March 26, 2026 · TravelLux.be

I Visited 12 Airport Lounges in 30 Days: My Honest Review

Mid-February, I was standing at Brussels Airport with a boarding pass for Istanbul, a backpack full of gadgets and a brand-new Amex Platinum card in my wallet. My plan: visit as many airport lounges as possible in one month and honestly write down what it's really worth as a Belgian traveller. No polished marketing speak, but a genuine Amex Platinum lounge review from the field.

The trigger was simple. I'd just received my Priority Pass Prestige membership (included with the card) and wanted to find out whether those 1,550+ lounges are really as good as everyone claims. Spoiler: some exceeded my expectations, others were a real letdown. But after 12 lounges in 30 days, I've got a pretty clear picture.

What follows is my personal account: each lounge rated on food, drinks, atmosphere, wifi and crowd levels. Plus the concrete tips I wish someone had given me earlier.

The route: BRU → IST → DXB → SIN → BKK → DOH → BRU

Let me set the scene. I flew from Brussels via Istanbul to Dubai, onwards to Singapore, then Bangkok, back through Doha and home again. That's six airports, but with departure and arrival lounges, plus a few stopovers, I reached 12 lounge visits in exactly 29 days.

I paid for the entire trip as much as possible with my Amex Platinum. Not just to collect points (though it helps: 1 point per euro, or 4 points with the Booster option), but because you're automatically covered by the travel insurance via Chubb and Europ Assistance. Trip cancellation, lost luggage, medical costs abroad: everything included as long as you pay with the card. That gives peace of mind.

My first stop was Brussels Airport itself. And honestly, the surprise started right there.

Brussels Airport: the perks you don't expect

I had pre-activated the Fast Lane security through my Amex Platinum. Normally this costs €169 per year, but as a Platinum cardholder it's simply included. At 6:15 in the morning, the difference was massive: while the regular queue stretched past the check-in counters, I was through to the gate side in two minutes.

What few Belgian travellers know: the Amex Platinum also gives you Dining Experience at Black Pearls on Brussels Airport (twice a month, takeaway) and Lounge On the Go, a kind of premium takeaway you can bring to your gate. I picked up a warm breakfast and ate it at my gate while answering emails. Oddly enough, that felt more useful than sitting in a lounge, because I was already through security.

The Priority Pass lounge at Zaventem itself (the Diamond Lounge) is decent. Good coffee, fresh croissants, a respectable buffet. But nothing earth-shattering. I'd give it a 7 out of 10. The real advantage is the combination: Fast Lane plus lounge plus takeaway. Those three together make departing from Brussels significantly more pleasant.

My top 3 lounges (and the disappointments)

After 12 visits, the difference between lounges is surprisingly large. I'd expected them to be more or less identical: buffet, wifi, comfortable chair. But no. The range goes from "this is a restaurant with sleeper chairs" to "this is an overcrowded waiting room with crackers".

And then the disappointments. The Priority Pass lounge at Bangkok Suvarnabhumi was packed. Literally no seats at 14:00 on a Tuesday. The food was fine, but the vibe reminded me of a snack bar at a busy train station. In Dubai, the lounge at Terminal 3 (the Ahlan Lounge) was clean but impersonal, as if you were sitting in a sterile office with a buffet next to it.

Honestly, the pattern was clear: airline lounges (Turkish Airlines, Qatar) are in a league of their own. The generic Priority Pass lounges vary enormously: some are excellent, others are simply a quieter spot with free coffee. That's not a reason to avoid them, but your expectations need to be realistic.

Amex Platinum lounge review: is the card worth it for lounges alone?

Let me be honest here, because this is the question every Belgian traveller asks. The Amex Platinum costs €780 per year (€65 per month). The Priority Pass Prestige that comes with it is worth about €500 separately. So for lounge access alone, you're effectively paying €280 for all the other benefits on top.

And those other benefits are substantial. I booked my hotel in Singapore through Fine Hotels + Resorts and received a free room upgrade (from standard to deluxe with city view), daily breakfast for two, late checkout until 16:00 and a welcome gift worth €100. The total added value of that single stay, I estimate at €400 to €500. That's more than half a year of card fees, from one booking.

Add the travel insurance (no separate policy needed), the 3x per year Dining for 2 at top Belgian restaurants (value up to €300 per year), the Hertz Gold Plus Five Star status, and it starts adding up very quickly. For someone who flies four or more times a year, the maths is simple: you earn the card back.

But if you fly once a year to Spain for a week of sunshine, this isn't your card. That should be said.

Practical tips after 12 lounges in 30 days

After a month of intensive lounge-hopping, I've learned a few things I wish I'd known sooner.

• Download the Priority Pass app and always check recent reviews before heading to a lounge. Quality varies by time of day and season.
• Your Amex Platinum grants access for you plus one guest. So your partner or travel companion gets in free. Travelling as three? The third person pays extra, unless they have their own card.
• At Brussels Airport, Fast Lane security is the most underrated perk. Especially for early morning flights, it easily saves 25 to 40 minutes.
• Centurion Lounges (there are a few in the US) are the absolute pinnacle. If you ever fly through New York, Miami or Dallas: make time for them.
• Always bring your physical card. Some lounges only accept the card, not the app. That happened to me in Bangkok.

Something else I only discovered after my third lounge: you can also use Plaza Premium Lounges and Delta Sky Clubs with the Amex Platinum. They don't always show up in the Priority Pass app but are accessible. It's worth checking the full list on the Amex website before you depart.

What I'd do differently

If I were to plan this trip again, I'd change two things. First, I'd build in longer layovers at airports with good lounges. Four hours in Istanbul felt too short. Six hours in Doha was just right. It sounds odd, but a good lounge turns a tiring stopover into a mini-holiday.

Second, I'd have activated the Booster option on my Amex Platinum earlier. For an extra €10 per month, you get 4 points per euro instead of 1. On my total travel spending that month (hotels, restaurants, flights), that would have earned roughly 12,000 extra points. In hindsight, a missed opportunity.

But that's the beauty of Membership Rewards points: they never expire as long as your card is active. So for the next trip, I'm booking an award flight with those points. Brussels to the Maldives via Doha, in business class, for a fraction of the price. That's the plan.

Frequently asked questions about Amex Platinum lounges in Belgium

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