The best way to share lounge access with a spouse or family member
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These days, more and more credit cards are offering some form of airport lounge benefit, most commonly seen with a Priority Pass Select membership. While most cards will allow you to bring in a couple of guests or your immediate family free of charge, there isn't an easy way to transfer your membership to a spouse or family member when you're traveling separately.
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For instance, The Platinum Card® from American Express offers unmatched access to airport lounges compared to any other travel rewards card on the market. As a cardholder, you'll have access to the American Express Global Lounge Collection, including Amex Centurion Lounges, Priority Pass lounges, Airspace lounges, Escape lounges and Delta Sky Clubs (when traveling on same-day Delta flights). Enrollment required for select benefits.
If you're looking to share lounge access with a family member, you have a couple of options. First, how frequently do you and your family member travel separately? If it's only once or twice a year, it might not be worth getting their own access. Second, are there even lounges in the airports you visit the most? Priority Pass Select is a nice perk to have, but it won't do your family much good unless you travel internationally often.
Related: Everything you need to know about the Priority Pass program
However, if your spouse or someone else in your family is targeted for the Amex Platinum's incredible 100,000-point welcome offer with the CardMatch tool (offer subject to change at any time), they should absolutely apply for their own card. Not only is that the easiest answer to this question of sharing lounge access, but the welcome bonus will also be a big boost of points (worth $2,000 based on TPG's valuations) to jump-start your next family vacation. The public offer on the card is 75,000 bonus points after spending $5,000 on purchases in the first six months of card membership.
Your second option is to add your spouse or other family members as an authorized user on your card. Here are the costs and associated lounge benefits for authorized users on a few popular premium travel rewards cards:
| Card | Authorized user fee | Authorized user lounge benefits |
|---|---|---|
| The Platinum Card from American Express | $175 for up to three additional cards (see rates & fees) | Priority Pass Select membership; access to Amex Centurion Lounges; access to Delta Sky Clubs (on same-day Delta flights) |
| Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard® | Add up to 10 authorized users | American Airlines Admirals Club access, including two guests |
| Chase Sapphire Reserve | $75 | Priority Pass Select membership |
| Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card | $175 (see rates & fees) | Delta Sky Club access (when flying Delta) |
| Citi Prestige® Card | $75 | Priority Pass Select membership |
The information for the Citi Prestige has been collected independently by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
While the Amex Platinum isn't the cheapest card when it comes to adding authorized users, it certainly offers the most benefits of the bunch. The $175 fee remains the same whether you add one user or three. So if you're looking to share lounge access with multiple people, you can drop the per-person cost to under $60 each year.
Related: Best credit cards for airport lounge access in 2021
Bottom line
Enjoying an airport lounge during a delay or long layover is a great way to make the airport experience more pleasant, but lounge benefits on top travel rewards credit cards typically apply only if the primary cardholder is traveling.
Adding your family members as authorized users is an option for sharing lounge access benefits. However, if your family member is targeted for the incredible 100,000-point welcome bonus (offer subject to change at any time) on the Platinum card, the best option is likely for them to apply for the card. That gives them at least a year to figure out a more permanent solution to this problem.
For rates and fees on the Amex Platinum, please click here.
For rates and fees on the Delta Reserve, please click here.
Top offers from our partners
How we chose these cards
TPG featured card
Rewards
| 3X | Earn 3X Miles on Delta purchases and purchases made directly with hotels. |
| 2X | Earn 2X Miles at restaurants worldwide, including takeout and delivery in the U.S. and at U.S. supermarkets. |
| 1X | Earn 1X Miles on all other eligible purchases. |
Intro offer
Annual Fee
Recommended Credit
Why We Chose It
Build your loyalty to Delta by applying for the carrier's mid-tier card option, the Delta SkyMiles Platinum card. The annual fee is quickly recouped by the card's travel perks, such as an application credit to Global Entry or TSA Precheck, annual companion certificate and so much more. Plus you can fast-track to elite status simply through card spend.Pros
- Earn bonus Medallion® Qualification Miles (MQMs) and an Medallion Qualifying Dollar (MQD) waiver when you hit specific spending thresholds with your card within a calendar year
- Receive a Domestic Main Cabin round-trip companion certificate each year
- Statement credit for TSA PreCheck/Global Entry fee (up to $100)
- First checked bag free
Cons
- Doesn't make sense if you don't fly Delta
- SkyMiles aren't the most valuable airline currency
- Earn 90,000 bonus miles after you spend $4,000 in purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months.
