LoungeIQLoungeIQ| Version | Date | Author | Description of changes | Approved by |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1.0 | April 2026 | Nicholas Tompkins | Initial policy developed | Gordon Grieve / Operator |
This Cookies Policy explains what cookies and similar tracking technologies are, how LoungeIQ uses them, why we use them, what information they collect, and how you can manage your preferences. Transparency about cookies is important to us, and we have written this policy to be as clear and specific as possible.
LoungeIQ is operated by Gordon Grieve (ABN 57 517 907 315), a sole trader registered in Queensland, Australia. This policy applies to the LoungeIQ website at loungeiq.com and any associated mobile applications.
This policy should be read together with our Privacy Policy, Terms of Use, Affiliate Disclosure, and Copyright Policy, all of which together govern your use of LoungeIQ.
Cookies are small text files placed on your device (computer, smartphone, or tablet) by websites you visit. They are stored in your browser and sent back to the originating website on subsequent visits. Cookies allow websites to recognise your device, remember your preferences, and provide a more personalised experience.
Cookies cannot execute code, carry viruses, or access other files on your device. They can only store text that was either placed in them by the website or sent by your browser.
Session cookies are temporary and exist only for the duration of your browser session. They are automatically deleted when you close your browser. They are typically used to maintain your login state and preserve information as you navigate between pages within a single visit.
Persistent cookies remain on your device for a defined period of time — ranging from days to years — or until you delete them. They are used to remember your preferences across multiple visits, such as your cookie consent choices or whether you have chosen to stay logged in.
First-party cookies are set directly by LoungeIQ (the website you are visiting). Third-party cookies are set by a different domain — typically a service we use (such as an analytics provider) or an affiliate partner whose link you clicked. Third-party cookies are subject to the privacy policies of the third party that sets them, not just LoungeIQ.
In addition to cookies, websites may use similar technologies to store information on your device or track your activity. LoungeIQ's use of these technologies is as follows:
LoungeIQ uses three categories of cookies. The legal basis for each category differs, as explained below.
Essential cookies are strictly necessary for LoungeIQ to function. They enable core platform features including logging in, maintaining your session, and protecting against security threats. Without these cookies, LoungeIQ cannot operate correctly.
Legal basis: These cookies are placed on the basis of legitimate interest and contractual necessity. They do not require your consent under Australian or international privacy law because they are technically required for the service you have requested. However, we disclose them here in the interests of full transparency.
You may be able to block essential cookies through your browser settings, but doing so may prevent you from using LoungeIQ's login, account, and AccessIQ features.
Analytics cookies help us understand how visitors interact with LoungeIQ — which pages are most visited, how users navigate between features, where errors occur, and how the platform performs on different devices. This information is used solely to improve the LoungeIQ platform and user experience.
LoungeIQ uses Vercel Web Analytics and Vercel Speed Insights for this purpose. Both tools are designed to be privacy-preserving: they collect anonymised, aggregate data without placing persistent tracking cookies and without building individual user profiles.
Legal basis: Consent. Analytics cookies are only activated if you accept them in the cookie consent banner. If you decline, your usage of LoungeIQ will not be tracked analytically, but the platform will function fully.
When you click an affiliate link on LoungeIQ, you are redirected to a partner website. That partner may set a cookie on your device to record that the visit originated from LoungeIQ. This allows the partner to attribute any resulting commission to LoungeIQ if you make a purchase or complete an application.
These cookies are set by the affiliate partner's domain, not by LoungeIQ. LoungeIQ does not control these cookies, cannot read their contents, and does not receive any personal information from them. We receive only an anonymised transaction confirmation if a qualifying action occurs.
Legal basis: Consent. Affiliate cookies require your consent before being placed. You can decline affiliate cookies in the consent banner. Declining does not prevent you from visiting partner websites — it simply means LoungeIQ will not receive commission attribution for your visit.
For a full list of our affiliate partners and how affiliate relationships work, see our Affiliate Disclosure.
If you subscribe to LoungeIQ Pro, Stripe (our payment processor) may place cookies to support the secure payment flow and perform fraud prevention checks. These cookies are set by Stripe's domain and are governed by Stripe's own privacy policy. LoungeIQ does not access or read Stripe's cookies. These are only placed when you initiate a subscription transaction.
The table below provides a comprehensive list of all cookies and tracking technologies associated with LoungeIQ, grouped by category. This list is updated when our cookie usage changes.
