In this article, we outline how to get into the Gatwick North airport lounges for free. We also outline which lounge is best and which free credit card you need to get free lounge access. If you are heading to the Sout terminal, then have a read of my article, how to get into Gatwick South Lounges for free.
Get Lounge Access Free
At North Terminal, if you don’t have access to the Virgin Atlantic Clubhouse, there are also three lounges that you can access with your Priority Pass.
You can access these three Priority Pass Gatwick North Lounges for free with the free (in the first year) American Express Preferred Rewards Gold Card, which comes with two Lounge Club passes that can be immediately used to get into these lounges to enjoy free drinks (including alcohol) and food.
The American Express® Preferred Rewards Gold Credit Card offers 12,000 points when you apply, are approved, and spend £3,000 GBP in your first three months of card membership. You also get two Lounge Club passes. To get the full 12,000 points, you must apply through a referral link (contact us if you would like me to refer you via our Luxury Travel Concierge page).
If you apply without a referral, you only get 10,000 points.
Get Unlimited Airport Lounge Access
For unlimited airport lounge access, you will need to apply for the Platinum card. With my referral link, you will get 35,000 Membership Rewards points instead of the usual 30,000 when you spend £4,000 GBP within 90 days. Contact us via our Luxury Travel Concierge page to get a referral link and the extra 5,000 points.
The bonus is only available to customers who have not held a personal American Express card that issued Membership Rewards points in the previous 24 months. This would include Green, Gold, Platinum, and the American Express Rewards credit card.
You are OK if you currently or recently only had a British Airways, Starwood, Costco, or Nectar American Express card. But you must not have held a card offering Membership Rewards points.
How To Get Into Gatwick North Airport Lounges Cheap?
Other options are using a Priority Pass, which comes free with Amex Platinum (which costs £450 GBP / annum) or you can buy a Priority Pass.
What Airlines Fly From Gatwick North?
If you are flying out of Gatwick’s North Terminal, you will probably be flying on one of the following airlines:
- Aeroflot
- Air Canada
- easyJet
- Emirates
- Icelandair
- Royal Air Maroc
- Thomson Airways
- Tianjin Airlines
- Virgin Atlantic
- Vueling
- West Jet
If you are not flying in Business or First Class on these airlines, you will not automatically have access to the associated airline’s lounges, so you will need to plan a lounge pass.
Which lounge is best?
The BA First Lounge in Gatwick South is the best airport lounge at Gatwick and in the North Terminal the Virgin Atlantic Club lounge is probably my favorite, but you cannot access either of these lounges for cheap or free. You must be flying in Business or First on the respective airline.
Which lounges can I Get Into With My Priority Pass Or Lounge Club passes?
The lounges that you can access for free at Gatwick North with your free Amex Gold Card two free Lounge Club visits include:
- No1 Airport Lounge Review Gatwick North Terminal
- Aspire Airport Lounge Gatwick
- My Lounge Gatwick North Terminal
I have reviewed each of these lounges in Gatwick North here:
London Gatwick North Airport Lounge Reviews
Review: No1 Airport Lounge, Gatwick North Terminal
The No1 Lounge in Gatwick Airport's North Terminal is, in my opinion, the best airport lounge in Gatwick North Terminal. Our review below outlines exactly why this lounge is better than the other Priority Pass lounge options. This is the only Priority Pass lounge in Gatwick North Terminal with a decent view across the runways (see pictures). The other lounges in Gatwick North face onto airport roads. This is the largest of the three lounges you can access with a Priority Pass. It is light and airy.
Review: Aspire Airport Lounge Gatwick
When in Gatwick Airport, I usually head straight to the No 1 Lounge in the North Terminal, but since writing my article about the new Aspire Airport lounge opening in Heathrow Terminal 5 I have been wanting to test the other Aspire lounges to see what else is on offer from Gatwick's Airport Lounges. The last time I traveled through London Gatwick's North Terminal, I used the No1 lounge and found the tables to be grubby and untended.
Review: My Lounge Gatwick North Terminal
When I was walking towards my usual No1 Traveller Lounge in the North Terminal of London Gatwick Airport, which is complimentary with my Priority Pass which is included with my American Express Platinum Card, I noticed My lounge had popped up on the corridor to all the lounges. This lounge, branded My Lounge, is a third alternative for Priority Pass users and is an interesting option when the No1 Traveller lounges do occasionally get fully booked with pre-bookings. My Lounge looks like a Starbucks or a Costa.
Which Priority Pass/Lounge Club Airport Lounge is best In Gatwick North?
Of these lounges, No1 Airport Lounge Gatwick North Terminal is the best, followed by the Aspire Airport Lounge Gatwick, followed by My Lounge in Gatwick’s North Terminal.
Gatwick Check-in times
It is also worth knowing that at Gatwick Airport, check-in is located on level 2 of Gatwick’s North Terminal. It would be best if you arrived well in advance of your flight to ensure you have enough time to check-in and drop off any hold luggage.
International/long-haul flights – check-in opens 4 hours before departure and 60 minutes before scheduled flight departure.
European flights – check-in opens 3 hours before departure and closes 45 minutes before scheduled departure time.
Domestic flights (UK & Ireland) – check-in opens 2 hours prior to departure and closes 45 minutes before scheduled departure time.
You can also use self-service check-in, where you can choose your seats and print boarding passes, as well as print out the baggage tags for checked luggage and attach them if you are flying with EasyJet, Flybe, Norwegian, Virgin Atlantic Airways, or WestJet.
You can then drop your checked luggage can then be dropped off at one of the several self-bag drop points situated in the Check-in area of North Terminal, level 2, near check-in zones A and B. Most airlines also offer online check-in services, or you can still check-in once at the airport if you prefer.
British Airways flies out of Gatwick South Terminal, not the North Terminal, and we have reviewed the best British Airways Airport Lounges around the world.
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