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Free airport lounge access has develop into an increasingly rare and hard-to-obtain perk. These days it looks like you either need Diamond status with the airline, a bank card with a horrendous annual fee, or A-list celebrity status to walk through the lobby and grab a pre-flight Cabernet .
Or do you?
To discover, Fortune Recommends conducted research to search out out which bank cards, if any, will still include airport lounge access for an inexpensive annual fee in 2024. The excellent news is that there are several, and every of them has way more to supply frequent flyers than simply a pair of lounge vouchers. From free checked bags to welcome bonuses value $750 or more, listed below are the perfect bank cards for reasonably priced lounge access in 2024.
The best bank cards for reasonable lounge access in April 2024
Best Overall: US Bank Altitude Connect
The US Bank Altitude Connect Visa Signature Card features a free Priority Pass Select membership with 4 free passes per yr to over 1,500 lounge locations worldwide. This – combined with a 50,000-point welcome bonus value $500 and no annual fee for the primary yr – made it a simple alternative for the perfect overall card for reasonably priced lounge access in 2024.
US Bank Altitude Connect
Introductory bonus
Earn 50,000 bonus points after spending $2,000 value $500 on travel and more in the primary 120 days.
| annual fee | $0 the primary yr, then $95 |
| Regular APR | 21.24% to 29.24% |
Why we like this card: Much like Pepsi is difficult Cola, the US Bank Altitude Connect Visa Signature Card appears poised to retain the reigning Chase Sapphire Preferred® Map in your tiptoes. The latter offers a tremendous array of travel advantages for its modest $95 annual fee, including 60,000 bonus points after spending $4,000 on purchases in the primary three months of account opening, a free Priority Pass Select membership with 4 free passes per yr and as much as $100 in statement credit for TSA PreCheck or Global Entry.
But that is not all – you furthermore mght get free travel insurance (trip cancellation/interruption, trip delay reimbursement and SmartDelay), no foreign transaction fees and as much as 5x on prepaid hotels/automobile rentals and 4x on travel/gasoline. Did we mention that there isn’t a annual fee for the primary yr either?
So in the event you like free PreCheck and lounge access with a $0 upfront commitment, take a look at the US Bank Altitude Connect card.
Best for checked luggage: UnitedSM Explorer map
The UnitedSM While the Explorer Card is simply eligible for 2 United Club passes per yr, that comes with free checked bags for you and a companion, priority boarding, a $100 Global Entry/PreCheck/NEXUS fee credit, and $50,000 Points greater than make up for the welcome bonus. In addition, the annual fee of $95 is waived for the primary yr.
UnitedSM Explorer map
Introductory bonus
Earn 50,000 bonus miles after you spend $3,000 on purchases in the primary three months your account is open
| annual fee | $0 introductory fee for the primary yr (then $95) |
| Regular APR | 21.99% – 28.99% Variable APR |
Why we like this card
While Chase’s United Explorer card only offers two lounge passes per yr, we predict it deserves a spot on this list since it makes virtually every other step of your flying experience less expensive—and smoother.
From check-in onwards, you’ll receive one free checked bag for yourself and one companion. Thanks to the $100 credit for Global Entry, TSA PreCheck or NEXUS, you may get through security slightly faster. After you redeem your lounge passes, you may board slightly earlier because of priority boarding. Finally, you may even receive a 25% discount on all food, drinks and WiFi packages on board after departure.
The caveat, in fact, is that the majority of those perks only apply to United flights. So you might want to display a certain level of brand name loyalty to get probably the most out of the United Explorer card advantages. But in the event you’re already a United fan and wish to finally experience the United Club in your next trip, that is an obvious alternative.
Best for CLEAR Plus: American Express Green
For a low annual fee of $150, the American Express® Green Card includes as much as $100 in LoungeBuddy statement credit, as much as $189 in CLEAR® Plus credit per calendar yr, and 3X travel/transit/dining credit. All in all, it’s a solid and versatile travel companion.