| Cookie / Provider | Duration | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| Supabase auth session token | Session | Maintains your authenticated login session. Without this cookie you cannot log in or access account features. |
| Supabase refresh token | Up to 30 days | Allows your session to be refreshed without requiring you to log in again each visit, if you choose to stay logged in. |
| CSRF protection token | Session | Protects against cross-site request forgery (CSRF) attacks by verifying that form submissions and state-changing requests originate from LoungeIQ. |
| Cookie consent preference | 12 months | Stores your cookie consent choices so LoungeIQ does not re-prompt you on every visit. Re-prompted after 12 months or if our cookie usage materially changes. |
| AccessIQ session state | Session | Temporarily stores your AccessIQ tool inputs (card type, status, membership) within a session so results persist as you navigate the platform. Cleared when you close the browser. |
| CSRF / security nonce (Vercel Edge) | Session | Infrastructure-level security token used by Vercel Edge Network to validate requests and prevent replay attacks. |
| Cookie / Provider | Duration | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| Vercel Web Analytics | Anonymised / no persistent cookie | Collects anonymised, aggregate page view and navigation data. Vercel Analytics is designed to be privacy-preserving: it does not place a persistent tracking cookie, does not build individual user profiles, and does not share data with advertising networks. |
| Vercel Speed Insights | Anonymised / no persistent cookie | Measures Core Web Vitals (page load speed, interactivity, layout stability) on an anonymised basis to help us improve platform performance. No personal data is collected. |
| Cookie / Provider | Duration | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| Travelpayouts network | 30 days | Referral attribution cookie set by Travelpayouts when you click travel product links (flights, hotels, lounge passes). Records that the click originated from LoungeIQ so commission can be attributed if you make a purchase. |
| CJ Affiliate (Commission Junction) | 30–45 days | Referral attribution for credit card and financial product links managed through the CJ Affiliate network. |
| FlexOffers network | 30 days | Referral attribution for credit card and travel product links managed through FlexOffers. |
| Impact (impact.com) | 30 days | Referral attribution for various travel brand partnerships managed through the Impact affiliate platform. |
| Priority Pass | 30 days | Referral cookie set by Priority Pass when you click through to their membership sign-up page. |
| DragonPass | 30 days | Referral cookie set by DragonPass when you click through to their membership or lounge access pages. |
| Holafly (travel eSIM) | 30 days | Referral cookie set by Holafly when you click through to purchase a travel eSIM. |
| Airalo (travel eSIM) | 30 days | Referral cookie set by Airalo when you click through to purchase a travel eSIM. |
| NordVPN | 30 days | Referral cookie set by NordVPN when you click through to their VPN subscription page. |
| Stripe (payment processor) | Session to 12 months | If you subscribe to LoungeIQ Pro, Stripe places cookies to support the secure payment flow and fraud prevention. These are set directly by Stripe and governed by Stripe's privacy policy. LoungeIQ does not access Stripe's cookies. |
When you first visit LoungeIQ, a cookie consent banner is displayed before any non-essential cookies are placed. The banner allows you to:
Non-essential cookies (analytics and affiliate) are not placed until you have made a choice. Essential cookies are placed immediately as they are required for the platform to function.
| Cookie type | Consent basis | Detail |
|---|---|---|
| Essential cookies | No consent required | Necessary for the platform to function. Active at all times. |
| Analytics (Vercel) | Consent required | Activated only if you accept analytics cookies in the consent banner. Can be declined without affecting core functionality. |
| Affiliate tracking | Consent required | Activated only when you click an affiliate link AND have accepted affiliate cookies. If declined, you can still visit partner sites but LoungeIQ will not receive commission attribution. |
| Stripe payment cookies | Activated on subscription | Only placed if you initiate a LoungeIQ Pro subscription. Governed by Stripe's own privacy policy. |
You can update your cookie preferences at any time by clicking the 'Cookie Settings' link in the footer of any LoungeIQ page. Withdrawing consent for analytics or affiliate cookies will not affect the lawfulness of any processing that took place before you withdrew consent, and will not affect your ability to use LoungeIQ.
LoungeIQ records the fact that consent was given or declined, along with the date and the version of this policy that was in effect at the time. This record is stored in the cookie consent preference cookie on your device and is not linked to your account or used for any other purpose.
The table below summarises how long each type of cookie persists on your device.
| Cookie type | Retention period | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Session cookies | Until browser closes | Automatically deleted when you close your browser tab or window. No data persists on your device after the session ends. |
| Cookie consent preference | 12 months | Stored locally to avoid re-prompting. Cleared after 12 months, at which point you will be asked to confirm your preferences again. |
| Supabase refresh token (stay logged in) | Up to 30 days | Retained if you choose to stay logged in. Cleared when you log out or after 30 days of inactivity. |
| Affiliate referral cookies | 30–90 days | Set and controlled by the affiliate partner. Duration varies by partner. LoungeIQ cannot delete these cookies; you can remove them via your browser settings. |
| Stripe payment cookies | Session to 12 months | Controlled by Stripe. See Stripe's privacy policy at stripe.com/privacy for full details. |
| Vercel Analytics data | Anonymised, no cookie | No persistent cookie is stored. Anonymised aggregate data is retained by Vercel for platform improvement purposes. |
The easiest way to manage your cookie preferences for LoungeIQ is through the 'Cookie Settings' link in the site footer. This allows you to change your preferences at any time without affecting your account or core access to the platform.
All major browsers allow you to view, manage, and delete cookies through their settings menus. The following links provide instructions for common browsers:
You can typically choose to block all third-party cookies, block cookies from specific websites, or delete all existing cookies. Note that blocking essential cookies will prevent LoungeIQ from functioning correctly.
