Can your credit card get you free airport lounge access?

Can your credit card get you free airport lounge access?

Queuing for Pret then searching out enough elbow room for a laptop, or relaxing in an armchair with a complimentary drink? There's no competition, which is why airport lounge access is such a coveted perk for points collectors.

With UK airport staff shortages prompting warnings to check in ever earlier, Reward Flight Finder expects those golden tickets to be in even greater demand this summer. So, here’s our guide to how the right credit card can let you get ahead of the game and start your holiday or work trip off in style.

Cards with airport lounge access perks There are various credit cards available in the UK which include free or cheap airport lounge access, these include:

Allied Irish Bank (GB) Visa Gold Card American Express Preferred Rewards Gold Credit Card American Express The Platinum Card American Express Platinum Business Card Barclaycard Premium Plus Business Credit Card Mastercard

Coutts & Co Silk Credit Card Mastercard Coutts and Co Silk Charge Mastercard HSBC Premier Credit Card HSBC Premier World Elite Credit Card Santander World Elite Mastercard

The restrictions While the above cards can all get you lounge access even if you’re flying economy, each has varying restrictions on how you earn that entitlement and how and where you can cash it in. Here are some of the typical criteria to look for, especially if you are comparing between cards.

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Threshold requirements

Even if you meet the criteria for taking out one of the premium credit cards with lounge access you may not receive it as an immediate perk. You may first have to reach certain spending levels on your credit card within a year, or accrue a certain number of points if your card is linked to a specific airline rewards programme like British Airways Avios .

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Extra enrolments

Some of the cards enable you to get lounge access only when you sign up for a separate scheme. The Santander World Elite Mastercard and HSBC Premier World Elite Credit Card, for instance, entitle you to LoungeKey membership. The Allied Irish Bank (GB) Visa Gold Card and various American Express cards meanwhile enable lounge access through the Priority Pass programme.

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Limits on the lounges you can access

If your credit card is linked to a specific airline rewards programme then chances are your card will limit you to the lounges of that airline and maybe its alliance partners.

Others will be wider-ranging. For instance, American Express Platinum Card holders can access more than 1,200 lounges worldwide. Note, however, that airport lounges (not affiliated with an airline) are often not quite as luxurious as airline lounges.

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Limits on the number of visits

If you’re a frequent flyer, check how often your credit card perk will allow you to access lounges for free. For instance, the Barclaycard Premium Plus Business Credit Card and the American Express Preferred Rewards Gold credit card give you two complimentary lounge visits a year.

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Guest passes

If you don’t tend to travel solo, then discovering whether your credit card allows you a complimentary or paid-for guest pass (the latter typically £20) when you visit a lounge will be important and if you have a family, factoring in any child discounts.

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Access charges

Some credit cards enable you to simply buy lounge access as required, for instance, the Coutts and Co Silk Charge Mastercard gives you access to more than 700 lounges across 300 airports at £20 per visit. The Barclaycard Premium Plus Business Credit Card and the American Express Preferred Rewards Gold Credit Card meanwhile give you the option to pay £20 for visits made in addition to the two a year you get for free.

Comparing cards financially

Besides the above restrictions on the lounge passes, look out for annual credit card fees, which can be substantial, and, of course, the interest rates if you’re not planning to pay off each month in full. Generally, the better the perks a card has, the higher these will be and it’s unlikely to be worth your while to take out a card based on lounge access alone.

There may be short-term joining offers but it’s always best to seek independent advice when signing up for any financial product.

Don’t forget lounges’ own requirements You don’t want to fall at the final hurdle, so do check also for restrictions like dress codes imposed by the lounge itself.

Lounges also have capacity limits, so you may be unlucky if it’s a particularly busy day. Note too that many may not be open in the small hours.

What are typical lounge perks?

So why is lounge access the holy grail of many flyers? Standard perks among lounges will be comfy chairs, free Wi-Fi, newspapers and magazines and some complimentary drinks and snacks.

The better lounges may include hot food, alcohol, showers and even sleeping areas.

BA lounges

If you’re an Avios collector flying British Airways in a high enough class or with the right tier status you’ll have access to a BA lounge. These vary even within the same terminal (some, for instance, will not have full meals) so it’s worth comparing facilities if you have a choice.

In the BA lounge at New York’s JFK and the better options at Heathrow Terminal 5, for instance, you’ll have hot al a carte food, speciality coffee and alcohol (including champagne) besides showers, Wi-Fi and charging points.

If you have a priority tier membership in the British Airways Executive Club you should be able to access up to 620 airline and airport lounges through the Oneworld alliance so it also pays to compare partner airlines’ offerings.

How Avios collectors can access BA lounges If you’re a British Airways Avios collector and member of its free Executive Club (or its partners’ equivalents) you can earn BA lounge access in a way that doesn’t require holding a relevant credit card:

● If you’re booked in business or first class on the airline, even when you’re redeeming BA reward flights. ● If you’re a silver or gold Executive Club member flying with British Airways or a Oneworld Alliance partner airline (even in economy). ● If you’re an Emerald or Sapphire level member of a Oneworld frequent flyer programme flying on BA or a Oneworld partner ● As a guest of an appropriate level British Executive Club member when travelling with them on BA or its partners.

Follow Reward Flight Finder for more on how to make the most of British Airways Avios, including securing upgrades and a higher club tier status.

Original Source https://rewardflightfinder.com/news-and-advice/can-your-credit-card-get-you-free-airp ort-lounge-access