Airport lounge access is one of the premium credit card perks that people value most. Back in the day, there weren’t many credit cards offering lounge access, but times have changed. In this post, I’d like to take a look at the best US-issued credit cards for accessing Priority Pass lounges.
What is Priority Pass?
Priority Pass is the world’s largest network of independent airport lounges, with over 1,300 lounges around the world. Priority Pass isn’t directly affiliated with any airline, and a majority of the company’s member lounges are independent, and not run by airlines (though there are exceptions).
In general, there are two ways to get a membership with Priority Pass. You can either buy a membership directly, or you can often get a membership through a premium credit card. In the United States, a vast majority of people opt for a membership through the latter method, as it represents a better value.
Many people may assume that lounge access isn’t attainable, but the reality is that several premium credit cards offer lounge access for very little cost.
The best cards for Priority Pass
In this post, I’d like to share what I consider to be the best cards for Priority Pass lounge access. I’ll be considering the following factors:
- The card’s annual fee, and how much of that annual fee can easily be recouped
- Whether unlimited Priority Pass lounge visits are included
- The number of guests you can bring into Priority Pass lounges with you (in addition to the member)
- Whether a card offers Priority Pass lounge access for authorized users
- How much it costs to add authorized users to a card
- Whether you receive credits at Priority Pass restaurants or not; I’ll just note upfront that we’ve seen big cuts here over time, and the Amex, Capital One, and Chase cards listed, all don’t include credits at Priority Pass restaurants anymore
With that out of the way, let’s rank the best cards for Priority Pass lounge access. I’ll primarily be mentioning personal cards, but I’ll also mention if there are business versions of the card, and what the restrictions associated with those are.
1. Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card
- Annual fee: $395
- Unlimited Priority Pass visits: Yes
- Number of Priority Pass guests allowed: Two
- Credits at Priority Pass restaurants: No
- Priority Pass lounge access for authorized users: Yes
- Cost to add authorized users: $0 for up to four authorized users (as of February 1, 2026, there will be a $125 fee per authorized user to receive lounge access)
The Capital One Venture X has a $395 annual fee, but that’s easily offset by a $300 annual travel credit plus 10,000 anniversary bonus miles. So I consider the Priority Pass™ Select membership on the card to basically cost cardmembers very little (or even nothing).
On top of that, currently you can add up to four authorized users to the card at no cost, and they all receive a Priority Pass™ Select membership as well. However, as of February 1, 2026, the company will start charging $125 per authorized user in order to get lounge access. Outside of Priority Pass, the card also offers access to Capital One Lounges and Capital One Landings.
Learn more about the Capital One Venture X, apply for the Capital One Venture X.
Note that the business version of the card, the Capital One Venture X Business (review), also offers a Priority Pass™ Select membership. Lounge access is the same for the primary cardmember, but the difference is that authorized users don’t receive lounge access, even at a cost.
2. Citi Strata Elite℠ Card
- Annual fee: $595
- Unlimited Priority Pass visits: Yes
- Number of Priority Pass guests allowed: Two
- Credits at Priority Pass restaurants: No
- Priority Pass lounge access for authorized users: Yes
- Cost to add authorized users: $75 per person
The Citi Strata Elite is the newest premium card on the market. While the card has a steep annual fee, it offers some benefits and credits that can help offset that.
I think what’s most valuable about the Priority Pass option here is that it costs only $75 to add authorized users, and they receive a Priority Pass™ Select membership. With recent changes we’ve seen to other cards, that’s among the lowest costs you’ll find on any card.
The card also offers four American Admirals Club 24-hour passes per calendar year, so that’s another unique angle to the lounge access offered by the card.
Learn more about the Citi Strata Elite, apply for the Citi Strata Elite.
3. Chase Sapphire Reserve® Card
- Annual fee: $795
- Unlimited Priority Pass visits: Yes
- Number of Priority Pass guests allowed: Two
- Credits at Priority Pass restaurants: No
- Priority Pass lounge access for authorized users: Yes
- Cost to add authorized users: $195 per person
The Chase Sapphire Reserve has a $795 annual fee, but the card offers lots of perks that can help offset that, including a $300 annual travel credit, $300 annual dining credit, and more. On top of that, you can add authorized users for $195 each, and they receive a Priority Pass™ Select membership as well. This is a very well rounded card, but the higher cost for authorized users perhaps makes this less compelling than in the past.
One major advantage of the Chase Sapphire Reserve is that it gets unlimited access to Chase Sapphire Lounges. While these lounges technically belong to Priority Pass, access is restricted for those who don’t have a Chase card, so this is a great benefit. The card also offers access to select Air Canada Lounges.
Learn more about the Chase Sapphire Reserve, apply for the Chase Sapphire Reserve.