In addition to browser controls, you can opt out of tracking by specific third-party services:
Global Privacy Control (GPC) is a browser signal that communicates a user's preference to opt out of data selling and sharing. LoungeIQ does not sell personal data and does not use advertising cookies; however, we are monitoring GPC adoption and will update our practices as regulatory guidance develops. Where GPC is detected, we treat it as equivalent to declining non-essential cookies.
The following table summarises what functionality is affected if you disable each cookie category:
| If you disable… | What still works | What may not work |
|---|---|---|
| Essential cookies | You can still browse public lounge listings | Logging in, account access, AccessIQ personalisation, LoungeIQ Pro features |
| Analytics cookies | Everything works as normal | LoungeIQ's ability to detect and fix bugs and improve features may be slower |
| Affiliate cookies | Everything works as normal; you can still visit partner sites | LoungeIQ will not receive commission when you purchase through partner links |
| All cookies | Basic browsing of public pages only | Login, account features, AccessIQ, Pro subscription, and personalisation will not work |
LoungeIQ is committed to using only the cookies necessary to operate the platform and disclose our affiliate relationships. We explicitly do not use the following:
Do Not Track (DNT) is a browser signal that some browsers send to request that websites not track a user's browsing activity. There is currently no legally binding standard requiring websites to respond to DNT signals, and industry adoption is inconsistent. LoungeIQ does not alter its data practices solely based on a DNT signal.
However, our approach to analytics and cookies is already privacy-first by design: we use anonymised aggregate data, we do not engage in cross-site tracking, and we do not use advertising cookies. The absence of a formal DNT response does not mean we are tracking users in ways a DNT signal is intended to prevent.
Global Privacy Control (GPC) is a newer signal with emerging legal backing in some jurisdictions (including California under CPRA). Where GPC is detected by our platform, we treat it as equivalent to the user declining non-essential cookies, and non-essential cookies will not be placed.
LoungeIQ's own (first-party) cookies collect the following types of data:
LoungeIQ does not use cookies to collect your name, email address, payment information, location, or any other personally identifiable information beyond what is necessary to maintain your authenticated session.
Third-party cookies (affiliate and payment) are set and controlled by the third party. The data collected by these cookies is governed by the third party's own privacy policy. LoungeIQ does not receive or process this data. Generally:
LoungeIQ serves users globally. Different jurisdictions have different legal requirements regarding cookies and consent. The table below summarises how LoungeIQ approaches its obligations in key regions.
| Jurisdiction | Applicable law | LoungeIQ's approach |
|---|---|---|
| Australia | Privacy Act 1988 (Cth); Australian Privacy Principles | LoungeIQ voluntarily complies with the APPs, including principles relating to the collection and use of personal information via cookies, even though it currently falls below the AU$3 million turnover threshold for mandatory compliance. |
| European Economic Area (EEA) | GDPR; ePrivacy Directive ('Cookie Law') | Prior informed consent is obtained before any non-essential cookies are placed. Users can withdraw consent at any time. A record of consent is maintained. |
| United Kingdom | UK GDPR; PECR | The same consent-first approach applied to EEA users applies to UK users following Brexit. |
| United States | State privacy laws (e.g. CCPA/CPRA for California residents) | LoungeIQ does not sell personal data. No advertising cookies are used. California residents may request deletion of any personal data associated with their account under CCPA. |
| Canada | PIPEDA | Consent is obtained before placing non-essential cookies. Users may withdraw consent at any time. |
Where LoungeIQ is unable to determine a user's jurisdiction with certainty, we apply the most protective standard available (consent-first for all non-essential cookies) as a default.
LoungeIQ is not directed at children under the age of 16, and we do not knowingly place cookies on devices used by children under 16. Consistent with our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy, if we become aware that a user is under 16, we will delete their account, associated data, and any cookies placed in connection with their use of LoungeIQ.
If you are a parent or guardian and believe your child under 16 has used LoungeIQ, please contact us at contact@loungeiq.com and we will take prompt action.
LoungeIQ implements the following security measures in relation to cookies:
If you have a concern about how LoungeIQ uses cookies, or believe that cookies have been placed on your device without appropriate consent, please contact us in the first instance:
We will acknowledge your complaint within 5 business days and aim to resolve it within 14 business days.
If you are not satisfied with our response, you may escalate your complaint to the relevant regulator for your jurisdiction:
We may update this Cookies Policy from time to time to reflect changes in the cookies we use, new services we introduce, or updated legal requirements. When we make changes, we will:
We will not reduce your rights under this policy without your explicit consent. Continued use of LoungeIQ after changes take effect constitutes acceptance of the updated policy, except where your renewed consent is required for new cookie categories.
This Cookies Policy forms part of LoungeIQ's legal framework and operates alongside:
In the event of any inconsistency between this Cookies Policy and the Privacy Policy on matters relating to personal data, the Privacy Policy will prevail.
For all cookie-related enquiries, consent questions, or complaints, please contact us: