Alaska Lounge Membership Prices Set to Rise

A few months back, Alaska Airlines made it official—come early 2025, the membership fees for the Alaska Lounge are heading north. This marks the second consecutive year of price upticks, making it the third such hike since 2022. A heads-up, folks: if you’re pondering a membership, now might be the time to act before these wallet-unfriendly updates unfold.

Alaska Hikes Lounge Membership Fees

Buckle up. Starting February 12, 2025, becoming an Alaska Lounge member is going to be a pricier proposition. Here’s what you’ll be looking at then:

• An Alaska Lounge membership will set you back $595 for access to nine prime Lounge locations.
• Want more? An Alaska Lounge+ membership, at $795, grants you entry to the same Lounges plus about 90 partner locations, including premium entries like American Admirals Clubs and select Qantas and United Clubs.

And here’s the kicker—those built-in discounts for elite members? Gone. Poof. However, there are still some ways to soften the blow:

• Hold onto your Alaska Airlines Visa Signature® credit card or Visa® Business card, and you’ll continue getting a $100 discount on the Lounge+ membership.
• With the Alaska milestone perks program, hitting 30,000 elite qualifying miles earns you a $100 discount on either a Lounge or Lounge+ membership.

New vs. Old Pricing

Let’s do a quick throwback and see how these shiny new numbers stack up against the old ones:

• Right now, an Alaska Lounge membership for elites is $450, and $550 for everyone else. As of February 2024, it was a bit nicer at $400 for elites or $500 for non-elites.
• The Lounge+ membership? It’s currently $650 for elites, $750 for the rest. Pre-February 2024, it was $550 for elites or $650 non-elite folks.

Plus, elite discounts apply across all levels, including MVP Gold 100K and MVP levels. And remember those access rules introduced last year? You can lounge around only when flying Alaska or their partner airlines, which means those carefree lounge visits on non-partner flights are a thing of the past.

Alaska justifies this shaken snow globe approach by touting investments in new and revamped lounges. Just picture those cozy corners.

My Take on These Alaska Lounge Fee Hikes

So here we are, facing yet another price balloon. This makes it three hikes in under three years. Even with a nifty $100 credit card discount, you’re still forking out $695 annually for the Lounge+ membership or $595 for just Lounge entry—steep, anyone?

If you’re casting about for the best bargain, consider the Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard®. With a $550 annual fee, it unlocks Admirals Club access plus juicy extras like entry to American Admirals Clubs and Alaska Lounges. This option is golden if you’re frequently travelling with Alaska or American, as it’s cheaper than standalone memberships.

Bottom Line

Come February 12, 2025, Alaska Lounge memberships are getting another price nudge. The regular membership climbs to $595, while the enhanced Lounge+ goes for $795 a year. Most sting is gone from the elite discounts, but cardholders and Mileage Plan elites can still shave off $100.

Honestly, when Alaska aligned its prices with the competition after joining the oneworld alliance, it made sense. But here we go again with a swift price leap. So, tell me—what’s your two cents on this latest fee rollercoaster?

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