Please note: the offers mentioned below are subject to change at any time and may not be available.
Traveling today is stressful. Load factors are at an all-time high in the US, and airports always seem to be crowded. It’s important to keep your blood pressure down by taking advantage of every option available to make the preflight experience more enjoyable. For me at least, knowing that I have complimentary airport lounge access goes a long way in keeping me calm. Today, I’ll cover five best credit cards that offer complimentary airport lounge access among their benefits.
The Best Credit Cards for Airport Lounge Access
- The Platinum Card® from American Express: Best card overall for airport lounges
- Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite™ Mastercard®: Best for Admirals Club access
- Delta Reserve® Credit Card from American Express: Best for Sky Club access
- Delta Reserve® for Business Credit Card: Best for Sky Club access for businesses
- United Club Card: Best for United Club access
Welcome Bonus Comparison
Let’s take a look at how many points or miles you can earn from the welcome bonuses on these cards.
| Card | Annual Fee | Welcome Bonus |
| The Platinum Card® from American Express | $550 | 60,000 points after $5,000 in purchases in the first 3 months |
| Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite™ Mastercard® | $450 | 50,000 miles after spending $5,000 within the first 3 months of account opening |
| Delta Reserve® Credit Card from American Express | $450 | 40,000 bonus miles and 10,000 Medallion® Qualification Miles after you spend $3,000 in purchases in your first 3 months. |
| Delta Reserve® for Business Credit Card | $450 | 40,000 bonus miles and 10,000 Medallion® Qualification Miles after you spend $3,000 in purchases in your first 3 months. |
| United Club Card | $450 | 50,000 bonus miles after you spend $3,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening |
The information for the United Club Card has been collected independently by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
Continue reading for a breakdown of why these are five of the best cards for lounge access.
The Platinum Card® from American Express
Lounge access: This card earns the top spot because it gives you access to Centurion Lounges, which are among the best you’ll find at any airport. Visit them at Dallas (DFW), Houston (IAH), LaGuardia (LGA), Las Vegas (LAS), Miami (MIA), Philadelphia (PHL), Seattle (SEA), and San Francisco (SFO). There’s an international location in Hong Kong (HKG), as well. Centurion Lounges boast free drinks, a great selection of hot and cold food, amenities and more. Unfortunately, due to the popularity of this lounge network, Amex will no longer let you purchase day passes for $50 unless you have an Amex Platinum, a Business Platinum® Card from American Express or a Centurion Card.
The Platinum Card® also gets you Delta Sky Club access when you’re flying Delta — you can even add your Amex Platinum to your Delta Wallet so you don’t even need to show the card at the lounge to gain access. The Amex Platinum also offers a Priority Pass Select membership with two guests included (but it won’t include restaurants in the Priority Pass network after August 1, 2019). Make sure you read about all of the benefits of the card, which can more than make up for the annual fee. I’ve used the Priority Pass membership more times than I can count, as there’s been a lounge at almost every airport I visited in the past three years. The Amex Platinum gives you access to so many lounges — high-quality lounges — that it’s a no-brainer for this list.
Other benefits: The American Express Platinum Card® also earns 5x Membership Rewards points on airfare booked directly with the airline or through Amex Travel (along with 5x on prepaid hotels booked through Amex Travel), making it one of your best options when you need to buy a flight. You also get a $200 airline fee credit to use toward fees like checked baggage and inflight meals on one airline of your choice each calendar year, and up to $200 in annual Uber credits.
Annual fee: $550
Further Reading:
- Who Should (and Who Shouldn’t) Get the Amex Platinum?
- Amex Platinum Access to Centurion Lounges
- 10 Things to Do When You Get the Amex Platinum
- Maximizing Benefits with the Amex Platinum
Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite™ Mastercard®
Lounge access: The Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite™ Mastercard® comes with Admirals Club membership, along with access for immediate family members or up to two traveling guests. Even better, Citi updated the card’s perks to include membership for authorized users of this card — and you can add up to 10 AUs for free. Since they get up to two guests for lounge access as well, you’re looking at Admirals Club access for up to 33 people with just this one card. It currently has a 50,000-mile sign-up offer after $5,000 spent within the first three months.
