Best Credit Cards with Airport Lounge Access
- Points By J
- Jan 8
- 8 min read
Updated: Feb 17
Premium travel credit cards have made my travel experiences so much better. I've benefitted from perks like business class flights from points redemptions, travel insurance, no foreign transaction fees, and more.
One of most valuable benefits in my eyes? Airport lounge access.
Cards with airport lounge access tend to have annual fees. However, if you use the many benefits, statement credits and bonus earning categories, it can be easy to get much more value out of the card than the fee you pay.
My POV on who each card is best for:
Tend to travel alone? Capital One Venture X gives the best balance of reasonable annual fee and perks
Frequent airports with Centurion Lounges or a Delta loyalist? Go for an Amex Plat
Frequent airports with Sapphire Lounges? Sapphire Reserve or a Ritz card
Here are the best credit cards that give you airport lounge access. I've included all the details so you can find one that's perfect for you! If you do apply for a credit card, I appreciate if you apply through one of these referral links. It costs you nothing extra, but supports my ability to continue making free content.
Personal Cards
Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card - Learn more here
This is my #1 most-recommended card to people who want airport lounge access (especially perfect for solo travelers).
Why? It has an annual fee of $395, but offers a $300 annual travel credit and 10k bonus point anniversary gift - which completely offsets the cost. So, airport lounge access, up to $120 Global Entry or TSA PreCheck application fee credit, travel insurance, and no foreign transaction fees are all cherries on top. Plus, the card earns 2 miles for every dollar you spend. That simplicity is incredibly valuable if you dislike having to keep track of points-earning bonus categories!
The lounge details:
Primary cardholder has access to Capital One and participating Priority Pass lounges
You have the option to pay a fee for guests:
Priority Pass Lounges cost per adult: $35
Capital One Lounges and Landings cost per adult: $45; cost per child 2-17: $25
Chase Sapphire Reserve® - Learn more here
This card offers a range of travel benefits, including an up to $300 annual travel credit, excellent trip cancellation/interruption insurance, up to $120 Global Entry or TSA PreCheck fee credit, strong points earning potential, and more. While it has a $795 annual fee, the credits can go a long way toward offsetting the costs. I personally love using my Chase points to redeem with Hyatt hotels.
The lounge details:
Options:
Priority Pass: Access to over 1,300 lounges in more than 500 cities worldwide with Priority Pass Select (with up to 2 guests)
Sapphire Lounges: Access to Chase Sapphire Lounges by The Club (with up to 2 guests)
Air Canada Lounges: Access select Air Canada Maple Leaf Lounges and Air Canada Cafés in the U.S., Canada and Europe with their Sapphire Reserve card and an eligible departing boarding pass when flying on any Star Alliance carrier (with up to one guest)
American Express Platinum Card® - Learn more here
Known for its premium benefits, this card provides annual airline fee credits, hotel elite status, and a wide range of other travel perks. With a $895 annual fee (see rates and fees), this card is best-suited to people who can take full-advantage of the myriad credits available (including enrollment-required credits for Uber, lululemon, Resy, Saks Fifth Avenue, digital entertainment , Equinox, and more).* It offers 5x points for each $1 spent on flight purchases up to $500,000 on these purchases per calendar year (then 1 point per dollar), creating high point-earning potential for frequent flyers. Many would argue that this is the best credit card with airport lounge access because of the Centurion Lounge access, which are luxurious.
The lounge details:
Options: More than 1,400+ airport lounges across 140 countries and counting, includes Centurion Lounges, Escape Lounges, Priority Pass Select, and more.
Centurion Lounge Guest Details: There is a per-visit fee of $50 for each guest or $30 for children aged 2 through 17, with proof of age.
Priority Pass Guest Details: 2 guests can join the cardholder for free.
Click here to learn more about the Platinum Card®. Terms apply to American Express benefits and offers. Enrollment may be required for select American Express benefits and offers. Visit americanexpress.com to learn more.
Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card - Learn more here
This card offers a phenomenal 3x miles on eligible purchases made directly with Delta. Additionally, enjoy an annual round trip companion certificate, your first checked bag free, access to complimentary upgrades, 15% off when booking Award Travel, priority boarding, and Status Boost®.* Cardholders also enjoy an up to $120 Global Entry or TSA PreCheck application fee credit. Plus, the card has no foreign transaction fees (see rates & fees).
The lounge details:
Options: Access to Delta Sky Club® and The Centurion® Lounge when you book your Delta flight with your Reserve card
Delta Sky Club Details: 15 visits per year to the Delta Sky Club (to earn an unlimited number of visits, the total eligible purchases on the card must equal $75,000 or more each calendar year)
The Centurion Lounge Details: Complimentary access for cardmembers; plus ability to bring up to two guests for a $50 per person fee.
The Ritz-Carlton™ Credit Card (no longer available for direct application) - Learn more here
The Ritz-Carlton Card isn’t open to new applicants anymore, but you can still get it. The only path is a product change from an existing personal Chase Marriott Bonvoy card (like the Marriott Bonvoy Bold® Credit Card or Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card). You can’t convert from a Chase non-Marriott card, an Amex Marriott card, or any business card. You can only product change a card if you’ve had it for at least 12 months. So if you applied for a Bold or Boundless card now, you’d be able to product change to the Ritz card in just over a year.
