The Ritz-Carlton™ Credit Card will lose unlimited airport lounge guest access starting January 15, 2026, replacing it with a capped guest policy and added fees.

A long-standing lounge benefit tied to the Ritz-Carlton™ Credit Card is officially coming to an end. Beginning January 15, 2026, cardholders and authorized users will no longer be able to bring unlimited guests into airport lounges at no additional cost.

 

What’s Changing

Under the current policy, Ritz-Carlton™ cardmembers and their authorized users may bring an unlimited number of guests into participating lounges at no charge, subject to lounge capacity.

Once the new policy takes effect on January 15, 2026, cardmembers and authorized users may enter Chase Sapphire Lounges by The Club and Priority Pass lounges with up to two complimentary guests each. Any additional guests beyond that will incur a $27 fee per person, per visit.

While the card will continue to include lounge access, the days of unlimited guests are officially numbered.

For solo travelers, this update may barely register. But for families and group travelers, the change introduces new costs and ultimately some decisions to be made around how and when to use lounge access.

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.

 

Why This Benefit Mattered So Much

Unlimited guest access was highly functional. It allowed cardholders to bring everyone traveling with them into the lounge without counting heads, tracking guest allowances, or weighing whether it was “worth it” on a given trip.

For families, that often meant:

• Meals before flights without paying inflated airport prices
• Seating together instead of splitting up at the gate
• A calmer space for longer layovers

Once guest access is capped, lounge visits become more transactional. Cardholders traveling with more than two companions now have to decide whether to pay extra or skip the lounge entirely.

At $27 per additional guest, those costs can add up quickly, especially for larger families.

 

Why This Change Isn’t Unexpected

Airport lounges have become increasingly crowded over the past several years as access expanded through premium credit cards, elite status, and paid memberships. In response, issuers and lounge networks have steadily tightened the rules.

Common adjustments across the industry have included:

• Limiting the number of complimentary guests
• Charging per-guest fees
• Capping annual lounge visits

The Ritz-Carlton™ Credit Card had largely avoided those restrictions, which made it stand out—particularly among travelers who valued flexibility. This update brings the card more in line with the direction lounge access has been heading overall.

 

What Ritz-Carlton™ Credit Cardholders Should Do Now

Another option is to compare the Ritz-Carlton™ Credit Card with other premium travel credit cards that include lounge access. While most cards now follow similar guest policies—typically allowing one or two complimentary guests before charging a fee—the differences will show up in other ways.

Depending on how you travel, other credit cards may offer stronger value through features like broader lounge networks, easier-to-use travel credits, built-in statement credits that help offset the annual fee, or points currencies that are more flexible or valuable for redemptions. Some cards also place more emphasis on everyday earning rates or rewards that can be used beyond travel.

Because unlimited guest access is increasingly rare across the industry, it may make more sense to evaluate cards based on how well they fit your overall travel and spending habits, rather than focusing solely on lounge access.

 

Read more. Credit Cards Guide