I Visited the Top-Ranked Priority Pass Lounge in North America. Was It Worth the Accolade?

Whenever I visit a new destination, I get nerdy and start reviewing my lounge options.

When planning a fall break trip to Mexico City, I was excited to see that I’d have access to 5 Priority Pass lounges at Mexico City’s Benito Juárez International Airport (MEX). I noticed that one of them, Grand Lounge Elite, was the Priority Pass 2025 Lounge of the Year Regional Winner for North America, and my interest was immediately piqued.

Here are 7 takeaways from my October 2025 visit to the space-themed Grand Lounge Elite, from how to find and gain access to the lounge to its delicious enchiladas verdes.

1. It Takes Effort To Find

The Grand Lounge Elite at MEX’s Terminal 1 is airside after security (we did not pass through any immigration or customs checks on our outgoing flight). Much of this terminal is under construction as areas are renovated ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

First, locate the hallway nearest to gate 19 (puerta 19).

You first pass a lounge identifiable by lots of greenery, signposted as Grand Lounge Elite, but this is actually Lounge 19. While this location accepts Priority Pass, it was only accepting advance reservations at the time we walked by, and we were diverted to the lounge “down the hallway,” which turned out to be our intended destination.

Walking past Lounge 19 and following the corridor back and to the right, you find the entrance to the Grand Lounge Elite.

2. There Are Several Ways To Access the Lounge

The lounge is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and there are several ways to gain entry.

I entered using my Priority Pass membership, a benefit of my Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card.

Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card

U.P. Rating 

The rating for this card has been determined by our own industry experts who know the ins and outs of credit card products. Bonuses, rewards as well as rates and fees are all taken into account. Compensation from the issuer does not affect our rating. We only recommend products we either use ourselves or endorse.

The Capital One Venture X card is an excellent option for travelers looking for an all-in-one premium credit card.

Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card

The Capital One Venture X card is an excellent option for travelers looking for an all-in-one premium credit card.

Welcome Offer

Earn 75,000 bonus miles when you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening, equal to $750 in travel.

75,000 miles

UP's Offer Valuation*:

$1,350

Annual Fee

$395

APR

Purchases: 19.99% - 28.99% (Variable)

Credit Recommended

Upgraded Points credit ranges are a variation of FICO^® Score 8, one of many types of credit scores lenders may use when considering your credit card application.

Excellent (740-840)

Why We Like This Card

The Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card is the premium Capital One travel rewards card on the block.

Points and miles fans will be surprised to see that the Capital One Venture X card packs quite the punch when it comes to bookings made through Capital One, all while offering the lowest annual fee among premium credit cards.

Depending on your travel goals and preferences, the Capital One Venture X card could very well end up being your go-to card in your wallet.

 

Pros & Cons

Pros

• 10x miles per $1 on hotels and rental cars purchased through Capital One Travel
• 5x miles per $1 on flights and vacation rentals purchased through Capital One Travel
• 2x miles per $1 on all other purchases

Cons

• $395 annual fee
• Does not offer bonus categories for flights or hotel purchases made directly with the airline or hotel group, the preferred booking method for those looking to earn elite status

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Card Highlights

• Earn 75,000 bonus miles when you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening, equal to $750 in travel
• Receive a $300 annual credit for bookings through Capital One Travel, where you'll get Capital One's best prices on thousands of trip options
• Get 10,000 bonus miles (equal to $100 towards travel) every year, starting on your first anniversary
• Earn unlimited 10X miles on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel and 5X miles on flights and vacation rentals booked through Capital One Travel
• Earn unlimited 2X miles on all other purchases
• Enjoy access to 1,300+ lounges worldwide, including Capital One Lounge locations and Priority Pass™ lounges, after enrollment
• Use your Venture X miles to easily cover travel expenses, including flights, hotels, rental cars and more—you can even transfer your miles to your choice of 15+ travel loyalty programs
• Enjoy a $100 experience credit and other premium benefits with every hotel and vacation rental booked from the Premier Collection
• Receive up to a $120 credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck^®

Financial Snapshot

• APR: Purchases: 19.99% - 28.99% (Variable)
• Foreign Transaction Fees: None

Rewards Center

Capital One Miles

 

Hot Tip:

MEX’s Terminal 1 has 5 Priority Pass lounges, and Terminal 2 has 1 lounge and 1 restaurant. Many credit cards offer a complimentary Priority Pass membership as a benefit.

In addition to Priority Pass, you can enter using a:

• Visa Platinum, Infinite, or Signature card issued in Mexico (there are varying degrees of access depending on the card)
• LoungeKey membership
• Diners Club card
• 3-hour day pass for $47 (a $5 confirmation fee is required if you make a reservation)
• Business class ticket with Air France, ANA, China Southern Airlines, Hainan Airlines, Iberia, Lufthansa, KLM, or Turkish Airlines

Note that passengers flying Air France La Première have access to a private suite, a special menu, and personalized service.

