Many travel rewards credit cards offer this benefit to their cardmembers in addition to an abundance of other travel-related perks and rewards. Some airline credit cards also provide access to their airport lounges among other benefits. Most cards that provide airport lounge access have an annual fee. You may be able to get access as a perk of the credit card itself or after you participate in an airline’s loyalty program. Do your research to find out if the airports you visit most often have Priority Pass lounges onsite. If you find that a travel rewards credit card could be advantageous to your current lifestyle and spending habits, you could apply for one that offers Priority Pass membership as a complimentary perk.
For example, the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card has a $395 annual fee (cheaper than the $429 that Priority Pass charges for its Prestige membership). This could be a great option for lounge access since the card also comes with access to Capital One lounges and 100 plus Plaza Premium lounges. If you’re looking for extensive lounge options, the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card is a winner. Priority Pass is the world’s leading airport lounge access program. It offers quiet, connected spaces to relax in or work, no matter your destination or airline.
As of this writing, it boasts 1,300 eligible locations in more than 600 airports in over 150 countries. If you’re an avid traveler, you’ve probably spent time in an airport lounge. With complimentary food, beverages and other amenities, access to these lounges can enhance almost any airport experience. At Bankrate we strive to help you make smarter financial decisions.
In general, the Priority Pass membership plans are suited to travelers based on the amount of travel they do. Understand the debt-to-income ratio and its significance in personal finance. Learn how to calculate your debt-to-income ratio and why lenders use it. According to travel expert Gwen Merz of the Fiery Millennials website, the Priority Pass Select membership can occasionally have drawbacks.
What are credit card cash back rewards?
For most travelers, especially those who fly more than a few times a year, it’s more economical to invest in a Priority Pass membership for airport lounge access. There are many travel cards that include access to Priority Pass Select membership as one of their benefits. This is a solid way to gain entry into these lounges, especially if you’re already paying the card’s annual fee. This membership is for the occasional traveler and costs $99 per year.
- The information related to Citi Prestige® Card has been collected by NerdWallet and has not been reviewed or provided by the issuer or provider of this product or service.
- If you plan on visiting a lounge at least 10 times a year, you may save money with the Standard Plus level.
- Chase isn’t responsible for (and doesn’t provide) any products, services or content at this third-party site or app, except for products and services that explicitly carry the Chase name.
- If you have a Chase Sapphire Reserve credit card, you can activate a complimentary Priority Pass Select membership.
- This influences which products we write about and where and how the product appears on a page.
- Check specific details of your membership, because the guest policies vary from card to card.
See all our rewards credit cards and choose one that’s right for you. The Chase Sapphire Reserve card offers complimentary Priority Pass membership, while Chase Sapphire Preferred® does not. Both are popular credit cards that feature travel benefits and perks. Priority Pass also has some less-conventional airport options. Paul Airport (MSP) offers free access to a putting green, along with golf lessons and a golf simulator available for a fee. This lounge also offers a $15 credit that can be applied toward food and drinks or to a golf experience.
How to maximize your rewards
While we adhere to strict
editorial integrity,
this post may contain references to products from our partners. The content on this page is accurate as of the posting date; however, some of the offers mentioned may have expired. Any opinions, analyses, reviews or recommendations expressed in this article are those of the author’s alone, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any card issuer. One of the most popular and easily accessible airport lounge networks is Priority Pass™. Priority Pass is a global collection of independently owned airport lounges.
- “The best lounges offer full-course meals, premium drinks, showers and even massages,” he says.
- Some cards offer unlimited lounge visits, while others come with a set amount of complimentary entries.
- It may not be worth paying for individual passes, especially if you bring a guest or travel with your family.
- A relative newcomer to the travel credit card space, the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card offers many benefits you’d see with higher-end travel cards.
- Remember that this location has the same limitations applied to other non-lounge visits mentioned above.
Although you may already have a Priority Pass card in your wallet, it’s sometimes unclear what that means and what’s included in your membership. It’s also worth noting that Priority Pass membership isn’t automatic; if you have a credit card that offers membership, you still need to enroll to activate your membership benefits. If you’re a frequent traveler who is ready to find some respite from the chaos of airport terminals, there is a way to get complimentary access to Priority Pass lounges.
What is Priority Pass and how do I get lounge access?
You can get airport lounge access with a credit card, and the cards that offer this perk often have an annual fee. If you have a Chase Sapphire Reserve credit card, you can activate a complimentary Priority Pass Select membership. This will give you and up to 2 guests access to the airport lounges in the Priority Pass network. The membership is not included with the Chase Sapphire Preferred credit card, a travel credit card with other valuable benefits you could enjoy. Many of the top rewards credit cards offer access to the Priority Pass, a network of airport lounges around the world.
There are a few things you can do to get access to an airport lounge, even during periods of higher demand. For example, if a lounge is overcrowded, then you can opt for an eligible restaurant or even another lounge in another terminal. If you have a long layover or wait before your flight, it could be worth it to venture into another terminal to make the most of your Priority Pass access. As an increasingly popular travel luxury, getting access to airport lounges is like getting past the velvet rope at your favorite night club. Priority Pass membership is not a benefit of the Chase Sapphire Preferred card. However, this shouldn’t prevent you from exploring Priority Pass memberships, which begin at $99.
