lounge

We paid half of what we were going to – and it was a nice way to end the holiday

Screaming kids and a four-hour delay. That’s what my boyfriend and I were faced with when we set foot in the airport last week – and after we decided to escape to the airport lounge no matter the cost, we were shocked that we were entitled to a discount, cutting the price in half.

Flying from Tenerife, we were due to land back home in Scotland at 11pm and instead arrived home at 4am – so it’s safe to say it was a heck of a delay. Thankfully, though, as my partner is a member of Monzo Premium, he got us a discount, and we had no idea it was a perk he was entitled to.

We were told the Montaña Roja VIP Lounge was €44 each, and whilst paying €88 seemed a lot, it was worth it. The last thing we needed was to end our holiday with parents ignoring their screaming kids, letting them run wild and screaming in people’s faces (I wish I was making that part up).

On top of that, airport chairs are not comfy enough for a three-hour wait – and that doesn’t even include waiting to board once we’re called to our gate. So how do you get the discount and how much did we end up paying?

How to get an airport lounge discount worldwide

We ended up paying a total of around £48, which brought it down to £24 each. Saving us half the price, we were delighted. We were given free WI-FI, access to showers (towels provided) as well as all-you-can-eat food and drink – including alcohol.

Explained on the Monzo Help page, the online-based bank revealed they have teamed up with LoungeKey to give anyone with Monzo Premium or Monzo Max discounted access to airport lounges worldwide.

It explained: “You and guests can access 1,100 airport lounges around the world for a flat fee of £24 per person, per visit. This rate includes Max Family, and you will need to pay per person, per visit.

“You are required to complete strong customer authentication (SCA) before visiting a lounge for the first time. You will only need to go through this process once, as subsequent transactions will be processed from your stored card on file.

“If you replace your card you will need to re-register the payment method and complete SCA again, this includes physically presenting your new card at the lounge the first time you intend to use it.”

Do you have to pre-book?

We didn’t book and instead just turned up, as it was never our plan to go to the lounge until we were faced with loud kids and a massive wait. Monzo explained that some lounges will allow you to pre-book before your visit.

Howeve,r if you go for this option, you will be charged at least £6 on top of your discounted price. It states this price is determined by the airport lounge and has nothing to do with Monzo.

It added: “If you visit on the day without pre-booking, you will just pay the discounted price of £24 per person, but this is dependent on whether the lounge has space.”

It is worth noting that Monzo says that customers will need to have their physical Monzo card with them for their first visit. We had ours with us, but were also able to give the staff the number on our card to get the benefit too.

So where are you planning on holidaying next – and will you be getting comfy in an airport lounge? Let us know in the comments.

EMILY Ratajkowski raised the temperature as she posed for steamy lingerie snaps to promote her campaign with Lounge underwear. 

The actress and model, 34, flaunted her famous figure in a selection of lingerie pieces from her collaboration with the underwear brand, and posted some of the saucy pics to her Instagram account.

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Mum-of-one Emily donned a hot-pink bra, panties and garter set in one snap, as she posed suggestively with white sheets on a bed.

In another picture, the Gone Girl actress lay seductively on the floor in an all-black set as she looked directly into the camera.

The famously slender star also showed off her frame and toned stomach as she posed stood up in the all black ensemble, 

The sexy lingerie pieces are part of the model’s collection with Lounge Underwear, dubbed “Emily’s Edit”. 

Speaking about the edit, Emily said: “Sexiness has nothing to do with what someone else sees. It’s about how I feel. 

“I’m a mother, I’m a writer, I’m someone who loves fashion. I play a dozen different roles every day. I love that Lounge recognizes how multifaceted women can be.”

The edit, which features seasonal picks from the star, marks Lounge’s Fall 2025 collection, and also features clothing items including a suede blazer and matching shorts, a cherry lacquer argyle cardigan, and a chocolate sheer shirt paired with a coordinating skirt.

It comes a week after Emily was seen partying away with British pop star Charli XCX, after attending their wedding ceremony in Sicily, Italy. 

The Brat star, 33, married her The 1975 drummer husband George Daniel in a small ceremony in London last month, before flying out to Italy to throw a huge celebration with family and close friends.

Emily was among a flurry of stars who attended the wedding, which included Matty Healy, Gabriette, Amelia Dimoldenberg and Julia Fox.

The model appeared to attend the ceremony alone – without her four-year-old son Sylvester Apollo Bear, who she shares with her ex-husband Sebastian Bear-McClard. 

Emily finalized her divorce with the film producer, who faced a slew of sexual misconduct allegations, in July, after filing for divorce in September 2022. 

The model sparked her latest romance rumours earlier this month, after she was spotted getting close to Caught Stealing actor Austin Butler in New York. 

The pair were spotted together at the Waverly Inn in Manhattan’s West Village, in what could mark her first relationship since her divorce.

She has previously been linked to stars including chart-topper Harry Styles, Oscar winner Brad Pitt, artist Jack Greer and SNL alum Pete Davidson. 

Emily recently revealed she would be making a career turn, as she gears up for a screen-writing debut on A24’s untitled drama series for Apple TV+, which is set to explore female identity and modern motherhood – with Lena Dunham and author Stephanie Danler. 

“Lena was the first person who published my writing, on Lenny Letter, but she knew about me from Instagram,” she told Variety in July. 

“I’ve had a lot of experiences, with Lena specifically, where she has seen past surface level things and given me so many opportunities.”

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The police said gunmen opened fire in the River North neighbourhood. At least three victims are in critical condition.

Four people in the United States have been killed and at least 14 others wounded when gunmen opened fire on a crowd outside a lounge in downtown Chicago, according to police.

