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Access to airport lounges is no longer just for first-class flyers or the wealthy. Today, even budget-conscious travelers can enjoy these premium spaces before their flights. One of the easiest ways to unlock this perk is by using the best travel credit card with lounge access, which can grant entry to a wide network of lounges — even when flying with carriers like Southwest. Don’t overlook lounge access, as it can be one of the easiest travel benefits you can add to your travels in 2025.
Several credit cards offer access to airport lounges. Here are the best options:
(Terms apply)
- Earn 5X points for flights booked directly with airlines or with American Express Travel® (up to $500,000 in purchases per calendar year).
- Earn 5X points on prepaid hotels booked with American Express Travel®.
- 10X miles per $1 on hotels and rental cars booked via Capital One Travel
- 5X miles per $1 on purchases through Capital One Entertainment (through 12/31/2025)
- 5X miles per $1 on flights when booking via Capital One Travel
- 5X miles per $1 on vacation rentals booked via Capital One Travel
- 2X miles per $1 on all other eligible purchases
- 10X points on hotels and car rentals purchased through Chase Travel℠
- 10X points on Chase Dining (including prepaid reservations and prepaid takeout purchased through Chase)
- 5X points on airfare purchased through Chase Travel℠
- 3X points on all other travel
- 3X points on dining at restaurants
- 1X points on all other purchases
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Types of Airport Lounges and Which You Can Access Via Credit Cards
Airport lounges can provide a calm, restful space away from the chaos that has become airport terminals. At these outposts, you can grab a bite, a drink, and maybe even take a shower before or after a long flight. You can make use of the free Wi-Fi, workstations, and booths and tables for dining. And airline lounges can even offer extra assistance in the event of an airline meltdown, giving you access to airline agents only available to lounge guests.
There are four general categories of airport lounges, most of which are accessible via credit cards. They are:
- Airline clubs — including American Airlines Admirals Clubs, United Clubs, and Delta Sky Clubs®.
- Airline premium lounges — such as American Airlines Flagship Lounges, United Polaris Lounges, and Delta One Lounges. These are generally the only type that isn't accessible via credit cards.
- Credit card lounges — like American Express Centurion Lounges, Chase Sapphire Lounges by The Club, and Capital One Lounges.
- Third-party or non-branded lounges like The Club, Plaza Premium, and Escape Lounges.
Typically, an airline will offer access to its lounges to travelers flying on eligible first- or business-class tickets or who have the airline's premium credit card. Credit card lounges are accessible to those with eligible cards, while third-party lounges are often associated with a lounge membership like Priority Pass — which you can get through certain credit cards.
The Best Travel Credit Cards for Airport Lounge Access
The best travel credit card for airport lounge access depends on your travel habits, including which airlines you fly and which lounges are available at your home airport.
With that in mind, here’s a detailed look at the best cards for airport lounge access.
The Platinum Card® from American Express
The Platinum Card® from American Express is our pick for the best all-around card for lounge access — despite its $695 annual fee (Rates & Fees). Amex offers high-end food, comfortable seating, and amenities like showers and family rooms at its Centurion Lounges — something I appreciate as a new dad.
Beyond American Express Centurion Lounges, the card includes a Priority Pass Select membership (Enrollment is required for select Amex benefits.) and provides access to Delta Sky Clubs when flying on a same-day Delta ticket (card members get 10 visits to be used from February 1 until January 31 of the next calendar year). You’ll also get access to Escape Lounges, Plaza Premium Lounges, and select Lufthansa lounges when flying Lufthansa, Swiss, or Austrian Airlines.
If you're traveling with guests, Centurion Lounge access costs $50 per guest unless you spend $75,000 per year on the card. However, you'll get two free guests at Priority Pass, Escape, and Plaza Premium lounges.
For a full breakdown, read our Amex Platinum review.
- Earn 80,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $8,000 on eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership.
- Earn 5X Membership Rewards® Points for flights booked directly with airlines or with American Express Travel® up to $500,000 on these purchases per calendar year and earn 5X Membership Rewards® Points on prepaid hotels booked with American Express Travel®.
- $200 Hotel Credit: Get up to $200 back in statement credits each year on prepaid Fine Hotels + Resorts® or The Hotel Collection bookings through American Express Travel using your Platinum Card®. The Hotel Collection requires a minimum two-night stay.
