Our experts answer readers' credit card questions and write unbiased product reviews (here's how we assess credit cards). In some cases, we receive a commission from our partners; however, our opinions are our own. Terms apply to offers listed on this page.

Do you know anyone who purposely gets to the airport earlier than they have to? Airports are noisy and hectic; the seats are uncomfortable and the food is expensive. Why be there any longer than absolutely necessary?

Actually, a lot of us arrive early at the airport — and sometimes even loiter for a while after we've landed. We've got the golden ticket to free alcohol and food, high-speed internet, comfortable loungers, and occasionally free massages. All it takes is holding the right credit card with lounge access.

If you're a frequent traveler, a credit card with lounge access is worth every penny. Let's look at the best credit cards for airport lounge access.

Compare Credit Cards With Lounge Access

Best Credit Card for Lounge Access

Credit Cards With Airport Lounge Access Frequently Asked Questions 

What are the Centurion Lounge locations?

There are over 20 Amex Centurion Lounges worldwide, including major US airports like New York (JFK and LGA), Philadelphia (PHL), Dallas (DFW), Charlotte (CLT), and Miami (MIA). International locations include Hong Kong (HKG), London (LHR), and Sydney (SYD). You can find the full list of locations here.

Are Priority Pass lounges usually crowded?

Priority Pass lounges aren't always crowded, but they all tend to have a busy period which varies depending on the airport. The danger in visiting during peak hours is that you may be turned away. Lounges have limited capacity, after all.

If you want to see when a lounge is busy, you can simply google the name of the lounge along with the airport. You should see a graphic on the right side indicating the historical foot traffic of the lounge.

What is the best credit card with lounge access?

The all-around best credit card for airport lounge access is the The Platinum Card® from American Express. Amex Platinum cards offer the most privileges of any travel credit card — from Centurion Lounge access to Delta Sky Club access (when flying Delta) to Priority Pass membership.

Is there a credit card with lounge access and no annual fee?

Unfortunately, there isn't a no-annual-fee card that also offers airport lounge access. However, the United℠ Explorer Card offers two United Club lounge day passes each anniversary year. Its annual fee is United℠ Explorer Card, so you can experience a lounge or two without committing to a big annual fee.

Why Trust Us: How We Chose the Best Credit Cards for Lounge Access

Insider's credit cards team sifted through dozens of cards that offer some form of airport lounge access, and narrowed down our list to include the most accessible and broadly useful cards for US travelers. We excluded cards that require you to have accounts with a specific bank or credit union, as well as co-branded cards from international airlines (such as the Miles & More® World Elite Mastercard® - Product Name Only) that mainly provide access to lounges abroad.

We also skipped cards that offer discounts on lounge memberships (like the Alaska Airlines Visa® Credit Card - Product Name Only) or that only include a couple of passes to a single lounge location each year (such as the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card - Product Name Only and Capital One Spark Miles for Business - Product Name Only). 

For a full breakdown of our methodology, read our guide to how we rate credit cards at Insider.

The Platinum Card® from American Express - Product Name Only

No travel credit card on the market offers more comprehensive airport lounge access than The Platinum Card® from American Express. (It's on par with what you'd get through the invite-only Amex Black card.) You'll receive entry to the following lounge networks:

  • Amex Centurion Lounges (widely considered to be the best airport lounges in the US)
  • Priority Pass** (access to more than 1,300 airport lounges worldwide)
  • Delta Sky Club lounges (only when you have a same-day Delta boarding pass)
  • Escape Lounge – The Centurion Studio Partner
  • Plaza Premium lounges
  • Lufthansa lounges (when flying Lufthansa, Austrian Airlines, or SWISS)

I had never tried an Amex Centurion Lounge until last year. I've since been to six of them throughout the US, and they are consistently higher quality than other lounges offered by Priority Pass.

The The Platinum Card® from American Express charges a The Platinum Card® from American Express annual fee — but it comes with excellent ongoing benefits, such as:

The card also offers The Platinum Card® from American Express.

