Best Credit Cards with Airport Lounge Access
At a Glance
Airports are one of the most stressful places to be for many of us, but there are ways to ease the tension with a little bit of luxury. Many travel-related credit cards now offer complimentary access to airport lounges around the world, giving you the chance to have a little oasis away from the hustle and bustle surrounding the gates.
In this article, you’ll learn:
Comparing the best credit cards with access to airport lounges
| Travel Credit Card |
Loungue Access Details |
Welcome Offer |
|---|---|---|
The Platinum Card® from American Express |
Access to Centurion clubs, Delta Sky Clubs, and lounges in the Priority Pass, Escape, Plaza Premium, and Air Space networks | Earn 125,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 on purchases on the Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. |
Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard® |
Access to American Airlines’ Admirals Club lounges | Earn 70,000 American Airlines AAdvantage® bonus miles after making $7,000 in purchases in the first 3 months of account opening. |
United℠ Explorer Card |
Two complimentary passes to United Clubs every year | Earn 50,000 bonus miles after you spend $3,000 on purchases in the first 3 months your account is open. |
Chase Sapphire Reserve® |
Priority Pass Select membership + access to Sapphire Lounges by the Club | 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That’s $900 toward travel when you redeem through Chase Ultimate Rewards®. |
Capital One Venture X Card |
Access to Priority Pass and Plaza Premium Group networks + access to Capital One Lounges | Earn 75,000 bonus miles once you spend $4,000 on purchases within the first 3 months from account opening. |
A closer look at the best credit cards that can get you into airport lounges
The Platinum Card® from American Express
For the Always on the Road
Reward Rate:
NA
Reward Details:
Airport lounge access details: Access to Centurion clubs, Delta Sky Clubs, and lounges in the Priority Pass, Escape, Plaza Premium, and Air Space networks
Card Summary
Signup bonus:
Earn 125,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 on purchases on the Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership.
Our verdict
The card with the heftiest annual fee on the list, The Platinum Card comes with some serious benefits. Not only does it give cardholders access to multiple lounge networks, but its exclusive partnership with Delta lets members use Sky Clubs, too (as long as they are flying Delta that day). It’s also the only “public” card that lets you rub shoulders with Centurion card holders in American Express’ exclusive Centurion Lounge network found in airlines and even some major sporting venues.
Annual Fee: $695
Regular APR: 20.99% to 28.99%
Recommended
Credit Score: Good-Excellent 
Pros and Cons
- Complimentary access to Delta Sky Clubs and Centurion Lounges
- Complimentary access to Priority Pass, Escape, Plaza Premium, and Air Space lounge networks.
- 5x points per dollar on travel purchases
- $200 annual travel reimbursement credit
- $200 annual Uber credits
- $100 annual hotel credit
- Global Entry or TSA PreCheck fee reimbursement
- $189 CLEAR membership fee reimbursement
- $695 annual fee
- Difficult to redeem statement credits on some benefits
- Still not as widely accepted internationally as Visa or Mastercard
Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard®
For the Always on the Road
Reward Rate:
NA
Reward Details:
Access to American Airlines’ Admirals Club lounges
Card Summary
Signup bonus:
Earn 70,000 American Airlines AAdvantage® bonus miles after making $5,000 in purchases in the first 3 months of account opening.
Our verdict
Not only is this the one card that offers complimentary access to American Airlines’ network of Admirals Clubs, but it also is one of the few cards that allows lounge access to authorized card users without the primary cardholder being present.
Annual Fee: $450
Regular APR: 20.99% to 29.99%
Recommended
Credit Score: Good-Excellent
Pros and Cons
- Access to American Airlines’ Admirals Clubs
- TSA PreCheck or Global Entry fee reimbursement
- Free checked bag
- Priority boarding
- Authorized users gain access to Admirals Club even if primary cardholder isn’t present
- $450 annual fee
- Only useful if you fly American Airlines often
- Underwhelming milage earning power
United℠ Explorer Card
For the Always on the Road
Reward Rate:
NA
Reward Details:
The Credit One Wander Card offers a tiered rewards structure. Cardholders can earn 10X points on hotel and car rental bookings made through the Credit One Bank Travel partner. Additionally, they earn 5X points on all other eligible travel (including airfare), dining, and gas purchases. All other purchases earn 1X points.
Card Summary
Signup bonus:
Earn 50,000 bonus miles after you spend $3,000 on purchases in the first 3 months your account is open.
Our verdict
If you’re someone who lives near a United hub and doesn’t need a lot of lounge access but still wants to maximize their purchase power, the Explorer Card is perfect.
