What Credit Cards Can Get Me Into Priority Pass Lounges?

You could buy your way in, but there are plenty of cards that offer Priority Pass access.
Ramsey Qubein
By Ramsey Qubein 
Updated
Edited by Meghan Coyle

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Credit cards are more than just a means to pay for things. They offer notable benefits that savvy spenders — and travelers — know to review before even applying for a card. One of those popular perks is access to airport lounges.

Some airline co-branded cards provide access to their own lounges, but travelers can get more options with travel cards that come with Priority Pass membership, which grants access to 1,300 lounges worldwide. Of course, this benefit is most valuable for frequent flyers, but Priority Pass lounges can make the airport experience much more enjoyable even if you travel occasionally.

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Priority Pass lounges can look different from airport to airport. Priority Pass lounges usually offer refreshments like snacks, light meals, alcoholic and nonalcoholic drinks, Wi-Fi and comfortable seating. You can pay for Priority Pass membership (an unlimited annual plan costs $429), but you may already have it as a credit card perk.

Here are some of the credit cards with Priority Pass lounge access among the benefits.

An overview of credit cards with Priority Pass

To make it easier to choose which is the best Priority Pass credit card for you, consider this overview.

Card

Annual fee

Number of Priority Pass visits and guest access

Includes Priority Pass restaurant discount

$550.

No set limit of visits for the cardholder and two guests.

Yes.

$695.

No set limit of visits for the cardholder and two guests.

No.

$695.

No set limit of visits for the cardholder and two guests.

No.

$650.

No set limit of visits for the cardholder and two guests.

No.

$550.

No set limit of visits for the cardholder and two guests.*

No.

$150.

10 complimentary visits*; $35 per person for additional visits.

No.

$195.

10 complimentary visits; $35 per person for additional visits.

No.

$0 intro for the first year, then $95.

10 complimentary visits; $35 per person for additional visits.

No.

Enrollment required. Terms apply.

*Existing cardholders who enrolled in Priority Pass on or before Jan. 31, 2023 will no longer have a membership as of Feb. 1, 2024. Cardholders who enroll between Feb. 1, 2023 and Jan. 31, 2024, will continue to have membership through Oct. 31, 2024. Terms apply.

There are nine credit cards with Priority Pass lounge access to choose from. If you're worried about the Chase 5/24 rule, it might be wise to first consider the options from American Express, Capital One or U.S. Bank. Meanwhile, those who are pursuing the Chase trifecta have one clear option.

You'll see that a number of options are premium travel credit cards with higher annual fees. While these cards come with a big price tag, they also include unlimited visits to Priority Pass lounges. This perk also extends to two guests, increasing the value of the benefit significantly. Note that the Chase Sapphire Reserve® includes access to Priority Pass restaurant discounts.

When deciding between Priority Pass credit cards, consider which transferable points you're most eager to collect — and which will give you the most opportunities to redeem. After all, there's little logic to collecting Hilton Honors points if you rarely stay at Hilton properties.

What credit cards come with Priority Pass?

Chase Sapphire Reserve Credit Card
NerdWallet rating 

Chase Sapphire Reserve®

At $550 a year, the annual fee is steep, but the travel benefits can more than outweigh the cost each year. For instance, the Chase Sapphire Reserve® offers $300 in annual travel credits to use on airline, hotel or other travel costs along with a Priority Pass membership for the cardholder.

The membership also includes restaurants, cafes and markets that are part of the Priority Pass network where members enjoy a monetary credit to redeem. That’s not the case on all cards with Priority Pass.

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The Platinum Card® from American Express
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The Platinum Card® from American Express

This is one of the more expensive annual fees on the market, but its perks are especially generous in the travel department. The annual fee on The Platinum Card® from American Express is $695, but it includes Priority Pass access for the cardholder and up to two guests. Enrollment required. Terms apply.

On top of that, cardholders can also access AmEx’s swanky Centurion Lounges as well as the Plaza Premium, Airspace, Escape lounges and the Delta Sky Club when flying Delta Air Lines. Terms apply.

