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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.
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Should you keep your airline credit card? Here's what to consider as airport lounges reopen
Chris was a reporter at The Points Guy, where he covered the intersection of credit card rewards and travel. At TPG, he wrote a broad array of stories ranging from in-depth features and reports to trending travel news as it related to loyalty, card benefits and consumer behavior.
December 12, 2020 • 8 min read
The cards we feature here are from partners who compensate us when you are approved through our site, and this may impact how or where these products appear. We don't cover all available credit cards, but our analysis, reviews, and opinions are entirely from our editorial team. Terms apply to the offers listed on this page. Please view our advertising policy and product review methodology for more information.
Editorial note: This story has been updated with the latest information.
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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.
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Quick summary
Airport lounge access has changed significantly due to the pandemic, with many lounges closed or operating under new protocols.
Premium travel cards from major U.S. airlines typically provide lounge access for cardholders and guests, but actual access depends on lounge openings and travel patterns.
Some cardholders have received partial statement credits or benefit extensions in response to reduced lounge availability, though these vary by airline and are often case-specific.
Travelers must hold a same-day boarding pass with the relevant airline or partner to enter lounges, and guest policies differ by program.
What to consider
Not all lounges have reopened, especially at non-hub airports, so access may be limited depending on your itinerary.
Benefit extensions and statement credits are generally only available to existing cardholders and may not apply to new applicants.
Guest access policies and additional charges can vary, so review the latest terms before traveling.
What you'll miss from the article
A detailed comparison of current lounge openings, guest policies and temporary benefit changes for each major U.S. airline program.
Generated by AI with support from our editorial team.
Update: Some offers mentioned below are no longer available. View the current offers here.
With demand down and travel accessibility reduced around the world, the ability to access airport lounges has been restricted since the onset of the pandemic. The good news is that more U.S. lounges are reopening -- but you can expect major changes on your next visit.
Unfortunately, with fewer passengers passing through many non-hub airports, some U.S. airline lounges remain closed.
What should you do with your credit card that specifically comes with airline lounge access? Let’s compare the coronavirus-related changes for cards that offer airline lounge access from American, Delta and United -- and evaluate whether it's worth holding on to these cards.
Which premium airline credit cards offer lounge access?
(Photo by Eric Helgas for The Points Guy)
The three legacy U.S. airlines -- American, Delta, and United -- each offers a top-of-the-line credit card that unlocks lounge access -- as long as you have a same-day boarding pass with the airline or eligible partner airline.
These cards all carry hefty annual fees of $450 or more. However, in almost all cases, it actually is more affordable to apply and be a cardholder for any of these three airlines than it is to pay outright for an annual lounge membership.
American
The $450 annual fee on the Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard® gets you and immediate family members (spouse or domestic partner and children under 18 years of age) or up to two guests access to the Admirals Club and partner airport lounges. You’ll need a same-day American Airlines boarding pass or a pass from an eligible partner airline.
What makes this card’s lounge access even more valuable is that it extends to authorized users. You can add up to 10 authorized users to your account -- for free -- and they get lounge access too.
Delta
The $550 annual fee (see rates and fees) that comes with the Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card gets you access to Delta Sky Club and American Express Centurion Lounges. For Sky Clubs, you can bring up to two guests with you for $39 per person and for Centurion lounges, it’s $50 per person. However, Delta Reserve cardholders receive two complimentary one-time-use Sky Club guest passes. For entrance to either the SkyClub or Centurion lounges, the cardholder and any guests will need a same-day Delta boarding pass.
United
Similar to Delta and American, the card includes a United Club membership, which can cost up to $650 per year on its own. When you have a same-day United (or eligible partner airline) boarding pass, you and up to two guests can access any United Club lounge.
Accessing American Admirals Clubs with a credit card
American Admirals Club at Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport. (Photo by Chris Dong/The Points Guy)
Citi announced in early May that customers whose accounts were open as of March 31, 2020, would receive a one-time $225 statement credit upon account renewal. This represents a 50% rebate on the annual fee, and lowers the true cost for the Citi AAdvantage Executive card to $225 a year.
