Escape Lounge Stansted Airport Date of Visit: September 2025 (Last updated May 2026)
Time: Evening visit (6:00PM to 7:30PM)
The Escape Lounge Stansted Airport is a Priority Pass and paid access lounge at London Stansted Airport (STN), located airside in the main departures area after security. This Escape Lounge Stansted Airport review covers the location, access rules, £48.99 paid entry option, £6 Priority Pass pre-booking, seating, food, drinks, Wi-Fi, power sockets, toilet situation and whether it is worth visiting before a flight.
During this evening visit, the lounge was extremely busy and did not feel especially relaxing, but the drinks selection, friendly staff, hot food, Wi-Fi and power sockets helped rescue the experience. The biggest drawbacks were the cramped atmosphere, lack of runway views, limited natural light and the fact that there are no toilets inside the lounge.
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Escape Lounge Stansted Airport Location and Opening Times
The Escape Lounge Stansted Airport is located airside in the main departures area after security. After walking through the long duty free route, continue towards the main departures seating area, walk past Pret, and the lounge is located nearby on the right-hand side.
The lounge is open daily from 4:00 AM until 7:30 PM, with access usually limited to three hours before your flight.
Escape Lounge Stansted Airport Access Rules
The Escape Lounge Stansted Airport can be accessed with Priority Pass, subject to capacity, or through a paid Lounge Pass booking. At the time of this review, paid entry cost £48.99 per person.
Priority Pass access is not always guaranteed because the lounge can become very busy. Pre-booking is strongly recommended, especially during weekends, school holidays, early mornings and busy evening periods. Priority Pass members can usually pre-book for £6 per person, which gives you a much better chance of getting in.
During this visit, Priority Pass holders without pre-booking were placed in a virtual queue, while pre-booked guests were able to enter more quickly. Since Stansted Airport can be crowded and short on seating, pre-booking is worth considering if you definitely want to use the lounge before your flight.
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Book Your Escape Lounge Stansted Airport Access
To access the Escape Lounge, compare Priority Pass membership (up to 20% off through our link) versus a one-off lounge booking at Lounge Pass using the buttons below.
After you click Lounge Pass, simply search your airport name, choose your lounge, then pick your date and time to book your spot.
After you click Priority Pass, simply scroll down to the ‘Your Journey Starts Here’ section to purchase a lounge membership that suits you. A ‘Standard’ membership is best for more infrequent travellers which allows access to all lounges for a discounted fee (£24 or currency equivalent). ‘Standard Plus’ membership will provide 9 free visits per year, and then at the discounted rate after that. The ‘Prestige’ membership is for the frequent flier, which grants unlimited lounge access for the year!
*Please note, all guests would enter at the discounted entry fee.
London Hotel Options
If you are flying early, arriving late, or connecting through Stansted, staying nearby keeps things simple. If you are heading into the city, Central London is best for sightseeing. See below for excellent hotel deals on Booking.com, filtered based on our top picks.
*This section contains affiliate links. If you book through them, I may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.
Check-In Experience
During this visit, there was a virtual queue system for Priority Pass holders. As we had paid the £6 pre-booking fee, check-in was straightforward and we were able to skip the main queue.
After a quick scan of the Priority Pass card, the receptionist was friendly and another member of staff showed us to a designated seat tucked away in the corner. This made pre-booking feel worthwhile, especially given how busy the lounge was.
Ambiance and Seating At The Escape Lounge Stansted Airport
The Escape Lounge Stansted Airport does not feel especially premium in terms of design or atmosphere. The furniture is functional, but the layout feels closer to a busy café than a relaxing airport lounge.
There are some comfier armchairs dotted around the lounge, although seating is packed quite closely together. During this visit, the lounge felt busy and cramped, so it did not offer much of an escape from the main terminal.
The view is also weak. The small windows overlook Stansted’s monorail rather than the runway, so natural light is limited and there are no meaningful aircraft views.
Lounge Pass – No membership needed. Pre-book the Escape Lounge for £48.99 per person. After clicking, search for the airport to check availability and book your lounge spot.
Food and Drinks at the Escape Lounge Stansted Airport
The food and drinks are the strongest part of the Escape Lounge Stansted Airport. The buffet is fairly standard for a UK contract lounge, but there are hot food options, cold snacks, soft drinks, coffee and a staffed bar.