The card has a $450 annual fee, but comes with an anniversary free night award (valid at a property costing up to 85,000 Bonvoy points; can be topped off with up to 15,000 additional points). It gives you Gold Elite Marriott status for as long as you have the card, plus 15 elite nights toward Elite status annually. It also gives a $300 travel credit every calendar year, which can be used for airline incidental purchases (just call Chase to have the credit applied).
The lounge details:
Priority Pass: Access to over 1,300 lounges in more than 500 cities worldwide with Priority Pass Select (with up to 2 guests)
Sapphire Lounges: Access to Chase Sapphire Lounges by The Club (with up to 2 guests)
Business Cards
Capital One Venture X Business - Learn more here
This card's combination of a lucrative sign-up bonus + lounge access + reasonable annual fee is pretty hard to beat.
Let’s start with the headline perk: you can earn a sign-up bonus of up to 150,000 bonus miles after spending $30,000 on purchases in the first three months.
Other details of the card:
Annual fee of $395, but offers a $300 annual travel credit and 10k bonus point anniversary gift - which completely offsets the cost
Airport lounge access, up to $120 Global Entry or TSA PreCheck application fee credit, travel insurance, and no foreign transaction fees are all cherries on top
Earns 2 miles for every dollar you spend (we love this simplicity)
The lounge details:
Primary cardholder has access to Capital One and participating Priority Pass lounges
You have the option to pay a fee for guests:
Priority Pass Lounges cost per adult: $35
Capital One Lounges and Landings cost per adult: $45; cost per child 2-17: $25
The Business Platinum Card® from American Express - Learn more here
This is a powerful points-earner and perks-provider if you spend a lot on flights. It provides annual airline fee and CLEAR Plus credits. With a $895 annual fee (see rates and fees), this card is best-suited to people who can take full-advantage of the myriad credits available (including enrollment-required credits for hotels, Dell Technologies, Indeed, Adobe, and more).* It earns 5x points on flights and prepaid hotels on AmexTravel.com, 2x points on eligible business categories, 1x points per dollar on all other purchases.
The lounge details:
Options: More than 1,400+ airport lounges across 140 countries and counting, includes Centurion Lounges, Escape Lounges, Priority Pass Select, and more. Access is limited to eligible Card Members.
Centurion Lounge Guest Details: There is a per-visit fee of $50 for each guest or $30 for children aged 2 through 17, with proof of age.
Priority Pass Guest Details: 2 guests can join the cardholder for free.
Click here to learn more about the Amex Business Platinum Card. Terms apply to American Express benefits and offers. Enrollment may be required for select American Express benefits and offers. Visit americanexpress.com to learn more.
Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Business American Express Card - Learn more here
This business card offers a phenomenal 3x miles on eligible purchases made directly with Delta. Additionally, enjoy an annual round trip companion certificate, your first checked bag free, access to complimentary upgrades, 15% off when booking Award Travel, priority boarding, and Status Boost®.* Cardholders also enjoy an up to $120 Global Entry or TSA PreCheck application fee credit. Plus, the card has no foreign transaction fees (see rates & fees).
The lounge details:
Options: Access to Delta Sky Club® and The Centurion® Lounge when you book your Delta flight with your Reserve card
Delta Sky Club Details: 15 visits per year to the Delta Sky Club (to earn an unlimited number of visits, the total eligible purchases on the card must equal $75,000 or more each calendar year)
The Centurion Lounge Details: Complimentary access for cardmembers; plus ability to bring up to two guests for a $50 per person fee.
Sapphire Reserve for Business℠ - Learn more here
This is a premium travel card tailored for business owners with significant travel and business expenses. It has a high annual fee ($795) but can have substantial value through various statement credits and rewards opportunities. The credits include a $300 annual travel credit, credits for stays booked through The Edit by Chase Travel, and for services like ZipRecruiter and Google Workspace. It has bonus point multipliers like 4x earning on direct flight and hotel bookings, and 3x on social media and search engine advertising.
The lounge details:
Options:
Priority Pass: Access to over 1,300 lounges in more than 500 cities worldwide with Priority Pass Select (with up to 2 guests)
Sapphire Lounges: Access to Chase Sapphire Lounges by The Club (with up to 2 guests)
9 of the best credit cards with airport lounge access - which is right for you?
For solo travelers, the card that balances the lowest annual fee with strong perks is the Capital One Venture X or Venture X Business.
However, if access to Centurion, Delta Sky Club, or Sapphire lounges is important to you, then choose accordingly!
*Each Benefit requires enrollment via their website, terms apply to American Express Benefits and offers. visit americanexpress.com to learn more.
Opinions expressed here are author's alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, hotel, airline, or other entity. This content has not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of the entities included within the post. The content on this page is accurate as of the posting date; however, some of the offers mentioned may have expired.
