Airport lounge access is one of the premium credit card perks that people value most. Back in the day there weren’t many credit cards offering lounge access, but times have changed. In this post I wanted to take a look at the best US-issued credit cards for accessing Priority Pass lounges.
In this post:
What is Priority Pass?
Priority Pass is the world’s largest network of independent airport lounges, with over 1,300 lounges around the world. Priority Pass isn’t directly affiliated with any airline, and a majority of the company’s member lounges are independent, and not run by airlines (though there are exceptions).
In general, there are two ways to get a Priority Pass membership. You can either buy a membership directly, or you can often get a membership through a premium credit card. In the United States, a vast majority of people get a membership through the latter method, as that represents a better value.
Many people may assume that lounge access isn’t attainable, but the reality is that there are several premium credit cards that should cost you very little but offer lounge access.
The best cards for Priority Pass
In this post I wanted to share what I consider to be the best cards for Priority Pass lounge access. I’ll be considering the following factors:
- The card’s annual fee, and how much of that annual fee can easily be recouped
- Whether unlimited Priority Pass lounge visits are included
- The number of guests you can bring into Priority Pass lounges with you (in addition to the member)
- Whether a card offers Priority Pass lounge access for authorized users
- How much it costs to add authorized users to a card
- Whether you receive credits at Priority Pass restaurants or not; I’ll just note upfront that we’ve seen big cuts here over time, and the Amex, Capital One, and Chase cards listed, all don’t include credits at Priority Pass restaurants anymore
With that out of the way, let’s rank the best cards for Priority Pass lounge access. I’ll primarily be mentioning personal cards, but I’ll also mention if there are business versions of the card, and what the restrictions associated with those are.
1. Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card
- Annual fee: $395
- Unlimited Priority Pass visits: Yes
- Number of Priority Pass guests allowed: Two
- Credits at Priority Pass restaurants: No
- Priority Pass lounge access for authorized users: Yes
- Cost to add authorized users: $0 for up to four authorized users
The Capital One Venture X has a $395 annual fee, but that’s easily offset by a $300 annual travel credit plus 10,000 anniversary bonus miles. So I consider the Priority Pass membership on the card to basically cost cardmembers very little (or even nothing).
On top of that, you can add up to four authorized users to the card at no cost, and they all receive a Priority Pass membership as well. That’s incredible, and makes this one of the best cards for families, in my opinion. Outside of Priority Pass, the card also offers access to Capital One Lounges.
Learn more about the Capital One Venture X, apply for the Capital One Venture X.
Note that the business version of the card, the Capital One Venture X Business (review), also offers a Priority Pass membership. Lounge access is the same for the primary cardmember, but the difference is that you can’t add authorized users for free.
2. Chase Sapphire Reserve® Card
- Annual fee: $550
- Unlimited Priority Pass visits: Yes
- Number of Priority Pass guests allowed: Two
- Credits at Priority Pass restaurants: No
- Priority Pass lounge access for authorized users: Yes
- Cost to add authorized users: $75 per person
The Chase Sapphire Reserve has a $550 annual fee, but that’s partly offset by a $300 annual travel credit. On top of that, you can add authorized users for $75 each, and they receive a Priority Pass membership as well. This is a very well rounded card, but not the lowest cost option for getting a Priority Pass membership.
One major advantage of the Chase Sapphire Reserve is that it gets unlimited access to Chase Sapphire Lounges. While these lounges technically belong to Priority Pass, access is restricted for those who don’t have a Chase card, so this is a great benefit.
Learn more about the Chase Sapphire Reserve, apply for the Chase Sapphire Reserve.
3. The Platinum Card® from American Express
- Annual fee: $695 (Rates & Fees)
- Unlimited Priority Pass visits: Yes
- Number of Priority Pass guests allowed: Two
- Credits at Priority Pass restaurants: No
- Priority Pass lounge access for authorized users: Yes
- Cost to add authorized users: $195 per person (Rates & Fees)
While the Amex Platinum has a higher annual fee than some of the other cards, it also offers many valuable perks. The Priority Pass membership (Enrollment required) is only a small part of the card’s overall lounge access perks. Outside of Priority Pass, the card also offers access to Amex Centurion Lounges.
Learn more about the Amex Platinum, apply for the Amex Platinum.
Note that the business version of the card, The Business Platinum Card® from American Express (review), also offers a Priority Pass membership (Enrollment required). While the terms for lounge access are the same, the difference is that it’s more expensive to add authorized users.
4. Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card
- Annual fee: $650 (Rates & Fees)
- Unlimited Priority Pass visits: Yes
- Number of Priority Pass guests allowed: Two
- Credits at Priority Pass restaurants: No
- Priority Pass lounge access for authorized users: No
- Cost to add authorized users: $0 (Rates & Fees)
The Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant is a card worth having for Platinum Elite Bonvoy status, the up to $300 in statement credits per calendar year (up to $25 per month) for eligible purchases at restaurants worldwide, as well as a free night award valid at properties costing up to 85,000 points per night, which combined more than justify the annual fee.
The card also offers a Priority Pass membership with unlimited visits (Enrollment required). The catch is that authorized users don’t get a membership.
Learn more about the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant, apply for the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant.
Cards no longer open to new applicants
I also wanted to briefly cover a couple of cards that are popular for their Priority Pass memberships, but that are no longer open to new applicants.
The Ritz-Carlton Credit Card is issued by Chase, and is extremely compelling. The card has the same lounge access perks as the Chase Sapphire Reserve, except you can add authorized users at no cost. The card is also generally easy to justify, as it has a $450 annual fee, and offers perks like a $300 annual travel credit, and more. It’s possible to upgrade to this card from another Chase Marriott Bonvoy card.
