Top Credit Cards for Airport Lounge Access
I’ve done a decent amount of traveling, but it wasn’t until our recent family vacation in Chicago that I started exploring the world of airport travel lounges. The Capital One Venture X Visa lounge access gave me my first glimpse of this savvy travel perk. But then I started wondering, what else am I missing, and what other credit cards offer free lounge access?
What is an Airport Lounge?
An airport lounge provides comfortable seating with outlets so that you can physically recharge while also recharging any devices you might need. Inside the lounge, you’ll find a spread of food items along with coffee and teas. And alcoholic beverages are included as well.
I can appreciate a free airport meal even if it’s just me by myself. But when flying with kids, having Visa lounge access through my credit card is a huge perk that saves us a small fortune. It’s especially nice during a long layover. And it can make flying with toddlers and young kids so much easier as well.
Prior to having my Venture X card, I never really paid attention to the airport lounge perk because I didn’t know what it was or what I was missing. Now it’s a perk that I value almost as much as the travel points alone. No more sitting on the ground in a busy terminal, or spending $25 on some bottled waters and chips to hold my kids over.
For more information about earning free travel, check out my post How to Travel For Free.
Here’s a list of the top travel credit cards that include free Visa lounge access at airports. I’ve also included a few Amex cards and Mastercards because they are worth mentioning.
Visa Lounge Access Credit Cards (and a few others)
| Credit Card | Airport Lounge Access | Annual Fee |
| Capital One Venture X | Complimentary access for you and two guests to 1300+ Priority Pass lounges and Capital One lounges (which are currently only in 3 airports). | $395 |
| Chase Sapphire Reserve | Complimentary access to 1,300+ airport lounges worldwide with up to two guests, including every Chase Sapphire Lounge by The ClubOpens Overlay location. | $795 |
| Platinum Card from American Express | Access to Centurion and International American Express lounges, Delta Sky Clubs and lounges in the Priority Pass Select, Air Space, Plaza Premium and Escape networks. | $695 |
| Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express | Priority Pass Select Membership with access into more than 1300 airport lounges. | $650 |
| Mastercard Black Card | Unlimited Priority Pass Select membership with access for you and unlimited guests to 1,300+ airport lounges worldwide. Additional credits at select airport restaurants for cardholder and one guest. | $495 |
| Delta SkyMiles Reserve Amex | Access to Delta’s Sky Clubs as well as access to AmEx’s Centurion Lounges when flying Delta. | $550 |
| United Club Infinite Card | Unlimited access for you and your traveling companions to all United Club locations and participating Star Alliance affiliated lounges worldwide. | $525 |
| Citi AAdvantage Executive World Mastercard | Complimentary Admirals Club membership and partner lounge access for primary cardmember and up to two traveling companions. | $595 |
| United Explorers | Two one-time passes to the United Club Lounge each year. | $0 for first year, then $95 |
| HSBC Elite Mastercard | You and one guest get complimentary, unlimited access to 1,000+ airport lounges provided by LoungeKey. | $395 |
As you can see, there are several different Visa lounge access credit cards to choose from and they range fairly significantly in annual fees. The only credit card with no annual fee that will get you into the airport lounge is the United Explorers card, but it’s only free for the first year. And it’s really only going to give you a taste of the airport lounge life because you only get two passes each year.
The Capital One Venture X appears to be the best deal. This card gives you a $300 travel credit each year, making the annual fee seem more like a $95 annual fee. Read more about the Venture X benefits and see if it is a good fit for you by clicking the button below.
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Jaime
Thanks for reading my post. My name is Jaime and I am a mom to three busy children. When we're not at the soccer and football fields, we try to get away as often as possible. I'm a teacher and my husband is a firefighter, so we mostly get away for long weekends or over the school breaks. I hope to inspire busy families to take time to recoup and relax while making memories on camping trips or cruise ships, or at the fancy resort pool--we love it all! Follow me on Instagram for real-time inspiration.
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