What is a credit card with lounge access?
A credit card with lounge access is a card that gives you entry to airport lounges as part of its perks. Depending on the credit card, this might include passes to specific lounges, unlimited access to a particular lounge network, or entry to premium airline lounges.
Are credit cards with airport lounge access worth the higher annual fee?
Complimentary lounge access is a perk offered with some travel credit cards. It’s described as ‘complimentary’ (as opposed to ‘free’) by credit card providers because the cost is bundled into your card’s annual fee.
And the reality is, credit cards with airport lounge access included are on average significantly more expensive than other credit cards.
If you fly several times a year, the value of lounge visits can quickly outweigh the extra cost, but if you rarely travel, you may be paying for a perk you won’t use.
Analysis by Money.com.au found that credit cards with lounge access have an average annual fee of $426, while the average fee on all credit cards is around $149 (in fact, many have no card fee). That’s a difference of $277 per year on average.
Are there any credit cards with lounge access and no annual fee?
It’s rare to find credit cards that offer lounge access and no annual fee. Some providers, like HSBC, waive the annual fee in the first year as a sign-up incentive. This “intro annual fee” offer usually reverts to the standard fee after 12 months.
A few providers offer low annual fees for cards with lounge access. Examples include:
- HSBC Platinum Credit Card: $0 in the first year, $199 afterwards
- David Jones Prestige Credit Card: $0 in the first year*, $295 afterwards (*T&Cs apply)
- HSBC Star Alliance Credit Card: $0 in the first year, $499 afterwards
- CommBank Ultimate Awards Credit Card: $0 monthly fee if you spend at least $4,000 in the statement period, otherwise $35 per month
How to decide if you should get a credit card with lounge access
Is the card good value overall?
This is important. A credit card offering two lounge passes could save you a couple of hundred dollars versus paying for the lounge access out of pocket. But the same card could end up costing you multiples of that if it has a high annual fee and interest rate, and comes with hefty international transaction fees and a low number of interest-free days.
What other card perks are there?
Pay attention to the other card benefits too. If you travel regularly, a credit card with travel insurance included could represent better value. Of course, some cards offer both. You could also consider a card that will earn you more reward points that you can put towards a lounge visit or pretty much anything).
How limited or extensive is the lounge access?
Check the terms and conditions to see exactly how much ‘access’ you’re actually getting. How many passes do you get? Which airports can you use them at? Which lounges at those airports (sometimes there are several per airport)? Can you bring guests with you?
Will you actually use the lounge passes?
If you don’t use your passes in one year, you usually can’t carry them forward to the next year. In some cases you can transfer them to another person but that’s not always possible. Another factor here is that if the lounge is particularly busy on the day of your flight, you may not get in. This is rare but it can happen.
Would you have lounge access anyway without the card?
If you’re a frequent flyer with an airline, there is a chance your status already means you can access the airline’s lounges and partner lounges. The credit card lounge passes may not give you anything you can’t already access.
Are the lounges you will have access to any good?
This one is subjective and comes down to what you value while you’re waiting on a flight and which lounge you’re going to. Just don’t assume that lounge access means you’ll be stepping out of a busy airport terminal and into paradise.
There are lounges and then there are lounges
Brad Kelly, Credit Card Expert
"From my experience of airport lounges, a lot of them are pretty ordinary. They’re basically somewhere quiet to sit in a softer chair with some basic level food and maybe a free drink or two. The question is: is it better than sitting out at the gate lounge? It’s not always going to be, depending on the airport. If you want the first-class experience, you're going to pay for it."
Brad Kelly, Credit Card Expert
Key considerations about credit card lounge access
Unlimited vs passes
Not all credit card lounge access is created equal. With all but a few very premium rewards credit cards, what you’re actually getting is a couple of complimentary passes to visit one of the airport lounges that the credit card company is partnered with.
However, if the credit card offers unlimited lounge access, you can visit airport lounges as often as you like. But again, you will be limited to the lounges in a particular lounge network.
Which lounges can you access?
A credit card offering lounge access is linked to a particular set of airport lounges. You’ll only be able to visit those lounges. The good news is most lounge networks have lounges at the main major Australian airports and have hundreds of locations globally.
Before you can access the lounge passes, you’ll need to enrol as a member of the lounge network. There’s usually an annual fee for membership but it’s waived for eligible credit cardholders as part of the lounge pass card benefit.
Airport lounge networks connected to credit cards in Australia
Priority Pass Lounges
Offers access to more than 1,700 airport lounges across 148 countries. Most credit cards connected with Priority Pass offer complimentary ‘Standard’ membership which would usually cost $99 (US).
The ‘Standard’ membership doesn’t actually give you automatic lounge access as part of the membership fee. You still need to pay $35 US per lounge visit as a standard member. But most credit cards offer two lounge passes for free.
