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One of the best ways to pre-game a flight is to spend some time in an airport lounge. Conventionally, one can access a lounge by holding the right credit card, enrolling in Priority Pass, holding elite status with an airline, or flying a first- or business-class fare.
And now, there's another way. You can access 36 worldwide lounges by purchasing an NFT. Yes, you read that correctly. However, we're recommending against it.
Access Airport Lounges With the Global Lounge NFT
In recent years, NFTs — or non-fungible tokens, for those who don't speak 2024 (myself included) — grew in popularity alongside cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin and Ethereum. Essentially, an NFT is a unique token that can't be replicated. In that regard, it's like a piece of art or a baseball card.
What's most compelling about NFTs is how they're bought and sold while showcasing a history of ownership. With cryptocurrencies, the transfer of assets (say, the digital piece of art) is immediate. In a real-world application, you could instantly buy and sell the piece of art without jumping through several hoops. And the transaction is documented — proving that you bought or sold it.
In a few words, the goal of NFTs is to make transactions happen faster and more efficiently — no third-party middle ground is required.
But as far as the Global Lounge NFT, the technology hasn't become user-friendly yet. There are no instructions, and the sign-up website even looks kind of sketchy. Also, it's a bad deal. Moreover, there are ways you can get into the same airport lounges for less. More on this shortly.
Wait, there's a travel angle
Now, if you're wondering why you're reading about NFTs on AwardWallet, rest assured there's a travel angle. Enter the Global Lounge NFT.
The Global Lounge NFT is a subscription service offering access to 34 lounges worldwide — or 36 when construction finishes on properties in San Francisco (SFO) and New York-Kennedy (JFK).
You can subscribe to one of three tiers by paying with Ethereum or fiat (non-cryptocurrency money) over the blockchain network Polygon POS. The membership tiers and their benefits are shown below.
- Weekly pass: $59 per week
- Unlimited access to eligible lounges
- Bring one companion into lounges with you
- Monthly pass: $69 per month
- Unlimited access to eligible lounges
- Bring one companion into lounges with you
- One guest allowed to enter lounges once per month without the pass holder present
- Yearly pass: $777 annually
- Unlimited access to eligible lounges
- Bring one companion into lounges with you
- Two guests allowed to enter lounges once per month without the pass holder present
After purchasing the NFT through the Global Lounge Pass website, you can access the following lounges:
| Lounge Name | Airport Code | Included in Priority Pass? | Other Ways to Access |
|---|---|---|---|
| Harmony Lounge at Medellin | MDE | Yes | Purchase a day pass at the door |
| SkyTeam Lounge at Istanbul | IST | No | Fly an eligible first- or business-class itinerary on a SkyTeam airline, or access via SkyTeam Elite Plus status. |
| SkyTeam Lounge at Vitoria | VIT | No | Fly an eligible first- or business-class itinerary on a SkyTeam airline, or access via SkyTeam Elite Plus status. |
| SkyTeam Lounge Vancouver | YVR | Yes | Fly an eligible first- or business-class itinerary on a SkyTeam airline, or access via SkyTeam Elite Plus status. |
| The Dream Box at Medellin | MDE | Yes | Purchase a day pass at the door |
| The Lounge at Bremen | BRE | Yes | Complimentary access for KLM frequent flyers, or other first- or business-class passengers |
| The Lounge at Bucaramanga | BGA | Yes | Purchase a day pass at the door ($50) |
| The Lounge at Cancun International | CUN | Yes | Purchase a day pass at the door |
| The Lounge at Cancun Terminal 3 | CUN | Yes | Purchase a day pass at the door |
| The Lounge at Cancun Terminal 4 | CUN | Yes | Purchase a day pass at the door |
| The Lounge at Cucuta | CUC | Yes | Purchase a day pass at the door |
| The Lounge at Florianopolis | FLN | Yes | Purchase a day pass at the door |
| The Lounge at Foz Do Iguazu | IGU | Yes | Purchase a day pass at the door |
| The Lounge at Huatulco | HUX | Yes | Purchase a day pass at the door |
| The Lounge at Medellín Domestic Terminal | MDE | Yes | Purchase a day pass at the door |
| The Lounge at Medellin International Terminal | MDE | Yes | Purchase a day pass at the door |
| The Lounge at Medellin Terminal Olaya | EOH | Yes | Purchase a day pass at the door |
