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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
Page Contents
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 100,000 Bonus Miles after you spend $6,000 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)
The comments on this page are not provided, reviewed, or otherwise approved by the bank advertiser. It is not the bank advertiser's responsibility to ensure all posts and/or questions are answered.
If we have multiple credit cards with Priority Pass memberships, can all of those be loaded into the Priority Pass App at the same time?
Kinda. You’ll need individual Priority Pass logins for each Priority Pass membership and switch between logins. Unfortunately, you can’t combine all of them into one login.
Also, the Hilton Honors Business American Express has 10 annual priority pass visit allowances.
Hi April, I was confused by this comment, because I knew that card was in the table. Turns out it was accidentally hidden for some reason, so I un-hid it. Thanks for drawing attention to it!
Everything Ive ever seen before here said the Ritz card had unlimited guests with its Priority Pass.
And also auth users were free and get a membership too. Also of inconstancy in reporting on this
card from what I can see online.
There is a big hole in all the above programs and it is called O’Hare. I flew in for the Chicago Seminars and had several hours before meeting up with my ride to visit family. I was on United and did not have any one day passes. The Priority Pass Lounges are in international and they will not let you through Security to those lounges if your boarding pass has been used that day.
I am carrying Amex Bus. Plat, Ritz Carlton, CSR and none got me access anywhere in O’Hare. Just seems so odd there is not a domestic side Priority Pass or a Centurion lounge in O’Hare.
Yep, it sucked.
Actually you can do it. Call first Chase SR card just in case it change recently. Then just go to lounge and pay the fee using your Chase SR card- important.. You can do it up to two times and the feewill be refunded by the Chase SR card.
I have just received my Chase sapphire reserve card and did not realize I was to activate membership to get priority access. Is there any way to get lounge access without my membership card and just my cc?
Unfortunately, no. The benefit comes by having the membership card.
Actually, Priority Pass lounges can scan your Priority Pass digital card, found in the Priority Pass app and website if you are logged in, but only if you’ve first activated your Priority Pass membership. WARNING: Sometimes the lounge scanners have difficulty reading digital PP cards, so help them out by turning up the brightness of your device’s screen. I experienced one instance when nothing worked, so I was glad to have my physical Priority Pass card in my wallet. To the lounges, the presence of your CSR credit card is irrelevant.
Hi! I added an authorised user when applying for the Ritz Carlton CC. Unfortunately, only my priority pass arrived. Is one of you able to confirm that the authorised users get the priority pass as well?
Yes, confirmed. Contact the number on the back of your card and request the membership.
I’m a Chase Visa Reserve member and read the T&C’s and haven’t seen anything where additional guests are complimentary. What I have read is that other people you authorize to have the Chase Visa Reserve are able to have access to Priority Pass Select lounges. Could you direct me to where you saw guests are complementary? Thanks
Todd, this information has been confirmed by Chase. When you receive your Priority Pass card in the mail you’ll see in the letter wording that “you and your accompanying guests” are able to access the lounge with your membership. Authorized users on your account will receive their own Priority Pass membership as well and they can travel on their own and bring in their guests as well.
What about AMEX platinum Centurion lounge access? It’s omitted from the chart.
Vicki, we’ve got the Centurion lounges listed under the Platinum Amex cards.
I found out the hard way that several of these lounges have restricted hours and confusing locations for Priority pass members. On a recent trip to Dublin, I found out after going through customs that the lounge honoring Priority Pass was BEFORE you go through customs, not the one by the gate. Not very convenient to try to time your passage through customs and make your flight.
The other problem was my layover in IAD was 5 hours and I wanted to enjoy a club while there. Found out the British airways club restricts access to 5am to 2pm. Not helpful when I’m there from 3pm to 8pm. The Air France lounge kicks Priority Pass members out from 4-6pm when their flights are leaving.
Nowhere did I find in the Chase Sapphire Reserve literature anything talks about restricted times.
Scott; it is unfortunate — the locations and time restrictions, but these are not limits imposed by Chase or their products. Rather it is a limitation with the Priority Pass program and when you can access as a member of that program. I’d highly recommend installing the Priority Pass app on your mobile device so you always have easy access to info about the lounges. Nothing is perfect, but if you’ve got easy access to the info at least it can help you out.
I recently had the same problem both in Newark, where the lounge was closed till after my flight left, and in Boston, where my flight was down one hallway through security – while the lounge was past security in the OTHER direction. Hm, so far my $450 has yielded the 100K miles, but the jury’s still out regarding Priority Pass.
David, which card did you get with the 100k bonus?
Hi Howie – it’s the Chase Reserve card. I’m hoping the lounges will be more accessible on future trips. That plus Chase eating the first $300 in travel charges per year (and some of the other bennies) should make up that sky-high $450 annual fee.
David, definitely hope you can make good use of the Priority Pass through the Sapphire Reserve — remember, you can bring all of your travel companions with you into lounges. Definitely make use of that $300 automatic credit, which as you mentioned is based on a calendar year, so you’ll get to use it in totality 2x before paying that next annual fee.
