My first publicity to airport lounges was by way of the 2006 film Unaccompanied Minors, which featured a scene the place a wealthy teenager sneaks right into a luxe airport lounge with an entry move she presumably received from her dad and mom.
That scene left me with the impression that airport lounges have been an unique membership reserved for the wealthy elite — the form of place that somebody like me, who grew up in a middle-class household that not often traveled, would by no means expertise.
It is humorous how improper I used to be.
Final 12 months, I left my job as a full-time private finance editor to journey the world. Armed with my information of bank card factors, financial savings hacks and sensible cash recommendation, I found out the best way to go to greater than 36 nations on a finances. One tip I realized alongside the best way: airport lounges are hardly unique. You possibly can usually snag a day move for round $35 to $75, and there are many methods to get free entry.
A Precedence Move membership, which grants members entry to a community of over 1,600 airport lounges and experiences worldwide, is among the hottest methods. This is how one can get Precedence Move airport lounge entry affordably, and in some instances, for no more money out of my pocket.
How a lot is Precedence Move membership?
The costs for an annual Precedence Move membership vary from $99 for the Commonplace plan (with a $35 cost for every lounge go to) to $469 for the Status plan (with limitless complimentary visits).
In case you solely plan to go to a lounge a couple of times a 12 months, paying for a day move or the usual plan is your greatest guess. However when you’re taking extra frequent journeys, you may need a plan that provides you limitless entry.
Fortunately, there is a cheaper method to get it than buying the Status plan instantly from Precedence Move: bank cards.
Common bank cards that supply Precedence Move
A number of premium journey bank cards provide cardholders (and typically licensed customers) complimentary Precedence Move Choose membership, which grants limitless lounge visits similar to the Status plan.
Because the Status plan prices $469 yearly, any bank card with an annual charge under that quantity is already a greater deal, even earlier than you take into account the cardboard’s different advantages.
A number of the hottest journey playing cards individuals flip to for Precedence Move embrace:
A number of enterprise playing cards and lodge or airline co-branded playing cards additionally provide Precedence Move, however these playing cards attraction to a narrower viewers and are not considerably cheaper than the choices above.
The most cost effective method to get Precedence Move
Wanting on the 4 playing cards above, there is a clear standout: the Capital One Enterprise X has the bottom annual charge, at $395. Capital One additionally permits you to add as much as 4 licensed customers, who all get their very own Precedence Move membership at no further cost.
Clearly, the Enterprise X is the winner, proper?
Properly, that relies upon. In case you’re not going to make use of the cardboard for another journey advantages, then possibly. However when you’re touring usually sufficient to need Precedence Move membership, there are different components to think about.
Along with providing Precedence Move, the 4 playing cards above include a litany of advantages, together with assertion credit that supply quantifiable money worth. In case you use these credit to offset purchases you have been going to make by way of regular spending, they may also help decrease the cardboard’s annual charges considerably. Let’s check out the worth you may get from every card’s assertion credit and efficient annual charges when you use all of them.
For ease of comparability, I am solely counting credit which have an outlined money worth hooked up and do not include difficult restrictions. Some credit aren’t accessible yearly, so the calculations under replicate every card’s first-year worth.
Precedence move bank card values
| Card identify | Annual charge | Complete money worth of credit and advantages | Efficient annual charge |
|---|---|---|---|
| *Capital One Enterprise X | $395 | $420 | -$25 |
| Chase Sapphire Reserve | $550 | $755 | -$205 |
| The Platinum Card from American Categorical | $695 | $1,294 | -$599 |
| Financial institution of America Premium Rewards Elite Credit score Card | $550 | $550 | $0 |
Discover a development?
In case you can maximize all of the credit with out overspending, these playing cards are successfully free and also you may even come out on prime.
Of the 4 playing cards above, the Amex Platinum technically has the bottom efficient annual charge, at -$599. Nevertheless, the Platinum’s credit are cut up into many alternative elements, a few of which can be more durable to maximise than others. Among the many choices listed, it is also the cardboard with the best precise annual charge, which means it requires the most important upfront funding with no assure you’ll “earn” it again.
Which card presents Precedence Move at the perfect worth?
For most individuals, the Enterprise X will present the perfect stability between minimizing the efficient annual charge and ease of utilizing the credit. The cardboard solely has two credit, one for TSA PreCheck/World Entry and one for the Capital One Journey Portal, which presents a big choice of flights, accommodations and rental automobiles.
