Priority Pass Reveals Best Lounge Award Winners for 2025

Updated: May 1, 2025, 12:31am CDT

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Table of Contents

Lounge of the Year: Advantage VIP Lounge
Regional Winners
Additional Award Winners
Final Thoughts

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Priority Pass, the global lounge membership program, has announced the 2025 winners of its Priority Pass Excellence Awards.

This is the 17th edition of the awards. Winners are chosen according to global ratings and lounge reviews. There are regional winners, “highly commended” lounges, and winners for unique or innovative offers.

Of course, there’s also a global winner for “lounge of the year” and recognition of exemplary employees at Priority Pass lounges worldwide.

Here’s a look at the 2025 Priority Pass Excellence Awards winners.

Lounge of the Year: Advantage VIP Lounge

CNF — not an airport code everyone will recognize. However, the Tancredo Neves International Airport (CNF) in Confins, near Belo Horizonte in Brazil’s Minas Gerais state, is the home of the lounge that’s taken top marks from Priority Pass this year.

The Advantage VIP Lounge near gate 2 in Terminal 1 is open 24 hours a day and has received numerous positive reviews for its food, friendly staff, and around-the-clock availability. The lounge is only accessible to those on domestic flights and allows a maximum visit of 3 hours.

Advantage VIP Lounge CNF Confins Belo Horizonte Brazil — The lounge’s bar and seats have planespotting views. Image Credit: Advantage VIP

Along with a bar, nap rooms, and a children’s play area, the lounge offers planespotting opportunities, a buffet with hot food, and drinks (including alcohol). There are also showers and luggage storage facilities, though both have fees for use.

Advantage VIP Lounge CNF Confins Belo Horizonte Brazil dining — Dining area in the lounge. Image Credit: Advantage VIP

Having lived in Belo Horizonte, I know the airport needed new lounges. Just a few years ago, there weren’t any. Now, there are several that help reduce crowding at the Ambaar Lounge, which was the airport’s sole lounge for a few years.

Hot Tip:

While buying a membership to visit lounges is possible, you can get a Priority Pass membership through credit cards. These typically provide guest privileges and unlimited visits, though the details vary from card to card.

Regional Winners

These lounges stood out within their respective parts of the world.

Asia Pacific

The Kyra Lounge at Hong Kong Chek Lap Kok International (HKG) won the crown for this region. It’s open from 5:30 a.m. to 11:30 p.m. daily and offers plentiful seating, airplane views, a bar, TVs, Wi-Fi, food, and drinks. There’s also a quiet area.

Kyra Lounge Hong Kong entrance — Image Credit: The Club Airport Lounges

Guests can visit up to 3 hours before departure. The Kyra Lounge is located on level 6, near gate 23 in Terminal 1.

Europe

The Vienna Lounge at Vienna International Airport (VIE) took home honors for Europe. In addition to abundant seating, the lounge has a well-stocked bar, a buffet, a cinema, a children’s play area, a prayer room, a quiet room with day beds, and an outdoor smoking terrace.

Priority Pass Vienna Lounge — A view of the buffet at the Vienna Lounge. Image Credit: Priority Pass

Luggage storage and shoe shine services are available. The lounge is located in Terminal 1 near the C and D gates and is open daily from 4:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. Visitors can stay up to 3 hours.

Middle East and Africa

The Primeclass Lounge is open 24 hours daily at Muscat International Airport (MCT) in Oman. It’s located on the fifth floor after passport control.

Primeclass Lounge MCT main bar — Main bar at the Primeclass Lounge. Image Credit: Keri Stooksbury

Visitors love how spacious and comfortable the lounge is, along with its numerous amenities. You’ll find luggage storage, internet, a prayer room, bathrooms, a nursing area, showers, a meeting room, a cinema, a spa, a kids area, gaming equipment, and even private suites.

North America

The North American winner comes from Mexico: The Grand Lounge Elite at Mexico City’s Benito Juárez International Airport (MEX). Found in Terminal 1, the lounge is near gate H and is open 24 hours a day.

Visitors can stay up to 3 hours. Lounge amenities include TVs, food, showers, newspapers, alcoholic beverages, and more.

Additional Award Winners

Other winners that you should check out include the “Highly Commended” category, “Pioneer of the Year,” and “All Star of the Year” for employees.

Escape Lounge Kansas City bar — The Escape Lounge in Kansas City. Image Credit: Escape Lounges

Highly Commended Lounges

Winners in this category also received high praise from travelers. They include:

North America: Escape Lounge in Concourse A of the Kansas City International Airport (MCI)
Asia Pacific: Oriental Club Lounge in Terminal 2 of Taoyuan International Airport (TPE) in Taiwan
Europe: Marco Polo Club at the Venice Marco Polo Airport (VCE) in Venice
Latin America and the Caribbean: VIP Lounge Punta Cana (Departures) at the Punta Cana International Airport (PUJ) in the Dominican Republic

Hot Tip:

Check out the full list of U.S. Escape Lounges and how to access them with methods other than a Priority Pass membership.

Pioneer of the Year

These lounges led with innovation and unique features:

Aéroport Nice Côte d’Azur in France: The Library Lounge in Terminal 1 and The Infinity Lounge in Terminal 2 won for using emerging technologies like service robots and AI-assisted voice feedback.
Bengaluru Airport Services in India: The multiple 080 Lounge locations at this airport won for “thoughtful, locally rooted sustainability — from 40% energy savings to eco-friendly materials and the 50 Miles Concept of local sourcing.”
Kepler for its lounges in Latvia and Malaysia: The Kepler Hotel & Lounge in Riga and Kepler Club in Kuala Lumpur were praised for “raising the bar in airport rest and privacy” with premium sleep pods, self-service check-in, and other features.

All-Star of the Year

These employees received consistently high ratings and positive remarks in guest reviews after lounge visits:

Cristina Snachez at the Cumbia Lounge in Barranquilla, Colombia
Nanci Quintana at the AMAE Lounge International in Rosaria, Argentina
Guilherme Queiroz Silva at the BRT Lounge Porto Seguro in Porto Seguro, Brazil

Interestingly, all 3 winners are in South America. If you’re looking for exemplary service at a lounge, you know where to go.

Final Thoughts

This year’s top lounge was found in Brazil. Other regional winners took home awards as the best lounge on that continent, for being innovative, or for having employees who go above and beyond.