A method for priority-based protection includes assigning a priority to each of a plurality of flows associated with a plurality of working paths, wherein each of the plurality of the flows has a unique priority. The method also includes determining that one or more of the working paths has failed, and determining the available bandwidth on a protection path upon the failure of the one or more of the working paths. In addition, the method includes determining the priority of the flows on the one or more failed working paths, and switching two or more flows from the one or more failed working paths to the protection path based on at least the priority of the two or more flows, the bandwidth of the working path and the available bandwidth on the protected path.