The Best Airport Lounge Network of 2026
Capital One Lounges rank first for airport luxury in 2026.
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Updated · 4 min read
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For the first time, NerdWallet has ranked airport lounge networks in the U.S. Our pick for the best lounge network in 2026 is Capital One Lounges, which pulled ahead of the competition with its top-tier food, creative cocktails and modern design — plus easy access through eligible credit cards.
Five members of NerdWallet’s travel team, who have visited roughly 300 lounges combined, rated seven major lounge networks. Ratings were based on factors including accessibility, design, food quality, amenities, crowd management and overall value.
The results reveal most traditional airline clubs are struggling to compete with the design-forward lounges tied to big banks. The exception is Delta Sky Clubs, which scored just below American Express and well above other airline lounges.
On this page
The rankings
Here were the seven lounge networks we analyzed, and their final scores:
1. Capital One Lounges
The food is fancy: At a Capital One Lounge, the food is generally served as small plates featuring high-quality ingredients often unique to the location. The dishes change frequently, but we’ve documented elote in Dallas, caviar in Las Vegas and ground bison sloppy joes in Denver.
Some lounges have unique food offerings, like the cheese-tasting experience with a cheesemonger in the lounge at New York-John F. Kennedy International Airport.
Almost all Capital One Lounges also have a to-go food and beverage station near the exit. While employees at other airport lounges might scold you for pilfering a couple of cookies for the road, Capital One Lounges encourage you to take food to-go. There are refrigerators stocked with prepackaged salad, sandwiches and wraps for the road and employees will sometimes even hand you paper bags to fill with snacks.
Drinks are creative: Much like the food, the signature cocktails feature local spirits and fresh ingredients, often served in fun glassware to match. Take the “Bee’s Knees” at the Capital One Lounge at Washington’s Dulles International Airport, a gin-based drink with lemon and honey served in a bee-shaped cocktail glass.
Cocktails, along with other drinks like beer, wine, coffee and soda, are complimentary in that lounge. There are a few upcharge options for premium spirits.
The design is modern: Capital One Lounges are bright and airy, with clean lines inspired by Scandinavian minimalism. Varied seating options include semi-private nooks for calls, communal high-tops for quick bites and plush lounge chairs to relax in. It’s all a sharp contrast from many of the older, airline-operated lounges that more frequently resemble hotel conference rooms from the 90s.
You can join the waitlist from your phone: Few airport lounges are immune to overcrowding, but Capital One Lounges are rare in that they offer the ability to join a virtual queue at any time from the Capital One mobile app. Planners can get in early enough that their position in the front of the line might materialize immediately upon exiting airport security. Everyone else at least won’t be mobbing the front desk with a long queue.
The credit cards with Capital One Lounge access have lower annual fees than similar cards: Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card ($395 annual fee) and Capital One Venture X Business ($395 annual fee) primary cardholders receive complimentary access to all Capital One Lounge locations worldwide (as well as participating Priority Pass lounges). That’s one of the lowest annual fees in the premium travel card space, and it’s one of the easiest annual fees to justify.
The drawback: The lounge network has room to grow. There are currently only about a half-dozen of these lounges in the U.S., as of January 2026, compared to more than two dozen Centurion Lounge locations worldwide.
2. Chase Sapphire Lounges by The Club
Chase Sapphire Lounges by The Club earned a strong 4.3 in the analysis, held back primarily by their limited network (seven locations currently open) and the relatively small square footage of its existing lounges in many locations, such as the Las Vegas Chase lounge and the Phoenix Chase Lounge. Where they exist (and assuming you can get off the waitlist), they deliver.
The design of the lounges is trendy, and food is restaurant quality because Chase typically partners with popular nearby restaurants.
Take the Las Vegas Chase Lounge. The buffet on the ground floor comes from acclaimed restaurant group Momofuku, serving dishes such as Momofuku's signature pork bun.
Though some Chase Sapphire Lounges are massive (the 21,850-square-foot Chase Sapphire Lounge LaGuardia with its arcade and photo booth is a tourist attraction on its own), smaller lounges can have long waits and inevitably grumpy cardholders who never got in.
