The Best Business and Personal Credit Cards for Lounge Access
Full Disclosure: We may be compensated when you click on links to credit card products from our advertising partners, such as American Express, Chase & Barclays. Opinions on this site are ours alone, and have not been reviewed or approved by the issuer. See our Advertiser Disclosure for more details. Thanks!
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.
Table of contents
Table of Contents
The Best Business Credit Cards for Complimentary Lounge Access
| Business Credit Card for Lounge Access | Lounge Network | Allows Access For | Annual Fee |
|---|---|---|---|
The Business Platinum Card® from American Express OPEN | American Express Global Lounge Collection (Access to 1,200+ airport lounges!) | Cardholder and up to 2 additional guests | $450 (Terms Apply) |
Delta Reserve for Business Credit Card from American Express | Delta SkyClub | Cardholder only when traveling on Delta, 2 additional guests at $29 each, children 2 and under are free | $450 (Terms Apply) |
Hilton Honors® American Express Business Card | Priority Pass Select | 10 Free Passes per year, $27 per person per visit after the 10 passes are used | $95 (Terms Apply) |
| United MileagePlus® Explorer Business Card | United Club | (2) Single day passes issued per card anniversary year | $95 Annual fee waived the first year |
The Business Platinum® Card from American Express OPEN
Considered the ultimate credit card for travelers who value lounge access, the Business Platinum® Card from American Express OPEN 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 for Business Credit 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 Honors® American Express 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 MileagePlus® 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 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.
| Personal Credit Card for Lounge Access | Access To These Lounges | Allows Access For Cardholder Plus | Annual Fee |
|---|---|---|---|
The Platinum Card® from American Express | American Express Global Lounge Collection (Access to 1,200+ airport lounges!) | Up to 2 additional guests, then $50/guest | $550 (Terms Apply) |
| Chase Sapphire Reserve® | Priority Pass Select | Up to 2 additional guests, then $27/guest | $450 |
| United MileagePlus® Club Card by Chase | United Club and select partner Star Alliance Lounges | Immediate family or 2 additional guests | $450 |
| Hilton Honors® Aspire from American Express and Hilton Honors American Express Ascend Card | Priority Pass Select | 10 free day passes annually, $27 each visit after that | $450 Aspire (Terms Apply), $95 Ascend (Terms Apply) |
| Delta Reserve Card from American Express | Delta SkyClub | Cardholder only, then $29/guest for 2 additional guests | $450 (Terms Apply) |
| Citi Prestige® | Priority Pass Select | Up to 2 additional guests, then $27/guest | $450 |
| Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite MasterCard® | American Airline's Admiral's Club and select partner One World Alliance Lounges | Up to 2 additional guests | $450 |
| United MileagePlus® Explorer Card by Chase | United Club | 2 Single day passes issued each card anniversary yea | $95 |
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 Chase 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 from American Express rebates 35% of your Membership Rewards Points when using points to purchase premium flights on your selected airline and offers an additional $200 airline credit and $200 in Uber credits each year.
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 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.
| Credit Card with Lounge Access for Authorized Users | Access To These Lounges | Annual Fee | Annual Authorized User Fee |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Platinum Card® from American Express | American Express Global Lounge Collection (Access to 1,200+ airport lounges!) | $550 (Terms Apply) | $175 Total fee for up to 3 authorized users |
| Chase Sapphire Reserve® | Priority Pass Select | $450 | $75 per authorized user |
| Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite MasterCard® | American Airlines Admiral's Club | $450 | $0 for up to 10 authorized users |
| Delta Reserve® Credit Card from American Express | Delta SkyClub | $450 (Terms Apply) | $175 total for up to 3 additional cards that include SkyClub access. Free additional cards do not include access. |
| Citi Prestige® | Priority Pass Select | $450 | $50 per authorized user |
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:
- Barclays Arrival® Premier World Elite Mastercard®: Free LoungeKey membership; $27 per visit
- Hilton Honors American Express Ascend 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 Honors American Express Ascend 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 Value of 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.
This breakdown of membership costs illustrates the value of the complimentary lounge access you can receive with premium cards.
| Lounge network or service | Single 1-year membership cost | Cost to add a spouse, partner, or guest to membership | Single-day pass for 1 person |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
|
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.
Like this post? Pin it on Pinterest!
I am amazed at how many of my friends are either not aware or don’t use their card benefits especially when it comes to airport lounges. These are also the same people who complain about crowded boarding areas when sitting in their wallet is the solution. Great post!!
Great observation, Eric, the lack of awareness is surely the culprit. Thanks for reading and for your comment.