Are there other restrictions on lounge access with these cards? I had for a year or two a “Lounge Club” access card from one of my cc (not on your list). Sadly, I found out the hard way that when I used the card to gain access to several lounges in Canada and Europe, my related cc was charged a high access fee! It seems that while I thought I had “access”, what I really had was the opportunity to pay for access – something I probably had anyway!
I have heard that some cards on this list require you to have a same day ticket on a certain airline in order to enter.
I am just generally wondering if there might be any other ‘hidden conditions’? Many thanks – nice article.
Will, there are hidden conditions with some cards, but we’ve listed the conditions here. For example, with access to the Delta lounges through the Delta Reserve cards, you must be traveling on a same-day flight with Delta or on a codeshare with a Delta flight number. With the Platinum Amex cards you’ve got to be flying Delta to access a Delta lounge. Priority Pass memberships differ from credit card to card so it is important to look at each one as we’ve broken them down.
If you don’t mind me asking, which credit cards do you have that provide some form of lounge access? Happy to help you figure out which makes the most sense to keep around. Thanks for checking out the article!
I have the Hilton Honors Surpass card from American Express and it cost a whole lot less and gives you Priority Pass access for $29.00. That’s a good dal I think if you use Hiltons like I do.
Randy, this is a little-known feature of the Hilton HHonors Surpass from American Express indeed. While it does give you a Priority Pass membership, as you’ve noted, it provides no complimentary access — each visit is paid. That said, it does at least provide access to Priority Pass lounges. That said, the Surpass card is stellar if you’re a Hilton loyalist. My wife and I both have the card and love the earning on it — and the ability to earn Diamond with a bunch of spend as well! Thanks for sharing.
By all means, check which lounges are included, and what their rules are! When I looked at Priority Pass, indeed there were many lounges, but most of them are outside of the US. Many of the ones inside the US were on the inside the secure zone (Airside), often in terminals I had never heard of, even if they were in airports I frequent. Some state that you must have a ticket for Airline X in that terminal, and I’m not certain if my boarding pass for Terminal A will get me in to Terminal X, where the lounge is. One of note was, I think, an Air France club lounge that was closed from 9PM to 1AM local time. My analysis basically indicated that there were NO lounges that I could access during my normal travel on Priority Pass.
Bottom line, I appreciate the chart, but I more investigation is needed.
Fred, absolutely, and certain folks will definitely win out more than others. I think one of the best deals is if you’re in Seattle, with access to Alaska’s Board Room lounges just by being a Priority Pass member. Unfortunate that it doesn’t work out for your travel habits though.
I have two credit cards: The Citi Prestige card ($450 annual fee; $100.00 off because I am submitted it through CitiGold) plus the American Express Platinum card $450.00 annual fee. The Citi prestige card provides access to the Priority lounges which I agree with the above reader, they are limited in the USA. When I flew from Miami to Montreal last month, I utilized the American Express Centurion lounge in Miami and had a layover in LaGuardia New York. I had to leave the American terminal and walk over to a separate area to use the Centurion lounge. I then had to re-enter through airport security. Just for the heck of it, I used my Citi prestige card to walk into the American lounge since it was next to my outgoing flight and it was nice but needs updating from the 1960’s.
On my return flight, I attempted using the PRIORITY LOUNGE in Montreal but I was denied access since it was only available to flights leaving outside of the US. I am most likely going to cancel my Citi Prestige and get the American Airlines Executive card as the prestige will no longer provide you access to the American Airlines lounges starting in July of 2017. They do provide me a $250.00 annual fee towards airfare so my annual fee is only $100.00 so I may end up keeping it.
Here is how you get the value of all of these premium cards:
Platinum card: 450 annual fee. They provide you $200 in credits towards airfare yearly making the fee $250 per year for the Centurion lounge access.
Citi Prestige card: I pay $350.00 per year plus $250.00 in credits towards airfare making the fee $100.00 per year. Every time I book with their travel service, I get the 4th night free at any hotel at the lowest rate. I also like there rewards program out of all my cards.
American Airlines Executive Card. $450 per year but access to the lounge. I look at it this way. $50.00 each time I travel with American I am not paying for my bags to be checked in.
Great explanation Eric! Thanks for sharing your personal experience.
Most likely getting rid of the Prestige card after July and will maintain the Amex Platinum and American Airlines Executive card. Prestige has just taken away too many benefits and they have not decreased their annual fee.
Thanks for the 411 about the cards, But are their any cards with airports lounge access that don’t have annual fees ????
I haven’t come across any.
I generally avoid Delta as they tend to want far above the minimum reward miles for an award. Typically, it is double or triple of what others want for the same route
Doug, it definitely depends on the route and flexibility of your travel dates/times. Delta can be quite stingy, but I wouldn’t wholly give up on the program.
At the end of every credit card listed, you specify $450. Is that the cost of the card? Seems like a lot for just getting a credit card?
Bill, indeed each of these is $450. A hefty price to pay for lounge access, but I’d hope that isn’t the only reason you’d look to any of these cards. The benefits can be particularly lucrative, often with a net effective cost of well under $100 depending on how you use the card. Is there any one that you were particularly interested in?