Insider estimates Amex points value to be 1.8 cents each, making this initial bonus worth The Platinum Card® from American Express in travel, on average.  Read our post on the best ways to use Amex points to see how much more valuable these points can be.

American Express Platinum Card Review

The Business Platinum Card® from American Express - Product Name Only

The Business Platinum Card® from American Express offers the same airport lounge access and guest policies as the personal The Platinum Card® from American Express. However, this card is marketed to an entirely different audience.

This is a small-business credit card, meaning you must have a business venture (even a part-time gig) to qualify for the The Business Platinum Card® from American Express. Its key benefits are more closely aligned with business expenses:

  • Up to $200 in airline fee credits** for checked baggage fees, lounge day passes, and more at one selected airline each calendar year
  • Up to $400 in U.S. Dell credits** each calendar year
  • Global Entry or TSA PreCheck application fee credit
  • Up to $120 in credits for U.S. wireless providers each calendar year
  • Up to $360 in Indeed credits** each calendar year
  • Up to $150 in Adobe credits** each calendar year
  • Up to $189 back per year in for CLEAR Plus® membership**
  • 35% points rebate when you redeem points for first- or business-class tickets, or for any fare with your selected airline, through American Express Travel (up to 500,000 points back per calendar year)
  • Cell phone protection

This card comes with The Business Platinum Card® from American Express. Again, Insider values Amex points at 1.8 cents each, making this bonus worth The Business Platinum Card® from American Express in travel, on average.

Amex Business Platinum Card Review

Chase Sapphire Reserve® - Product Name Only

The Chase Sapphire Reserve® is one of Insider's picks for all-around top travel credit cards. It's got excellent benefits that upgrade your travel experience — and its top-tier travel insurance is reason enough to keep it in your wallet.  

This card offers membership in two lounge networks:

  • Priority Pass Select — You can access all Priority Pass lounges as often as you want — with two free guests. You can even add authorized users for $75 each and they'll receive their own full-blown Priority Pass Select membership.
  • Chase Sapphire LoungesChase opened its first-ever Sapphire Lounge in Hong Kong, followed by its first US Sapphire Lounge in Boston (BOS). San Diego (SAN), New York-LaGuardia (LGA), Las Vegas (LAS), Phoenix (PHX), Philadelphia (PHL), and Washington Dulles (IAD) are all in the works.

To access Chase Sapphire Lounges, cardholders must activate the complimentary Priority Pass Select membership that comes with the Sapphire Reserve, and show their Priority Pass credentials for entry. The Sapphire Reserve card alone will not suffice. Cardholders and up to two guests get unlimited free visits.

Cardholders and two guests can also access the new Chase Sapphire Terrace at Austin airport (AUS), an indoor-outdoor space featuring complimentary drinks, grab-and-go snacks, and other perks.

The Chase Sapphire Reserve® comes with a Chase Sapphire Reserve® annual fee. But for that price, you'll also receive:

The Chase Sapphire Reserve® is currently offering a welcome bonus of Chase Sapphire Reserve®. We estimate Chase points to be worth 1.8 cents each, making this bonus worth Chase Sapphire Reserve® in travel, on average. Read our post on the best ways to use Chase Ultimate Rewards to see how you can redeem them for significantly more. 

Chase Sapphire Reserve Credit Card Review

Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card - Product Name Only

The Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card is one of the most powerful travel credit cards on the market. It incurs the lowest annual fee of any premium credit card at Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card — making it one of the cheapest ways to hold onto airport lounge membership.

With this card, you'll get:

  • Priority Pass Select — Unlimited access to 1,300 Priority Pass lounges for you and unlimited guests. You can add up to four authorized users at no cost, and they'll receive the same lounge privileges as the primary cardholder.
  • Capital One airport lounges — Unlimited access for you and two free guests, though there is currently only one location in Dallas (DFW) with others coming soon to Denver (DEN) and Washington Dulles.
  • Plaza Premium airport lounges — Unlimited access worldwide for you and two free guests

Unlike the Chase Sapphire Reserve, this card's Priority Pass membership can't be used at participating airport restaurants.