American Express® Green Card
Introductory bonus
Earn 40,000 Membership Rewards® points after you spend $3,000 on purchases together with your latest card in the primary 6 months of your card membership.
| annual fee | $150 |
| Regular APR | See Pay Over Time APR |
Why we like this card
If you want the thought of quickly flying through security and arriving on the lounge just minutes after entering the airport, the American Express Green Card may very well be your ticket to that fantasy.
That’s since the Amex Green comes with a handy pair of CLEAR Plus and LoungeBuddy credits. For the uninitiated, CLEAR Plus lets you move through security faster by scanning your eyes and/or fingerprints in a dedicated CLEAR lane, and LoungeBuddy lets you pre-purchase lounge access worldwide starting at $25 per visit to book.
The Amex Green also offers a welcome bonus of 40,000 points value as much as $400 in travel or gift cards (earned after spending $3,000 inside six months), in addition to 3x on public travel/meals local transport, making it a worthwhile card for traveling. Even higher, these points are Membership Rewards points, which might have even greater value when transferred to partners.
All information in regards to the American Express® Green Card was collected independently by Fortune Recommends™.
Best Value Premium Card: Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card
The Capital One Venture guests. Additionally, authorized users are free and may each complete their very own membership. Even if the enterprise
Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card
Introductory bonus
Earn 75,000 bonus miles once you spend $4,000 on purchases inside the first three months of account opening
| annual fee | $395 |
| Buy APR | 19.99%-29.99% variable |
| Foreign transaction fee | None |
Why we like this card
While it’s an exaggeration to say that a card that costs $395 per yr makes every thing “affordable,” consider this: The Capital One Venture offers an annual refund of $300 per yr for bookings remodeled Capital One Travel and a ten,000 mile anniversary bonus. This signifies that although you are technically paying a fee of $395 per yr, you will get $400 in travel credit back immediately.
Not to say the cardboard’s big frequent flyer profit: unlimited airport lounge access for you and as much as two guests at any Capital One, Priority Pass or Plaza Premium Group location. The pampering doesn’t end there, as you will also receive quick Hertz President’s Circle status (through January 1, 2025), a $100 experience credit at Premier Collection hotels, and more.
So in the event you’re on the lookout for a premium travel card with easy-to-use advantages and unlimited lounge access, your search might end with the Capital One Venture X.
ceaselessly asked Questions
Which card offers free lounge access with no annual fee?
At the time of writing, there aren’t any rewards cards that supply airport lounge access for a $0 annual fee. However, each the US Bank Altitude Connect and United Explorer cards offer airport lounge access for an annual fee of $0 in the primary yr and $95 per yr thereafter.
Which card offers the perfect airport lounge access for an annual fee of lower than $100?
Our pick for the perfect card that provides airport lounge access under $100 is the US Bank Altitude Connect card. The card features a $500 welcome bonus, a free Priority Pass Select membership with 4 lounge passes per yr, and charges no annual fee for the primary yr ($95 thereafter).
Is lounge access free with AmEx Rewards cards?
Free lounge access is a advantage of Amex Green (as much as $100 per yr) and Platinum cards.
Which airline rewards cards include lounge access for under $100?
The United Explorer card, Miles & More World Elite Mastercard (Lufthansa), and SKYPASS Visa Signature card (Korean Air) all include two free lounge passes per yr for an annual fee of lower than $100.
Fortune Recommends™ has partnered with CardRankings to cover our bank card products. Fortune Recommends™ and CardRankings may receive commission from card issuers.
Please note that map details are accurate as of the date of publication but are subject to alter at any time on the publisher’s discretion. Please contact the cardboard issuer to confirm rates, fees and advantages before applying.
Eligibility and profit levels vary depending on the cardboard. Terms and conditions and restrictions apply. For more information, see the guide at americanexpress.com/advantages. Underwritten by Amex Assurance Company.
