The Best Personal & Business Credit Cards for Complimentary Airport Lounge Access [2019]

BY 

Christine Krzyszton

- UPDATED: September 30, 2019

1. Business Owners  / 
2. Credit Cards  / 
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Anticipating the sanctuary of an airport lounge before or after a long-haul flight for a drink and a light meal may border on bliss — until you’re hit with a $50 entry fee.

If you’re a frequent traveler, consider a premium credit card that offers complimentary airport lounge access. You’ll not only receive lounge access with these cards but a whole treasury of travel benefits.

Premium credit cards offer generous sign-up bonuses, travel purchase credits, free internet access, the ability to earn travel rewards, luxury perks and benefits, assistance when things go wrong, and travel and purchase protections.

Don’t buy a lounge membership or even a day pass until you’ve reviewed our collection of credit cards to consider for complimentary lounge access, which cards provide this perk to authorized users, which cards offer discounted lounge access, and our breakdown on how much complimentary lounge access is worth.

The Best Personal Credit Cards for Complimentary Lounge Access

Personal consumer credit cards are the go-to cards for securing complimentary lounge access, as you’ll find a wider selection than with business credit cards.

Here are the best credit cards in 2019 for lounge access:

• The Platinum Card® from American Express
• The Chase Sapphire Reserve® Card
• Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card
• Hilton Honors American Express Aspire® Card
• United MileagePlus® Club Card by Chase

It’s difficult to compare credit cards on lounge access benefits alone, as a card with a high annual fee might offer other perks or rewards that more than offset that annual fee. You’ll have to investigate further to see if a card is right for your situation overall and not just a perfect fit from a lounge access perspective.

For example, the Sapphire Reserve offers 50% more redemption value when you use Ultimate Rewards Points earned on the card to purchase travel via the Chase travel portal, and it has an annual $300 travel credit.

The Platinum Card offers $200 in airline fee statement credits and earns 5X Membership Rewards Points on eligible flight and hotel purchases.

Most credit cards that have global lounge access, including Priority Pass Select membership, allow 2 additional guests at no cost.

The number of guests you can bring and the amount you will be charged for guests beyond the allotted maximum differs by card.

You can review the guest details in the offer information before you select a card or check the terms and conditions in your card benefits guide when you receive your card for current rates.

Bottom Line: Although lounge access may be a primary reason you’re considering a credit card, you’ll want to review the other perks, benefits, credits, and rewards that come with the card to see it’s a fit overall. 

The Best Business Credit Cards for Complimentary Lounge Access

The Business Platinum® Card from American Express

Considered the ultimate credit card for travelers who value lounge access, the Business Platinum and the personal version of the card offer access to the largest collection of global airport lounges.

The American Express Global Lounge Collection has over 1,200 airport lounges across 130 countries and counting, and includes the following lounge networks:

• The Centurion Lounge
• The International American Express® Lounges
• Delta SkyClub (note: you must be flying with Delta to get access)
• Priority Pass Select
• Airspace Lounge
• Escape Lounges

The card receives accolades for more than its extensive lounge access network, as it’s a dominant travel rewards credit card for frequent travelers who value luxury travel perks.

Delta Reserve for Business Credit Card from American Express

Delta frequent flyers will enjoy lounge access when traveling on Delta, but that’s not the premier benefit of the Delta Reserve Business Card. The card is more popular for its ability to earn elite qualifying miles that make achieving frequent flier status easier and for its free companion pass when purchasing a premium Delta ticket.

Hilton Honors American Express Business Card

If you’re a traveler and Hilton is your hotel brand of choice, the Hilton Business Card will serve you well while earning Hilton Honors Points on all of your purchases. With 10 free Priority Select lounge passes to use each year, your travels become more comfortable and more productive.

United MileagePlus® Explorer Business Card

While complimentary lounge access is not the United Explorer Business Card’s strongest suit, it is still one of the few business credit cards that offer any complimentary lounge access at all.

It’s also an excellent choice for frequent United Airlines fliers who want to earn miles on United and other business expenses, receive priority boarding, free checked bags, and upgrades on award tickets.

Hot Tip: There aren’t many business credit cards offering complimentary lounge access, so you may want to look for lounge access benefits on a personal consumer credit card, as there are more choices available. 

The Best Credit Cards with Lounge Access for Authorized Users

When you’re traveling, complimentary lounge access for you and your family or other travel companions is a great perk. There are times, however, when others may be traveling without you and would greatly benefit from complimentary lounge access. Simply adding an authorized user can allow them to enjoy some of the same travel benefits with the credit card, including complimentary lounge access.

These are some of the cards that grant lounge access for authorized users and a breakdown of the associated fees.

While adding an authorized user can be a cost-effective way to secure lounge access and other card benefits, keep in mind that with Chase, there could be 5/24 rule implications for the authorized user. Remember that you’re responsible for all charges made to the credit card, including those made by an authorized user.

Credit Cards With Discounted Lounge Access

Not all credit cards with a lounge access benefit offer it for free. Some include a basic lounge membership (normally worth about $99) and then discount the access fee. Your complimentary membership might be with Lounge Club, Priority Pass, or LoungeKey, all similar or related global lounge networks.

Credit cards with this benefit include:

• Hilton Surpass Card: Free Priority Pass membership; 10 free visits per year, then $27 per visit

If you have a World Elite Mastercard, you have discounted lounge access through the Mastercard Airport Experiences provided by LoungeKey. Other credit cards such as the Hilton Surpass Card may offer free standard Priority Pass membership, but may or may not include free passes per year, then offer discounted access for $27.

Hot Tip: Discounted lounge access is not a stand-alone reason to select a credit card, but you may want to check if any of your current cards have this valuable benefit. You could be enjoying some of the most luxurious lounges in the world for just a $27 entrance fee.

Just call the number on the back of your card or check your cardholder agreement to see if you have free lounge network membership and discounted lounge access.

The Real Value of Airport Lounge Access

You don’t need to have a premium credit card to enjoy access to airport lounges, but you will need to secure a potentially pricey lounge membership or a day pass. And remember, not all lounges can be accessed with a card, like The Private Suite at LAX.

This breakdown of membership costs illustrates the approximate value of the complimentary lounge access you can receive with premium cards.

If you’re a frequent traveler who purchases several single-lounge access passes per year or an annual lounge membership, you may fare better by selecting a premium credit card that includes complimentary lounge access.

The added value of a sign-up bonus, additional travel perks, rewards, credits for travel purchases, and travel and purchase protections can make securing a premium travel credit card a wise economic decision.

Bottom Line: While premium credit cards that include complimentary airport lounge access may come with high annual fees, these cards provide excellent value that goes beyond what you’d receive with an annual lounge membership.

Final Thoughts

Lounge access is one of the most valuable travel perks so having this benefit included on a premium credit card makes sense for serious travelers. Plus, if you’re purchasing a lounge access membership elsewhere, it’s a simple economic decision to consider a premium credit card that includes this perk.

And while lounge access may be important, you’ll want to consider the whole package of benefits that come with each card as lounge access will be just one of many valuable benefits available on a premium travel card.

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