- $240 Digital Entertainment Credit: Get up to $20 back in statement credits each month on eligible purchases made with your Platinum Card® on one or more of the following: Disney+, a Disney+ bundle, ESPN+, Hulu, The New York Times, Peacock, and The Wall Street Journal. Enrollment required.
- With American Express Global Lounge Collection® eligible Card Members can enjoy access to over 1,400 airport lounges globally, including The Centurion® Lounge, Unlimited Delta Sky Club® Access when flying an eligible Delta flight, Escape Lounges, Lufthansa Lounges when flying Lufthansa Group, Plaza Premium, Priority Pass™ Select Lounges, & Additional Global Lounge Collection Partner Lounges subject to visit limitations. Lounges may have their own rules, like additional access rules and guest fees, and for Priority Pass Select, you need to enroll and there are unlimited airport lounge visits for Card Members. With Delta Sky Club Access, Card Members will receive 10 Visits to the Delta Sky Club to be used from February 1 until January 31 of the next calendar year and can unlock Unlimited Delta Sky Club Access by spending $75,000 in eligible purchases on their Card in a calendar year. To find a lounge, visit the membership section in the American Express® App or visit http://www.americanexpress.com/findalounge#/loungefinder.
- A Walmart+ membership can get you free shipping with no order minimum on eligible items shipped by Walmart. Use your Platinum Card® to pay for a monthly Walmart+ membership (subject to auto-renewal) and receive one statement credit for up to $12.95 (plus applicable taxes. Plus Ups not eligible) each month. Free Shipping excludes most Marketplace items, freight & certain location surcharges. Paramount+ Essential plan only, separate registration required.
- $200 Airline Fee Credit: Select one qualifying airline and then receive up to $200 in statement credits per calendar year when incidental fees, such as checked bags and in-flight refreshments, are charged by the airline to your Platinum Card® Account. American Express relies on airlines to submit the correct information on airline transactions to identify incidental fee purchases. If you do not see a credit for a qualifying incidental purchase on your eligible Card after 8 weeks, simply call the number on the back of your Card. Qualifying airlines are subject to change. See terms & conditions for more details.
- $200 Uber Cash: Platinum Card® Members can ride or dine in style with $15 in Uber Cash each month, plus a bonus $20 in December after adding their Card to their Uber account. Use your Uber Cash on rides and orders in the U.S. when you select an Amex Card for your transaction.
- $199 CLEAR® Plus Credit: CLEAR® Plus helps get you to your gate faster by using unique facial attributes to verify you are you at 50+ airports nationwide. Use the dedicated CLEAR Lane to confirm your identity without taking out your passport or ID - this can mean shorter lines, less waiting. Receive up to $199 in statement credits per calendar year after you pay for your CLEAR Plus Membership (subject to auto-renewal) with the Platinum Card®.
- Receive either a $120 statement credit every 4 years for a Global Entry application fee or a statement credit up to $85 every 4.5 years for a TSA PreCheck® (through a TSA official enrollment provider) application fee, when charged to your Platinum Card®. Card Members approved for Global Entry will also receive access to TSA PreCheck at no additional cost.
- Shop Saks with Platinum: Get up to $100 in statement credits annually for purchases in Saks Fifth Avenue stores or at saks.com on your Platinum Card®. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
- Use Global Dining Access by Resy to access premium dining experiences. Receive Priority Notify and unlock insider access to some of the world's most sought-after restaurants with Global Dining Access by Resy. Download the Resy iOS app or log into Resy.com and add your Platinum Card® to your Resy profile to take advantage of your special benefits and discover restaurants near you.
- $695 annual fee.¤
- Apply with confidence. Know if you're approved for a Card with no impact to your credit score. If you're approved and you choose to accept this Card, your credit score may be impacted.
- Terms Apply.
- Rates & Fees
- Earn 5X points for flights booked directly with airlines or with American Express Travel® (up to $500,000 in purchases per calendar year).
- Earn 5X points on prepaid hotels booked with American Express Travel®.
Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card
The Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card stands out for its combination of affordability and premium perks. For a modest $395 annual fee, it offers access to Capital One Lounges and Capital One Landing Lounges, which feature modern designs, high-quality food, and thoughtful amenities. Better yet, you can bring two guests for free — a growing rarity among premium cards. The card also offers a Priority Pass Select membership and access to over a hundred Plaza Premium lounges.