Annual Fee:$0 your first year, then $95
Regular APR: 21.49%-28.49%
Recommended
Credit Score: Good
Pros and Cons
- 2x annual complimentary passes to the United Club
- First checked bag free
- Global Entry, TSA PreCheck, or NEXUS fee reimbursement
- 25% back on United inflight and Club premium drink purchases
- 2x miles on United purchases, dining, and eligible delivery services
- $95 annual fee
- Only useful if you fly United
Chase Sapphire Reserve®
For the Always on the Road
Reward Rate:
NA
Reward Details:
Priority Pass Select membership + access to Sapphire Lounges by the Club
Card Summary
Signup bonus:
60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening. That’s $900 toward travel when you redeem through Chase Ultimate Rewards®.
Our verdict
A stiff competitor to The Platinum Card, Chase’s Sapphire Reserve is a formidable travel card. Its $300 annual travel credit has a surprisingly-liberal range of uses and Chase’s new Sapphire Lounges are sure to give the Centurion Lounge a run for its money.
Annual Fee:$550
Regular APR: 22.24%–29.24%
Recommended
Credit Score: Good-Excellent
Pros and Cons
- Access to global Sapphire Lounge collection
- $300 annual travel credit
- Priority Pass Select membership
- Global Entry, NEXUS, or TSA PreCheck fee reimbursement
- Robust travel insurance programs
- $550 annual fee
- Sapphire Lounges are only open in 2 airports (BOS, HKG) and only 5 others are currently planned (LAS, LGA, PHL, PHX, SAN)
Capital One Venture X Card
For the Always on the Road
Reward Rate:
NA
Reward Details:
Access to Priority Pass and Plaza Premium Group networks + access to Capital One Lounges
Card Summary
Signup bonus:
Earn 75,000 bonus miles once you spend $4,000 on purchases within the first 3 months from account opening
Our verdict
Capital One has become a formidable travel credit card company thanks to its launch of exclusive airport lounges. If you’re able to maximize the use of the Capital One Travel Portal you’ll find some amazing deals thanks to Venture X’s generous $300 travel credit and 10x miles on hotels and rental cars.
Annual Fee:$395
Regular APR: 21.74% – 28.74%
Recommended
Credit Score: Excellent
Pros and Cons
- 10x miles on hotels and rental cars booked via Capital One Travel portal
- Access to exclusive Capital One lounges
- Priority Pass Select membership
- Plaza Premium Group membership
- 2x miles on all other purchases
- $395 annual fee
- Bonus mile earning only works if you’re able to use the Travel Portal
- Capital One lounges are not exclusive to cardholders and can get crowded quickly
- Currently only one lounge is open (DFW) and only two are currently on the way (DEN and IAD)
Guide to airport lounges
Airport lounges are oases in bustling hubs that offer a way for weary travelers to get some peace and quiet while waiting for their next flight. Lounge access will often include complimentary services like WiFi, food, plus a select range of cocktails and alcoholic beverages. Larger lounges may also offer meeting rooms, showers, or even more luxe VIP treatment options like concierge service, massages, and more.
Most major airlines will offer their own branded lounges. For medium-sized airlines, they may partner with major carriers to offer lounge access to first-class or premium-status flyers. There are also smaller lounges that are part of lounge networks like Priority Pass.
Finally, some major credit card brands have their own exclusive clubs for premium card holders. American Express is famous for its exclusive Centurion lounges but even Chase and Capital One are entering the airport lounge market, offering access to a growing network of clubs in airports around the world.
What credit score is needed for a card with lounge access?
Most credit cards with lounge memberships will require a good-to-excellent credit score that ranges from 690 – 850.
How to choose the right credit card with airport lounge access
The most important part of choosing the right credit card that has lounge access is, well, whether or not you fly enough to offset the annual fee. Most cards that include complimentary airport lounge access carry some sort of yearly fee to help cover its costs. If you don’t fly often, then it might be difficult to justify paying a yearly charge just in case you might someday need it.
It’s also a good idea to ensure the lounge access you’ll get works for your preferred airline and airport. Some cards will offer access to specific lounges (like the Platinum Card, which offers complimentary access to Delta SkyClub lounges) that only work if you’re flying on that airline, while others have access to lounges that aren’t in smaller airports.
Methodology
The methodology used to calculate the best cards for fair credit relied on several factors, with the most prominent of those being:
- The required credit score to apply successfully for the card
- The additional benefits offered by the card beyond rewards
- The rewards rate of the card, if applicable
- Overall difficulty in securing the credit card with fair credit
- The history of the card issuer itself
- Any potential costs associated with owning the credit card
The product information provided here is based on research conducted up to a specific date and may have changed. For the latest and most accurate information, we recommend you to visit the respective card’s website before proceeding.
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