What happened to LoungeBuddy?
American Express acquired LoungeBuddy in 2019, and for a while it kept running as a standalone app. Then in January 2025, Amex quietly shut it down — leaving the app's millions of users with no warning and no successor.
For frequent flyers, LoungeBuddy wasn't just convenient. It was essential. No other tool made it as easy to see, at a glance, exactly which lounges you could access at any airport based on your specific cards and memberships.
So what are the best alternatives now?
1. LoungeIQ (Best overall)
LoungeIQ was built specifically to fill the LoungeBuddy gap. It covers over 1,300 airport lounges worldwide and has the most comprehensive access database of any free tool — including support for Priority Pass, DragonPass, LoungeKey, Diners Club, airline status, and dozens of credit cards.
The AccessIQ lets you add your cards and memberships once, then see a clear green/amber/red indicator for every lounge at every airport you search. It works exactly like LoungeBuddy did, and in many ways it's better — the data is more current, and the lounge detail pages include real traveller reviews.
Free features: Browse all lounges, read reviews, basic access info Pro ($5.99/month): Unlimited AccessIQ, Trip Planner, real-time crowding, comparison tool
2. Priority Pass app
If you have a Priority Pass membership (often bundled with premium credit cards), the official Priority Pass app shows you PP-affiliated lounges. The limitation is obvious: it only shows lounges in the Priority Pass network, not airline lounges, card-specific lounges, or DragonPass venues.
Good for: PP members who only need PP lounges Not good for: Anyone with multiple access methods or wanting a complete picture
3. LoungeBuddy successor apps
A few apps have tried to clone the LoungeBuddy model with limited success. Most have outdated data, poor mobile UX, or paywalled everything behind a subscription. None have come close to matching the depth of LoungeIQ's access database.
4. Just Google it
Surprisingly, many travellers resort to Googling "[airport] [lounge name] access requirements" before each trip. This works but takes 20 minutes per lounge and you're relying on forum posts that may be years out of date.
The verdict
For most travellers, LoungeIQ is the clear choice. It's free for core features, has the most comprehensive lounge database, and the AccessIQ is genuinely useful. The Pro plan at $5.99/month is reasonable for frequent travellers who want the full feature set.
The LoungeBuddy era is over. But the good news is that the replacement is already here — and it's better.