Are airport lounge cards worth it?

Airport lounges are generally worth the effort to get in, whether as provided by your airline ticket, credit card or elite status. The benefits are truly there, from the basics like Wi-Fi, clean restrooms, beverages and a place to sit, to sit down meals and premium beverages.



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Airport lounges are generally worth the effort to get in, whether as provided by your airline ticket, credit card or elite status. The benefits are truly there, from the basics like Wi-Fi, clean restrooms, beverages and a place to sit, to sit down meals and premium beverages.

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The biggest downside with airport lounges, especially in recent years, is the crowds. Lounges are far from exclusive, since so many credit cards offer access. There are several ways this can dampen the lounge experience: There can be long lines to check in to popular lounges.

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Lounges often offer a quiet space to escape the hectic environment of the rest of the airport. You'll find comfortable, spacious seating and less crowded restrooms. Relax while you recharge your devices at your very own charging station.

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Centurion Lounges are definitely a worthwhile benefit if you're able to use them three or four times per year. I'd estimate that visiting the Centurion Lounges in both Dallas and Denver saved me $180+ on food and alcohol.

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Yup, everything is free at Amex lounges. But be sure to factor in the annual fees of the American Express cards required to enter: $550 for Delta SkyMiles Reserve, $695 for Platinum, and for the by-invitation-only Centurion card, $5,000—plus a $7,500 initiation fee.

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In most airport lounges, you're allowed to stay for 2-3 hours before departure or after landing. Some also offer extended stays for upwards of 5 hours.

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Lounges typically set food up in a way where you can help yourself as needed. They often offer free snacks and other food choices, plus drinks, including alcoholic beverages. These food and drink offerings come at no extra cost to you.

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That's right, nowadays even if you are flying economy and have absolutely no airline loyalty, you can pay to enter a new style of pay-per-use lounges. PAY-PER-USE LOUNGES are first class lounges that are open to ALL travellers regardless of airline flown – for a relatively small fee.

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How can I find out if my issuer provides me with complimentary lounge visits? If your issuer provides complimentary lounge visits, there will be a “Complimentary Visit” section under My Information on the app and under My Account on the web.

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Download a Lounge Pass here Priority Pass is probably the better option for frequent business travellers as, with the Prestige tier, you can simply pay one lump sum at the start of the year and breeze into any one of the company's affiliated lounges at your leisure.

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However, the number of times you can visit Priority Pass lounges in one year will depend on the credit card. While most allow you to visit the lounges unlimited times, some only allow you 10 free visits per year and will charge you the guest rate after that.

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Lounge Pass is a pay as you scheme for accessing airport lounges. Priority Pass is a membership scheme with 3 different levels of membership. Deciding which is the best option for you depends on where you plan to travel, how you often you plan to use an airport lounge and if you will have a guest with you.

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Complimentary or discounted access Travelers with The Platinum Card® from American Express, The Business Platinum Card® from American Express or the Centurion® Card from American Express receive complimentary access to any outpost within the Centurion Lounge network.

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Although the American Express® Gold Card doesn't come with the ability to enter the lounge, it does provide a variety of other benefits. While most of these are food-focused, the card does offer some decent travel insurance, including trip delay insurance.

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Additional guest passes are available for purchase at the time of entry for qualifying Amex card members. Additional day-passes cost $50 (or comparable rate for international lounges) per visit. All guests must be accompanied by a qualifying card member to enter lounges.

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As of Feb. 1, 2023, the ability to bring in two guests at no additional cost went away for most cardholders. Now, unless you spend $75,000 or more each calendar year on your card, you'll need to pay $50 to bring an adult guest ($30 for children ages 2 through 17) into the Centurion Lounge. Terms apply.

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