It’s no secret that if you’re a frequent flyer, airport lounges can significantly improve your travel experience.
With complimentary food, drinks and a chance to relax in stylish comfort while you wait for your flight, Alaska Airlines’ lounges can provide a quieter and more luxurious preflight experience than, say, spending hours trying to juggle your food in a chair by your gate. However, this kind of VIP experience doesn’t come without a price tag — and now, it will cost you even more to access Alaska Lounges.
If you fly Alaska Airlines frequently or are interested in having lounge access through the carrier when you fly, here’s what you need to know about the recent price increases.
New pricing for Alaska Lounges
“Occasionally, we need to adjust our pricing to make sure that quality stays at the level our members appreciate and to keep pace with the improvements we’re making,” an Alaska Airlines spokesperson told TPG.
To this end, on Feb. 1, 2025, the Alaska Lounge yearly membership rate will increase from $550 to $595, and the Alaska Lounge+ membership will go up from $750 to $795.
A standard Alaska Lounge membership includes entry to nine Alaska Lounges, including the swanky new lounge at SFO. An Alaska Lounge+ membership expands your access to Alaska Airlines-operated lounges as well as nearly 90 partner lounges, including those run by American Airlines and Qantas.
Having a membership gets you other perks as well. As of Alaska’s 2024 acquisition of Hawaiian Airlines, Lounge members can access Alaska Lounges when flying on Hawaiian flights. Additionally, Alaska Lounge members can bring their immediate family members or up to two guests into lounges at no additional charge.
But, even though this $45 price hike for both memberships is less than a 10% increase, it’s important to note that this is the third increase in as many years.
How to save money on Alaska Lounge membership
Eligible Alaska Airlines Visa Signature® credit card holders can receive $100 off a Lounge+ membership when they purchase one with the card. Starting in 2025, Alaska MVP elite status members will be able to select perks at milestone moments, which could include a $100 discount on a Lounge or Lounge+ membership as soon as they earn 30,000 elite-qualifying miles. It’s worth noting that when you reach the MVP Gold 100K or Oneworld Emerald status, you can choose a full Alaska Lounge+ membership as your special loyalty perk. (However, the two discounts are not combinable.)
And if you’re a first-class passenger with paid or award tickets on flights of 2,000 miles or more, you’ll automatically have access to Alaska Lounges at no additional cost.
Bottom line
If you want the VIP treatments before you fly Alaska Airlines, you’ll have to dig a little deeper come 2025, when the price for Alaska Lounges access will go up. However, there are a few ways to offset the cost.
See Alaska Airlines’ list of lounge policies and for full lounge details and a list of locations.
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