Airport lounge access without a credit card: Smart Traveller, HeyMax and Priority Pass compared

Many Hong Kong travellers get lounge visits through Priority Pass or Plaza Premium entries bundled with a credit card. If you don't hold one of those cards, or don't want to apply for a card just for lounges, there are other routes: pay per visit, use a membership programme for discounts and vouchers, or buy a membership yourself.

Which one makes sense depends on how often you fly, who you travel with and whether your usual airports have the relevant lounges. Start with the overview below, then read the details for each route.

According to Plaza Premium Lounge's official offer page, registering for Smart Traveller on or before 31 December 2026 gets you 150 welcome points straight away, plus e-vouchers: an extra hour at Plaza Premium Lounge, 50% off companion access (walk-in only) and free entry for children aged 11 or under. You view and use the vouchers in the Smart Traveller app.

Members get 20% off Plaza Premium Lounge and 10% off Plaza Premium First, plus member discounts at Aerotel airport hotels, airport dining and more. Points can be redeemed for lounge access and other items; the app shows how many points you need. The 150 welcome points on their own may not cover a visit.

You must verify your email after registering, because points aren't issued to unverified accounts. On referral codes: the Smart Traveller referral programme says the referrer earns 50 ST Points for each successful referral. If you register with our code JU8XWJ, you get the same welcome offer as a normal sign-up. Enter the code when you register.

HeyMax is a Singapore-founded miles platform where you earn Max Miles by shopping with partner merchants. According to Plaza Premium Group's announcement, members in Hong Kong and Singapore can convert Max Miles to Smart Traveller points at 1:1, starting from 1,000 Max Miles.

HeyMax's transfer guide also states a minimum of 1,000 Max Miles per conversion, a verified HeyMax account and an active Smart Traveller membership in your own name. Signing up with a referral code and completing your first qualifying purchase earns 200 Max Miles, but those 200 alone aren't enough to convert, so you'll need to keep earning.

The Priority Pass website lists three annual plans. Standard costs US$99 with US$35 per member visit. Standard Plus costs US$329 and includes 10 free visits, then US$35 a visit. Prestige costs US$469 and all member visits are free. On every plan, guests cost US$35 each.

As a rough guide, if you fly only once or twice a year, the Standard fee plus visit charges may not beat paying per visit. Standard Plus starts to make sense at around ten trips a year. Before you buy, check that your usual airports have partner lounges.