| The Lounge at Mexico City | MEX | Yes | Purchase a day pass at the door |
| The Lounge at Monteria | MTR | Yes | Purchase a day pass at the door |
| The Lounge at New York City | JFK | N/A — Under Construction | N/A |
| The Lounge at Oaxaca | OAX | Yes | Purchase a day pass at the door |
| The Lounge at Panama City | PTY | Yes | Purchase a day pass at the door |
| The Lounge at Puebla | PBC | Yes | Purchase a day pass at the door |
| The Lounge at San Francisco | SFO | N/A — Under Construction | N/A |
| The Lounge at San Juan Terminal A | SJU | Yes | Purchase a day pass at the door |
| The Lounge at San Juan Terminal C | SJU | Yes | Purchase a day pass at the door |
| The Lounge at Santa Marta | SMR | Yes | Purchase a day pass at the door |
| The Lounge at São Paulo | GRU | Yes | Purchase a day pass at the door |
| The Lounge at Vitoria | VIT | Yes | Purchase a day pass at the door |
| The Lounge at Xi’an | XIY | No | Purchase a day pass at the door |
| The Lounge Bogota | BOG | Yes | Purchase a day pass at the door |
| The Lounge Koeln-Bonn | CGN | Yes | Purchase a day pass at the door |
| The Lounge Thessaloniki | SKG | Yes | Purchase a day pass at the door |
| Turkish Airlines at Bangkok | BKK | Yes | Star Alliance Gold members and first- or business-class passengers flying on a Star Alliance flight, or purchase a day pass at the door |
| Turkish Airlines Miami Lounge Terminal E | MIA | Yes | Star Alliance Gold members and first- or business-class passengers flying on a Star Alliance flight, or purchase a day pass at the door |
| Turkish Airlines Miami Lounge Terminal H | MIA | Yes | Star Alliance Gold members and first- or business-class passengers flying on a Star Alliance flight, or purchase a day pass at the door |
Is the Global Lounge NFT Worth It?
One of the main observations you'll gather by looking at the table of lounges accessible with the Global Lounge NFT is that the vast majority are also accessible with a Priority Pass membership. So, if you already have Priority Pass, you won't gain anything by subscribing — except access to three SkyTeam lounges.
If you don't have Priority Pass, rest assured it's easy to get. Purchasing a membership directly on the Priority Pass website can cost as much as $469 annually for the most premium plan, which offers substantial savings compared to the annual Global Lounge NFT plan. Even better, you don't have to link a digital wallet to make a purchase.
You also can gain access by carrying a travel rewards card that offers a complimentary Priority Pass membership as a perk. In many cases, even the most premium travel rewards cards have annual fees that are more affordable than an annual subscription to Global Lounge NFT. For instance, the following cards offer complimentary access after completing your complimentary enrollment, plus a boatload of other perks:
- Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card
- The Platinum Card® from American Express
- Chase Sapphire Reserve®
- Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card
Another quality option for picking up a Priority Pass membership on the cheap is applying for the PenFed Pathfinder® Rewards Visa Signature®. With a $95 annual fee, you'll be hard-pressed to find a more cost-effective way to gain lounge access.
Related: The Best Credit Cards for Airport Lounge Access
No, it's not worth subscribing to Global Lounge NFT
Ultimately, if you subscribe to Global Lounge NFT, you're paying for the chance to use cryptocurrency to purchase Priority Pass lounge access. It's nothing short of a status symbol.
If your goal is accessing Priority Pass lounges for the cheapest cost, you'll want to avoid the Global Lounge NFT and pick up a credit card that offers complimentary access with a lower comparative fee — or purchase a membership directly from Priority Pass. But if you want the joy of trying to set up a cryptocurrency wallet and purchasing an overpriced Priority Pass membership, well, that's definitely an option.
Related: What You Need To Know About Priority Pass Lounges
Final Thoughts
If this isn't the most 2024 thing you've ever heard, you can purchase lounge access with cryptocurrency via the Global Lounge NFT. Most of the lounges you can access are part of the Priority Pass network, which means there's limited utility to the NFT — unless you want to pay more for something that's routinely a perk of travel rewards cards everywhere and can be purchased cheaper when going directly through the Priority Pass website.
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