Amex Platinum UK to cap Priority Pass lounge visits from 2028

American Express UK is to cap complimentary Priority Pass lounge visits on The Platinum Card from 1 January 2028, according to Head for Points. Primary cardholders will get 20 visits a year and supplementary cardholders 10, unless they spent £30,000 on the card in the previous calendar year. The announcement was made on 4 November 2026.

What is changing

Head for Points reports that the UK is following the US and several other countries in limiting Priority Pass use. The cap applies from 2028, so anyone wanting to avoid it would need to spend £30,000 on the card during 2027.

The wording quoted by the site says the primary member will have 20 complimentary visits, plus 10 for each supplementary member on the account, in 2028. Pre-book entitlements are unchanged until 31 December 2027, with eight available to both platinum and supplementary cardholders in 2027. Head for Points suspects they may carry over, but this has not been confirmed.

Unclear points

The biggest uncertainty is guests. Head for Points says it is not clear whether the free guest a cardholder can bring counts towards the cap, though it assumes it does. The wording does not mention guests, so it could be read either as each visit including a guest or as free guesting ending altogether.

It is also unclear whether Business Platinum cards are affected. The site assumes, but stresses it is not clear, that going over the cap would still allow entry at the standard Priority Pass guest rate, currently £24, which is below the walk-up price at most lounges in the programme.

Lounges not affected

Centurion, Plaza Premium and Eurostar lounges are not subject to the cap, because they are accessed by showing the Platinum card at the door. Head for Points notes that many Plaza Premium lounges also appear in Priority Pass, so cardholders can often switch to them without using a Priority Pass visit.

Who could be hit

Head for Points expects most cardholders to be unaffected. Those most at risk travel often on indirect itineraries or with a partner. Its example is a couple flying with Qatar Airways to Bangkok via Doha, which would use eight of their 30 combined visits in one round trip if guests count.

Supplementary cardholders travelling with someone who is not the main cardholder would reach 10 visits fastest, potentially after two and a half such trips. The site also doubts that spending £30,000 a year is worthwhile, since the card earns 1 Membership Rewards point per £1.

What this means for travellers

• Nothing changes in 2026 or 2027, apart from the eight pre-book entitlements in 2027.
• From 2028, keep a count of Priority Pass entries, including any guests, until Amex clarifies the rules.
• Use Plaza Premium, Centurion or Eurostar lounges where available, as these do not count towards the cap.
• Families with supplementary cards should check how quickly the 10-visit limit could be used.
• Business Platinum holders should wait for confirmation, as it is not known whether the cap applies to them.

Amex has not yet clarified the guest rules or the cost of exceeding the cap, according to the available reporting.

Sources: Head for Points.