Using a credit card to get free Priority Pass
Airport lounges are the best places to pass the time before flights, as they typically offer quieter, more comfortable seating areas, free food and drink, and less-crowded bathrooms. If you don’t have access to airline or credit card lounges, you might want to investigate Priority Pass, a service that provides access to more than 1,300 lounges worldwide. Even better, it’s a perk included with many top-tier travel credit cards, so you might not even have to pay for it. The Chase Sapphire Reserve® is one of the most popular travel credit cards around, and it happens to offer Priority Pass Select membership.
So while the network is large, there’s no guarantee you’ll have an access lounge on every single trip you take. However, there’s a good chance Priority Pass can help you on many of your trips. While there are more locations overseas than in the United States, there are still lounges in 41 airports in the U.S. Over 60 lounges have joined the programme across Asia Pacific, Africa, Europe, North America and the Middle East. In Punta Cana, one lounge has an outdoor plunge pool overlooking the planes.
On top of that, there may be time limits for how long you can stay in a lounge; these often range from three to five hours. Once you’ve enrolled, log in to your account through the Priority Pass website or mobile app. Here, you can search for the airport of your choice to explore available lounges. Airport lounge access is an excellent way to make your travels more pleasant, especially when you might be facing extended layovers or an international trip with multiple legs. Depending on the Priority Pass membership (covered more in depth below), you may be able to bring guests into lounges. Guests that aren’t covered need to pay the prevailing rate to enter the lounge.
Another way to get Priority Pass access is through a card that offers a Priority Pass Select membership. Some cards that offer membership as a perk include Chase Sapphire Reserve® and Platinum Card® from American Express. Wouldn’t it be great to find a nice quiet place with free drinks, snacks and an abundance of electrical outlets while flying through crowded airports? For a fee (or even free with the right credit card), you can whisk yourself away to a hidden oasis among the noise while traveling through bustling airports. We think it’s important for you to understand how we make money.
The Priority Pass restaurant perk works well for families and groups, such as when a former TPG employee enjoyed $53 worth of food and booze in Sydney thanks to Priority Pass. The facilities in the Priority Pass network vary by owner and location. Some lounges, like The Club at ATL in Atlanta, are independent facilities while others are affiliated with airlines. Both the Lufthansa Business Lounge at DTW and the Air France Lounge at BOS are some examples of this. Some have open bars, like the Lignum Club in the Bahamas, while others may have a more limited selection.
All about Venture X
Cash back rewards are bonuses provided to customers when they use their cards to make purchases. Once you have a card that includes a Priority Pass Select membership, you’ve made great progress toward your next lounge visit, but there are some things to keep in mind. When you’re traveling internationally, you may find lounges in small to midsize airports such as Liberia, Costa Rica (LIR) or Entebbe, Uganda (EBB) — there’s even a lounge with a pool in Punta Cana (PUJ). Priority Pass also has partnerships with airport spas for free or discounted services, as well as Minute Suites for some peace and quiet. You can read all the fine print about these services, from what treatments are available to the hours of operation, in the Priority Pass app.
Another benefit of the Priority Pass includes restaurant vouchers. You can skip the lounge and go to one of 30+ participating restaurants with a voucher for around $28 to $30. Your guest can also have a voucher if they are included in your membership. You can gain entry into an airport lounge by purchasing a one-time pass or a Priority Pass membership.
Currently, the 80,000-point welcome (after you spend $6,000 on purchases in the first six months), worth $800, could be stretched to $1,680 if strategically redeemed with Amex travel partners. That’s because American Express Membership Rewards points are worth up to 2.1 cents apiece toward high-value transfer partner travel, according to Bankrate valuations. Demand for lounge access varies by country, airport, type of lounge, time of day and whether or not you are traveling during a peak season.
Guests and children often are allowed, but you’ll want to check the rules of your desired lounge location and your Priority Pass membership to be sure of your inclusions. After all, haven’t you ever wondered what was in those nondescript hole-in-the-wall lounges? But before you go charging in, there are a few things you should know about how to get a Priority Pass membership and ways to help get the most out of it. The information related to Citi Prestige® Card has been collected by NerdWallet and has not been reviewed or provided by the issuer or provider of this product or service. Earn 75,000 bonus miles and other exclusive perks with the Venture X card. We’re transparent about how we are able to bring quality content, competitive rates, and useful tools to you by explaining how we make money.
Sign in to activate a Chase card, view your free credit score, redeem Ultimate Rewards® and more. Opinions expressed here are the author’s alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airline or hotel chain, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities. Finally, Priority Pass provides access to Minute Suites at locations including Atlanta, Charlotte, Dallas-Fort Worth and Philadelphia. The first hour is included with your Priority Pass membership, and additional hours can be rented at a discounted rate of $34. At bars and restaurants, gratuity is not included, so be sure to tip on the bill amount before the credit is applied. Many locations do not allow you to take items to go, so it might not be the best option if you are in a rush.