This card also offers solid benefits such as:

The Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card comes with Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card. Capital One miles are worth 1.7 cents each on average, based on Insider's valuations, making this bonus worth Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card. However, if you know how to use Capital One miles to their full potential, you may get even more value.

Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card Review

Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card - Product Name Only

You won't see many five-star credit card ratings on Insider, but the Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card is one of the few that deserves it. The card is so packed with valuable benefits for its Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card annual fee that it's a no-brainer for those who travel with any regularity.

The card provides Priority Pass Select lounge access. That's unlimited entries for you and up to two guests traveling with you. You'll also get:

  • $250 annual Hilton resort statement credit
  • Automatic Hilton Honors Diamond elite status 
  • Annual reward night certificate
  • Another free reward night certificate after you spend a total of $60,000 on eligible purchases in a calendar year
  • Up to $100 in on-property credits for minimum stays of two nights at participating Waldorf Astoria and Conrad properties
  • Up to $250 in airline incidental fee credits** per calendar year

The Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card comes with Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card. Insider estimates Hilton points value to be 0.5 cents each, on average. That makes this bonus worth Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card in Hilton stays. But if you know the best ways to use Hilton points, you can get many times that value by choosing the right hotel to redeem your points.

Hilton Honors Aspire Card Review

Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card - Product Name Only

The Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant™ American Express® Card is another easy-to-justify premium travel credit card. With an annual fee of Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant™ American Express® Card, you'll get benefits such as:

  • Up to $300 in statement credits per calendar year (up to $25 per month) for eligible purchases at restaurants worldwide.
  • Annual free night award after your card renewal month (redemption level at or under 85,000 Marriott Bonvoy points)
  • 25 elite night credits each calendar year
  • Automatic Marriott Bonvoy Platinum elite status
  • Global Entry or TSA PreCheck application fee credit

To boot, you'll receive Priority Pass Select airport lounge access. You and two guests traveling with you can enter for free as often as you like. Even if there's more than one lounge at your airport, you can hopscotch around to try them all.

The Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant™ American Express® Card comes with a sky-high elevated welcome bonus offer for a limited time: Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant™ American Express® Card.

Insider estimates Marriott points value to be 0.7 cents each, on average. That means the points from this bonus are worth around Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant™ American Express® Card in Marriott stays. But read our guide to the best ways to use Marriott points to learn how to squeeze much more value from your rewards.

Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant Amex Card Review

Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card - Product Name Only

The Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card is unique among all airline credit cards in that it provides access to more than just the lounge network of the airline that graces its front. Here's what you'll get:

  • Delta Sky Club access — Free entry when flying on a same-day Delta-operated/marketed flight. You'll also get two single-use guest passes each year. 
  • Amex Centurion Lounge access — Free entry when flying on a same-day Delta-operated/marketed flight. You won't get any free guests, but can purchase a maximum of two guest passes per visit at a rate of $50 each.

The Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card comes with a  Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card annual fee. That's only slightly more than purchasing a Delta Sky Club membership outright (it normally costs $545 per year).

The card also offers:

  • Free first checked bag and priority boarding on Delta flights
  • Annual Delta companion certificate
  • 15,000 Medallion® Qualification Miles (MQMs) after you spend $30,000 in purchases on your card in a calendar year, up to four times*
  • Complimentary Delta Sky Club airport lounge access when you fly Delta
  • Access to complimentary upgrades and upgrade priority
  • Global Entry or TSA PreCheck application fee credit after you apply through any authorized enrollment provider
  • 15% off Delta award flights
  • 20% off inflight purchases as a statement credit

The card has a welcome bonus offer of Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card. Insider estimates Delta miles value to be 1.1 cents each, making this bonus worth Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card miles in Delta flights. But it's possible to receive much more value from your miles — I once received a value of 26 cents per Delta mile when booking a business-class flight.

Read our post on the best ways to use Delta miles.  