Note that the business version of the card, the Sapphire Reserve for BusinessSM (review), also offers a Priority Pass™ Select membership for the primary cardmember. However, you can add authorized users to the card at no cost, but they don’t receive lounge access.
4. The Platinum Card® from American Express
- Annual fee: $695 (Rates & Fees)
- Unlimited Priority Pass visits: Yes
- Number of Priority Pass guests allowed: Two
- Credits at Priority Pass restaurants: No
- Priority Pass lounge access for authorized users: Yes
- Cost to add authorized users: $195 per person (Rates & Fees)
While the Amex Platinum has a higher annual fee than some of the other cards, it also offers many valuable perks. The Priority Pass™ Select membership (Enrollment required) is only a small part of the card’s overall lounge access perks. Outside of Priority Pass, the card also offers access to Amex Centurion Lounges.
Learn more about the Amex Platinum, apply for the Amex Platinum.
Note that the business version of the card, The Business Platinum Card® from American Express (review), also offers a Priority Pass™ Select membership (Enrollment required). While the terms for lounge access are the same, the difference is that it’s more expensive to add authorized users.
5. Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card
- Annual fee: $650 (Rates & Fees)
- Unlimited Priority Pass visits: Yes
- Number of Priority Pass guests allowed: Two
- Credits at Priority Pass restaurants: No
- Priority Pass lounge access for authorized users: No
- Cost to add authorized users: $0 (Rates & Fees)
The Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant is a card worth having for Platinum Elite Bonvoy status, the up to $300 in statement credits per calendar year (up to $25 per month) for eligible purchases at restaurants worldwide, as well as a free night award valid at properties costing up to 85,000 points per night, which combined more than justify the annual fee.
The card also offers a Priority Pass™ Select membership with unlimited visits (Enrollment required). The catch is that authorized users don’t get a membership.
Learn more about the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant, apply for the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant.
Cards no longer open to new applicants
I also want to briefly cover a couple of cards that are popular for their Priority Pass™ Select memberships, but that are no longer open to new applicants.
The Ritz-Carlton Credit Card is issued by Chase, and is extremely compelling. The card has the same lounge access perks as the Chase Sapphire Reserve, except you can add authorized users at no cost. The card is also generally easy to justify, as it has a $450 annual fee, and offers perks like a $300 annual travel credit, and more. It’s possible to upgrade to this card from another Chase Marriott Bonvoy card.
The Citi Prestige Card is also worthwhile, though the catch is that it’s no longer possible to upgrade to this product, so if you don’t have it now, you’re out of luck. The card offers a Priority Pass™ Select membership like the above cards, with the key difference being that it still offers credits at Priority Pass restaurants. The card has a $495 annual fee, and offers perks like a $250 annual travel credit.
Is Priority Pass lounge access worth it?
There’s not going to be a one size fits all answer as to whether or not access to Priority Pass airport lounges is worth it. I do have a few things to consider, though:
- Priority Pass lounges generally aren’t going to be amazing, though the quality does vary based on the part of the world you’re in; don’t expect these to be like the world’s best first class lounges
- Expect Priority Pass lounges to often be pretty crowded, especially in the United States; after all, lots of people have lounge access through credit cards
- The value of Priority Pass lounge access depends on how much you fly, how much time you usually spend at the airport before flying, and what Priority Pass lounge options there are at the airports you frequent
- For those who have a Priority Pass restaurant or a good lounge at their home airport, the value of a Priority Pass™ Select membership could be huge; just make sure you get a card that offers credits there
- While I’m a frequent flyer, personally I wouldn’t pay the $469 annual fee that Priority Pass charges directly for a membership with unlimited visits; personally I’d say I value a membership at maybe $200 or so, but that’s a conservative valuation
That’s also the beauty of getting a Priority Pass™ Select membership through a credit card, as it won’t cost you nearly that much. For most of the above credit cards, I can fully justify the annual fees without even factoring in the value of a Priority Pass™ Select membership, so I view the membership as basically being thrown in for free.
If you can make the math work so that you’re attributing basically none of the annual fee to the Priority Pass™ Select membership, then I think you’re probably in a pretty good spot in terms of making the math work. 😉
Bottom line
Nowadays there are a variety of credit cards that offer a Priority Pass™ Select membership, which can be a fantastic way to access airport lounges. The beauty of getting a credit card with Priority Pass lounge access is that in many cases it won’t actually cost you that much.
There are several cards that offer a lounge membership as part of the suite of perks, and if you use the cards correctly, you should easily be able to justify the annual fee without even factoring in Priority Pass. That’s why many of us have multiple Priority Pass™ Select memberships (and it can even be hard to tell the cards apart).
Do you have a Priority Pass™ Select membership through a credit card? If so, which one?
The following links will direct you to the rates and fees for mentioned American Express Cards. These include: The Platinum Card® from American Express (Rates & Fees), and Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card (Rates & Fees).