- 10X miles per $1 on hotels and rental cars booked via Capital One Travel
- 5X miles per $1 on purchases through Capital One Entertainment (through 12/31/2025)
- 5X miles per $1 on flights when booking via Capital One Travel
- 5X miles per $1 on vacation rentals booked via Capital One Travel
- 2X miles per $1 on all other eligible purchases
Related: Capital One Venture X Full Review
Chase Sapphire Reserve®
The Chase Sapphire Reserve® is worth considering if your travel aligns with the emerging network of Sapphire Lounges by The Club. These lounges are slowly rolling out in airports across the U.S., but have well been worth the wait. But for airports without a Chase-branded lounge, the $550 annual fee Sapphire Reserve fills in the gaps with Priority Pass and Air Canada Maple Leaf lounge access.
- Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $5,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
- $300 Annual Travel Credit as reimbursement for travel purchases charged to your card each account anniversary year.
- Earn 5x total points on flights and 10x total points on hotels and car rentals when you purchase travel through Chase Travel℠ immediately after the first $300 is spent on travel purchases annually. Earn 3x points on other travel and dining & 1 point per $1 spent on all other purchases
- Get 50% more value when you redeem your points for travel through Chase Travel℠. For example, 60,000 points are worth $900 toward travel.
- 1:1 point transfer to leading airline and hotel loyalty programs
- Access to 1,300+ airport lounges worldwide after an easy, one-time enrollment in Priority Pass™ Select and up to $120 application fee credit every four years for Global Entry, NEXUS, or TSA PreCheck®
- Count on Trip Cancellation/Interruption Insurance, Auto Rental Coverage, Lost Luggage Insurance and more.
- Member FDIC
- Rates & Fees
- 10X points on hotels and car rentals purchased through Chase Travel℠
- 10X points on Chase Dining (including prepaid reservations and prepaid takeout purchased through Chase)
- 5X points on airfare purchased through Chase Travel℠
- 3X points on all other travel
- 3X points on dining at restaurants
- 1X points on all other purchases
Related: Sapphire Reserve Full Review
The Best Airline Credit Cards for Lounge Access
If you generally stick to one airline, getting that airline's premium credit card might be the best way for you to access airline lounges. While we wait for Alaska to launch its new premium card, here are the three premium airline cards offering lounge access:
(Terms apply)
- 3X miles per dollar spent on purchases made directly with Delta
- 1X miles on every eligible dollar spent on purchases.
- Earn 4 miles per $1 spent on United® purchases
- Earn 2 miles per $1 spent on all other travel
- Earn 2 miles per $1 spent on dining
- Earn 1 mile per $1 spent on all other purchases
- Earn 10X miles for every $1 spent on eligible hotels booked at aa.com/hotels and eligible rental cars booked through aa.com/cars
- Earn 4X miles for every $1 spent on eligible American Airlines purchases (increased to 5X miles through the end of the calendar year after you pass $150,000 in purchases annually)
- Earn 1X mile for every $1 spent on all other purchases
Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card
The Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card is a great option for Delta loyalists, though I’d argue the Amex Platinum offers more value. At $650 annually (Rates & Fees), the Delta Reserve gives access to Delta Sky Clubs — except when flying Basic Economy. However, starting February 1, 2025, visits will be capped at 15 per year unless you spend $75,000 on the card. Guests can join for $50, and you’ll also receive four one-time guest passes annually.
Other benefits include access to Escape Lounges plus Centurion Lounges when flying on Delta and booking your Delta flight with an Amex card. While these restrictions might seem frustrating, they reflect how crowded Delta lounges have become in recent years.
Check out our Delta Reserve review for a full breakdown of card's perks and earning rates.
- Earn 70,000 Bonus Miles after you spend $5,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership.
- Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card Members receive 15 Visits per Medallion® Year to the Delta Sky Club® when flying Delta and can unlock an unlimited number of Visits after spending $75,000 in purchases on your Card in a calendar year. Plus, you'll receive four One-Time Guest Passes each Medallion Year so you can share the experience with family and friends when traveling Delta together.
- Enjoy complimentary access to The Centurion® Lounge when you book a Delta flight with your Reserve Card.
