✈ Cheap Ways to Score Lounge Access, Get a 100% Bonus on These Highly Valuable Miles & More News From TPG ✈

November 5, 2024

Lounge access without the big fees

by Emily Thompson, Partnerships and Newsletter Editor

It’s amazing how much money I can blow when I’m killing time in an airport between flights. Whether it’s the full $65 meal and drink at a restaurant or the more modest (yet still outrageous) $25 cold wrap and bottled water from a shop near the gate, it’s easy to see why so many experienced travelers spring for access to a cozy lounge that offers complimentary snacks and drinks and a quiet reprieve from the airport chaos.

Airport lounge access is one of the biggest draws of premium credit cards like The Platinum Card® from American Express, Chase Sapphire Reserve® and Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card.

If keeping your annual fee costs low is a priority, you may have resigned yourself to waiting out your layover at whatever chain restaurant is closest to your gate. But we have good news: There are some ways that you can get lounge access without incurring the high annual fees of a premium credit card.

The easiest (and cheapest) way to score airport lounge access is by becoming an authorized user on a loved one’s premium account. The Amex Platinum, Sapphire Reserve and Venture X all grant lounge access to authorized users. You’ll have to pay an annual fee as an authorized user on the Amex Platinum (see rates and fees) or Sapphire Reserve, but it’s much lower than what you would pay as a primary cardholder.

And if you have a friend or family member who’s willing to add you as an authorized user on their Venture X, you’ve really hit the jackpot. Venture X cardholders can add up to four authorized users to their account, and each one gets the same lounge access as the primary cardholder — including getting to bring in up to two guests for no additional cost.

But if you don’t have a good opportunity to be added as an authorized user on one of the above cards, there are still some cards with lounge access that have more modest annual fees.

For instance, the United℠ Explorer Card and United℠ Business Card both come with two United Club passes each cardholder year and have modest annual fees which don’t kick in until the second year ($95 starting in the second year for the United Explorer and $99 starting in the second year for the United Business). Just remember that you can only use these passes when you’re flying on United Airlines or a partner airline.

For more ideas on how to get lounge access without paying a premium annual fee, check out our story on the least expensive cards for lounge access.

Want to learn more? Check out these stories:

Happy lounging!

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Photo Credit: KYLE OLSEN/THE POINTS GUY.

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