According to authorities, the mass shooting took place around 11:00pm (04:00 GMT) on Wednesday, when shots were fired from a vehicle travelling along Chicago Avenue in the city’s River North neighbourhood.

Chicago police reported that 13 women and five men, all between the ages of 21 and 32, were struck by the gunfire. Among the dead were two men and two women.

As of Thursday, at least three victims remained in critical condition. The injured were transported to local hospitals.

Police said the driver fled the scene immediately, and no arrests have been made. Chicago Police Superintendent Larry Snelling urged the public to submit anonymous tips to help detectives identify the suspects.

Local media reported that rapper Mello Buckzz, also known as Melanie Doyle, was hosting a private event at the lounge Wednesday evening to celebrate the release of her new album.

Snelling said police were trying to determine a motive and that the venue, Artis Lounge, is closed “until we get to the bottom of this”. He did not identify the number of attackers involved in the incident but said police found two different calibres of casings and were still reviewing footage.

“Clearly, there was some target in some way,” Snelling said. “This wasn’t some random shooting.”

Artis Lounge confirmed they were working with authorities as the investigation continued.

‘I can only describe it as a warzone’

In the hours after the shooting, Buckzz asked for prayers and expressed her anger and sadness on social media.

“My heart broke into so many pieces,” the artist wrote on Instagram Stories.

In her posts, the rapper revealed that many of those injured were her friends, and that she had been in a relationship with one of the men who was killed.

“Prayers up for all my sisters god please wrap yo arms around every last one of them,” Buckzz wrote across several Instagram Story slides. “Feel like everything just weighing down on me … all I can do is talk to god and pray.”

Chicago pastor Donovan Price, who works with communities affected by violence, described the scene as a “warzone”.

“Just mayhem and blood and screaming and confusion as people tried to find their friends and phones. It was a horrendous, tragic, dramatic scene,” he told The Associated Press.

The shooting took place days before the Fourth of July weekend, when Chicago and other major cities often see a surge in gun crimes. In recent years, however, Chicago has seen an overall decrease in gun violence.

During the last Fourth of July weekend in Chicago, more than 100 people were shot, resulting in at least 19 deaths. Mayor Brandon Johnson said at the time that the violence “has left our city in a state of grief”.

The airport lounge access deal will let travellers enjoy a quiet space away from the crowds, with complimentary snacks, drinks, WiFi and comfortable seating

It is time to set our sights on the upcoming summer holidays. Whether travellers have already secured their booking or are just beginning to plan, the countdown to a sun-soaked getaway has officially started.

Priority Pass is currently offering a 30% discount on airport lounge access, allowing holidaymakers to enjoy chic spaces away from the throngs, complete with complimentary nibbles, beverages, WiFi and cosy seating.

Securing an airport lounge is the ultimate travel hack for dodging jam-packed airports. There are more than 1,700 Priority Pass airport lounges to choose from.

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This deal will enable travellers to experience the luxury of first-class without the hefty price tag. Nestled away from the hectic terminal waiting areas, guests can enjoy refreshments, queue-free bathroom facilities and WiFi for work or leisure.

For families jetting off with children, they also provide a welcome break from the chaos of large terminals, making it easier to keep an eye on the little ones and keep them entertained. All Priority Pass airport lounges come equipped with flight information screens.

30% off airport lounge access

30% off

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Get a discount on airport lounge access with Priority Pass this summer

Some even offer sleep pods for lengthy layovers, and the option to indulge in dedicated spa areas and treatments at an extra charge. The Priority Pass digital membership is instantly available via the app, allowing travellers to book and unwind as soon as they sign up.

Unlike one-off lounge passes, Priority Pass allows usage on both outbound and return flights, whereas a single-day lounge pass only covers one leg of the journey. This typically works out cheaper than purchasing a single-use entry pass for a departure lounge, and the more frequently you use the lounges, the more cost-effective your subscription becomes.

If Priority Pass airport lounges don’t quite tick all your boxes, single-use airport passes can be booked through Expedia, with Heathrow Airport lounges starting from £34. There are also other options available for airports across the UK and further afield. It’s worth mentioning that Holiday Extras offers a variety of airport lounge deals, along with car hire, hotel stays and more.

The Priority Pass app comes with additional benefits such as early access to duty-free shopping, premium fitness content, and the ability to pre-book lounges. Members can also enjoy spa treatments, gaming zones, pre-order takeout, private transfers, and discounted car rentals worldwide.

Travellers who’ve used Priority Pass airport lounges in the past have been voicing their opinions on Trustpilot. One jet-setter recounted: “Six family members visited the lounge in Florence, Italy, while waiting for our flight back to the USA. It was very relaxing, good food and drinks, nice bathrooms, no wait to get in. Very good experience.”

Another traveller said: “Been using Priority Pass in Europe for over a year. I made 22 visits last year and all of the experiences were smooth. Zero complaints and I would highly recommend Priority Pass to anyone interested.”

A third passenger wrote: “Our experience was very good! The staff at Heathrow Airport was courteous and efficient. The food was good and the lounge was nice although rather crowded! Would definitely use the lounge again!”.

However, it hasn’t been all rosy, with a less satisfied customer commenting: “I like the clubs, but they aren’t at all the airports I fly out of. Lately, they have been crowded and have to wait. Often they are located in different terminals than the one I fly out of.”

Despite a few hiccups, the consensus is that securing a spot in a Priority Pass airport lounge has generally been a hit with flyers. Another user concluded: “Literally a life saver when travelling. I love having a place to relax and grab a bite to eat or a drink before a flight. It’s truly a game changer.”