For many years the OCBC Voyage card has offered unlimited complimentary lounge access, both to primary and supplementary cardholders, but only to the relatively limited Plaza Premium network, with around 130 facilities available worldwide at the last count.
That’s meant a more limited list of options compared to the bigger lounge membership programmes enjoyed by many competing cards, including no facilities on the list at many popular destinations like Bali, Paris, Phuket and San Francisco.
The good news is that OCBC has now opted to partner with DragonPass for its Voyage cardholder lounge benefit in 2024, opening up a much wider selection of 1,200 lounges globally.
Gain access to an expanded network of over 1,200 airport lounges with a complimentary DragonPass membership – exclusive to VOYAGE Cardmembers.
OCBC
Unlimited DragonPass membership
Main OCBC Voyage cardholders are now eligible for an unlimited DragonPass membership, similar to that offered to UOB Visa Infinite Metal cardholders.
The complimentary guest allowance is not clear at this stage, since OCBC has not updated its terms and conditions document to reflect the lounge access provider switch, instead only updating the product landing page to reflect this change.
Unfortunately, it appears that supplementary OCBC Voyage cardholders will not be eligible for a DragonPass membership of their own. Currently, supplementary cardholders do get unlimited Plaza Premium lounge access.
Nonetheless, the significantly expanded lounge network offered by DragonPass is still a major boost for Voyage cardholders – it also includes Plaza Premium lounges anyway, so nothing is lost here.
With OCBC still not outlining the updated terms of its new lounge access benefit, we’ve reached out to the bank for more details regarding supplementary cardholder entitlements, which appear to be the cost of this change, and will update this article with their response.
How DragonPass compares to Plaza Premium
With more than 1,200 airport lounges on its books, DragonPass certainly provides a far more substantial selection of options for Voyage cardholders compared to the most recent list of eligible Plaza Premium lounges.
In addition to new options at a wide range of currently-missing Singapore Airlines destinations like Paris, Manchester, Bali, Phuket and San Francisco, here at Singapore Changi Airport the selection will increase from 4 lounges to 10.
DragonPass vs. Plaza Premium
at Singapore Changi Airport
| Lounge | DragonPass | Plaza Premium |
 |
||
| Marhaba | ||
| Plaza Premium | ||
| SATS Premier | ||
 |
||
| Ambassador Transit | ||
| SATS Premier | ||
 |
||
| Ambassador Transit | ||
| Marhaba | ||
| SATS Premier | ||
 |
||
| Blossom | ||
 |
||
| Changi Lounge | ||
At other regional airports like Bangkok Suvarnabhumi, the selection will increase from a single lounge (though it’s a good one – the Oman Air option) to an impressive selection of 16 lounges, and don’t worry – the Oman Air lounge still makes the list!
Voyage cardholders should also now benefit from set meals or fixed dining credits at selected airport restaurants. There are 13 of these options at Changi Airport alone, and with an unlimited membership there’s nothing stopping you dining in one of these, then heading to a lounge, on the same trip.
How to activate your DragonPass membership
First you’ll have to wait for OCBC to email you with a DragonPass membership number and activation code, and it’s not yet clear when this will happen for existing cardholders.
Update: OCBC has confirmed that existing cardholders will receive an email with their DragonPass membership number and activation code between 15th January and 31st January 2024. Plaza Premium lounge access will be uninterrupted until 28th February 2024.
Once you’ve received that, in order to start accessing lounges on the DragonPass network as an OCBC Voyage cardholder, you’ll need to take the following steps:
- Download the DragonPass app from the Apple App Store or Google Play Store
- Open the app and select ‘Sign Up’
- Tap on ‘Activate Account Benefit’
- Enter the membership number and activation code sent to the email address registered on your Voyage account and tap on ‘Continue’
- Enter your email address and tap on ‘Next’
- Fill in the required details, agree to the Privacy Policy and tap on ‘Next’
- Enter the verification code sent to your email address and tap on ‘Continue’
- Choose a new password and tap on ‘Done’. Your membership card will be activated instantly.
New Voyage cardholders who have their card approved between the 1st and 15th of each month will receive their membership number and activation code via email from 22nd to 25th of the same month, while those with an approval between 16th and the last day of the month will receive these details between the 7th and 10th of the following month.
Unfortunately it’s not clear at this stage when existing Voyage cardholders can expect to receive their DragonPass membership details by email. Update: Between 15th January and 31st January 2024.
Which Singapore cards offer complimentary lounge access?
We’ve updated our comprehensive guide to miles-earning credit cards in Singapore that offer complimentary lounge access to reflect this change for OCBC Voyage cardholders.
Do review the latest breakdown if this is a perk of interest to you – since holding the right credit card can include a lounge access membership that comes in very handy when you’re travelling with low-cost carriers like AirAsia, Jetstar and Scoot, or in Economy Class on airlines you don’t hold lounge-worthy status with.
Summary
OCBC Voyage cardholders are having their lounge access benefit switched across from a relatively limited Plaza Premium selection, with around 130 lounges, to a much more generous unlimited access plan via the DragonPass programme, featuring nearly 10 times as many global options.
This will fill multiple gaps in the previous list, and add several more lounge options at a large number of airports around the world, including at Changi itself, where the lounge selection will more than double from 4 to 10.
The change is a long overdue improvement to the Voyage card’s lounge access perk, which can now finally hold a candle against some of the most competitive offerings on the market in this category.
Unfortunately it looks like supplementary Voyage cardholders will not be eligible for a DragonPass access plan of their own, as they are currently entitled to with Plaza Premium, but overall most Voyage cardholders will probably see this change as a win.
(Cover Photo: No1 Lounges Ltd)