Airport lounge access is one of my favorite benefits, and I get it with some of my credit cards. I usually try to arrive earlier than I normally would when I fly so I can visit a lounge, have a small meal, and unwind a little. It is such a nice perk! Time flies in an airport lounge when you have a layover between flights. A few times, I have even showered during a layover. It makes all the difference in how I feel when I arrive at my final destination. It’s hard to believe I traveled for so many years and never knew that “normal” people could enter an airport lounge!

The airport lounges I use most when traveling domestically are the Capital One Lounge and the American Express Centurion Lounges. My home airport of Denver International has great airport lounges!

If you are traveling in business or first class on long-haul international flights, airport lounge access is included with the price of your ticket. And I always assumed that these lounges were just for jet setters. But having certain credit cards also allows airport lounge access even when you’re traveling in economy class! Here’s an orientation to some of the lounges we love to visit and how you can get airport lounge access, too.

Capital One Lounges

These are some of the newest lounges to be opened within the past few years, and their food is presented in such a cute manner! You can get access to Capital One Lounges with the following cards AND bring in two guests with you.  And if you have an authorized user on either of these cards, the authorized user can also bring in two guests!

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Capital One Lounges are a great choice for families, because adding an authorized user to one of the cards above is free. That means that an entire family can enter and enjoy good food, beverages, and a comfy seat instead of waiting in a busy terminal and paying for food and drinks.

 

 

American Express Centurion Lounges

The other airport lounges I use quite often are the American Express Centurion Lounges. I get so excited when I travel to an airport with a Centurion Lounge and can visit one!

There are lounges in Atlanta, Buenos Aires, Charlotte, Dallas, Delhi, Denver (read my review here), Hong Kong, Houston, Las Vegas, London, Los Angeles, Melbourne, Mexico City, Miami, Monterrey, Mumbai, New York (JFK and La Guardia), Phoenix, Philadelphia, San Francisco, São Paulo, Seattle, Stockholm, Sydney, and Washington, D.C. (DCA).  And there are three more lounges opening in the next year or two:  Newark, Salt Lake City, and Tokyo (HND).

You can access these lounges with The Platinum Card® from American Express, and this is a huge reason why this card will always be in my wallet. Unfortunately, you can only bring someone in with you by paying a $50 fee per adult (or $30 per child), by spending an exorbitant amount on your card in a calendar year($75K), or by paying to have the person as an authorized user on your card ($195/year). The Business Platinum Card® from American Express also gives the same access to these lounges.

All information about The Platinum Card® from American Express has been collected independently by Travel Mom Squad. The Platinum Card® from American Express is no longer available through Travel Mom Squad.

All information about The Business Platinum Card® from American Express has been collected independently by Travel Mom Squad. The Business Platinum Card® from American Express is no longer available through Travel Mom Squad.

 

 

Priority Pass Lounges

Priority Pass Lounges are found in many airports. There are over 1,700 lounges in more than 500 cities across 143 countries. Sometimes, there is more than one of their lounges in a single airport. I usually look up their locations in any airport I am traveling through and read reviews to decide which is the best one to go to. With Priority Pass, you can access the lounges for yourself and two guests. It is always fun to share a lounge pass with someone because they are so impressed that I can get them in for free!

My sister, friend, and I visited the Priority Pass Lounge in Puerto Vallarta. We enjoyed sandwiches, chips, cookies, and sodas before flying home. Having a nice breakfast, lunch, or dinner every time I travel makes the cost of the annual fee a lot less daunting! I will say that I think the Priority Pass lounges internationally are usually better than the domestic ones, in my opinion.

 

Credit Cards that come with Priority Pass include:

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• The Platinum Card® from American Express
• The Business Platinum Card® from American Express
• Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card
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All information about The Platinum Card® from American Express has been collected independently by Travel Mom Squad. The Platinum Card® from American Express is no longer available through Travel Mom Squad.

All information about  The Business Platinum Card® from American Express has been collected independently by Travel Mom Squad. The Business Platinum Card® from American Express is no longer available through Travel Mom Squad.

 

With the Platinum Card® from American Express or The Business Platinum Card® from American Express, you can enjoy the amenities of a Delta Sky Club Lounge up to ten times a year when you are traveling on a Delta flight. You can’t bring in a guest for free but can buy them a pass at a reduced rate. You can also access Delta Sky Clubs with the Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card or the Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Business American Express Card (up to 15 visits a year). Again, you need to be flying Delta Airlines that day. Guests will need to pay $50 to join you. 

There are over fifty Delta Sky Club Lounges. I particularly enjoy the ones in Salt Lake City, Boston, and JFK. Many food options include items particular to the lounges’ locations. Boston has my favorite Delta lounge, which is complete with gorgeous art and architecture!

All information about The Platinum Card® from American Express has been collected independently by Travel Mom Squad. The Platinum Card® from American Express is no longer available through Travel Mom Squad.

All information about The Business Platinum Card® from American Express has been collected independently by Travel Mom Squad. The Business Platinum Card® from American Express is no longer available through Travel Mom Squad.

 

 

United Club Lounge

Another lovely lounge to hang out in is the United Club Lounge. card_name in your wallet gives you two free lounge passes each year you hold the card. This allows you to use the lounge if traveling on a United flight. If you have the card_name, you get a United Club membership and can bring up to two guests.

 

Bottom Line

If you travel often,  having a card that allows you airport lounge access is a game-changer! My husband laughs and says that I enjoy airports so much. He thinks I am crazy, but I go to airports early just for the lounges. Yes, I am addicted to my lounges! Having an hour of quiet and a nice snack is part of my preflight routine. Airport lounges have entirely changed my flying experience.

 

Related Posts

All About Priority Pass Lounge Access

If Only I Could Go Into an Airport Lounge

Review of the Chase Sapphire Lounge in Boston

A Capital One Lounge Day Out