3. The Decor Is Outrageous

Will entering this lounge feel more like a spaceport than an airport? 100%.

I can’t say I’ve been to many (if any?) themed airport lounges, but great efforts have been made with the design of this lounge to transport your experience to an otherworldly level.

The focal point at the center of the lounge is a large Apollo 11 replica capsule. The lounge’s website touts that you can enjoy a martini on board the capsule, but it appeared to be off-limits during our visit.

Just beyond the capsule, a large backlit mural of the moon dominated the wall. Unique furniture and fixtures, with chrome prominently featured, were throughout the space.

Even the entrance to the restrooms was thematic and would have seemed equally at home at Galaxy’s Edge in Walt Disney World.

4. The Lounge Was Spacious

Whenever I enter a lounge with my family of 5, my first thought is almost always finding seats together. I was pleasantly surprised that the lounge had 3 primary seating areas:

• The main room where the capsule was
• A more spread-out room that extended off to the side
• Seating in the buffet and bar area

Finding 5 seats together during our 2 p.m. visit was no issue, as the lounge had plenty of available seats.

The bar seating was the most cramped of the areas. I liked that the capsule area had many partitioned spaces, which were ideal for couples or groups traveling together. The room with extended seating was roomy, with lots of space to walk around, and I liked that the chairs weren’t right on top of each other.

The seating was a unique mix of cloth club chairs, oversize leather chairs, sofas, and loveseats. The capsule room had the most thematic seats, with many looking like they were made out of spare aircraft parts.

Hot Tip:

The lounge is fully enclosed with no windows (unless you consider your view of the moon), and having views out across the apron action would have elevated the experience.

5. Areas Were in Need of Upkeep

Despite its accolades and uniqueness, the lounge was showing wear.

In the area where my family landed, floor tiles were peeling up, the wall showed marks from chairs rubbing against it, the wood baseboards showed damage from mopping, and the TV displayed an error message. Further, the lounge was hot, with portable fans running in multiple areas.

I believe the lounge was refurbished in 2024, and what I noticed seemed to be more upkeep- and maintenance-related — finishing touches that would improve the lounge’s polish.

6. The Buffet Is a Pass, but the à la Carte Menu Shines

My kids are usually excited to go straight to the buffet, but this entire buffet was a pass from my crew. Foods on offer included vegetable soups, steamed vegetables, pasta salads, a vegetable salad, fruit, and snacks such as pretzels and popcorn.

The shining star of the visit, and something I’m sure contributed to the lounge’s Priority Pass award, was the à la carte menu.

After settling into our seats with our bags, we were quickly greeted by a waiter who took our drink orders and presented us with a menu. The complimentary menu included plenty of all-day offerings, including several vegetarian options, basic wine, beer, and nonalcoholic drinks. There was also a for-charge menu for food and beverages, though we found more than enough to choose from on the complimentary one.

My husband and I ordered the enchiladas verdes and cochinita tacos, and all 3 kids got burgers and fries. We received our items in just over 20 minutes. We found the Mexican dishes well-presented and tasty.

There was an elaborate coffee bar near the entrance, and any other drinks had to be ordered through the server or at the bar in the other room.

Hot Tip:

Though the à la carte menu is complimentary, the experience is full service, so please consider tipping your server.

7. Amenities Are Light

The lounge and Priority Pass websites advertise a slate of complimentary services, such as massages, nail services, shoe shines, showers, and golf car service. I examined the lounge pretty thoroughly and did not see any of these services offered.

I did see cool Space Age workstations, though these had signs that said “reserved.” I suspect that translates to: “Kids, don’t play here.”

The Wi-Fi was easy to connect to, and Spanish-language periodicals were available throughout the lounge.

Final Thoughts

Is the Grand Lounge Elite, Priority Pass 2025 Lounge of the Year Regional Winner for North America, worthy of its accolades? It was spacious, unique, and had an extensive à la carte menu, but it was already showing wear, lacked common amenities, had a mediocre buffet, and there were no self-service beverages.

Guests in a hurry may not have the time to order with a server and wait for their food or drinks to be delivered or replenished, so having better self-service options would be an improvement. And for a lounge that clearly paid attention to design details, better upkeep of those unique finishes is needed.

Considering our list of the best Priority Pass lounges in the U.S., Grand Lounge Elite is certainly more elevated than the average room with seats, snacks, and an open bar. However, Priority Pass cardholders are allowed 1 entry a year to any U.S. location of Chase Sapphire Lounge by The Club, and I’d say these lounges are certainly contenders for the top lounge spots.