How Do I Get Free Airport Lounge Access?

You can get complimentary airport lounge access by using the right travel rewards credit card or joining an airline loyalty program and earning enough points. Complimentary airport lounge access is an increasingly popular credit card benefit, with some cards providing access to more than 1,300 lounges at no additional cost. Some credit card companies like American Express and Capital One will give you access to lounges they own and operate, while others will pay for lounge access fees.

Popular Cards with Airport Lounge Access

It is important to note that these cards will require you to have good or excellent credit to get approved, so make sure your credit score meets a card’s specific requirements before you apply.

If you don’t have a good enough credit score to get a credit card with airport lounge access, there are several other ways you could still get lounge access while traveling, depending on your circumstances.

How to Get Complimentary Airport Lounge Access

1. With a Priority Pass Membership. Some credit cards offer a complimentary Priority Pass membership as a perk for being a cardholder (enrollment required). If your card comes with this benefit, you and your guests will have access to over 1,300 lounges around the world, a value of up to $469 each year. Alternatively, if you can’t qualify for a card with this benefit, you could purchase a Priority Pass membership separately.
2. Fly First Class Internationally. To travel first class is costly to be sure, but first-class travel might come with complimentary lounge access courtesy of the airline you are flying. This option limits the available lounges and is not available on every domestic flight, but international travelers are likely to get complimentary access if they fly first class.  
3. Use an Airline Credit Card. If you always fly with a specific airline, getting one of its co-branded airline credit cards may be a smart move and could give you lounge access. For example, you could get access to airport lounges affiliated with Delta, American, or United by choosing the right card.
4. Choose a Credit Card Company With Its Own Lounges. Credit card issuers like American Express, Chase, and Capital One have developed and continue to open their own lounges. If you have a premium credit card, you can check the card’s perks to confirm which lounges you have access to and see if your access comes at no additional cost.
5. Use Your Travel Rewards. Amenities while traveling can get pricey on their own, but if you have the right kind of credit card, you can pay for them without any extra out-of-pocket expense. With a travel rewards card, you can sometimes save your points or miles to buy a one-time lounge pass or even to pay an annual lounge membership fee.
6. Swap Elite Status From One Airline to Another. If you have elite status in an airline loyalty program but are traveling from an airport that doesn’t have your airline’s lounge, it is possible to swap your status with an airline that does have a lounge available. Your points may lose value when you switch, and not every airline will accept your status. There may be a penalty to switch back, too.