- Receive $2,500 Medallion® Qualification Dollars with MQD Headstart each Medallion Qualification Year and earn $1 MQD for each $10 in purchases on your Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card with MQD Boost to get closer to Status next Medallion Year.
- Enjoy a Companion Certificate on a First Class, Delta Comfort+®, or Main Cabin round-trip flight to select destinations each year after renewal of your Card. The Companion Certificate requires payment of government-imposed taxes and fees of between $22 and $250 (for itineraries with up to four flight segments). Baggage charges and other restrictions apply.
- $240 Resy Credit: When you use your Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card for eligible purchases with U.S. Resy restaurants, you can earn up to $20 each month in statement credits. Enrollment required.
- $120 Rideshare Credit: Earn up to $10 back in statement credits each month after you use your Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card to pay for U.S. rideshare purchases with select providers. Enrollment required.
- Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card Members get 15% off when using miles to book Award Travel on Delta flights through delta.com and the Fly Delta app. Discount not applicable to partner-operated flights or to taxes and fees.
- With your Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card, receive upgrade priority over other Medallion Members within the same Medallion tier and fare class grouping when you fly with Delta.
- Earn 3X Miles on Delta purchases and earn 1X Miles on all other eligible purchases.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- $650 Annual Fee.
- Apply with confidence. Know if you're approved for a Card with no impact to your credit score. If you're approved and you choose to accept this Card, your credit score may be impacted.
- Terms Apply.
- Rates & Fees
- 3X miles per dollar spent on purchases made directly with Delta
- 1X miles on every eligible dollar spent on purchases.
The New United Club℠ Card
For United loyalists, The New United Club℠ Card offers exceptional value for $695 per year. Card members get a full United Club membership, which grants access to United Club lounges for themselves and two guests when flying United or its partners. This is a significant savings compared to what United charges for a standard membership. When flying internationally, cardholders can also access select Star Alliance lounges, like Air Canada Maple Leaf Lounges.
Our United Club full review also details how you can use this card to spend toward United Premier elite status.
- Limited-Time Offer: Earn 90,000 bonus miles
- 4x miles on United® purchases
- 2x miles on dining and all other travel
- 1x mile on all other purchases
- United Club℠ card membership - at least a $750 value
- Free first and second checked bags - a savings of up to $360 per roundtrip (terms apply) - and Premier Access® travel services
- Earn a 10,000-mile award flight discount after $20,000 in purchases to use toward an eligible award flight - up to two times each calendar year
- Member FDIC
- Rates & Fees
- Earn 4 miles per $1 spent on United® purchases
- Earn 2 miles per $1 spent on all other travel
- Earn 2 miles per $1 spent on dining
- Earn 1 mile per $1 spent on all other purchases
Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard®
If you fly American Airlines or Alaska Airlines frequently, the Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard® is worth a look. For $595 per year, you’ll get an Admirals Club membership that includes access for yourself and two guests when flying American or a Oneworld partner on the same-day. And you can also use this card to access 50+ partner lounges worldwide.
Related: AA Executive Card Full Review
- Complimentary Admirals Club® membership for the primary cardholder
- Admirals Club® membership for authorized user accounts
- First checked bag free on domestic AA flights for you and up to 8 companions
- Priority check-in, TSA screening lines, and boarding
- 10,000 bonus Loyalty Points after you spend $40,000 in purchases within the year
- Global Entry or TSA PreCheck credit
- No Foreign Transaction Fees
- Earn 10X miles for every $1 spent on eligible hotels booked at aa.com/hotels and eligible rental cars booked through aa.com/cars
- Earn 4X miles for every $1 spent on eligible American Airlines purchases (increased to 5X miles through the end of the calendar year after you pass $150,000 in purchases annually)
- Earn 1X mile for every $1 spent on all other purchases
Final Thoughts
Airlines, credit card issuers, and independent operators are constantly expanding their airport lounge offerings. And lounges can make the travel experience much more enjoyable, so now might be a great time to jump on one of the credit cards offering airport lounge access.
For rates and fees of the cards mentioned in this post, please visit the following links: The Platinum Card® from American Express (Rates & Fees), Chase Sapphire Reserve® (Rates & Fees), Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card (Rates & Fees), and The New United Club℠ Card (Rates & Fees)
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