The Citi Prestige Card is also worthwhile, though the catch is that it’s no longer possible to upgrade to this product, so if you don’t have it now, you’re out of luck. The card offers a Priority Pass membership like the above cards, with the key difference being that it still offers credits at Priority Pass restaurants. The card has a $495 annual fee, and offers perks like a $250 annual travel credit.
Is Priority Pass lounge access worth it?
There’s not going to be a one size fits all answer as to whether or not access to Priority Pass airport lounges is worth it. I do have a few things to consider, though:
- Priority Pass lounges generally aren’t going to be amazing, though the quality does vary based on the part of the world you’re in; don’t expect these to be like the world’s best first class lounges
- Expect Priority Pass lounges to often be pretty crowded, especially in the United States; after all, lots of people have lounge access through credit cards
- The value of Priority Pass lounge access depends on how much you fly, how much time you usually spend at the airport before flying, and what Priority Pass lounge options there are at the airports you frequent
- For those who have a Priority Pass restaurant or a good lounge at their home airport, the value of a Priority Pass membership could be huge; just make sure you get a card that offers credits there
- While I’m a frequent flyer, personally I wouldn’t pay the $469 annual fee that Priority Pass charges directly for a membership with unlimited visits; personally I’d say I value a membership at maybe $200 or so, but that’s a conservative valuation
That’s also the beauty of getting a Priority Pass membership through a credit card, as it won’t cost you nearly that much. For most of the above credit cards, I can fully justify the annual fees without even factoring in the value of a Priority Pass membership, so I view the membership as basically being thrown in for free.
For example, take the Capital One Venture X, which I rank as the best card for a Priority Pass membership. While the card does have a $395 annual fee, that should already be offset by the $300 annual travel credit and 10,000 anniversary bonus miles.
Then for mental accounting purposes, I consider all of the other perks to be “free.” And then keep in mind the card doesn’t just offer a Priority Pass membership for the primary cardmember, but also for up to four authorized users, who won’t cost you anything extra.
That’s five Priority Pass memberships for basically nothing, by my math. At that price I’d argue Priority Pass is very much worth it. 😉
Bottom line
Nowadays there are a variety of credit cards that offer a Priority Pass membership, which can be a fantastic way to access airport lounges. The beauty of getting a credit card with Priority Pass lounge access is that in many cases it won’t actually cost you that much.
There are several cards that offer a lounge membership as part of the suite of perks, and if you use the cards correctly, you should easily be able to justify the annual fee without even factoring in Priority Pass. That’s why many of us have multiple Priority Pass memberships (and it can even be hard to tell the cards apart).
Do you have a Priority Pass membership through a credit card? If so, which one?
The following links will direct you to the rates and fees for mentioned American Express Cards. These include: The Platinum Card® from American Express (Rates & Fees), and Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card (Rates & Fees).
yeah... look benny i love you but this article aint good enough sorry
The information you provide in this article is not detailed enough. Chase cards have the advantage that an additional guest is free. Amex cards charge for additional guests. Chase lounges accept Priority Pass regardless of the attached credit card or if it is a purchased membership.
The US Bank Altitude Reserve allows 8 visits per year and access to Priority Pass Restaurants. It works for me.
I've gotten great value out of my Priority Pass from my Citi Prestige to use at restaurants. Does anyone know, for a discontinued product will they eventually phase out a card and close/transfer accounts after a period of time or as long as I don't close the account can I keep it more or less forever?
Ha! One area where using Bill as my first name since 1983 for AmEx has advantages. My Platinum Pp membership says Bill. My Cap1 PP says William. So I can keep track between the two in iWallet
The overcrowded lounges which denies access makes this benefit a lot less useful than 20 years ago. To a point it's almost useless.
Especially if you have alternate airline lounge access, except for Delta.
These days, an empty gate is sometimes better that the chaotic Centurion or SkyClub.
@Ben, what about non-lounge, non-restaurant things, like Minute Suites and Gameway? Which cards still have access to those?
I have a star: the HSBC USA Elite Mastercard. $395 annual fee, unlimited priority pass + 2 guests. Valid at all priority pass locations, including restaurants and bars.
Newbies, ask yourself the following questions. To what extent do you not have access to an airline lounge, Amex lounge, Capital One lounge, or Chase Sapphire lounge so that you need Priority Pass? Is there even a Priority Pass lounge or restaurant in the airports you frequent? Focus on the credit cards that are best for your spending pattern. Then, only add cards with benefits if you can strictly prove they add incremental value (even...
Newbies, ask yourself the following questions. To what extent do you not have access to an airline lounge, Amex lounge, Capital One lounge, or Chase Sapphire lounge so that you need Priority Pass? Is there even a Priority Pass lounge or restaurant in the airports you frequent? Focus on the credit cards that are best for your spending pattern. Then, only add cards with benefits if you can strictly prove they add incremental value (even subjective value). Best of luck.
There are several other Visa Infinite cards not mentioned. City National Bank, UBS, etc. Unfortunately too many people think that the whole credit card universe only includes American Express, Chase, Citibank, and Capital One.
The CNB and UBS cards have inferior reward structures. That being said, US Bank's Altitude Reserve affords eight PP visits per years AND still has the restaurant benefit.
There are a number of credit cards, including the BOA Premier Rewards Elite card, that still offer Priority Pass restaurant access. I would argue that any of these are "better" Priority Pass cards that the four listed above.
Do those cards pay Ben a referral fee?