Credit cards with free airport lounge access

A credit card with an airport lounge pass offers complimentary access to exclusive waiting rooms at the airport. This means you can relax in style and comfort before your eligible flights, with popular airport lounge features including Wi-Fi, food and beverages, premium seating and even beds and showers in some locations.

Most cards that offer complimentary airport lounge access provide a limited number of passes for each year you have the card, and a few provide lounge passes as an introductory benefit. Depending on the card and the type of lounge pass available, you may be able to invite a guest or provide access to a supplementary cardholder. Often you will have to meet specific requirements to access this feature, such as spending a certain amount, keeping your account in good standing or requesting the passes directly through your card provider.

To get the most value from your credit card with free airport lounge access, you will need to compare the features of each option including:

• Annual fee. Credit cards with complimentary lounge passes are usually platinum or frequent flyer cards with a hefty annual fee. While most rewards cards have an annual fee below £100, for a high-end card the fee can potentially cost you hundreds of pounds each year. Make sure the extra features including the lounge passes, frequent flyer programme and complimentary insurance can justify this cost. You may get lucky and find one that waives the fee for the first year, making it more enticing.
• Rates. Depending on the way you plan to use the credit card, interest rates can make a big difference in the card’s value. The purchase rate, cash advance rate and balance transfer rate may all differ in one card, so you will need a good idea of how you plan to use it before you start making comparisons. For example, if you are using it to earn points towards flights but don’t plan on carrying a balance, look for low purchase rates with extended interest-free days.
• The number of lounges you can access. This feature is dependent on the airline and network that the card is working with. An American Express customer with a platinum card, for example, could have access to around 1,200 airport lounges worldwide across 130 countries, and more than 20 in London alone.
• The rewards programme or airline provider. Many of the credit cards with airport lounge access are a part of a rewards programme that could be tied to a specific airline. If you favour one airline over another, this is definitely worth considering. Another thing to look for is whether or not your exclusive lounge access is contingent on the number of points you have earned.
• Lounge perks. Airport lounges use various perks to please their first-class passengers and frequent flyers. This could be as elaborate as massage tables in a garden-like setting – like those in some Qantas First Lounges, or the Wi-Fi access, showers and free wine that is available in Virgin lounges. The credit card you choose will determine the perks you are entitled to when waiting on flights.
• Other benefits. See what else the card is offering outside of the complimentary access to airport lounges. You could find some that have money-saving balance transfer offers if you are carrying a lot of debt, or bonus rewards like loyalty points or air miles.

You don’t necessarily need a credit card to get into a comfy lounge. Many lounges offer access for a flat fee. It’s not a cheap way to do it, but on the other hand it’s easy to rack up expenses over a two- to three-hour wait in departures.

Priority Pass is a scheme that’s open to anybody, and doesn’t depend on your credit card or who you’re flying with. Members simply pay an annual fee to be part of the scheme. If you’re a regular or semi-regular traveller, it’s not a bad idea.

As a member, you can access lounges run by independent operators like Club Aspire Lounge and No1 Lounge, as well as some individual airline lounges. Overall it offers access to more than 1,300 lounges spread across 600 cities in 148 countries. Within the UK, there are 46 lounges in 28 airports across 23 cities – 8 at Heathrow and 3 at Gatwick.

Airport lounge access is just one small part of an entire credit card package. As well as taking into consideration the level of lounge access each card is offering, don’t forget about comparing that information against the other features and benefits that the credit card comes with.