Delta Reserve Review

United Club℠ Infinite Card - Product Name Only

The United Club℠ Infinite Card charges a United Club℠ Infinite Card annual fee. A United Club airport lounge membership costs $650 (unless you have top-tier United elite status). Therefore, if United Club membership is important to you, opening the United Club℠ Infinite Card is a no-brainer way to save $125.

You'll receive a full United Club membership with this card, meaning you can also bring two guests (or one adult and as many children under 21 as you like). You'll even gain access to several other Star Alliance airline lounges.

The United Club℠ Infinite Card also comes with:

  • Free first and second checked bags on United flights (you must pay with the card)
  • Priority boarding on United flights
  • Premier Access travel services
  • NEXUS, Global Entry, or TSA PreCheck application fee credit
  • Complimentary Premier upgrades
  • Expanded access to United award flights

Plus, it's offering a limited-time elevated welcome bonus of United Club℠ Infinite Card.

Insider estimates United miles value to be 1.3 cents each, making this bonus worth United Club℠ Infinite Card in United flights. Read about how to earn and use United miles for secrets of how to redeem that same amount of miles for thousands more dollars.

United Club Infinite Card Review

Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard® - Product Name Only

The Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard® comes with a Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard® annual fee. The main payoff — and the only reason you should consider paying that fee — is because the card offers American Airlines Admirals Club airport lounge access.

Unless you've got American Airlines elite status, you'll pay $650 per year for Admirals Club membership. Opening this card is a much cheaper route. To enter American Airlines lounges, you must have a same-day boarding pass on American or one of its partners to access the lounge.

This card also comes with:

  • Global Entry or TSA PreCheck application fee credit
  • Free first checked bag for you and up to eight companions on your reservation
  • Priority screening, check-in, and boarding with American Airlines

To boot, you'll receive Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard®. Insider estimates American Airlines miles are worth 1.4 cents each. That makes this bonus worth Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard® in airfare. However, if you know the best ways to use American Airlines miles, you can receive many times that value.

Citi AAdvantage Executive Card Review

One of the Best Credit Cards for Airport Lounges is No Longer Available (But You Can Get it Anyway)

The Ritz-Carlton™ Credit Card is perhaps the best travel credit card that isn't on the market. It's' not available to new applicants — but there's a way you can still get it.

If you ask them, Chase can convert your existing Marriott credit card, such as the Marriott Bonvoy Bold® Credit Card or Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card, into the Ritz-Carlton Card. The only catch is that you must have held your current Marriott card for at least one year, and your credit limit must be $10,000 or more. If your credit limit is lower, you can request that credit from your other Chase cards be reallocated to the Ritz-Carlton Card. 

The Chase Ritz-Carlton Card comes with Priority Pass lounge access and access to Chase Sapphire Lounges (as long as your Priority Pass membership is activated). Here are a few reasons why it's better than the majority of travel credit cards for airport lounges:

  • There's no (written) cap on the number of free guests you can bring with you. If you travel with a large family, this could save you $100+ every time you visit a lounge.
  • You can add authorized users for free, and they get their own Priority Pass membership (with unlimited guests).
  • The Priority Pass membership issued from the Ritz-Carlton card qualifies for Priority Pass restaurant discounts ($28 to $30 off your meal, plus another $28 to $30 if you bring a guest).

You won't get a welcome bonus since there's no way to apply for the card. But it also comes with valuable benefits such as:

  • Up to $300 in annual credits to offset airline incidentals
  • Annual free night certificate with Marriott for hotels costing up to 50,000 points per night
  • Top-tier travel coverage

This card comes with a $450 annual fee.

New to Airport Lounges? Give Them a Test Drive for Cheap (or Even Free)

It's understandable if you're apprehensive about paying $395+ for a credit card that comes with access to airport lounges — especially if you're not even sure you'll like them.

If you want to give them a try to see if they fit your travel style, open one of the following cards first.

Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card

The Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card does not come with a full-fledged Priority Pass airport lounge membership. Instead, you'll get 10 free visits per year. You can choose to use your 10 entries for yourself and for guests. For example, if you and a guest enter a lounge five times, you'll have exhausted your 10 Priority Pass visits for the year. 