3. AmEx Centurion Lounges
The Centurion Lounge network’s score of 4.0 is still top tier, but it no longer lives up to its early reputation as an exclusive, premium experience.
It’s largely because the designs are starting to feel dated. While the newest locations still evoke the "wow" factor (like the indoor and outdoor fireplaces, high ceilings with skylights and coffee bar at the Salt Lake City International Airport lounge), older outposts show their wear.
Though some NerdWallet writers gave strong ratings to the salad bar and buffet options at Centurion Lounges, most found that the dining options fell short of offerings from competing lounge networks.
Still, the Centurion Lounge's comparatively large footprint makes it a strong option for many travelers. Since restricting guest access in 2023, overcrowding is less of an issue. And the custom cocktails unique to each lounge location are also first rate.
4. Delta Sky Clubs
Delta Sky Clubs earned a 3.9, making them the highest-scoring airline lounge network and a notable bright spot.
Delta scored higher than the other airline-operated lounge networks for its roster of impressive renovations and continued addition of new clubs.
Take, for example, Salt Lake City, which has two Delta Sky Clubs. The older one is a single large room, mostly beige. The new Salt Lake City Delta Sky Club has an elegant, nature-inspired design, with elements like hanging light fixtures that resemble crystals, long wood conference tables and a fireplace.
This stark contrast between old and new illustrates both Delta's potential and its current inconsistency problem. When Delta renovates a Sky Club, the results are impressive. The problem is that many locations haven't been touched yet, leaving travelers with a coin-flip experience depending on which airport they're passing through.
Where Delta Sky Clubs excel is access. With dozens of locations across Delta's extensive network, you're more likely to have a Sky Club available at your departure airport than any credit card issuer lounge. For frequent Delta flyers, that accessibility can outweigh the lower-tier amenities.
» Learn more: Which credit cards get me into the Delta Sky Club?
Other options we looked at
United Clubs and Admirals Club
The other two airline-branded clubs we reviewed — United Club (2.8) and American Airlines’ Admirals Club (2.7) — scored among the lowest in our rankings. In general, these lounges scored lower because of their inconsistency. The new ones have more modern designs, but the older ones don’t uphold the same standards. It’s hard to know what to expect unless you’re looking up the specific lounges before arriving at the airport.
Priority Pass
Priority Pass scored just 2.0 because the experience varies even more than it does at airline-branded lounges. Some might offer a full meal and custom cocktails, while others might offer little more than an apple and a cube of cheese with some stale coffee.
Because Priority Pass is a benefit of several travel credit cards, overcrowding is also an issue. Many participating lounges restrict access at peak hours, so you may never get in anyway.
Methodology: Best airport lounges
How we picked the lounges to evaluate
Travel experts with NerdWallet reviewed the details and offerings from the largest credit card and airline lounge networks in the U.S., including: Capital One Lounges, American Express Centurion Lounges, Chase Sapphire Lounges, Priority Pass Lounges, American Airlines Admirals Club, American Airlines Flagship, United Club, United Polaris, Delta One and Delta Sky Club. Some lounges are managed by card issuers that are NerdWallet partners; this did not affect our analysis or ratings.
How we chose the winner
When choosing our winner for the best airport lounge network, we considered the following factors:
- Cost and ease of access.
- The number of domestic lounges in each network.
- Guest access policies.
- Lounge offerings, including food, beverages, quiet spaces and showers.
How we verified our data
Information about lounges was verified on the lounge networks’ websites.
To view rates and fees of the Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card, see this page.
To view rates and fees of the American Express Platinum Card®, see this page.
How to maximize your rewards
You want a travel credit card that prioritizes what’s important to you. Here are some of the best travel credit cards of 2026:
- Flexibility, point transfers and a large bonus: Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card
- No annual fee: Wells Fargo Autograph® Card
- Flat-rate travel rewards: Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card
- Bonus travel rewards and high-end perks: Chase Sapphire Reserve®
- Luxury perks: American Express Platinum Card®
- Business travelers: Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card
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