How to Score FREE Airport Lounge Access

One of my FAVORITE credit card perks is airport lounge access.  A few years ago, we got a credit card that gave us passes to the Priority Pass Lounges at a variety of airports. At the time, I knew lounges existed, but I always thought they were for wealthy businesspeople.  I never thought our family would be welcome, nor was I going to shell out the money for the five of us to get in.

That’s until I realized how wrong I was!  Not only could our family get into these places, but we could get in for FREE!  Airport food is so expensive so having access to these lounges saves us a lot of money!

What is lounge access?

Airports have a variety of lounges that offer comfortable seating, quiet rooms to work or sleep, showers, charging ports as well as food and beverages.  Heck, some airport lounges even have a pool!  Some of these lounges can only be accessed if you’re flying with a specific airline or in a certain class, while others can be accessed by anyone.

Priority Pass Lounges

Priority Pass Lounges are available at tons of different airports in both the U.S. and internationally.  Not every airport has a lounge, and not all lounges are created equal.  We’re fortunate to have good options with both Cleveland and Pittsburgh airports.

Keep in mind that capacity is limited for these lounges, so if they are full, you’ll either be turned away or get added to the waitlist. 

How do I access these lounges?

To access these lounges, you’ll either need to have a membership or purchase a day pass.  The cost of memberships and day passes vary depending on the lounge.  For us, we get a complimentary Priority Pass Membership with our Capital One Venture X credit card.  This membership allows the cardholder and two guests to enter for free before any flight. 

Capital One Venture X cardholders can also add authorized users (for free) to their Capital One account, which gives a Priority Pass membership to the authorized user as well.  The authorized user can then get into the lounge and bring two guests for free.  Since we have a family of five, we had to add an authorized user so all of us can enter the lounge for free.

When you show up at the lounge, you’ll show your membership/pass and boarding pass.  Since we are allowed to bring two guests with us, our guests are also required to show their boarding passes.  Once everyone is signed in, you’re free to enjoy the lounge and all of its amenities!

What’s included at the lounge?

When you do get access to these lounges, they really are worth it!  You get nice seating, a place to charge your phone and they are typically all you can eat and drink, including alcohol!  We love getting to the airport a little early and heading straight to the lounge so we can fill up, relax and have a few drinks before we board the plane!

What credit cards give you lounge access?

There are a variety of credit cards that offer lounge access, but the card we’re currently using (and has become a quick favorite) is our Capital One Venture X card.  This card does have a steep annual fee of $395, but if you travel, it’s totally worth it!  You immediately get a $300 credit when you use their online booking portal on travel arrangements.  We use that credit on hotels, but it can also be used on flights, car rentals, etc.

How much does lounge access save?

For us, vacation starts when we leave our house, so we typically either stop for a bite to eat on the way to the airport or grab food at the airport.  No matter if we stop at a fast-food restaurant or eat at the airport, our bill is at least $50.  In 2024, we traveled from or through more than 20 different airports.  Even looking at half of those and spending $50 a pop, this perk saved us probably $500 or more!

Layovers

Lounge access works at your departure airport (typically up to three hours before departure), but it also works in your layover airports.  You can check your Priority Pass app to see what airports have lounge access, see a map of where it’s located as well as what is included in the lounge.

Capital One Lounge

And because we have the Capital One Venture X, we were also able to take advantage of the Capital One Lounge in Denver, CO on one of our layovers.  This lounge was AMAZING!  The food and drinks available in this lounge were fantastic!  Plus, they had sleep rooms, work rooms and showers if you needed them.  In addition, they have a variety of grab and go items that they encourage you to take before you leave so you have something when you’re on your flight!

If Denver is your home airport and you don’t have a Capital One Venture X, I would HIGHLY suggest getting one because you’ll get so much bang for your buck!  There is another lounge in Texas at DFW, at Dulles International in Washington DC and the newly opened lounge at Harry Reid International in Las Vegas.  These lounges really set the bar high.  Honestly, any lounge with free food and drinks is ideal, but these ones are just the cream of the crop!

What’s your favorite lounge?

Have you been to an airport lounge? What’s been your favorite?

Need Inspiration?

Here are some of our favorite trips: Hawaii, Mighty 5 National Parks – Utah, Universal Studios, Kalahari – Wisconsin Dells