Other benefits: You’ll earn 10,000 elite-qualifying miles after making $40,000 in purchases each calendar year, and there are no foreign transaction fees on purchases. Earn two miles per dollar spent on eligible American Airlines purchases. Plus, enjoy priority boarding and the first checked bag free on domestic American Airlines itineraries for you and up to eight companions traveling with you on the same reservation.
Annual fee: $450
Further Reading:
- Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite™ Mastercard® Review
- The Ultimate Guide to American Airlines Admirals Club Access
- Choosing the Best Credit Card for American Airlines Flyers
- Citi AAdvantage Executive World Elite Mastercard Card Hub
Delta Reserve® Credit Card from American Express and Delta Reserve® for Business Credit Card
Lounge access: With these cards — both the personal and business versions — you get Sky Club access when flying Delta. Unfortunately, you no longer get complimentary guest access, although you can bring in up to two guests (and children under the age of 21) at the discounted rate of $29 each. And you can only use the club on your day of travel.
Other benefits: Both these cards offer the ability to earn 30,000 MQMs per calendar year (15,000 after you spend $30,000, and another 15,000 when you spend $60,000). As a card holder you also get a free checked bag, priority boarding and 20% inflight savings. Plus, you get an annual Reserve® companion certificate for first/business (or economy) travel within the 48 contiguous United States.
Annual fee: $450
Further Reading:
Lounge access: The final card on this list offers access to United Clubs, Star Alliance-branded business lounges around the world and Amtrak Acela lounges. Just make sure you have your United Club membership card that comes with the welcome package in hand, not the credit card.
Other benefits: The other big draw is that this card earns 1.5 United miles per dollar spent everywhere and 2x miles on United purchases. You’ll receive two free checked bags each for two people, waived close-in ticketing fees and elite-like benefits such as priority boarding. This card’s currently offering 50,000 bonus miles after you spend $3,000 in the first three months, a big step up from the previous offer, which didn’t include a sign-up bonus.
Annual fee: $450
Further Reading:
The information for the United Club Card has been collected independently by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
Comparison of the Best Credit Cards with Airport Lounge Access:
| Card | Annual Fee | Lounge Access | Other Benefits |
| The Platinum Card from American Express | $550 | Centurion Lounges, Priority Pass lounges and Delta Sky Club when flying Delta | 5x points on flights booked directly with airlines and Amex Travel hotel bookings |
| Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite™ Mastercard® | $450 | Admirals Club with access for immediate family and up to 2 guests | 10,000 elite miles after making $40,000 in purchases per year |
| Delta Reserve® Credit Card from American Express | $450 | Delta Sky Club when flying Delta | Up to 30,000 Medallion® Qualifying Miles per calendar year when you spend $60,000 |
| Delta Reserve® for Business Credit Card | $450 | Delta Sky Club when flying Delta | Up to 30,000 Medallion® Qualifying Miles per calendar year when you spend $60,000 |
| United Club Card | $450 | United Clubs, Star Alliance-branded business lounges and Amtrak Acela lounges | 1.5 United miles per dollar spent everywhere |
Find Your Own Oasis
You don’t have to be an elite flyer to relax in the lounge instead of at the gate — where the chairs and recharging outlets quickly fill up hours before departure time. The annual fees on these cards appear high at first glance, but they carry enough benefits and have the ability to earn you enough points to recoup the fee many times over.
Related Guides
- Best Travel Credit Cards of 2019
- Best Airline Credit Cards of 2019
- Best Credit Cards for Global Entry and TSA PreCheck of 2019
If you’re new to the points and miles game, check out our Beginner’s Guide to learn more.
Featured photo of the Turkish Airlines IST lounge by Ben Smithson/ThePoints Guy.