Alaska Lounge Membership Cost Increasing Soon (Again)

Several months ago, Alaska Airlines announced that the cost of an Alaska Lounge membership will be increasing in early 2025. This will be the second year in a row that Alaska increases the cost of a lounge membership, and it will be the third increase that we’ve seen since 2022.

I want to recap the details of how pricing will change, for anyone who might want to lock in a membership before the changes kick in.

Alaska hikes lounge membership fees

As of February 12, 2025, the cost to be an Alaska Lounge member will be increasing. As of then:

• An Alaska Lounge membership will cost $595; this offers access to nine Alaska Lounge locations
• An Alaska Lounge+ membership will cost $795; this offers access to nine Alaska Lounge locations, plus roughly 90 partner lounge locations, including all American Admirals Clubs, and select Qantas Clubs and United Clubs

Once these changes kick in, there will no longer be a built-in discount for elite members. However:

• The Alaska Airlines Visa Signature® credit card (review) and Alaska Airlines Visa® Business card (review) will continue to offer a $100 discount on an Alaska Lounge+ membership if paying with the card
• With the Alaska milestone perks program, those who pass 30,000 elite qualifying miles will be able to select a $100 discount on an Alaska Lounge or Alaska Lounge+ membership as a benefit

For context, here’s how the new pricing compares to the old pricing:

• The cost of an Alaska Lounge membership is currently $450 for elites or $550 for non-elites; prior to February 2024, the cost was $400 for elites or $500 for non-elites
• The cost of an Alaska Lounge+ membership is currently $650 for elites or $750 for non-elites; prior to February 2024, the cost was $550 for elites or $650 for non-elites

As it currently stands, all elite tiers — MVP Gold 100K, MVP Gold 75K, MVP Gold, and MVP members — receive the same elite discount.

With the 2024 changes, we saw new access restrictions added, whereby Alaska Lounge members are only able to use lounges when traveling on Alaska or a partner airline (including oneworld partners and non-oneworld partners). That means Alaska Lounge members are no longer able to visit lounges when traveling on non-partner airlines.

Alaska justifies this change by explaining that the airline has been investing in new lounges, in terms of renovating and expanding existing locations and opening new ones.

My take on these Alaska Lounge fee hikes

What stings with these lounge membership cost changes is that this is the third price hike that we’re seeing in a period of roughly three years — that’s pretty rough! Even if you get a $100 discount for having a co-branded credit card, you’re looking at paying $695 per year for an Alaska Lounge+ membership (or $595 for an Alaska Lounge membership, since there’s no discount), which is on the steep side.

I’d argue that the best value for accessing American Admirals Clubs and Alaska Lounges remains the Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard® (review). The card has a $550 annual fee, and offers an Admirals Club membership, plus a lot more.

Alaska Lounge members and American Admirals Club members have reciprocal lounge access perks, so if you typically use Alaska Lounges when traveling with Alaska or American, this is a great option. It’s cheaper than any membership fee being charged for an Alaska Lounge or American Admirals Club membership.

Bottom line

The cost of an Alaska Lounge membership will be increasing once again as of February 12, 2025, for the third time in the past few years. Once these changes kick in, an Alaska Lounge membership will cost $595, while an Alaska Lounge+ membership will cost $795 per year. There will no longer be an automatic elite discount, though co-branded cardmembers can receive a $100 discount on an Alaska Lounge+ membership, and elite Mileage Plan members can select a $100 discount as their milestone perks selection.

I could totally make sense of the previous price changes we’ve seen, which just got Alaska in line with the competition, and largely reflected that Alaska joined the oneworld alliance. But to see another price increase so soon is pretty rough.

What do you make of these Alaska Lounge membership fee changes?