As an Absa Private Bank Credit Card holder, you get complimentary access to the ultimate style and opulence at Bidvest Premier Lounges.
Features and benefit
The benefits that your Private Banking Credit Card provides for Premier Bidvest lounge access:
Visa Infinite
Access any of Bidvest Premier domestic and international departure lounges across South Africa.
Present your Digital Access pass in the Visa Airport Companion App (VAC), provided by DragonPass for unlimited annual complimentary airport lounge visits for yourself and 1 accompanying guest on each visit.
For any other accompanying guests $32 (or the prevailing rate) per person per visit will be charged directly to your Visa Infinite card enrolled in the App.
What you need to know
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Benefits
- Complimentary visits are allocated per calendar year (January to December) and any unused visits will not be carried forward.
- Complimentary visits are only available to the Card holder or secondary card holder/s (as specified) and cannot be transferred to guests or children.
- There will be no monthly usage limit (complimentary visits are allocated per annum).
- There will be no split or limit between local and international lounge visits, which means that you could use all qualifying visits for either local or international lounges as you need.
- You are entitled to a stay of 2 hours for domestic flights and 4 hours for international flights (prior to your scheduled flight departure time). Extended time will be charged at Bidvest rates.
- The airport lounges will be open 7 days a week. This may change without prior notice. Please visit the Bidvest Lounge website for updates on lounge operating hours and availability.
- Bidvest Premier Airport Lounges will ensure that there is an adequate supply of refreshments, newspapers, periodicals, food and beverages.
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Qualifying criteria
- You need the relevant Absa personalized (customer name on card) Visa Card as per the specified benefit.
- The name of the cardholder must be the same as the name on the boarding pass.
- Your Visa Card must be in good standing.
- You must have met the stipulated spend requirement (where applicable).
- You must be registered on the Absa Rewards programme (where applicable).
- This offer is only available to primary and/or secondary cardholders as specified.
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Qualifying criteria - spend rules
Monthly Spend Criteria: How We Check if You Qualify
To confirm your eligibility, we calculate your average monthly spend over different time periods.
You only need to meet one of the options below to qualify.
30‑Day Spend Check
We add up all the transactions you’ve made in the last 30 days (counting back from the day of your voucher request) and calculate the monthly spend for this period.
If the monthly meets the required amount for your card, you qualify.
3‑Month Spend Check (90 Days)
We look at everything you’ve spent over the past 90 days and work out your average monthly spend over these three months.
If your average meets the required threshold, you’re eligible.
12‑Month Spend Check (365 Days)
We review all your transactions over the last 12 months and calculate your average monthly spend for the year.
If this average meets the annual requirement, you qualify.
Only Point-of-Sale (POS) and Card Not Present (CNP) transactions count towards the spend criteria. Other payment types like EFT payments and revolving credit balances are not considered.
Spend criteria is reviewed on account level.
Guest access:
Please note that where there is no guest benefit on the card you will be charged the prevailing retail rate for any guests or children visiting the lounge, on entry.
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How it works
From 19 March 2026, physical cards and manual validations will no longer be accepted for lounge entry. Instead, simply generate a QR lounge voucher on your Absa Banking App via the Rewards Travel Hub and scan at the lounge reception.
- The new digital solution offers several benefits:
- Real-time eligibility checks before visiting the lounge
- Quick and easy access using a QR voucher, no need to carry a physical card
- Clear visibility of available visits and usage history.
How to generate a QR lounge voucher
- Follow these simple steps in the Absa Bank App:
- Log in to your Absa Banking App
- Go to the Rewards Travel Hub and select Lounge Access
- Select the applicable card
- View validation results (where Rewards, spend or card status criteria have not been met, or complimentary visits have been depleted no vouchers will be available)
- Select your lounge
- Select number of guests (where applicable to your benefit)
- The app will generate a QR voucher, valid for 48 hours
- Present the QR voucher at the lounge entrance (Please ensure the name on the voucher matches your boarding pass)
- If a voucher is not used within 48 hours, it will expire and your visit balance will be restored
- If you generated a voucher incorrectly you may cancel it at any time before it is redeemed or expires and re-generate a revised voucher.
What you need to note
- There is one exception to this process, British Airways Card customers will still access the lounge by presenting their physical card.
- Secondary cardholders must generate their own QR voucher code in their own instance of the Bank App
- Bidvest lounge staff cannot advise on complimentary benefits and usage rules. Customers must phone the number on the back of their card for any benefit enquiries.
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What it costs
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List of airports where Bidvest lounges are located
Bidvest Domestic Lounges
- OR Tambo Domestic
- OR Tambo Domestic - Sky Lounge
- Lanseria
- Bloemfontein
- Cape Town
- King Phalo (East London)
- King Shaka (Durban)
- Chief Dawid Stuurman International (Port Elizabeth)
- George
- Kruger Mpumalanga International
Bidvest International Departure Lounges
- OR Tambo International
- Bidvest Premier Lounge Cape Town International 1
- Bidvest Premier Lounge Cape Town International 2
- Kruger Mpumalanga International
Need more help?
Call us on: 0860 553 553
International: +27 11 501 5011
Weekdays 08:00 - 17:30
Saturday 08:00-13:00
Email us at: privatebanking@absa.co.za
