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The Points Guy believes that credit cards can transform lives, helping you leverage everyday spending for cash back or travel experiences that might otherwise be out of reach. That's why we publish a variety of editorial content and card comparisons: to help you find a great card to turn your goals into reality.
Our site may earn compensation when a customer clicks on a link, when an application is approved, or when an account is opened with our partners, and this may impact how or where these products appear. While we don't cover all available credit cards, our editorial team creates and maintains all of the analysis of these cards, and our content is not influenced nor subject to review by any credit card company, bank or partner prior to (or after) publication. Please view our advertising policy and product review methodology for more information.
Guides
How to choose a credit card for airport lounge access
Emily Thompson specializes in beginner content as a credit cards editor. She taps into her prior experience as a high school English teacher to help others demystify credit scores and unlock experiences that credit card rewards can make possible.
September 30, 2026 • 16 min read
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Quick summary
Choosing a credit card for airport lounge access depends on your travel habits, home airport, and airline loyalty.
Lounge benefits vary widely, including guest policies, lounge networks, and access to issuer-specific or airline-specific lounges.
Some cards offer access to a broad network of lounges worldwide, while others focus on specific airlines or issuer lounges.
Options exist for both frequent travelers seeking unlimited access and those wanting a limited number of visits or guest privileges.
What to consider
Guest access policies, visit limits, and lounge networks differ by card and may require meeting spending thresholds for enhanced benefits.
Certain cards provide access to issuer-specific lounges, while others offer broader networks like Priority Pass, sometimes with restrictions on restaurant access.
Travelers can also try lounges as a guest or purchase one-time passes before committing to a premium card.
What you'll miss from the article
A detailed comparison of lounge networks, guest policies, and strategies for matching lounge access to your travel patterns.
Generated by AI with support from our editorial team.
Comments
By commenting, you agree to our Community Guidelines to help create a positive space for conversation. The responses below are not provided or commissioned by the bank advertiser, our partners, or The Points Guy (“TPG”). They have not been reviewed, approved, or otherwise endorsed by any of these parties. All responses are submitted by individual contributors, and neither the bank advertiser, our partners, nor TPG are responsible for ensuring that all posts and/or questions are answered.
When people find out my job is to write about travel rewards credit cards, they often ask for expert advice. They want to know which of our favorite credit cards I recommend, which cards will complement their existing portfolio, and whether their current everyday card is actually a good choice.
Increasingly, people also want to know which credit card to get for airport lounge access.
Until recently, this question was fairly easy to answer since many cards offered similar lounge benefits. But it's gotten more complicated over the years. The credit card issuer lounge space has more options than ever, and while some cards have lost perks like guest privileges, many lounges have stepped up their game with spas, exclusive cocktails and other perks.
If you're torn between several options, we’ve got you. Here’s a breakdown of what to consider when choosing a credit card for airport lounge access.
Centurion Lounges: $50 per adult, $30 per child aged 2 to 17 and children under 2 free; or two complimentary guests after spending $75,000 on your card in a calendar year (guests must be traveling on the same flight as a cardmember to enter the lounge)
Priority Pass lounges: Two complimentary guests
Delta Sky Clubs: Two guests or immediate family members at $50 per person; children under 2 free
Capital One Lounges: $45 per adult, $25 per child aged 2 to 17 and children under 2 free; unlock complimentary guest access at Capital One lounges after spending $75,000 or more on your card annually
Priority Pass lounges: $35 per guest for Venture X cardholders; two free guests for Venture X Business cardholders
Complimentary access for immediate family (spouse, domestic partner and/or children under 18) or two guests (with a same-day boarding pass for an eligible flight)
One complimentary guest and children under 18 (or two complimentary guests when you reach Premier Gold status or spend $50,000 on your card in a calendar year; you will also receive access to eligible Star Alliance lounges)
The information for the United Club Business has been collected independently by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
*Eligible Platinum Card Members will receive 10 Visits per Eligible Platinum Card per year to the Delta Sky Club or to Grab and Go when traveling on a same-day Delta-operated flight. Unlimited access can be unlocked by spending $75,000 or more on your card in a calendar year.
**A maximum benefit amount and certain restrictions and limitations apply. Please review the Mastercard Guide to Benefits for more details.
***Delta Reserve and Business Reserve cardmembers receive 15 visits per year to the Delta Sky Club; to earn an unlimited number of visits each year, the total eligible purchases on the card must equal $75,000 in a calendar year.
If you have a lounge in your home airport
Presumably, your home airport is where you spend the most time, so let that drive your decision.
For instance, if Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) is your home airport, you probably walk past an airline lounge regardless of your preferred airline since the airport is a hub for American Airlines, Delta Air Lines and United Airlines.
Delta Sky Club at JFK T4. CLINT HENDERSON/THE POINTS GUY
Similarly, if you have an issuer lounge in your home airport, you may want to choose the premium card from that issuer that includes lounge access. Someone whose home base is Dulles International Airport (IAD), for example, may want access to the Capital One Lounge that’s conveniently located just past the airport’s security lines.
On the flip side, not all of us have a wide range of lounge options at home. For example, I used to live in Nashville, and while I love Nashville International Airport (BNA), it has limited lounge options.
As such, I based my lounge access decision on the airports I frequently traveled through rather than my home base.
If you’re loyal to a specific airline
If you’re loyal to American, Delta or United, you’ll likely benefit from airline-specific lounge access since you’ll most frequently fly through hubs with a lounge.
American Airlines
Frequent American flyers will want to go with the Citi / AAdvantage Executive Mastercard since it’s the only credit card with an Admirals Club membership.
