Spending time in airports is one of the worst parts of travel, especially during the holidays. TSA estimates 40 million people will take to the skies between now and New Year's Day.
In general airports can be uncomfortable, loud and crowded — and even a measly bottle of water will cost two or three times as much when purchased at an airport. However, there is a more enjoyable way to pass time in an airport, whether you’re awaiting your first leg or killing time during a layover: an airport lounge.
A lot of people assume airport lounges are an inaccessible luxury, only available to certain rewards credit card holders or first class travelers. That simply isn’t the case. There are a variety of ways to get access to an airport lounge, including day passes and special programs.
Here, we break down various ways you can get into airport lounges, from ticket classes to day passes.
The benefits of airport lounges
Unless you’re dealing with an extensive layover or flight delay, many people try to spend limited time in the airport before their flight. But even a short stay in a lounge is vastly more appealing than sitting in an uncomfortable seat at your gate and dragging your carry-on around to find a reasonably priced snack.
Not only do lounges have better WiFi, tons of comfortable seating options and televisions – they also usually offer free food and drinks, including alcoholic options. (Considering how much food and drinks cost in an airport, you may save money this way alone.) In fact, some even have showers, for those coming off long-haul flights or running to an important destination off their next flight.
Simply put, lounges are quieter, cleaner, and more relaxing places to be before a flight with many great amenities.
Ways to get airport lounge access
Travelers have many different options for gaining airport lounge access, including:
- Buy a first-class or business ticket. A higher-class ticket comes with many perks to justify that cost — including lounge access. Travel websites like Skyscanner allow to filter plane tickets based on cabin class. However, not every airline still offers lounge access with this ticket level if you’re flying domestic (think Delta and American Airlines), so you’ll want to confirm before you purchase.
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Gain status with an airline. Joining a loyalty program with an airline is one of the most consistent ways to get access to an airport lounge. After all, airlines want you to keep choosing them over the competition, so the more flights you book with them after signing up for a frequent flier program, the more benefits you’ll receive. Airlines usually require you to reach elite status to be able to use the lounge, which is a lot of flights — but if you’re traveling anyway, why not pick up some perks?
For example, the Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan grants complimentary lounge access to MVP Gold, Gold 75K, and Gold 100K members traveling internationally, while American Airlines AAdvantage gives lounge access to Platinum, Platinum Pro, and Executive Platinum members traveling internationally. -
Sign up for the right credit card. Many credit cards will offer you lounge access as a perk, especially if you sign up for a travel rewards card. Some of these cards are directly partnered with specific lounges (think the American Express Centurion card and lounge), while others give you access to ones operated by certain airlines (the Platinum card from American Express gets you into Delta lounges, among others). Still, others work directly with Priority Pass (more on that later) to get you into a wide range of lounges across the globe.
The only downside is these kinds of cards usually have high annual fees and may require a certain spending limit to get this benefit.
- Buy a day pass. Many lounges will allow you to purchase a day pass so you can access all the amenities. The fee is usually somewhere between $35 to $80 — which might actually save you money if you were going to purchase food, drinks or WiFi anyway. Of course, it’s not an option with every lounge, so check online in advance to see what your options are at the airport.
- Purchase an annual pass. If you really like a certain lounge, you can get a pass for more access than a day. Several offer annual membership programs, including Delta ($695) and American Airlines ($750).
- Enroll with Priority Pass. Priority Pass, as mentioned before, is a program that grants people access to lounges all over the world. If you don’t get it for free through your credit card, you can simply enroll in a membership on your own. There are different tiers with different benefits, ranging from $99 to $469 a year.
Is Priority Pass worth it?
Priority Pass, like any option, has its pros and cons. If you travel quite a bit, like the idea of spending time in an airport lounge, and want to avoid high fees, Priority Pass is a smart option, offering 1,600 lounges all over the globe (including 150-plus in the United States).
There are three tiers of membership:
- Standard, $99. You pay $35 to get into a lounge, and it’s $35 to bring in a guest.
- Standard Plus, $329. You get 10 free visits a year before you have to pay the $35 to enter a lounge. A guest is $35.
- Prestige, $469. You get unlimited free visits a year, and a guest is $35 for each visit.
However, there are certainly downsides to Priority Pass. It’s not a given you’ll actually get into a lounge, as they have limited spaces set aside for Priority Pass members. The lounges available aren’t always as nice or high-end as other options in the airport. You never get to bring in a guest for free.
Plus, while there’s a tier range, the membership price may end up being just as high as getting access to lounges through other means, like signing up for a travel rewards credit card. The Capital One Venture X Rewards card, for instance, Kiplinger readers' favorite travel rewards credit card, has a $395 annual fee and gets you Priority Pass Select membership ("Select" is the membership name for people who get it through a card).
It may also be more economical to sign up for a day pass each time you want to use a lounge. This largely depends on how much you’re traveling and your travel habits.
Let's say, for example, you typically travel out of the Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta airport. There, you can get a day pass to The Club for $50. If you planned to travel three times in a year, using the lounge each time, that would cost $150; if you used Priority Pass at the Standard level, that would cost about $200 ($99 annual fee plus $35 for each visit). The costs even out around your sixth lounge visit, and Priority Pass Select is more economical after your seventh visit.
The bottom line
Airport lounges aren’t just for first-class travelers! Research your credit cards and frequent flier programs to make sure you aren’t missing out on any lounge perks.
If you don’t have that and still want to enter a lounge, there are other affordable options so you can make your airport experience as comfortable as possible.