However, that doesn’t incentivize anyone to apply for a card now, as the offer only affects existing cardholders. Even then, for those that have the card, you may still have to consider your travel patterns and the availability of American flights and lounges before deciding to keep the card.
List of open Admirals Clubs (as of Dec. 9, 2020):
Austin (AUS) – Gate 22
Boston (BOS) – Terminal B
Charlotte (CLT) – Concourses B and C
Chicago O’Hare (ORD) – Concourse H/K
Dallas / Fort Worth (DFW) – Terminals A, B, C and D
Denver (DEN) – Concourse A
Houston Intercontinental (IAH) – Terminal A
Los Angeles (LAX) – Terminal 4
Miami (MIA) – Gate D30
Nashville (BNA) – Concourse C
New York (JFK) – Gate 12 (Flagship Lounge with temporary Admirals Club service)
Early this year, Delta announced a slew of updates including elite status extensions and Medallion® Qualifying Miles (MQMs) rolling over to 2021.
For cardholders, Delta announced further extensions of SkyMiles benefits including unused Sky Club guest passes from the Delta SkyMiles Reserve card now set to expire on Dec. 31, 2021. Furthermore, unused companion certificates (including those issued in 2019) have had their expiration dates extended to Dec. 31, 2021.
Unfortunately, there has been no official announcement from either Amex or Delta of a reduction in the annual fee. Anecdotally, there have been reports of generous retention offers on a case-by-case basis.
With that said, it may or may not be enough for current Delta Reserve cardholders. Many Sky Clubs have reopened, here's a look (as of Dec. 9, 2020):
Atlanta (ATL – ACPT)
Atlanta (ATL – A17)
Atlanta (ATL – B18)
Atlanta (ATL – D27)
Atlanta (ATL – F)
Atlanta (ATL – T)
Boston (BOS – A7)
Chicago (ORD-T2)
Cincinnati (CVG – B)
Dallas (DFW-E)
Denver (DEN – A)
Detroit (DTW – A38)
LaGuardia (LGA – C)
LaGuardia (LGA – D)
Los Angeles (LAX – T2)
Minneapolis – St. Paul (MSP – F/G)
Nashville (BNA – B3)
New York (JFK – T4)
Orlando (MCO – 4)
Phoenix (PHX – T3)
Raleigh (RDU – T2)
Seattle (SEA – A)
San Francisco (SFO – C3)
Salt Lake City (SLC)
Tampa (TPA – E68)
Washington, D.C. (DCA – B15)
Accessing United Clubs with a credit card
United Club at London Heathrow (Photo by Daniel Ross/The Points Guy)
I have heard reports of cardholders receiving an up to $100 statement credit, again, on a case-by-case basis. With some United Clubs still closed and travel still curtailed, it may not be enough for current cardholders.
Here are the United Clubs open (as of Dec. 9, 2020):
Chicago location Terminal 1, Concourse B, near Gate B6
Denver location Concourse B East, near Gate B32
Denver location Concourse B East, near Gate B44
Honolulu location Diamond Head Concourse, Level 3, above Gates G2 and G3 (opening Nov. 21)
Houston location Terminal E, between Gates E11 and E12
Houston location Terminal C, near gate C1
Los Angeles location Terminal 7, next to Gate 71A
New York-Newark (EWR) location Terminal C, Upper Level, near Gate C74
San Francisco location Terminal 3, Boarding Area F, Rotunda, near Gate F11
While temporary non-travel benefits on these lounge-access cards are a solid perk, that doesn’t solve the fact that for many cardholders, lounges are largely unusable during the pandemic.
With each passing day, more lounges are reopening (including all of the Amex Centurion lounges). But at the end of the day, this isn’t purely about lounge access. Will you be traveling in the upcoming months? And as airlines slowly reinstate routes back into service, will they be flying where you need to go? Don’t forget, in order to access these lounges, you’ll need to have a boarding pass with that airline.
These are things to take into consideration whether you’re a current cardholder -- or looking to add one of these premium airline cards to your wallet.
For rates and fees of the Delta Reserve Amex, please click here.
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.
