There’s nothing fairly like airport lounge entry. With the best bank card, you possibly can escape from the overall airport stress to a separate area to work, loosen up and revel in complimentary refreshments when you wait to your flight.
However usually, that entry is reserved for these with essentially the most premium playing cards, like The Platinum Card® from American Specific. When you’re preserving your annual payment prices low, you might 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: Greatest bank cards for lounge entry
Turn into a licensed consumer
Earlier than you apply for a brand new bank card, think about whether or not a liked one already has a card with lounge entry and is prepared so as to add you as a licensed consumer.
Approved customers can typically get pleasure from the identical lounge entry as the first cardholder and might be added comparatively cheaply. When you can swing it, this provides you with the largest bang to your buck.
If a pal or member of the family has a Chase Sapphire Reserve® (see charges and charges), as an example, they will add you as a licensed consumer for simply $195 per yr. As a licensed consumer, you will 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 understand that, as a licensed consumer, you will not earn your individual factors or get pleasure from another advantages the cardboard presents 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 liked one who can (or is prepared 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 will get you thru a lounge door at a fraction of the associated fee.
U.S. Financial institution Altitude Join Visa Signature Card
The data 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 offered by the cardboard issuer.
With Altitude Join, you will 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 International Entry or TSA PreCheck — a wonderful perk for a card with no annual payment.
For extra particulars, try our full overview of the U.S. Financial institution Altitude Join.
Associated: Greatest 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 akin to bonus miles on United purchases, a free checked bag and a quick observe to incomes elite standing, in addition to helpful journey protections.
With the United Enterprise Card, you will 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 will earn bonus miles on eating and obtain a credit score for International Entry, TSA PreCheck or Nexus.
For extra particulars, try 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
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 value contemplating for lounge entry on a finances. Though their $395 annual payment might initially appear steep, it is nonetheless a lot decrease than their premium opponents.
Plus, the playing cards additionally include a $300 annual credit score for Capital One Journey. When you can maximize that, your out of pocket price is simply $95 — a discount, provided that it comes with limitless entry to Precedence Cross and Capital One lounges.
As a cardholder, you will earn bonus factors on journey booked by Capital One Journey and a couple of miles per greenback spent on all different purchases. You will additionally get pleasure from helpful perks like bonus miles every account anniversary and a credit score for International Entry or TSA PreCheck.
Plus, with the Enterprise X, lounge entry is not only for the primary cardholder. Approved customers (you possibly can 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 company every till Feb. 1, 2026.
For extra particulars, try our full overview 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 presents some lounge entry with a decrease $395 annual payment. Whereas this payment could also be steep, the perks offered 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 possibly can share these passes with family and friends. Moreover, this card presents perks like precedence boarding and a free checked bag when flying on Alaska and Hawaiian Airways.
Plus, you will additionally obtain an annual international companion award, earn bonus factors on Alaska and Hawaiian Airways purchases and on worldwide transactions and obtain an software payment credit score for International Entry or TSA PreCheck.
For extra particulars, try our full overview of the Atmos Rewards Summit.
Apply right here: Atmos Rewards Summit Visa Infinite Credit score Card
Associated: Is that this new area one of the best 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 if you happen to’re searching for moderately priced airport lounge entry, it is undoubtedly value 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 need to pay a $35 lounge entry payment for every individual, every lounge go to.
The data 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 offered by the cardboard issuer.
The cardboard additionally presents 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 International Entry or TSA PreCheck.
You should be a PenFed member to use for the Pathfinder Rewards Card, however you possibly can turn into a member by opening a financial savings account with PenFed and depositing at the very 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 need to 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 usually related to lounge entry.
Simply be warned — a style of the nice life with certainly one of these playing cards would possibly 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
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