Airport lounge wars: How credit card companies are competing for your preflight cocktail

Once upon a time, airport lounge access was only for the select few.

A private, tranquil preflight experience was reserved for the most frequent of flyers or elite members with the highest status. However, the rise in popularity of airline lounge memberships and Priority Pass over the past decade has widened the appeal of — and access to — airport lounges, all of varying quality.

In 2013, American Express entered the lounge space with its own line of Centurion Lounges, making The Platinum Card® from American Express the key to accessing various elite lounges.

But now, we’re seeing this trend continue even further, with credit card issuers pushing their own lounge access to more travelers than ever before. Both Chase and Capital One have tossed their hats into the ring, opening a handful of their own branded lounges and planning to expand even more in coming years.

Here’s exactly how these card companies are democratizing lounge access — and whether this is actually a good thing.

Amex Centurion Lounges

Amex was the first and continues to be the most dominant issuer offering airport lounges. More than 25 Centurion Lounges are open globally — about half of them in the U.S. — and their reputation for providing an elite experience suggests that their No. 1 spot is secure.

Even with other lounges emerging, Centurion Lounges remain a favorite thanks to their upscale designs, excellent food-and-drink offerings and exclusive amenities, such as spa services and wine tastings.

Centurion Lounge locations

Centurion Lounges are available in many domestic and international locations, including New York’s LaGuardia Airport (LGA), Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) and Sydney Airport (SYD).

Amex has also announced upcoming locations at Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR), Salt Lake City International Airport (SLC) and Tokyo’s Haneda Airport (HND).

Centurion Lounge access

To access a Centurion Lounge, you need to hold either a Platinum-branded card like the Amex Platinum or The Business Platinum Card® from American Express or the personal or business version of the invitation-only Centurion Card from American Express.

Additionally, those with the Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card or the Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Business American Express Card can get Centurion Lounge access on certain flight itineraries — just be sure to check the access restrictions on these cards before making your lounge plan.

The information for the Centurion Card has been collected independently by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.

Related: 10 years later: What’s next for Amex’s Centurion Lounge network

Capital One Lounges

Capital One entered the lounge space in 2021. Since then, it has opened three locations and announced plans for two more.

Capital One has the smallest lounge footprint of the three issuers, but its lounges provide fun food-and-beverage experiences, family-friendly spaces and convenient grab-and-go options — for the most reasonably priced annual fees in this bunch.

Capital One Lounge locations

Currently, Capital One Lounges are open at Dallas Fort Worth International Airport (DFW), Denver International Airport (DEN) and Dulles International Airport (IAD) near Washington, D.C.

Additionally, Capital One has announced plans to open locations at Las Vegas’ Harry Reid International Airport (LAS) and New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK).

Capital One Lounge access

Those with a Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card or a Capital One Venture X Business card receive unlimited complimentary visits to Capital One Lounges for themselves and up to two guests. Additional guests are $45 each.

Through the end of 2024, those with a Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card or a Capital One Spark Miles for Business card receive two complimentary visits per year. For additional guest visits and any visit from 2025 on, cardholders can access Capital One Lounges for $45 each.

You don’t have to be a cardholder to pay a visit to one of these lounges, though. Noncardholders can purchase a one-time lounge pass for $90 per person.

Related: How to access Capital One Lounges without a physical credit card

Chase Sapphire Lounges

Chase is the latest issuer to begin opening lounges, starting with its first location at Hong Kong International Airport (HKG) in 2022. Since then, it has opened four additional lounges and one “terrace.” Additionally, it has announced plans for five new locations.

Sapphire Lounges are branded by The Club and tend to fall between the upscale experience of a Centurion Lounge and the more laid-back environment of a Capital One Lounge. This is fitting since the annual fee you’ll pay to get unlimited access falls between the other two issuers.

In these lounges, you’ll find impressively designed spaces, uniquely curated food-and-beverage options and fun twists like games and facials in some locations.

Chase Sapphire Lounge locations

There are currently five Chase Sapphire Lounges and one Chase Sapphire Terrace open.

You can find a Chase Sapphire Lounge at Boston Logan International Airport (BOS), IAD, HKG, JFK and LGA, plus a unique indoor-outdoor Chase Sapphire Terrace at Austin-Bergstrom International Airport (AUS).

Keep your eyes peeled for upcoming locations at LAS, LAX, Philadelphia International Airport (PHL), Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport (PHX) and San Diego International Airport (SAN).

Chase Sapphire Lounge access

If you hold a Chase Sapphire Reserve® or J.P. Morgan Reserve card, you’ll receive unlimited Chase Sapphire Lounge access for yourself and up to two guests per visit. Additional guests are $27 each. If you have a Ritz-Carlton credit card (no longer available to new applicants), you’ll get complimentary access for yourself and an unlimited number of guests.

Even if you don’t have one of these cards, all Priority Pass members can receive complimentary access to a Chase Sapphire Lounge once per calendar year. However, this access is only for lounges; the terrace at AUS is only available to those with the above cards and their guests.

The information for the J.P. Morgan Reserve Card and the Ritz-Carlton Credit Card has been collected independently by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.

Related: Etihad quietly reopens revamped Dulles lounge, collaborating with Chase

Access for all

With so many ways to access them, airport lounges are quickly becoming an essential part of many flyers’ typical travel day experience. But, unfortunately, more access means more crowds.

I entered my own airport lounge era in 2022 thanks to a friend adding me as an authorized user on their Capital One Venture X. Just a month after receiving my card, I was thrilled to realize I would have a short layover at DFW and could check out its Capital One Lounge.

I hopped off my flight and made it to the terminal where the lounge was — only to be told that it was full and I would have to join a waitlist. I had just enough time to make it back to my gate — hungry, disappointed and glad I wasn’t paying my own premium annual fee for that access.

Some issuers are making moves to decrease this crowding issue. American Express made some dramatic changes to its Centurion Lounge guest policy in 2023, adding a $75,000 annual spending requirement to receive complimentary guest access and charging a fee for all guests over the age of 2 for all other cardmembers.

Capital One’s guest policy remains generous, allowing primary and authorized user Venture X and Venture X Business cardholders to bring up to two guests each at no additional charge. Still, it’s removing complimentary lounge visits from the Venture Rewards and the Spark Miles for Business cards at the start of 2025 and recently increased the cost for noncardholders to visit Capital One Lounges.

Time will tell whether issuers need to continue limiting access in order to preserve the luxury experience travelers are paying for. But for now, many travelers clearly still prefer lounge crowds and a “free” cocktail over mingling with more people in the larger airport terminal.

Related: The do’s and don’ts of visiting an airport lounge

Bottom line

Access to airport lounges has widened dramatically in recent years, with airline club memberships, credit card access to Priority Pass and, most recently, issuers building out their own branded lounges.

That’s mostly good news for cardholders — and soon-to-be cardholders. But at the same time, lounges will need to continue to innovate and create more space for the ever-growing number of loungegoers. In the meantime, we’ll be watching the lounge wars unfold while planespotting in our favorite lounge and enjoying our preferred preflight cocktail and snacks.

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