The ticket is Ryanair, but the airport experience in Bergamo is business class
Bergamo airport is the Italian kingdom of low-cost carriers and one in particular, namely Ryanair. The carrier made in [...]
BGY
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Bergamo airport is Italy's low-cost kingdom and of one in particular, namely Ryanair. The made-in-Dublin carrier has been operating at this airport since 2003 and before the crisis had come to carry more than 11 million passengers at this airport alone in one year.
In recent years, the airport has grown from just over 4 million passengers in 2005 to nearly 14 million in 2019, in practice before the crisis, 12 passengers sat on every 15 one of the planes in the Ryanair family.
Personally I am old enough to remember when flights with this company were still paid for in lira and everything was included, from the luggage to the choice of seat. There were not all the tricks of today to raise the cost of the ticket and you could really go from Genoa to London by spending 9,999 liras.
Today things have changed. In some ways for the worse, as the cost of a ticket is now close to that of traditional carriers; in others for the better as FR and other airlines fly to virtually every corner of Europe and beyond. What has deteriorated, no ifs or buts, is the experience at the airport and on board. Before you set foot on the plane you have to be prepared to queue everywhere and you also have to hope that you have not forgotten a single comma, otherwise you will be forced to shell out dozens of euros. Not to mention little on-board space for legs and bags.
However, the fact remains undeniable that if you plan in time and take advantage of promotions, you can detach tickets at ridiculous prices, in many cases parking at the airport will cost more than airfare. In recent years, the Orobian airport has been able to Grow and develop into attractive and comfortable. From abroad, there are also those who fly to Bergamo just to go shopping in the nearby Orio Center, just as in the pre-Covid world many took advantage of the opportunity to take off early in the morning and go for a ride to Barcelona and then return the same evening, as if it were a trip to the beach.
There is a way, however, to experience the whole pre-departure phase at this stopover much better, a perfect way for those who want to fly low-cost but trying to zero in on the stress and friction of an airport transit as much as possible. At the Bergamo airport, this medicine has only one name: Priority Pass.
We have written dozens of articles who talk about this card that allows, by paying an annual subscription, to Have access to thousands of airport loungesi, Spas, restaurants and more still around the world.
Why at BGY Priority Pass makes a difference
Those who frequent this airport a lot know very well that it can be very stressful, being Priority Pass card holders can eliminate much of this stress.. What is special about this airport is that there are two lounges. A small one before the checkpoints and One, brand new, close to the gates.
These lounges are both accessible to Priority Pass holders and using both is the right thing to do. The first, the one before the security checkpoints, allows you to take advantage of two benefits that alone Are worth far more than the €18 per passenger required to use it one-shot.
The first is that there is a check-in desk inside, so it allows you to skip the line at the regular check-in counters. You walk in, show your card and ticket, and can check in and board your luggage, without having to stand 40 minutes in line among other passengers.
The second is that a door in the lounge provides direct access to security controls skipping the entire queue. Thanks to fast track, it is therefore possible to save time and go from check-in to check in 60 seconds.
Of course, being a lounge, there are various kinds of chairs and seats and it also offers eating/drinking snacks and drinks. One can use wi-fi and charge one's devices.
The second lounge that can be visited in Bergamo, thanks to the Priority Pass card, is the brand new Hello Sky. Opened last year, it allows one to wait for one's flight in elegant surroundings, eat and drink in peace and quiet, and go to the gate only when boarding. Again, the entrance fee can be avoided by presenting your card.
I Priority Pass holders have no limits, they can use all the services in their card for free, depending on the subscription they have signed up for. So access on the same day to both lounges, a savings of more than 40€.
How much does PP cost
There are three types of subscriptions, we at TFC recommend only two, depending on one's schedule.
The standard plus at the price of €259, often even on promotion like right now at 168, allows you to take advantage of 10 free admissions and d pay subsequent admissions less than the list price. It is suitable for those who plan to take 4/5 flights a year and take advantage of lounge admissions On these few occasions.
Then there is the Prestige card which for €399 allows access to Unlimited for the holder for 12 months. This card is suitable for people who travel at least 15 to 20 times a year, or who take, for example, many flights with intermediate stops. In this case it increases the possibility of using the card because there would be many more lounges that could be visited.
How to get PP for free
However, it is also possible to get the Prestige card for free, as a benefit included in the annual credit card fee. And there are many cards that offer this benefit.
The best proposal is definitely the one reserved for holders of American Express Platinum who receive a Prestige card, the one that allows free and unlimited access for two people To all PP lounges around the world. In addition, the Platinum holder can assign an additional Platinum to a relative, friend or colleague. And this card will also be eligible to apply for a PP Prestige card. Thus, included in the annual fee of a Platinum card, there are two enhanced Prestige cards that are worth more than what the credit card costs each year on their own.
Also the Curve's 2.0 credit card allows you to have access to a network of LoungeKey, is not as widespread as Priority Pass, but this card is still accepted in Bergamo and at a considerably lower cost, only €14.99 per month. In addition, Curve guarantees benefits such as no fees for ATM withdrawals, cell phone insurance, and more.
N26 also gives access to lounges. These are. an alternative card to Curve that allows for many bonuses such as insurance against unexpected travel. Granted, not as comprehensive as American Express's Platinum card, but certainly a lifeline against unforeseen mishaps and accidents away from home.
In conclusion
No matter what airport you fly into, in 99% of cases there will be at least one Priority Pass lounge waiting for you. In the case of Bergamo then we demonstrated how this card allows for a business class experience while flying on a 10€ ticket. And that is exactly how you save even more: you spend less on the flight, use paid routes without paying for them, and arrive more refreshed and relaxed at your destination.
- 6,000 Mile Registration Bonus
- Collect miles WITH EACH PURCHASE
- Your miles with no expiration*
- No fees for ATM withdrawals and foreign purchases
- Without having to change banks
- Autonomous card activation
- Multi-function mobile application
- Free travel insurance
- Free credit for up to 7 weeks
- Contactless Payment
- Mastercard® SecureCode
- 20€ discount directly in your statement by spending €60 in one or more transactions with Carta on Italotreno.it
- Free fee the 1st year. From the 2nd €5.50 per month
- You can choose to pay in full or in installments
- Premium level of the Italo Più program
- 4 Vouchers per year for access to Italo Club Lounges
- Preferential Access to Italo's Fast Track at the station
- For every 5 purchases of Italo ticketing and/or onboard services made with Italo American Express Credit Card you will receive 1 voucher for room upgrade
- Welcome bonus of 100,000 Volare points upon reaching 6 thousand in spending in the first 3 months after card issuance
- Accumulate 1.5 qualifying Volare points for every euro spent, accumulate an additional 3 non-qualifying Volare points ( for a total of 4.5 Volare points) for every euro spent on ticketing purchases and other services offered by ITA Airways
- Access to the Premium Club of ITA Airways' Volare program.
- ITA Airways Lounge Access
- Free excess baggage
- Points Back