Airport Lounges: How They Work, How to Get In & Every Airport Guide

By Krit · Updated Oct 10, 2026 · How we research

Lounge access rules change often — confirm in the lounge's app or the card's benefits page before you fly.

An airport lounge is a quieter space past security with seating, food, drinks, Wi-Fi and often showers, for travelers who have access through a credit card, an airline membership, elite status, a premium ticket or a paid pass. In the US there are three main kinds: bank lounges (Amex Centurion, Chase Sapphire, Capital One), airline clubs (Delta Sky Club, Admirals Club, United Club, Alaska Lounge) and independent lounges you reach with Priority Pass. This page explains how each works, which cards get you in, and links to our guide for every airport we cover.

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Quick answer

Easiest way into airport lounges: a premium credit card. The Amex Platinum ($895) opens the most, the Capital One Venture X ($395) is the cheapest with its own lounge network plus Priority Pass.
Best if you travel with someone: the Chase Sapphire Reserve ($795), with two free guests at Sapphire Lounges and Priority Pass lounges.
Best if you fly one airline: that airline's club card or membership, because airline clubs sit in every main concourse at the hub.
Priority Pass is patchy in the US: several big airports (DEN, LGA, EWR, PHL, SLC, AUS) have no Priority Pass lounge at all.

The three kinds of airport lounge

Type	Examples	How you get in	Best for
Bank lounges	Centurion, Sapphire, Capital One	That bank's premium card	Best food; few airports
Airline clubs	Sky Club, Admirals, United Club	Airline card, membership, status	Hub flyers
Independent	The Club, Escape, Plaza Premium	Priority Pass, some cards, day pass	Wide reach, mixed quality

Bank lounges are run by card issuers for their own cardholders. They usually have the best food and bars, but there are only a few dozen in the country, clustered at big airports. Amex has 16 US Centurion Lounges plus a Sidecar in Las Vegas; Chase has eight Sapphire Lounges (JFK currently on limited operations); Capital One has five Capital One Lounges and two smaller Landings. Most admit you up to three hours before departure, and none of them work on arrival.

Airline clubs belong to one airline (and often its alliance partners). They're everywhere at that airline's hubs, so if you fly Delta out of Atlanta or American out of Dallas, a club is usually a short walk from your gate. See Delta Sky Club access, Admirals Club access and United Club access.

Independent lounges are run by operators such as The Club, Escape and Plaza Premium, or are foreign airline lounges that sell access through networks like Priority Pass. Quality varies a lot, and they can turn Priority Pass members away when they're full. See Priority Pass lounges in the USA.

Airlines also run separate premium-cabin lounges (such as American's Flagship Lounges and United's Polaris lounges) that you generally reach with a qualifying long-haul business or first class ticket rather than a card.

How to get into an airport lounge

A premium credit card. The most common route. Each card opens a different set of lounges; our lounge card comparison shows which.
An airline club card or membership. The Citi AAdvantage Executive (Admirals Club, $695 for new cardmembers), the United Club card ($695) and the Delta Reserve (15 Sky Club visits a year, $650) are the big three.
Elite status or a premium ticket. Top-tier airline status and international business class tickets usually include lounge access under each airline's and alliance's rules. See our elite status guide and airline alliances guide.
Paying. Capital One sells entry to non-cardholders (about $90, space permitting), and some airline clubs sell passes. Amex doesn't sell Centurion entry, and Chase doesn't advertise Sapphire Lounge day passes.

Best credit cards for airport lounges

Card	Annual fee	Main lounges	Guests
Amex Platinum	$895	Centurion, Priority Pass, Sky Club on Delta	$50 Centurion; 2 free PP
Chase Sapphire Reserve	$795	Sapphire Lounges, Priority Pass	2 free
Citi Strata Elite	$595	Priority Pass, 4 Admirals passes	2 free PP
Capital One Venture X	$395	Capital One Lounges, Priority Pass	$45 / $35
Delta Reserve	$650	15 Sky Club visits; Centurion on Delta	4 Sky Club passes/yr

The 2026 rule changes matter here. Centurion guests have to be on your flight and cost $50 per adult since July 8, 2026, free only after $75,000 of annual spend. Venture X guests have cost $45 per adult at Capital One Lounges and $35 at Priority Pass lounges since Feb. 1, 2026. Chase Sapphire Lounges left Priority Pass on Aug. 15, 2026 and now admit only eligible Chase cardholders and their guests. For the full list of cards with Priority Pass, see which credit cards include Priority Pass. Head-to-heads: Centurion vs Sapphire Lounge, Priority Pass vs Centurion and best cards for the Centurion Lounge.

Tips that save a wasted walk

Check terminal connections. A lounge in another terminal is useless if you can't walk there after security. At LaGuardia, for example, the Terminal B bank lounges aren't reachable from Delta's Terminal C.
Use the issuer's app. Amex, Chase and Capital One apps show hours and run digital waitlists when lounges are full.
Mind the entry window. Most bank lounges admit you three hours before departure (Centurion allows five on a connection). The Las Vegas Sidecar admits you only within 90 minutes.
Know your guest cost before you go. A family of four with one Platinum card pays $110 a visit at a Centurion Lounge.

Airport lounge directory

Each guide covers every lounge at that airport by terminal, which cards get you in, guest rules and our card pick.

Lounge networks and individual lounges

Networks: Centurion Lounge locations · Chase Sapphire Lounge locations · Capital One Lounge locations · Priority Pass lounges USA · Delta Sky Club · Admirals Club · United Club
Centurion Lounges: ATL · CLT · DCA · DFW · DEN · IAH · LAS · LAX · LGA · JFK · MIA · PHL (closed from Oct. 16, 2026) · PHX · SEA · SFO · SLC
Chase Sapphire Lounges: BOS · DFW · JFK (limited operations) · LAS · LGA · PHL · PHX · SAN
Capital One: Lounges at DFW · DEN · IAD · JFK · LAS; Landings at LGA · DCA

FAQ

How do I get into an airport lounge? With a premium credit card, an airline club membership or club card, top-tier airline status or an international premium-cabin ticket, or by buying a pass where one is sold. Credit cards are the most common route.

Can anyone pay to use an airport lounge? Some lounges sell entry. Capital One Lounges sell passes to non-cardholders when there's space, and many Priority Pass lounges and some airline clubs sell passes. Amex Centurion Lounges don't sell entry.

Which credit card gets you into the most airport lounges? The Amex Platinum, which combines Centurion Lounges, Priority Pass, Delta Sky Club visits when flying Delta, Escape Lounges and Plaza Premium.

Can I use an airport lounge after I land? Usually not. Bank lounges and most clubs are for departing passengers. A few international airports have arrivals lounges; our international airport pages note them.

Does Priority Pass get me into airline clubs? No. Delta Sky Clubs, Admirals Clubs and United Clubs aren't part of Priority Pass.

Related guides

Lounge access rules, guest policies and locations change. Always confirm current details with the airline, lounge operator or card issuer before you travel.