Back in the golden age of travel, private airport lounge memberships were given by the airlines to VIPs on a purely discretionary, and as it turned out, discriminatory basis.  When forced to open the lounges without prejudice, the airlines started charging for access.  At the beginning of my travel career in the ’80s, lifetime memberships were offered, and oh how I wish I had invested $1100 in a lifetime Pan Am Clipper Club membership back then.  Despite Pan Am’s bankruptcy, those memberships live on in the form of lifetime United Red Carpet Club memberships.  Coulda, woulda, shoulda.  Today, most airline clubs charge in the range of $400 annually, and they are only good in their own and a few reciprocal lounges.  And many offer $50 daily passes.  But
Priority Pass
is a different kind of lounge access.  They don’t operate their own lounges, but instead contract with hundreds of existing lounges around the world, with multiple lounge options at most major airports.  These aren’t always convenient (at SFO, you can use the United and Northwest lounges in the international terminal, but not the United lounge in the main terminal), but at $399 for an unlimited annual membership, most frequent travelers will find Priority Pass
a bargain entrée to the private calm (and free snacks and beverages) behind those gilded lounge doors. (Limited $249 and $99 memberships are also available.)