Admirals Club at EWR. TANNER SAUNDERS/THE POINTS GUY
Delta Air Lines
If you’re a regular Delta passenger, note that the Delta SkyMiles Reserve and Delta SkyMiles Reserve Business include 15 complimentary Sky Club visits per year. You can unlock unlimited lounge visits by spending $75,000 in eligible purchases on either card each calendar year.
Of course, if you’re loyal to an airline that doesn’t have its own airport lounges, you can cross these off the list. As a Southwest Airlines loyalist, I knew I didn’t want to limit my lounge access to a specific airline, so I turned my attention elsewhere.
If you want issuer-specific lounge access
For quite a while, American Express cornered the issuer lounge market. But as Capital One and Chase continue to grow their own lounge networks, you may decide you want to choose your credit card based on an issuer's lounge footprint.
American Express
American Express currently operates more than 30 Centurion Lounges worldwide, making it the most prominent issuer lounge network. If you want access, you’ll most likely want either the Amex Platinum or the Amex Business Platinum.
Cardmembers (and eligible guests) are only able to access the Centurion Lounge during a layover of up to five hours before their departing flight. Additionally, guests of cardmembers must be traveling on the same flight as the cardmember to enter the lounge. However, note that you have to either pay for guest access or unlock it by spending $75,000 per calendar year on your card.
Centurion Lounge at ATL. ZACH GRIFF/THE POINTS GUY
Delta SkyMiles Reserve and SkyMiles Reserve Business cardmembers can also access Centurion Lounges when flying Delta, as long as the flight was booked on their card (excluding basic economy tickets).
Capital One
While not as well-established as the Centurion Lounges, the Capital One Lounge network is growing rapidly.
Capital One Lounge at DEN. KYLE OLSEN/THE POINTS GUY
Another concept, the Capital One Landing, is also open at LaGuardia Airport (LGA) in New York City and Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA). The Capital One Landing is the issuer's take on an airport restaurant that forgoes traditional lounge amenities in favor of a sit-down dining experience.
Like Capital One, Chase has been asserting its presence in the lounge space with Chase Sapphire Lounges by The Club. With their impressive designs and amenities like complimentary facials, they may be aiming for the top spot.
Sapphire Lounge at LGA. ZACH GRIFF/THE POINTS GUY
Currently, you can find nine Sapphire Lounges throughout the U.S.:
The information for the Ritz-Carlton card has been collected independently by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
If you want more diverse lounge options
If you want a wider range of airport lounge access options, opt for a card with a complimentary Priority Pass Select membership. Priority Pass is a network of more than 1,900 lounges located in 600-plus airports in more than 150 countries.
The best way to get Priority Pass access is with one of the following cards:
*A maximum benefit amount and certain restrictions and limitations apply. Please review the Mastercard Guide to Benefits for more details.
**Enrollment required.
The Club at SFO. CLINT HENDERSON/THE POINTS GUY
Additionally, you can also get Priority Pass access with these cards:
Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant Amex: Unlimited complimentary access for the primary cardmember and up to two guests (enrollment required)
The information for the U.S. Bank Altitude Connect has been collected independently by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
If you frequently pass through airports with a Priority Pass-affiliated restaurant, getting a card that gives you access can save you big bucks. This perk will cover a portion of the restaurant bill for you and up to one registered guest.
The amount varies by restaurant and is typically $28 per person; you can find the exact amount for each restaurant on the Priority Pass website.
The information for the Bank of America Premium Rewards Elite and JetBlue Premier World Elite Mastercard cards has been collected independently by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
If you want to bring guests for no additional cost
If you frequently travel with a partner or family, you’ll want to choose a card that includes guest access.
While some cards like the Amex Platinum and the Delta SkyMiles Reserve allow you to bring guests into Centurion Lounges for an additional fee (though the Amex Platinum does offer a Priority Pass membership that lets you bring up to two guests into these lounges free of cost), the following cards include complimentary access for the primary cardholder and up to two guests:
Citi / AAdvantage Executive Mastercard (can be either immediate family — spouse, domestic partner and children up to 18 years old — or up to two guests)
For someone new to the world of airport lounges, committing to a credit card with a hefty annual fee can feel daunting. If you're not ready to make the jump, consider one of these options to dip your toes in first.
Visit a lounge as someone’s guest
As outlined above, several credit cards include lounge access, allowing cardholders to bring guests.
Sidecar by The Centurion Lounge dining concept at LAS. SUMMER HULL/THE POINTS GUY
If you have a friend with this access, try to find a time to visit a lounge as their guest to see how you like it.
Get a card with a set number of visits
You can get a limited number of lounge visits without paying a premium annual fee. Consider one of these options if you’re aiming to keep your annual fee costs down:
United℠ Explorer Card (see ): With this card, you’ll get two one-time United Club passes per year (redeemable for the cardholder or authorized user) — in exchange for a $150 annual fee ($0 introductory fee for the first year).
U.S. Bank Altitude Connect: With this card, you’ll get four complimentary visits to Priority Pass lounges annually for no annual fee, making it a great way to try out some lounges without paying anything.
You don’t necessarily need a membership or a credit card to get into a lounge. Many lounges allow you to pay out of pocket per visit.
If you often pass by a lounge and are considering applying for a credit card to access it, paying to visit and see if it’s worth it can be a great option.
Bottom line
You have some great options when choosing a credit card for airport lounge access. The different types of access can feel overwhelming, but deciding which type of access matters most to you is key to landing on a card that’s the perfect fit.
No matter which you choose, you’ll be well on your way to lounging in style on your next layover.
For rates and fees of the Amex Platinum, click . For rates and fees of the Amex Business Platinum, click . For rates and fees of the Delta SkyMiles Reserve, click . For rates and fees of the Delta SkyMiles Reserve Business, click . For rates and fees of the Bonvoy Brilliant, click .
