards also recognized regional winners around the world. Lounge Fukuoka in Japan won for Asia Pacific, Vienna Lounge in Austria took the Europe title, Club Kingston in Jamaica won for Latin America and the Caribbean. Bidvest Premier Lounge in Johannesburg, South Africa won for the Middle East and Africa. In North America, Escape Lounge Portland also took the regional award, with Escape Lounge Kansas City named highly commended.
Priority Pass also introduced a new “One to Watch” category for 2026, highlighting lounges that have made major improvements over the past year. Winners included VIP Lounge Angelo D’Arrigo in Catania, Italy, I.A.S.S Superior Lounge Kocoo in Tokyo and Advantage VIP Lounge in São Paulo, Brazil.
For travelers, the larger takeaway is that the best airport lounges are no longer confined to the ones tied to high-fee, high-spend credit cards or other avenues of exclusivity. The highest-rated spaces are increasingly accessible to the everyday traveler, bringing in food, design and small details that actually reflect the city or region around them.
Priority Pass offers access to more than 1,800 airport lounges and travel experiences across 841 airports in 146 countries. That includes lounges, spas, sleeping pods and dining experiences, depending on the airport and membership access.
So, the next time you are flying through Portland, you may want to consider leaving a little extra time before boarding. For once, getting to the airport early might not be the best part of the trip.
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