Priority Pass is a membership program which allows access to select airport lounges, and potential airport restaurant/spa/shopping discounts. Lounges include Wi-fi, charging stations, free food and drinks, TVs, and more. Upscale options may include perks like sleeping suites or showers. If you’re interested in Priority Pass membership, you don’t need to buy it. Several credit cards offer free access. Note that each card may have different “tiers” of benefits and exclusions may apply.
The value of Priority Pass depends on how often you’d use airport lounges. Getting Priority Pass separately has a minimum annual cost of $99. This general membership costs $32 per visit, per person ($291 for one person to have six visits in one year). At the next tier up, it’s $299 for 10 “free” lounge visits. The last membership tier is $429 for unlimited lounge visits. Costing $130 more than the middle tier, you’d need at least 4-5 extra visits (32*4=$128) to justify the price.
The value of lounges themselves will vary a lot by location. Some are great while others don’t offer enough benefits to assign a significant cash value. On the other hand, Priority Pass restaurants can always be a fair deal, with a $28-30 discount per visit (more with a guest or two). There are 20 U.S. airports (and 19 non-U.S. airports) with this benefit as of late 2021. Adding select restaurants to the mix increases the value of Priority Pass membership.
Most of the 5 metal cards below have flexible point redemptions (hotel cards aren’t included here) and Priority Pass Restaurant access, plus 2+ free guests. Although other credit cards offer Priority Pass benefits, this list has what we believe are the best overall options.
1. Chase Sapphire Reserve
The Sapphire Reserve allows for unlimited free Priority Pass access, including restaurants, and up to two guests are free. The Sapphire Reserve’s $550 annual fee is offset by $300+ in annual credits and benefits, plus its added value from The Chase Trifecta.
Chase additionally has plans to open their own lounges. They’ll start with New York LaGuardia Airport (LGA), Boston Logan International Airport (BOS), and Hong Kong International Airport (HKG). Then they should have lounges in San Diego International Airport (SAN) and Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport (PHX). All of these lounges should be open by the end of 2023 but Chase hasn’t given any specific estimates. Chase later made plans for IAD, LAS, and PHL as the 8th to be opened.
2. Capital One Venture X
This is likely the cheapest option for Priority Pass, since the Venture X’s annual fee is effectively zero, even for casual travelers. The $395 fee is easily offset by $400+ in annual credits and bonuses. The Venture X allows for unlimited free Priority Pass access, including Plaza Premium partner lounges, and up to two guests are free.
Capital One is currently opening their own lounges and Venture cardholders will get free visits there. The Dallas/Fort Worth (DFW) lounge is already open, and will be followed by lounges at Denver International Airport (DEN) and at Washington Dulles International Airport (IAD). All three should be open by early 2023.
Update for December 2022: Capital One announced that “Effective January 1, 2023, Priority Pass non-lounge airport experiences (like dining, retail shopping and spa discounts) are not part of the Visa Infinite benefit program for Venture X cardholders.” Unfortunately this now limits Venture X’s appeal, especially compared to the no-restrictions Chase Sapphire Reserve.
3. City National Bank Crystal
One downside to CNB is that Priority Pass access isn’t free for guests, unlike other cards. The cardholder gets full Priority Pass benefits otherwise, making this a middle-of-the-road option for lounge visits. This is neither the best nor worst policy. If the card looks like a good option for you overall, it might be worth applying.
4. Barclaycard Black
The main draw of this card is unlimited free Priority Pass for the cardholder and unlimited guests. If you’d pay for Priority Pass separately, the Black card could be an alternative. Even though other cards are better for everyday use, some cards have worse options for lounge access. The Black card includes Priority Pass Restaurant discounts. Note that certain lounges have their own guest limits, regardless of what credit card issuers say. YMMV on whether “unlimited” really means “unlimited.”
In general, there isn’t a reason to pick this card over Chase Sapphire Reserve or Capital One Venture X. The Black card is arguably the worst overall credit card on this list to have long-term.
5. U.S. Bank Altitude Reserve
While the card is good overall, it’s the only card on this list with heavy limits to lounge visits. The Altitude Reserve allows only 4 free visits per year of Priority Pass membership. This would normally cost $227 for one person. The free visits do include free guest visits at the same time, and there isn’t a specific limit on how many guests can be brought in. However, certain lounges have their own guest limits, regardless of what credit card issuers say. “Unlimited” also doesn’t apply whenever a lounge is full.
We’ve heard that U.S. Bank doesn’t include Priority Pass restaurants but haven’t verified this yet.
Honorable mention: American Express Platinum
The Platinum (charge card) is often considered a great option for airport lounge access. Cardholders can access either Centurion lounges or Priority Pass lounges. The downside is that guests aren’t free, and the Platinum’s version of Priority Pass excludes the restaurant/spa/shopping discounts. Platinum is also the most expensive on this list ($695 annual fee). Most of the above cards have the restaurant option, and usually have free guest access. The Platinum may work for some people, although other cards could be better.
Honorable mention: Penfed Pathfinder Rewards
Pathfinder Rewards is technically a no-fee credit card, and therefore the only way to get Priority Pass 100% free. The downside is that it’s for the base Priority Pass (normally a $99 cost). You have to pay for each lounge visit. This should however include the PP restaurant discount, which is a net positive. And like other cards on this list, it includes reimbursement for Global Entry ($100) or TSA PreCheck ($85) every 4+ years, among other benefits. If you don’t like annual fees, Penfed is the way to go.
Other cards with Priority Pass include:
- American Express Hilton Honors Aspire – $450 AF
- American Express Hilton Honors Surpass – $95 AF (up to 10 free annual visits)
- American Express Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant – $450 AF
- Chase Ritz-Carlton – Currently unavailable for new sign-ups, but could be an upgrade option for Marriott cardholders
- Citi Prestige – Currently unavailable for new sign-ups
- Emirates Skywards Premium – $499 AF
- Provident Credit Union World+ Travel – $45 AF (basic Priority Pass like the Penfed Pathfinder)
- Suntrust (Truist) Private Wealth Management card – $450 AF
- UBS Private Wealth Management card – $495 AF
- United Nations Federal Credit Union (UNFCU) Elite – $50+ AF (up to 5 free annual visits)
Some business cards also include Priority Pass. Certain airline cards (like United and Delta) have their own lounges.