I did not issue every card’s rewards into the calculations above, however it’s value noting that the Enterprise X presents a ten,000-mile anniversary bonus annually after the primary (value $100 if redeemed as an announcement credit score towards journey). This bonus, mixed with the $300 annual journey credit score, retains the cardboard’s efficient annual charge destructive even in years with out the TSA PreCheck/World Entry credit score.
Nevertheless, if you should utilize all the journey credit, the Amex Platinum could be a extra rewarding method to get pleasure from airport lounge entry with different perks as well.
A lesser-known card that gives Precedence Move
In case you’ll be making 4 or fewer journeys in a 12 months, there’s one other lesser-known card that would get you Precedence Move for no annual charge: the U.S. Financial institution Altitude® Join Visa Signature® Card*.
The cardboard received an improve in September that modified a few of its rewards and advantages and eliminated its earlier $95 annual charge. Regardless of the annual charge elimination, the cardboard stored its Precedence Move and TSA PreCheck/World Entry credit score advantages, primarily giving the cardboard just a few premium card perks for the worth of a no-annual-fee card.
So what is the catch?
You will solely get 4 complimentary lounge visits per 12 months with the Altitude Join’s Precedence Move membership. Any visitor you convey additionally counts towards the four-visit allowance. Which may not be sufficient to tempt frequent vacationers, however it’s excellent for infrequent vacationers or anybody interested by airport lounges who would not wish to decide to an annual charge card.
The ultimate verdict
You do not want airport lounge entry to get pleasure from touring. The truth is, you may be taught, like I did, that this specific perk is not all the time as glamorous because it appears. However when you’re out and in of airports usually, lounge entry might elevate your journey expertise.
In case you’re new to airport lounges, I do not suggest springing for limitless lounge entry till you’ve got determined that it is an expertise you worth. Investing just a few hundred {dollars} or opening a brand new bank card — which might have bigger implications in your credit score rating and total funds — is not a call it is best to make evenly. In case you’re on the fence, purchase a day move and take a look at it out with no dedication.
After testing the waters, when you plan to go to lounges often, it is sensible to discover a bank card that aligns along with your journey targets. For many vacationers, the Capital One Enterprise X would be the greatest choose. For extra frequent journeys, the American Categorical Platinum can provide the greatest bang on your buck.
As for me, if I determine I would like lounge entry once more, I would flip to the U.S. Financial institution Altitude® Join Visa Signature® Card. With no annual charge, airport lounge entry appears like a pleasant perk, somewhat than a profit I would really feel pressured to make use of every time I fly to get my cash’s value.
*All details about the Financial institution of America Premium Rewards Elite Credit score Card, the Capital One Enterprise X Rewards Credit score Card and the U.S. Financial institution Altitude® Join Visa Signature® Card has been collected independently by CNET and has not been reviewed by the issuer.
For charges and charges of The Platinum Card from American Categorical, click on right here.
Full record of credit in contrast within the desk above:
Capital One Enterprise:
- $300 annual journey credit score by way of Capital One Journey
- As much as $120 credit score for World Entry or TSA PreCheck charge each 4 years
Chase Sapphire Reserve:
- $300 annual journey credit score for any journey buy charged to the cardboard
- As much as $100 credit score for World Entry, TSA PreCheck or NEXUS charge each 4 years
- Complimentary DashPass for one 12 months if you activate by Dec. 31, 2027 ($96 retail worth by way of DoorDash)
- $5 month-to-month DoorDash credit score ($60 yearly)
- Complimentary Lyft Pink All Entry membership for 2 years if you activate by Dec. 31, 2024 ($199/12 months retail worth by way of Lyft)
The Platinum Card from American Categorical:
- As much as $200 annual credit score for choose pay as you go lodge bookings by way of American Categorical Journey
- As much as $20 month-to-month credit score for choose digital leisure subscriptions (As much as $240 yearly)
- As much as $12.95 month-to-month Walmart+ credit score ($155 yearly)
- $15 month-to-month Uber Money for US rides, plus a bonus $20 in December (As much as $200 yearly)
- $As much as 200 annual credit score for airline incidental charges from one qualifying airline of your selecting
- As much as $50 semi-annual credit score for Saks Fifth Avenue ($100 yearly)
- As much as $199 annual credit score for a CLEAR® Plus membership
Phrases apply to American Categorical advantages and presents. Enrollment could also be required for choose American Categorical advantages and presents. Go to americanexpress.com to be taught extra.
Financial institution of America Premium Rewards Elite Credit score Card:
- $300 annual credit score for qualifying airline incidental purchases
- $150 annual credit score for qualifying purchases of video streaming providers, meals supply, health subscriptions and rideshare providers
- As much as $100 credit score for TSA PreCheck or World Entry each 4 years
