Who doesn’t love sitting in an airport lounge on a comfy seat, having free food and drinks away from the hoards of people in the rest of the airport? Before points and miles, I had no idea that regular people could get lounge access. Ha! I thought it was only for people flying Business or First Class.

My single lounge experience back then was when my grandpa bought me a First Class ticket to visit my cousin in New York and I went to the United Lounge at SFO before my flight. It was dreamy, but I definitely didn’t think I’d ever be back.

And yet, here I am 10 years later, having visited many airport lounges around the world! Although to be fair, I haven’t actually visited the United Lounge at SFO since that first time. But I’m sure I will at some point!

There are many cards that offer airport lounge access as part of their benefits (ya know, for us regular folks), so let’s review them.

Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card

The Capital One Venture X is currently my favorite option for airport lounge access.

First, it has the lowest annual fee ($395) of all the premium cards on the market. I know that annual fee seems like a lot, but there are many benefits that make up for it!

• $300 annual travel credit
• TSA PreCheck or Global Entry statement credit
• Access to Capital One Lounges and Priority Pass lounges
• 10,000 miles on each account anniversary
• No foreign transaction fees
• Tons of transfer partners
• Travel and purchase protections

This card gives you access to Capital One lounges and comes with a Priority Pass membership. To get into Capital One Lounges, just show your card and same-day boarding pass. However, for Priority Pass lounges, you will first need to use your Venture X to sign up for Priority Pass. You can do that here. Once you’ve signed up, show your Priority Pass card (either the physical card or the Priority Pass app) and your same-day boarding pass to get in.

Check out this link for all of the partner lounges that you can access with your Venture X.

Lounge Access Changes

Starting in February 2026, lounge access is changing and will only include the primary cardholder. Authorized users will no longer get complimentary lounge access unless they pay $125/year. Guest access will no longer be free, either. Instead, it will cost $25-$45 per guest, depending on age and location.

The Capital One Venture X Business currently includes the same access options as the personal version. The nice thing about this card is that it won’t count against Chase’s 5/24 rule since it’s a business card. Once the changes take effect in February, Venture X Business cardholders will still have free lounge access for themselves plus two guests. Venture X Business authorized users can bring two guests if they pay the annual $125 lounge access fee.

Citi Strata Elite℠

The newest lounge access card on the market is the Citi Strata Elite. This card is quickly becoming my favorite lounge access option. The fee is a bit higher than the Venture X — $595 instead of $395 — but it has multiple benefits that make up for it.

• $200 Splurge Credit at select merchants, like Best Buy and American Airlines (once per calendar year)
• $300 hotel credit when booking two nights through Citi travel (once per calendar year)

Those two credits alone can be used twice within one cardmember year, so that’s a minimum of $1,000 in value.

Lounge access with the Citi Strata Elite℠ includes two guests, which is a big reason this card may replace at least one of our Venture Xs. It also comes with five American Airlines Admirals Club passes, which can be used when flying American Airlines, and includes up to three guests under 18.

<All information about the Citi Strata Elite℠ has been collected independently by The Traveling Hansens. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.>

American Express Platinum Card®

The American Express Platinum Card® offers lounge access exclusively to the cardholder. The annual fee is $695 per year, and authorized users cost $195 each.

The Amex Platinum includes access to Centurion Lounges and Delta Sky Clubs when flying Delta. Authorized users also have access, but no additional guests are included unless you pay a fee.

Platinum cardholders also receive a Priority Pass Select membership, which allows access to over 1300 airport lounges worldwide. Lounge access includes the cardholder and two guests. Additional guests are $35 each, and some locations offer a child discount.

Lastly, Platinum cardholders can also access Escape Lounges, a Centurion partner. Lounge access includes the cardholder and two guests.

The Business Platinum Card® from American Express offers the same lounge options as the personal card.

<All information about the Amex Platinum and Business Platinum has been collected independently by The Traveling Hansens. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.>

Chase Sapphire Reserve® Card

The Chase Sapphire Reserve® card is another option. This card has an annual fee of $795, so it’s the highest of these options. Cardholders get unlimited access to all Chase Sapphire Lounges by The Club, of which there are currently only a handful of locations:

• Boston
• Hong Kong
• Las Vegas
• New York (JFK)
• New York (LGA)
• Phoenix
• San Diego
• Washington-Dulles

Furthermore, Sapphire Reserve cardholders receive a complimentary Priority Pass Select membership with their card. To activate your membership, log on to your Chase account, then select your Sapphire Reserve, then Card Benefits, then Travel, then Complimentary Airport Lounge Access.

Once active, you’ll have access to Priority Pass lounges and Sapphire Lounges, plus you can bring two guests for free.

If you have a Priority Pass membership through another card, you get one Chase Sapphire Reserve lounge visit per year. Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card members are not given any lounge access, which is a bummer since it’s everyone’s favorite card!

<All information about the Chase Sapphire Reserve and Preferred has been collected independently by The Traveling Hansens. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.>

The Ritz-Carlton^™  Credit Card

The final option for lounge access card recommendations is The Ritz-Carlton^™ Credit Card, which clocks in with a $450 annual fee, just slightly above the Venture X.

The biggest difference, and the reason this may be your best option starting in February 2026, is that both the primary cardholder and all authorized users receive unlimited guest access to Sapphire and Priority Pass lounges. Authorized users can be added for free, allowing you to bring an unlimited number of guests into lounges with this card.

The thing is, you cannot apply for this card directly. Instead, you will need to have one of the other Chase Marriott cards for at least a year, and then you can upgrade to this card. 

<All information about The Ritz-Carlton Credit Card has been collected independently by The Traveling Hansens. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.>

Co-Branded Cards for Lounge Access

There are also a handful of other cards that offer some version of lounge access. Here’s the list:

• Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card- Priority Pass lounges, two guests are included.
• Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card- Priority Pass lounges, two guests are included.
• Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard® – Access to American Airlines Admirals Club, all immediate family or two guests are included.
• Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card- Delta Sky Club access. Starting in January 2025, access is limited to 15 visits per year. Cardholders can also visit Escape lounges when flying a Delta flight.
• The New United Club℠ Infinite Card- Access to United Clubs, two guests are included.
• U.S. Bank Altitude™ Reserve Visa Infinite® Card- Eight Priority Pass lounge visits per year, no guests.
• U.S. Bank Altitude® Connect Visa Signature® Card- Four Priority Pass lounge visits per year, no guests.

<All information about the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card, Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card, Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card, and The New United Club℠ Infinite Card has been collected independently by The Traveling Hansens. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.>

In Conclusion

There are quite a few ways to get lounge access thanks to credit cards. As I mentioned, my favorite is the Venture X since it’s the cheapest option and works for my whole family. However, that will be changing next year, so we may need to reassess. Furthermore, what works for us may not be best for you. Take a look at the options and your travel goals, and decide the best fit for your situation.

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For Capital One products listed on this page, some of the above benefits are provided by Visa® or Mastercard® and may vary by product. See the respective Guide to Benefits for details, as terms and exclusions apply.