In other words, for a credit card that comes with standard membership and two lounge passes, that benefit works out to be the equivalent of $169 US (around $260 AUD).
You can get Priority Pass access with eligible credit cards from:
- American Express
- Bank of Melbourne
- BankSA
- BOQ
- Citi
- St.George
- Westpac
LoungeKey Lounges
LoungeKey boasts more than 1,000 lounges globally, but it’s the lounge network of choice for a relatively small number of Australian credit card providers.
Eligible cardholders won’t need to pay to join as a LoungeKey member but once they have used up all their free passes, they will need to pay a LoungeKey fee ($32 USD) to access further lounges.
You can get LoungeKey access with eligible credit cards from:
- Bankwest
- HSBC
Centurion Lounges (Amex)
Centurion Lounges are operated by American Express and can be exclusively accessed by Amex credit card customers. There are Centurion Lounges in Sydney and Melbourne international airports, as well as a host of international locations.
American Express cardholders in Australia are limited to using the Centurion Lounges in Australia, with the exception of Amex Platinum cardholders who can access Centurion Lounges globally (plus many other lounges).
Qantas Club Lounges
Cardholders with a Qantas credit card offering lounge access will almost certainly be looking for a Qantas Club lounge. There are 38 of these in Australian airports and a further 40 or so internationally, some of which are run by partner airlines or lounge providers.
Your upcoming flight will need to be with Qantas or Jetstar in order for you to be able to access a Qantas Club Lounge. Guests are allowed too, but will also need to be flying Qantas or Jetstar.
You can get Qantas Club access with eligible credit cards from:
- American Express
- Bank of Melbourne
- BankSA
- Qantas
- St.George
- Westpac
Qantas First Lounges
This is the higher tier of Qantas lounge usually reserved for eligible Qantas Platinum Frequent Flyers. There are Qantas First Lounges in Sydney, Melbourne, Auckland, Singapore and Los Angeles. Only one credit card – the Qantas Premier Titanium – offers Qantas First Lounge access (two passes).
Virgin Lounges
There are seven domestic Virgin Lounges in Australia that eligible card holders with single-entry passes have access to (international Virgin Lounges are off limits via Velocity credit card lounge access).
A single-entry Virgin Lounge pass would cost $65 if you were to pay for it, meaning the two passes per year available on eligible cards effectively have a total value of $130. That would make a decent dent in the $329 annual fee on Virgin’s own Velocity High Flyer credit card.
You can get Virgin Lounge access with eligible credit cards from:
- American Express
- Westpac
- Virgin
Mastercard TravelPass (DragonPass)
Eligible Mastercard cardholders get access to the DragonPass network of airport lounges at 856 airports globally, including seven in Australia. Access would normally cost $99 US for standard membership. This gives you one free lounge pass, with a $35 US entry fee applying for additional passes.
Only Commbank provides its lounge access benefit (two passes) to eligible credit cardholders through DragonPass.
Pros and cons of credit cards with lounge access
Pros
- Access to quieter spaces with food, drinks, dedicated Wi-Fi and seating can make travel less stressful.
- Lounge membership fees typically range from around $99 to $699, so frequent travellers may find included access more cost-effective.
- These cards often bundle other benefits like travel insurance, concierge services or rewards points.
Cons
- Typically come with higher annual fees than standard credit cards, even if you don’t use the lounge benefit.
- Lounge access may only apply to certain airlines, airports or a capped number of visits per year.
- If you only fly occasionally, you may end up paying for a perk you rarely use.
What are the best airport lounges in the world?
The quality of airport lounges can vary massively. And if you have a limited number of complimentary credit card passes up your sleeve, it’s important to use them wisely.
Here are credit card expert Brad Kelly’s top picks based on the dozens of lounge visits at airports across the globe (in no particular order).
- Sydney International First Class Lounge (Qantas): Known for combining dining, spa facilities and airfield views in one space. The menu is designed by chef Neil Perry and served à la carte, which is unusual compared to the buffet approach in many lounges. Other features include private shower suites and a day spa offering short treatments, making it one of the more service-focused lounges in the region.
- Private Room in Changi Airport, Singapore (Singapore Airlines): Situated in the wider SilverKris lounge complex but set aside exclusively for its own First Class passengers. Its limited access makes it quieter and more private than most lounges. Dining is table service with a menu that includes both international and local dishes. The focus is on exclusivity and a calm environment rather than scale.
- First Class Lounge at Dubai International (Emirates): Notable for its size, stretching across much of Terminal 3, the scale allows for multiple zones, including dining areas, business facilities, a cigar lounge and luxury shopping. A practical point of difference is that passengers can board flights directly from the lounge itself, reducing the need to return to the main terminal.
