There’s nothing fairly like airport lounge entry. With the correct 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 whilst you wait in your flight.
However usually, that entry is reserved for these with essentially the most premium playing cards, like The Platinum Card® from American Categorical. If you happen to’re retaining your annual payment prices low, you could have accepted your destiny to attend out your layover at whichever eatery is closest to your gate.
Nevertheless, there are a number of methods to attain airport lounge entry with out paying a excessive annual payment.
Listed here 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
Turn out to be a licensed consumer
Earlier than you apply for a brand new bank card, take into account 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.
Approved customers can usually get pleasure from the identical lounge entry as the first cardholder and will be added comparatively cheaply. If you happen to can swing it, this provides you with the largest bang in your buck.
If a buddy or member of the family has a Chase Sapphire Reserve® (see charges and costs), as an example, they will 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 Go 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 affords the first cardholder.
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Associated: The 7 bank cards with the best worth for approved 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 beneath have extra restricted lounge entry than their premium counterparts, they will get you thru a lounge door at a fraction of the fee.
U.S. Financial institution Altitude Join Visa Signature Card
The U.S. Financial institution Altitude® Join Visa Signature® Card has no annual payment and comes with 4 Precedence Go visits annually. If you happen to’re an rare traveler or solely cross by airports with Precedence Go lounges a couple of occasions a yr, this card is a wonderful choice.
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 pair of factors per greenback spent on eating, streaming companies and grocery retailer purchases.
Cardholders additionally obtain a press release 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, take a look at our full evaluation 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 costs) to get pleasure from entry to the United Membership community.
Each the United℠ Explorer Card (see charges and costs) and the United℠ Enterprise Card (see charges and costs) 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 approved consumer).
Each playing cards additionally provide United perks akin to bonus miles on United purchases, a free checked bag and a quick observe to incomes elite standing, in addition to priceless 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, take a look at our full opinions 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
Although 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 might 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. If you happen to can maximize that, your out of pocket price is simply $95 — a cut price, on condition that it comes with limitless entry to Precedence Go and Capital One lounges.
As a cardholder, you may earn bonus factors on journey booked by Capital One Journey and a pair of miles per greenback spent on all different purchases. You may additionally get pleasure from priceless 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 primary cardholder. Approved customers (you’ll be able to add as much as 4 for no extra 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, take a look at our full evaluation of the Enterprise X and Enterprise X Enterprise.
Study extra: Capital One Enterprise
Study 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 affords some lounge entry with a decrease $395 annual payment. Whereas this payment could also be steep, the perks supplied by the cardboard can assist 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 affords perks like precedence boarding and a free checked bag when flying on Alaska and Hawaiian Airways.
Plus, you may additionally obtain an annual world companion award, earn bonus factors on Alaska and Hawaiian Airways purchases and on worldwide transactions and obtain an software payment credit score for World Entry or TSA PreCheck.
For extra particulars, take a look at our full evaluation 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 underneath the radar. However should you’re searching for moderately 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 Go entry for the cardholder and one visitor. It is essential to notice that cardholders must pay a $35 lounge entry payment for every particular person, 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 affords a $100 airline incidental credit score, which can be utilized to cowl lounge passes, and earns bonus rewards on journey purchases and comes with a press release credit score to cowl your World Entry or TSA PreCheck.
You have to 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 at the least $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 must pay luxurious annual payment costs to get it. With any of those playing cards, you can 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 nice life with one in every of these playing cards would possibly persuade you to splurge for a extra premium journey rewards bank card in spite of everything.
Associated: How to decide on a bank card for airport lounge entry