Breakfast is probably the strongest time to visit. Hot items can include bacon, sausages, cooked tomatoes, baked beans and scrambled eggs. Later in the day, the food can feel more limited, with options such as tomato penne pasta, beef goulash or vegetable curry.
Cold items usually include fruit, yoghurt, granola, cereal, muffins and pastries at breakfast, while later visits may include sandwiches, scones and salad items.
The drinks selection is better than the food. There are self-serve coffee machines, a soft drink machine and a staffed bar serving complimentary beers, wines, spirits and ales. Champagne costs extra, but during this visit there was Prosecco on tap, Baileys and Manchester Pale Ale, which helped lift the overall experience.
Wi-Fi, Power Sockets And Facilities
The Wi-Fi was better than expected and worked well for browsing, messaging and catching up on work. There were also plenty of power outlets, which is useful if you need to charge your phone or laptop before a flight.
The main facilities issue is that the lounge does not have its own toilets. To use the bathroom, you need to leave the lounge, walk upstairs and use the main terminal toilets before returning. This is not a deal-breaker, but it does make the lounge feel less premium, especially when there is a queue at the entrance.
Want access to the Escape Lounge? Simply purchase a Priority Pass Membership here for up to 20% off the standard price and to access over 1500 lounges worldwide.
Escape Lounge Stansted Airport Pros And Cons
Pros
- Abundance of power outlets, and the Wi-Fi is fast and reliable
- A well-stocked bar, with very welcoming staff. The hot food options were more than adequate for a contract lounge.
Cons
- The lounge was exceptionally busy, so didn’t feel like much of an escape from the main hustle and bustle of the terminal.
- The lack of natural light/runway views, along with having to exit the lounge to go to the loo, took away the premium feel to the lounge.
Is The Escape Lounge Stansted Airport Worth Visiting?
The Escape Lounge Stansted Airport is functional but underwhelming, especially at the £48.99 paid entry price. The lounge can get very busy, the seating feels cramped, there are no runway views, natural light is limited and there are no toilets inside the lounge.
However, the friendly staff, reliable Wi-Fi, power sockets, hot food and well-stocked bar make it useful if you already have access through Priority Pass. Given how crowded Stansted Airport can be, the Escape Lounge can still be worth visiting, but we would strongly recommend pre-booking if you are relying on Priority Pass.
Staff: 8/10
Food & Drink: 7/10
Ambiance and Views: 3/10
The Airport Lounge Bro Rating: 6/10
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Escape Lounge Stansted Airport FAQs
The lounge is located airside in the main departures area after security. After walking through duty free, continue towards the main departures area, walk past Pret, and the lounge is located nearby on the right-hand side.
Yes, Priority Pass is accepted at the Escape Lounge Stansted Airport, subject to capacity. Pre-booking for £6 per person is strongly recommended because the lounge can fill up quickly.
A paid visit costs around £48.99 per person through Lounge Pass. Prices and availability can change, so check before travelling.
Yes, pre-booking is recommended, especially during busy periods. Priority Pass members can usually pre-book for £6 per person, which gives a much better chance of getting into the lounge.
The lounge serves a buffet with hot and cold food. Breakfast can include bacon, sausages, beans, eggs, fruit, yoghurt and pastries, while later visits may include pasta, curry, sandwiches, salad and snacks.
Yes, the lounge has a staffed bar with complimentary beers, wines and spirits. Champagne costs extra, but there are usually several included alcoholic drinks available.
No, the Escape Lounge Stansted Airport does not have toilets inside the lounge. Guests need to leave the lounge and use the main terminal toilets upstairs.
The Escape Lounge Stansted Airport is worth visiting if you have Priority Pass, want food and drinks, and need somewhere to sit away from the main terminal. However, at £48.99 paid entry, it can feel expensive when the lounge is crowded.
For further information, you can visit London Stansted’s official website here.
Secure Your Lounge Access
After you click Priority Pass, simply scroll down to the ‘Your Journey Starts Here’ section to purchase a lounge membership that suits you. A ‘Standard’ membership is best for more infrequent travellers which allows access to all lounges for a discounted fee (£24 or currency equivalent). ‘Standard Plus’ membership will provide 9 free visits per year, and then at the discounted rate after that. The ‘Prestige’ membership is for the frequent flier, which grants unlimited lounge access for the year!
*Please note, all guests would enter at the discounted entry fee.
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