I’ve been to a LOT of Priority Pass lounges over the years, and there is a wide range of quality between lounges. Generally I find airport lounges in the United States to be of worse quality than those overseas, but even within the U.S., there are a few excellent lounges and then a few clunkers. For every brand new Escape Lounge PDX or Escape Lounge CVG, there are…. some clunkers.
Recently my wife and I were transiting through Honolulu Airport (HNL) and visited The Premier Club HNL, which is a Priority Pass lounge. And man, was it sad. It may be the 2nd worst Priority Pass lounge I’ve ever been to, but amusingly enough, not even the worst lounge in its own airport!
(SEE ALSO: I may have found the worst Priority Pass lounge in the United States)
The Premier Club HNL is a Priority Pass lounge, so if you have a Priority Pass membership (likely from a credit card), you’ll have complimentary access to the Premier Club HNL. If you’re an Atmos Rewards elite member, or are flying first or business class on Alaska or Hawaii, you’ll also have access. If you’re flying internationally on Alaska or Hawaii, or domestically on a ticket of more than 2,000 miles, you’ll have access to the Plumeria Lounge HNL, which is significantly better (but no longer available to Priority Pass members)
I could not find information on whether or not you can buy a day pass if you don’t have Priority Pass, but I would strenuously not recommend doing so.
Priority Pass HNL / Honolulu airport lounge location
The Premier Club HNL is located in the secure area, near Gate A18. The Premier Club HNL airport lounge is open from 6:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. local time. If you have a flight outside those hours, you unfortunately will not be able to use The Premier Club HNL Priority Pass lounge.
The Premier Club HNL Priority Pass Honolulu airport lounge seating
There is just one open area with small tables and chairs. It was mildly crowded when I was there (around 2 p.m. on a weekday), but we were still able to find a seat. I could see a situation where it might get too crowded.
The Premier Club HNL airport lounge review: food
This Honolulu Airport / HNL Priority Pass lounge had ummm pretzels for food. Yup. That’s it.
Please make sure not to make a mess with your tiny bags of pretzels to keep the club clean for all guests (Mahalo).
There is also a small array of drinks, including a small soda machine and coffee.
The Premier Club HNL airport lounge wifi
The Premier Club HNL wifi speed was outstanding. I didn’t have any trouble doing light browsing.
Priority Pass HNL / Daniel Inouye Honolulu Airport lounge amenities
The Premier Club HNL does not really have any notable amenities, though unlike similar lounges, it does have bathrooms inside the lounge as opposed to outside in the terminal.
The Bottom Line
In any case, I rate The Premier Club HNL as one of the worst Priority Pass lounges in the country, though amusingly, slightly better than the IASS Honolulu lounge, which I visited on a previous trip. I suppose if you aren’t looking for any food, the chairs were somewhat comfortable and you at least have free coffee and soft drinks. But there’s not much you can get here that you wouldn’t be able to get outside in the terminal.
Have you been to The Premier Club HNL / Honolulu Airport Priority Pass lounge before? What did you think? Leave a note in the comments
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Dan Miller travels with his wife and 6 (SIX!) children. He loves to help families travel for free / cheap, especially larger families. If you are looking for help, drop him an email at
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