ClassPass: The perfect gym membership for frequent travelers

Have you ever traveled somewhere and found the hotel gym to be lacking? Or perhaps the 7 A.M. yoga class at your resort is just too damn early (we’re on vacation, for crying out loud!). If you have a ClassPass membership, you don’t have to do either of those things.

What is ClassPass?

ClassPass is an interesting concept that frequent travelers will appreciate: An on-the-go gym membership valid in 39 cities, mostly in the U.S., Canada and Australia. ClassPass partners with over 2,000 gyms and fitness studios to offer a single membership for a flat monthly membership fee.

The membership fee depends on the city you’re based in and may be adjusted depending on where you’re traveling to.

It seems like a really great concept for frequent travelers and “digital nomads” who want to access a variety of fitness centers without paying for individual classes or memberships they can’t utilize everywhere.

How it Works

While it’s marketed as a monthly membership, you’re essentially pre-purchasing fitness passes at a discount. Thus, it also works for those who want to try a variety of gyms and fitness classes before committing to one. Furthermore, if you sign up for ClassPass with my affiliate link, you can get a 2-week, 3-class trial for $9.

I came across ClassPass while researching gyms near where I work. There are four pilates studios in the area and I wanted to try several before settling on one.  The per-class rates offered through ClassPass are way cheaper than what the individual studios offer.

Cheaper Rates Through ClassPass

For example, one Pilates studio charges $125 for 10 classes. ClassPass, on the other hand, charges $79 per month for 10 classes. There is a monthly 3-visit restriction per gym on this type of membership, but I’m not looking to commit to a single studio at the moment, so it works out well. Plus, I would save $4.60 per class.

Additionally, 10 classes is totally feasible for me. I’m not going to humor anyone by claiming I’ll go to a fitness class five days a week straight out of the gate. ClassPass’s 10-class monthly membership is really a great way to sample different fitness classes without paying through the roof for them. And since you’re paying for classes up front, you kind of have to go. 

Video Workouts

ClassPass also have video workouts, for those times when you’ve been upgraded and the suite is too nice to leave. Or maybe you’re in a rush and just want to workout, shower, and be on your way. You can watch free fitness classes on Youtube, so this feature isn’t that special. Still, it’s worth mentioning for those who value professional workout videos as part of their gym membership.

Things to Know

If you’re a frequent traveler, ClassPass might be an easy way for you to have a gym membership that is affordable and offers variety. That being said, here are a few things you should be aware of:

1. There are restrictions on the number of times you can visit the same fitness studio per month. With the 10 – class plan, that limit is 3 times per month. 
2. Unused classes do not roll over. So if you only use 8 out of 10 classes by the end of the month, you will not be able to use the remaining two next month.
3. If you cancel a classs booked through ClassPass, you need to do it at least 12 hours in advance to avoid a penalty. If you miss this cut-off, you will incur late cancellation or no-show fees that vary by plan.
4. Classes can be booked up to one week in advance.

Have you used ClassPass for fitness classes while traveling? I’d love your feedback in the comment section.