January 27, 2026
How to Get Airport Lounge Access
Pam
Airport lounge access is one of my favorite travel benefits, and I get it with some of my credit cards. I usually try to arrive at the airport earlier than I normally would when I fly so I can visit a lounge, have a small meal, and unwind a little. It is such a nice perk! Time flies in an airport lounge when you have a layover between flights. A few times, I have even showered during a layover. It makes all the difference in how I feel when I arrive at my final destination. It’s hard to believe I traveled for so many years and never knew that “normal” people could enter an airport lounge!
The airport lounges I use most when traveling domestically are the Capital One Lounge and the American Express® Centurion® Lounges. My home airport, Denver International, has great airport lounges!
If you are traveling in business or first class on long-haul international flights, airport lounge access is included with your ticket. But having certain credit cards also gives you access to airport lounges, even when you’re traveling in economy class! Here’s an orientation to some of the lounges we love visiting and how you can get access to them, too.
Capital One Lounges
These are some of our favorite lounges, and their food is delicious and served in convenient pre-plated individual portions. You can get access to Capital One Lounges with the following cards:
Capital One Lounges are a great choice, as you can enter and enjoy good food, beverages, and a comfy seat instead of waiting in a busy terminal and paying for food and drinks. Sadly, bringing in guests with you for no extra charge will no longer be permitted after February 1, 2026.
Our favorite Capital One Lounge!
American Express® Centurion® Lounges
The other airport lounges I use quite often are the American Express® Centurion® Lounges. I get so excited when I travel to an airport with a Centurion Lounge and can visit one!
There are lounges in Atlanta, Buenos Aires, Charlotte, Dallas, Delhi, Denver (read my review here), Hong Kong, Houston (IAH), Las Vegas, London (LHR), Los Angeles, Melbourne, Mexico City, Miami, Monterrey, Mumbai, New York (JFK and LGA), Phoenix, Philadelphia, San Francisco, São Paulo, Salt Lake City, Seattle, Stockholm, Sydney, Tokyo (Haneda), and Washington, D.C. (DCA). And more lounges are opening all the time—two of the lounges in development include Newark and Amsterdam.
You can access these lounges with the card_name, and this is a huge reason why this card will always be in my wallet. Unfortunately, guests are not included for free unless you spend an exorbitant amount ($75,000) on your card in a calendar year. You can pay to allow a guest to come into the lounge with you, though. Adding a person as an authorized user on your card will enable that person to come in with you (authorized-user fee: $195/year). Or if you want to pay for a guest only for specific visits, you can pay $50 per adult or $30 per child each time you visit the lounge. card_name also gives the same access to these lounges and has the same rules for entry.
Enrollment required for select benefits. Terms apply.
The Centurion® Lounge in Denver has welcomed me many times.
Priority Pass Lounges
Priority Pass Lounges can be found in many airports. There are over 1,800 lounges in more than 600 cities across 146 countries. Sometimes, there are multiple Priority Pass lounges in a single airport. I usually look up their locations in any airport I am traveling through and read reviews to decide which is the best one to go to. With Priority Pass, you can access the lounges for yourself and two guests. It is always fun to share a lounge pass with someone because they are so impressed that I can get them in for free!
Because many other lounges do not allow guests for free and Priority Pass lounges allow up to two guests, these lounges are some of the best options for families. Don’t expect a lot of charm at some of the domestic locations, but being able to pop in for free and grab a beverage and snack is still nice.
My sister, friend, and I visited the Priority Pass Lounge in Puerto Vallarta on a trip together. We enjoyed sandwiches, chips, cookies, and sodas before flying home. Having a nice breakfast, lunch, or dinner every time I travel makes the annual fee much less daunting! I think the Priority Pass lounges you find in foreign countries are usually better than the domestic ones.
It was nice to visit the Priority Pass lounge in Puerto Vallarta instead of sitting in a crowded terminal!
Cards that come with Priority Pass access include:
Enrollment required for select benefits. Terms apply.
Priority Pass Lounge in Bangkok, Thailand. Airport lounge access is a game-changer!
Chase Sapphire Lounges
The card_name and the Ritz-Carlton™ Credit Card get you unlimited access to Sapphire Lounges. You can also bring in two guests. As of January 2026, only seven lounges are open, with more planned or opening soon. If you have a different card that provides Priority Pass access, you can access a Sapphire Lounge once a year (but no free guests). Here is my review of the Sapphire Lounge in Boston.
Chase Sapphire Lounge in Boston. Photo from Chase.
All information about the Ritz-Carlton™ Credit Card has been collected independently by Points Talk Squad. The Ritz-Carlton™ Credit Card is no longer available through Points Talk Squad. It is only available as a product change.
Delta Sky Club® Lounge
With the card_name or card_name, you can enjoy the amenities of a Delta Sky Club® Lounge up to ten times a year when you are traveling on a Delta flight. You can’t bring in a guest for free, but you can buy them a pass at a reduced rate. You can also access Delta Sky Clubs® with the card_name or the card_name (up to 15 visits a year). Again, you need to be flying Delta Airlines that day. Guests will need to pay $50 to join you.
Enrollment required for select benefits. Terms apply.
There are over fifty Delta Sky Club® Lounges. I particularly enjoy the ones in Salt Lake City, Boston, and JFK. Many food options include items particular to the lounges’ locations. Boston has my favorite Delta lounge, which is complete with gorgeous art and architecture!
Having the right credit card will let you access the SLC Delta Sky Club®.
United Club Lounge
Another lovely lounge to hang out in is the United Club Lounge. Having the card_name in your wallet gives you two free lounge passes each year you hold the card. This allows you to use the lounge if traveling on a United flight. If you have the card_name, you get a United Club membership and can bring up to two guests.
United Club Lounge Heathrow Airport, London
Bottom Line
If you travel often, having a card that gives you access to airport lounges is a game-changer! My husband laughs and says that I enjoy airports too much. He thinks I am crazy, but I go to airports early just for the lounges. Yes, I am addicted to my lounges! Having an hour of quiet and a nice snack is part of my preflight routine. Airport lounges have entirely changed my flying experience.
Opinions, reviews, analyses, and recommendations are the author’s alone and have not been reviewed, endorsed, or approved by any of these entities. Terms apply.
Related Posts
All About Priority Pass Lounge Access
If Only I Could Go Into an Airport Lounge
Review of the Chase Sapphire Lounge in Boston
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Citi Strata Elite comes with Priority Pass too.
Thanks for the reminder, Carrie. I added it!
I’m a little confused on the Cap One V X new rules. I did hit $75k on my Venture X, so I know I get to bring a guest in free, but what about my AU’s Priority Pass access. Do they lose that also?
You would need to pay for AU access now. $125/year to get access.