This is an excellent way to become familiar with the Priority Pass network. The Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card charges a Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card annual fee — far more digestible than other cards on this list.

You'll also receive:

  • Hilton Gold elite status
  • Upgrade to Diamond status after you spend $40,000 on eligible purchases in a calendar year
  • Free weekend night certificate after you spend $15,000 on eligible purchases in a calendar year

The card offers a welcome bonus of Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card

Hilton Honors American Express Surpass Card Review

United℠ Explorer Card

The United℠ Explorer Card allows you to get a feel for airline lounges instead of Priority Pass. Each cardmember year, you'll receive two single-use passes to United Club lounges. These day passes usually cost $59 each.

The best part? The United℠ Explorer Card comes with an annual fee of United℠ Explorer Card. In other words, you can try these lounges without having to pay a dime for the first year. If you don't like the card, you can cancel when your first annual fee comes due.

This card also offers:

  • Free first checked bag on United flights (when you pay for your fare with the card)
  • Priority boarding on United flights
  • NEXUS, Global Entry, or TSA PreCheck application fee credit
  • Complimentary Premier upgrades
  • Expanded access to United award flights

Its welcome bonus offer is currently increased for a limited time to United℠ Explorer Card.

United Explorer Card Review

U.S. Bank Altitude® Connect Visa Signature® Card - Product Name Only

The U.S. Bank Altitude® Connect Visa Signature® Card - Product Name Only recently added a 12-month Priority Pass membership with four free visits per year. That may be enough if you travel once or twice a year, and is certainly reasonable considering the card charges an annual fee of U.S. Bank Altitude® Connect Visa Signature® Card - Annual Fee.

On top of that, the card comes with a perk you don't see on other travel credit cards. Its Smart Delay benefit gives the cardholder (and up to three travel companions on the same itinerary) airport lounge access when their flight is delayed by 120 minutes or more.

New cardholders can earn U.S. Bank Altitude® Connect Visa Signature® Card - Intro Bonus (worth $500). The card comes with other valuable perks whether you're traveling or staying home, including:

  • $30 annual credit for streaming service purchases
  • Global Entry/TSA PreCheck application fee credit
  • Cell phone protection
  • Roadside dispatch
  • Travel and emergency assistance services
  • Visa Signature benefits
  • Trip cancellation/interruption insurance
  • Trip delay insurance
  • Travel accident insurance
  • No foreign transaction fees

US Bank Altitude Connect card review

What are airport lounges?

When you go into any old airport bar or restaurant, you'll likely pay prices reserved for captive audiences in major sports stadiums and theaters. $12 beers and $16 cocktails are far from a bargain. But you can get them for free in an airport lounge.

Most lounge networks provide several premium locations at airports around the world. There are three main lounge types you should know about:

Airline lounges

Most airlines oversee their own proprietary lounge network. Depending on the size of the carrier, it may have just a few lounges or dozens at its most frequented airports.

For the most part, these lounges are reserved for international premium travelers, elite travelers with a ton of annual flights, those who pay a sizable fee, or cardholders of the airline's premium credit card. Expect to pay $450+ per year for this type of credit card.

Priority Pass Select

Many lounges operate independently of the airlines. Priority Pass is a network that gives you access to 1,300+ lounges around the world.

Each lounge has its own rules on admission, guests, and complimentary beverages. Most give you and two guests admission at no charge. Once inside, you can drink and eat to your heart's content without paying a dime.

American Express Centurion Lounges

American Express Centurion Lounges are next-level lounges that offer proper hot meals (gourmet, even), with free mixed drinks, shower suites, and sometimes recreational activities like pool and shuffleboard tables.

These lounges are found in the US and in select airports overseas. Centurion Lounges have comparatively few locations when compared to Priority Pass — 24 worldwide at the moment, with another 15 Centurion "Studios" serving as a "lite" version of the premium lounge network.

Unless you frequent major airports, you may not encounter a Centurion Lounge as often as you might think.

Read the original article on Business Insider