There’s nothing fairly like airport lounge entry. With the appropriate bank card, you’ll be able to escape from the overall airport stress to a separate area to work, chill out and revel in complimentary refreshments when you wait on your flight.
However sometimes, that entry is reserved for these with probably the most premium playing cards, like The Platinum Card® from American Specific. In the event you’re preserving your annual payment prices low, you will have accepted your destiny to attend out your layover at whichever eatery is closest to your gate.
Nonetheless, there are a number of methods to realize airport lounge entry with out paying a excessive annual payment.
Listed below are our favourite playing cards that do not break the financial institution and get you thru the lounge doorways.
Associated: Finest bank cards for lounge entry
Develop into a licensed consumer
Earlier than you apply for a brand new bank card, contemplate whether or not a beloved one already has a card with lounge entry and is keen so as to add you as a licensed consumer.
Licensed customers can typically get pleasure from the identical lounge entry as the first cardholder and may be added comparatively cheaply. In the event you can swing it, this gives you the largest bang on your buck.
If a good friend or member of the family has a Chase Sapphire Reserve® (see charges and charges), as an example, they’ll add you as a licensed consumer for simply $195 per yr. As a licensed consumer, you may get pleasure from the identical lounge entry — to Precedence Cross and Chase Sapphire Lounges — as the first cardholder for a lot decrease than the $795 annual payment they pay.
Simply remember that, as a licensed consumer, you will not earn your individual factors or get pleasure from another advantages the cardboard gives the first cardholder.
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Associated: The 7 bank cards with the best worth for licensed customers
The least costly playing cards for lounge entry
Even when you do not have a beloved one who can (or is keen to) add you as a licensed consumer on their premium account, you continue to have some good choices. Whereas the playing cards under have extra restricted lounge entry than their premium counterparts, they’re going to get you thru a lounge door at a fraction of the associated fee.
U.S. Financial institution Altitude Join Visa Signature Card
The knowledge for the U.S. Financial institution Altitude Join has been collected independently by The Factors Man. The cardboard particulars on this web page haven’t been reviewed or supplied by the cardboard issuer.
With Altitude Join, you may earn 4 factors per greenback spent on journey purchases and a couple of factors per greenback spent on eating, streaming companies and grocery retailer purchases.
Cardholders additionally obtain an announcement credit score as much as $100 each 4 years for World Entry or TSA PreCheck — a superb perk for a card with no annual payment.
For extra particulars, try our full evaluate of the U.S. Financial institution Altitude Join.
Associated: Finest no annual payment bank cards
United Explorer Card and United Enterprise Card
You do not have to get United’s premium United Membership℠ Card (see charges and charges) to get pleasure from entry to the United Membership community.
Each the United℠ Explorer Card (see charges and charges) and the United℠ Enterprise Card (see charges and charges) have annual charges of $150 ($0 intro annual payment for the primary yr with the Explorer card) and include two United Membership passes every cardholder yr (redeemable for the cardholder or licensed consumer).
Each playing cards additionally supply United perks comparable to bonus miles on United purchases, a free checked bag and a quick monitor to incomes elite standing, in addition to beneficial journey protections.
With the United Enterprise Card, you may additionally earn bonus miles at fuel stations, workplace provide shops, transit purchases and eating purchases (together with eligible supply companies). In the meantime, with the United Explorer Card, you may earn bonus miles on eating and obtain a credit score for World Entry, TSA PreCheck or Nexus.
For extra particulars, try our full critiques of the United Explorer and United Enterprise playing cards.
Apply right here: United Explorer Card
Apply right here: United Enterprise Card
Capital One Enterprise X Rewards Credit score Card and Capital One Enterprise X Enterprise
Despite the fact that it is within the premium bank card class, the Capital One Enterprise X Rewards Credit score Card and Capital One Enterprise X Enterprise are price contemplating for lounge entry on a price range. Though their $395 annual payment could initially appear steep, it is nonetheless a lot decrease than their premium rivals.
Plus, the playing cards additionally include a $300 annual credit score for Capital One Journey. In the event you can maximize that, your out of pocket price is simply $95 — a cut price, on condition that it comes with limitless entry to Precedence Cross and Capital One lounges.
As a cardholder, you may earn bonus factors on journey booked by means of Capital One Journey and a couple of miles per greenback spent on all different purchases. You may additionally get pleasure from beneficial perks like bonus miles every account anniversary and a credit score for World Entry or TSA PreCheck.
Plus, with the Enterprise X, lounge entry is not only for the principle cardholder. Licensed customers (you’ll be able to add as much as 4 for no further price) obtain the identical entry, and every cardholder additionally will get complimentary entry for as much as two friends every till Feb. 1, 2026.
For extra particulars, try our full evaluate of the Enterprise X and Enterprise X Enterprise.
Be taught extra: Capital One Enterprise
Be taught extra: Capital One Enterprise X Enterprise
Associated: Capital One Enterprise X vs. Enterprise X Enterprise: Small however essential variations
Atmos Rewards Summit Visa Credit score Card
One other premium card, the Atmos™ Rewards Summit Visa Infinite® Credit score Card gives some lounge entry with a decrease $395 annual payment. Whereas this payment could also be steep, the perks supplied by the cardboard will help offset it.
Cardholders obtain eight annual Alaska lounge passes (two per calendar quarter). If you have already got an Alaska Lounge membership, you’ll be able to share these passes with family and friends. Moreover, this card gives perks like precedence boarding and a free checked bag when flying on Alaska and Hawaiian Airways.
Plus, you may additionally obtain an annual international companion award, earn bonus factors on Alaska and Hawaiian Airways purchases and on worldwide transactions and obtain an utility payment credit score for World Entry or TSA PreCheck.
For extra particulars, try our full evaluate of the Atmos Rewards Summit.
Apply right here: Atmos Rewards Summit Visa Infinite Credit score Card
Associated: Is that this new area the perfect Alaska Airways lounge within the nation?
PenFed Pathfinder Rewards Card
As a credit score union card, the PenFed Pathfinder® Rewards Card flies beneath the radar. However in the event you’re in search of fairly priced airport lounge entry, it is positively price a glance.
It has an annual payment of $95 that’s waived for PenFed Honors Benefit members and comes with Precedence Cross entry for the cardholder and one visitor. It is essential to notice that cardholders should pay a $35 lounge entry payment for every individual, every lounge go to.
The knowledge for the PenFed Pathfinder Rewards Card has been collected independently by The Factors Man. The cardboard particulars on this web page haven’t been reviewed or supplied by the cardboard issuer.
The cardboard additionally gives a $100 airline incidental credit score, which can be utilized to cowl lounge passes, and earns bonus rewards on journey purchases and comes with an announcement credit score to cowl your World Entry or TSA PreCheck.
You should be a PenFed member to use for the Pathfinder Rewards Card, however you’ll be able to grow to be a member by opening a financial savings account with PenFed and depositing not less than $5.
Associated: Money again vs. journey rewards: How to decide on a bank card
Backside line
Airport lounge entry is a luxurious perk, however you do not essentially should pay luxurious annual payment costs to get it. With any of those playing cards, you’ll get pleasure from a reprieve throughout your subsequent lengthy layover for a a lot decrease price than what is often related to lounge entry.
Simply be warned — a style of the great life with considered one of these playing cards may persuade you to splurge for a extra premium journey rewards bank card in any case.
Associated: How to decide on a bank card for airport lounge entry
