There are two primary ways to pay for a Priority Pass membership: direct purchase or through premium credit card benefits. If you buy directly from their website, you pay an annual fee using a major credit or debit card; there are three tiers (Standard, Standard Plus, and Prestige) ranging from roughly $99 to $469 per year. However, most frequent travelers in 2026 receive the pass as a "complimentary" benefit of cards like the Amex Platinum or Chase Sapphire Reserve. In these cases, the membership fee is included in your card's annual fee, and you simply need to "activate" the benefit in your card's online portal. Once activated, any "guest fees" (if your plan doesn't include free guests) or visits exceeding your plan's limit are automatically billed to the credit card on file, usually appearing on your statement within 30 to 90 days of the lounge visit.