Starting Feb. 1, 2025, cardholders will be limited to just 10 visits to Delta Sky Clubs per program year. Members can earn unlimited access after spending $75,000 in a program year. Unlimited access remains through Jan. 31 of the following year. Spend tracking begins Jan. 1, 2024.

The Business Platinum Card® from American Express
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The Business Platinum Card® from American Express

The business version of the Platinum card is also expensive each year ($695), but packs in equally notable perks.

The Business Platinum Card® from American Express includes Priority Pass membership as well as guest access for two additional people. Enrollment required.

There are many other lounges accessible to cardholders including Centurion Lounges, Delta Sky Clubs when flying Delta (the same changes for the consumer card are taking effect in 2025), Plaza Premium, Airspace and Escape lounges.

Terms apply.

Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express Card
NerdWallet rating 

Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card

For $650 per year, the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card locks you into earning Marriott Bonvoy points, but it does offer some nice travel benefits. Terms apply.

Cardholders get $300 in credits at Marriott hotels as well as Priority Pass lounge access for the account holder and up to two guests. Enrollment required. In September, the $300 Marriott credit will be replaced with a new benefit of up to $300 in statement credits per calendar year (up to $25 per month) for eligible purchases at restaurants worldwide. The card's current welcome offer is as follows: Earn 185,000 Marriott Bonvoy bonus points after you use your new Card to make $6,000 in purchases within the first 6 months of Card Membership. Terms Apply.

The Hilton Honors American Express Business Card
NerdWallet rating 

The Hilton Honors American Express Business Card

This is another Hilton Honors co-branded credit card that locks cardholders into earning Hilton Honors points. For $195 per year, The Hilton Honors American Express Business Card includes limited Priority Pass access for 10 visits per year. Enrollment required. Terms apply.

Similar to the Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card, you can pay the Priority Pass guest fee of $35 per person for additional guests or visits. Terms apply.

U.S. Bank Altitude® Connect Visa Signature® Card

At $0 intro for the first year, then $95 per year, the ability to access Priority Pass lounges for the cardholder and a guest four times per year is a nice perk especially for those who travel less often.

The U.S. Bank Altitude™ Reserve Visa Infinite® Card includes venues such as restaurants and cafes, unlike American Express cards with Priority Pass. Having a restaurant quality meal each time you pass through the airport could really add up.

Use your credit card for Priority Pass lounge access

To gain access to Priority Pass lounges, your credit card’s benefit roster may be the key to opening the door. Many credit cards provide unlimited lounge access for the cardholder and up to two guests while others provide a set number of free passes to use each year.

These credit cards are worth considering if you travel frequently or want to improve the airport experience for you and your travel companions.

All information about the Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card has been collected independently by NerdWallet. The Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card is no longer available through NerdWallet.

How to maximize your rewards

You want a travel credit card that prioritizes what’s important to you. Here are our picks for the best travel credit cards of 2024, including those best for:

Airport Lounge Cards from our Partners
Citibank Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite™ MasterCard® Credit Card

on Citibank's application

Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard®
4.6
NerdWallet Rating
Rewards rate

1x

Earn 1 Loyalty Point for every 1 eligible AAdvantage® mile earned from purchases.

Miles

Intro offer

70,000

Earn 70,000 American Airlines AAdvantage® bonus miles after spending $7,000 within the first 3 months of account opening.

Miles
Chase Sapphire Reserve Credit Card

on Chase's website

Chase Sapphire Reserve®
5.0
NerdWallet Rating
Rewards rate

1x-10x

Earn 5x total points on flights and 10x total points on hotels and car rentals when you purchase travel through Chase Travel℠ immediately after the first $300 is spent on travel purchases annually. Earn 3x points on other travel and dining & 1 point per $1 spent on all other purchases.

Points

Intro offer

60,000

Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $900 toward travel when you redeem through Chase Travel℠.

Points
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