Last updated on February 22nd, 2023
Hunting down the perfect travel credit card may look different for everyone. And it’s not uncommon to spot a few travel credit cards with airport lounge access. You might wonder which are the best travel credit cards with airport lounge access. From the credit card with the lowest annual fee to the highest, here are our top picks for the best credit cards with airport lounge access.
The Best Credit Cards With Airport Lounge Access
Check out our top picks for the best credit cards with airport lounge access. Our list contains a mix of travel credit cards, from the most affordable to the more luxurious memberships. Many cards offer airport lounge access via Priority Pass membership and even branded credit card lounges. Most importantly, the credit card benefits are not limited to lounge access but also feature other benefits for more enjoyable travel experiences.
At A Glance
Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card
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Earn 6X at U.S. restaurants, U.S. supermarkets, and U.S. gas stations
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Free Weekend Night Reward
☆ $95 Annual Fee
☆ No Foreign Transaction Fees
☆ Complimentary Gold Status
The Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card is an affordable option for anyone looking to indulge in a little airport lounge action on their travels. Ranking as one of the lowest annual fee credit cards with lounge access, the Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card is on the more affordable side of the airport lounge experience, with a $95 annual fee.
Through the Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card, cardholders get Priority Pass™ Select for access to 10 complimentary airport lounge visits. Once enrolled in the Priority Pass™ Select membership, you will get to enjoy a relaxed airport experience with access to over 1,200 lounges in over 130 countries. Not bad if you plan to keep your travels to no more than five to 10 times a year.
Considering a Priority Pass™ Standard Plus membership typically costs $299 and grants members 10 free visits, the $95 annual fee on the Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card credit card really gives you a bang for your buck. In addition, the card offers many other travel benefits which you can enjoy on your travels. Such features include no foreign transaction fees for care-free international spending and car rental insurance for peace of mind.
Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card
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Earn unlimited 10X miles on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel
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5X miles on flights booked through Capital One Travel
☆ $395 Annual Fee
☆ No Foreign Transaction Fees
☆ Lounge Access, Elite Status & More
The Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card may have a somewhat scary annual fee at first glance however, it does an excellent job of balancing out its worth. Starting with unlimited complimentary airport lounge access for you and two guests. The card is equipped with Priority Pass Select and entry to the Capital One Lounges, which currently includes one location in Dallas-Fort Worth (DFW) and two other locations coming soon (2023) in Denver, CO (DEN) and Washington, DC. (IAD).
To compare value, the Priority Pass™ Prestige membership costs a total of $429, and this gets you all free member visits and a cost of $32 for the guest visit fee. With the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card, your Priority Pass™ membership is unlimited and includes two complimentary guests at no cost. The value you’re getting with the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card more than exceeds its worth when it comes to lounge access. It’s an excellent choice if you typically travel with a companion as they also get free access to the airport lounges.
Additionally, through the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card, you would also receive a $300 annual travel credit for bookings through Capital One Travel. It’s a good benefit to have if you typically go on at least one trip a year because the $300 credit can help fund your flight. Cardholders also get an anniversary bonus of 10,000 miles every year, and up to a $100 credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck®.
Additional Benefits:
- Miles redemption
- No foreign transaction fees
- Miles don’t expire & there are no blackout dates
- Cell phone protection
- Free additional cardholders
- Referral bonus
- Hertz President Circle status
Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card
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Earn 14X points for Hilton hotels and resorts
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Earn 7X points at U.S. restaurants
☆ $450 Annual Fee
☆ No Foreign Transaction Fees
☆ $250 Hilton resort statement credit
Furthermore, we have included the Honors American Express Aspire Card in our top picks for the best credit cards with lounge access. Like the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card, it includes a Priority Pass™ Select membership. With the membership, cardholders and can relax at the airport with unlimited lounge visits for them and two guests at no additional charge.
The Honors American Express Aspire Card has a $450 annual fee. However, in addition to complimentary Priority Pass membership, it also features a few statement credits. Such statement credits include a $250 airline fee credit for incidental airline fees such as checked baggage, in-flight refreshments, and flight change fees. The card also features an annual $250 Hilton Resort statement credit and a $100 property credit.
Other card benefits:
- No foreign transaction fees
- Car rental insurance
- Baggage insurance
- Return protection
United Club Infinite Card
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Earn 4 miles per $1 spent on United® purchases
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Earn 2 miles on all other travel and dining
☆ $525 Annual Fee
☆ No Foreign Transaction Fees
☆ Free First and Second Checked Bags
The United Club Infinite Card is a bit different from the other credit cards we have mentioned previously and has a $525 annual fee. While the card does not include a Priority Pass membership, it does include a United Club membership which according to Chase, it is a $650 value per year. The membership grants cardholders access to United Club locations and participating Star Alliance™ affiliated lounges worldwide. Their lounges offer a relaxed place to work and lounge while enjoying complimentary beverages and snacks.
Additionally, other United Club Infinite Card benefits include savings of up to $320 per roundtrip as cardmembers get free first and second-checked bags for themselves and a companion. Cardholders will also receive a $100 statement credit for Global Entry, TSA PreCheck®, or NEXUS every 4 years. The card also features no foreign transaction fees.
Chase Sapphire Reserve®
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Earn up to 10X total points on hotels, car rentals, and flights through Chase Ultimate Rewards®
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Earn 3X points on other travel & dining
☆ $550 Annual Fee
☆ No Foreign Transaction Fees
☆ $300 Annual Travel Credit
The Chase Sapphire Reserve is another credit card that features a Priority Pass™ Select membership for airport lounge access. The card has a $550 annual fee that cancels itself out with all the card benefits included such as the Priority Pass membership. Primary Cardmembers and Authorized Users are granted complimentary access to the Priority Pass lounges and are allowed a maximum of two accompanying guests each. Chase has recently opened their first branded lounge (Chase Sapphire Lounge) in Hong Kong with plans to open more locations in 2023, which cardholders will also have access to use.
The card benefits feature a few other statement credits such as a $300 annual travel credit each anniversary year. And up to $100 every four years Global Entry or TSA PreCheck® or NEXUS for a more efficient and easy way to go through security lines on your day of travel.
Other card features:
- Room upgrades and daily breakfast through The Luxury Hotel & Resort Collection
- Reserve by Sapphire – a lineup of experiences
- No foreign transaction fees
- Lost luggage reimbursement
- Trip cancellation insurance
- Trip delay reimbursement
The Platinum Card® from American Express
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Earn 5X Membership Rewards® Points for flights
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Complimentary Gold status in Marriott Bonvoy and Hilton Honors program
☆ $695 Annual Fee
☆ No Foreign Transaction Fees
☆ $200 Hotel Credit
Finally, our last pick at the best credit cards with airport lounge access comes down to The Platinum Card® from American Express. At a $695 annual fee, it has the highest annual fee of all our picks but offers the most statement credits out of all of them. Of course, you’re here for the airport lounge access and The Platinum Card® from American Express offers a more exclusive lounge experience via The American Express Global Lounge Collection®. The card also features no foreign transaction fees, travel insurance and so much more.
Statement credits included with the card:
- $200 hotel credit
- $200 airline fee credit
- $200 Uber Cash
- $189 CLEAR® credit
- Up to $100 fee credit for Global Entry or TSA Precheck
Related Article: The Best No Annual Fee Credit Cards of 2022
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