- Receive a Domestic Main Cabin round-trip companion certificate each year upon renewal of your Card. Payment of the government imposed taxes and fees of no more than $80 for roundtrip domestic flights (for itineraries with up to four flight segments) is required. Baggage charges and other restrictions apply. See terms and conditions for details.
- Enjoy your first checked bag free on Delta flights. Plus enjoy Main Cabin 1 Priority Boarding and settle into your seat sooner.
- New: 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.
- Earn 3X Miles on Delta purchases and purchases made directly with hotels.
- Earn 2X Miles at restaurants worldwide including takeout and delivery in the U.S., and at U.S. supermarkets.
- Earn 1X Mile on all other eligible purchases.
- Enjoy a per-visit rate of $50 per person for Card Members and up to two guests to enter the Delta Sky Club when traveling on a Delta flight.
- Fee Credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck® after you apply through any Authorized Enrollment Provider. If approved for Global Entry, at no additional charge, you will receive access to TSA PreCheck.
- Earn up to 20,000 Medallion® Qualification Miles (MQMs) with Status Boost® per year. After you spend $25,000 in purchases on your Card in a calendar year, you can earn 10,000 MQMs up to two times per year, getting you closer to Medallion® Status. MQMs are used to determine Medallion® Status and are different than miles you earn toward flights.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- $250 Annual Fee.
- Terms Apply.
- See Rates & Fees
Rewards Rate
| 3X | Earn 3X Miles on Delta purchases and purchases made directly with hotels. |
| 2X | Earn 2X Miles at restaurants worldwide, including takeout and delivery in the U.S. and at U.S. supermarkets. |
| 1X | Earn 1X Miles on all other eligible purchases. |
Intro Offer
Earn 90,000 bonus miles after you spend $4,000 in purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months.Earn 90,000 Bonus Miles50,000 Bonus MilesAnnual Fee
$250Recommended Credit
Credit ranges are a variation of FICO© Score 8, one of many types of credit scores lenders may use when considering your credit card application.670-850Excellent/Good
Why We Chose It
Build your loyalty to Delta by applying for the carrier's mid-tier card option, the Delta SkyMiles Platinum card. The annual fee is quickly recouped by the card's travel perks, such as an application credit to Global Entry or TSA Precheck, annual companion certificate and so much more. Plus you can fast-track to elite status simply through card spend.Pros
- Earn bonus Medallion® Qualification Miles (MQMs) and an Medallion Qualifying Dollar (MQD) waiver when you hit specific spending thresholds with your card within a calendar year
- Receive a Domestic Main Cabin round-trip companion certificate each year
- Statement credit for TSA PreCheck/Global Entry fee (up to $100)
- First checked bag free
Cons
- Doesn't make sense if you don't fly Delta
- SkyMiles aren't the most valuable airline currency
- Earn 90,000 bonus miles after you spend $4,000 in purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months.
- Receive a Domestic Main Cabin round-trip companion certificate each year upon renewal of your Card. Payment of the government imposed taxes and fees of no more than $80 for roundtrip domestic flights (for itineraries with up to four flight segments) is required. Baggage charges and other restrictions apply. See terms and conditions for details.
- Enjoy your first checked bag free on Delta flights. Plus enjoy Main Cabin 1 Priority Boarding and settle into your seat sooner.
- New: 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.
- Earn 3X Miles on Delta purchases and purchases made directly with hotels.
- Earn 2X Miles at restaurants worldwide including takeout and delivery in the U.S., and at U.S. supermarkets.
- Earn 1X Mile on all other eligible purchases.
- Enjoy a per-visit rate of $50 per person for Card Members and up to two guests to enter the Delta Sky Club when traveling on a Delta flight.
- Fee Credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck® after you apply through any Authorized Enrollment Provider. If approved for Global Entry, at no additional charge, you will receive access to TSA PreCheck.
- Earn up to 20,000 Medallion® Qualification Miles (MQMs) with Status Boost® per year. After you spend $25,000 in purchases on your Card in a calendar year, you can earn 10,000 MQMs up to two times per year, getting you closer to Medallion® Status. MQMs are used to determine Medallion® Status and are different than miles you earn toward flights.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- $250 Annual Fee.
- Terms Apply.
- See Rates & Fees