A guide to guest policies for airport lounges

1 week ago 34

There's no denying that airport lounges can be the best part of the on-ground experience when flying. You'll find desirable amenities, such as complimentary food and drink, shower facilities and seating areas to kick back and relax before your flight takes off.

But with more ways than ever to gain lounge access, the lounges can get pretty crowded. All of these lounge access methods can also create confusion regarding who can enter and how many guests you can (or can't) bring into the lounge with your credit card perks.

Let's look at credit cards that offer lounge access and the guest policies of each card, so you can avoid surprises when entering a lounge before your next flight.

Alaska Lounges

Most people gain access to Alaska lounges by having elite status with Mileage Plan or a Oneworld partner loyalty program.

AccessGuest policy

Alaska Airlines lounge member	Immediate family or two guests; additional guests $30 each
American Airlines Admirals Club member when departing or arriving on flights with American Airlines or Alaska Airlines	Immediate family or two guests; additional guests $30 each
Alaska MVP Gold, MVP Gold 75K and MVP Gold 100K members traveling on Oneworld airlines beyond the U.S., Canada or Mexico	Immediate family or two guests; additional guests cost $30 each.
Oneworld Emerald and Sapphire members (excludes members w/status through American Airlines)	One guest flying on a Oneworld airline; additional guests cost $30 each.
Priority Pass member (select Alaska lounges only)	Depending on the card, it typically grants access for the cardholder and two guests at no cost.
Active duty military traveling in uniform and on orders	No guests are listed in the policy.

If you hold an Alaska Airlines lounge membership, you can bring immediate family members (considered partners and children under 21 years old) or up to two guests when entering an Alaska lounge (of which there are eight). Note that your guests must stay with you at all times.

Members may purchase guest passes at a reduced rate of $30 per person for all other guests. Note that members do not need to be traveling with their guest to purchase a guest pass, so you can snag this discounted rate fairly easily for any of your friends and family traveling soon. Children under 2 years old can enter free of charge when accompanying an adult.

American Airlines Admirals Club

There are many different ways to access Admirals Clubs, but perhaps the easiest way to gain membership is by opening a Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard® (see rates and fees). Although the card comes with a $595 annual fee, the Admirals Club membership price by itself costs $850 a year — a considerable deal for loyal AA flyers. With an Admirals Club membership, your immediate family (spouse, domestic partner and children up to 18) or up to two guests may access the lounge with you (with a same-day boarding pass for an eligible flight). Opening an airline card may be worth the annual fee for frequent lounge visitors.

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Access typeGuest policy

Admirals Club members	Immediate family or up to two guests.
Citi/AAdvantage Executive cardholders and authorized users	Immediate family or up to two guests.
Active U.S. military traveling on orders and in uniform	Immediate family or up to two guests.
First-class passengers on qualifying international flights	One guest (children over 2 count as a guest); no guests for business-class passengers.
AAdvantage Platinum members and higher flying on qualifying international flights (regardless of class)	One guest (children over 2 count as a guest).
Oneworld Emerald and Sapphire members on all American and Oneworld flights	One guest (children over 2 count as a guest).
Admirals Club day pass holders	Up to three children under 18.

Note that you can add up to three authorized users to the Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard® for an additional $175 annual fee and $175 for each authorized user thereafter. Thus, they can bring immediate family or up to two guests on their own when they have a same-day boarding pass for an eligible flight.

Otherwise, first-class passengers or AAdvantage Platinum members (or higher) on qualifying international flights, and Oneworld Emerald and Sapphire members can bring one guest each. If you pay $79 for a day pass, you can bring up to three children under 18 with you to the Admirals Club as well.

American Express Centurion Lounges

These cards grant you access to American Express Centurion Lounges, and the guest policies depend on the card you have.

The information for the Amex Corporate Platinum has been collected independently by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.

Amex Platinum and Business Platinum cardholders

The Amex Platinum Card and the Amex Business Platinum Card are two popular luxury travel cards that grant complimentary access to the Centurion Lounges (enrollment required).

Amex's policy for lounge access changed and went into effect in February 2023. Unless you spend $75,000 or more in purchases per calendar year on your card, you'll be charged $50 per adult guest. This change doesn't impact Corporate Platinum cardholders.

If you're traveling with children, understand that anyone over 2 years old counts as a guest. Children under 2 years old can enter at no additional cost, while those aged 2-17 are charged a $30 guest fee.

Delta Reserve and Business Reserve cardholders

When flying on Delta, Reserve and Business Reserve cardholders can access both Delta Sky Clubs and the Centurion lounges. If you choose to visit the Centurion Lounge instead, you can pay to bring up to two guests at the per-visit rate of $50 per person.

Capital One Lounges

Capital One currently has lounges at Dallas Fort Worth International Airport (DFW), Dulles International Airport (IAD), Denver International Airport (DEN), and Washington, D.C.'s Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA) called a Capital One Landing.

Venture X cardholders can add a number of free authorized users to the card. Each person can bring two guests into the lounge. Thus, one credit card can provide admission for numerous people into a Capital One Lounge.

Chase Sapphire Lounges

The following cards provide you access to Chase Sapphire Lounges. Access is granted to cardholders and authorized users as well. Keep in mind you can only access lounges after you activate the complimentary Priority Pass membership.

Access typeGuest policy

Chase Sapphire Reserve®	Primary cardholders and authorized users can bring two guests per visit for free, with additional guests costing $27 a person.
J.P. Morgan Reserve®	Primary cardholders and authorized users can bring two guests per visit for free, with additional guests costing $27 a person.
Ritz-Carlton™ Credit Card	Unlimited guests with no additional charges.

Chase's lounge presence is slowly expanding across the U.S. and the world. Currently, there are seven lounges worldwide — including four lounges and one terrace in the U.S.

Since two of the three cards that provide access to Chase Sapphire Lounges are not open to new applicants, your best bet for access is to be a Sapphire Reserve cardholder.

The information for the J.P. Morgan Reserve and Ritz-Carlton cards has been collected independently by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.

Delta Sky Club

There are multiple ways to enter a Delta Sky Club, whether you hold a Delta Sky Club executive membership or are an eligible Delta Medallion. Like other airline lounges, the guest policies depend on your access type.

Access typeGuest policy

Delta Sky Club Executive and Lifetime membership	Two guests or immediate family; $50 per visit for additional guests.
Delta Sky Club Individual member	$50 per guest for two guests or immediate family.
Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card or Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Business American Express Card	$50 per guest for two guests or immediate family; receive four one-time guest passes per year (effective Feb. 1, 2025). Reserve cardmembers will receive 15 visits per year to the Delta Sky Club. To earn an unlimited number of visits each year starting Feb. 1, 2025, the total eligible purchases on the card must equal $75,000 or more between Jan. 1, 2024, and Dec. 31, 2024, and each calendar year thereafter.
Delta SkyMiles Diners Club, TRUST Club Platinum and TRUST Club Gold cardholders	Two guests (children over 2 count as a guest).
Delta Gold Medallion status or higher (SkyTeam Elite Plus status)	One guest.
Delta One or Delta SkyTeam premium cabin passenger	No guests allowed.
The Platinum Card from American Express* or The Business Platinum Card from American Express*	$50 per guest for two guests.
Single-visit pass	No guests allowed.

*Effective February 1, 2025: Eligible Platinum Card Members will receive 10 Visits per Eligible Platinum Card per year to the Delta Sky Club or to Grab and Go when traveling on a same-day Delta-operated flight.

The information for the Delta Diners Club, Delta TRUST Club Platinum and the Delta TRUST Club Gold Card has been collected independently by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.

Generally, the only way to gain complimentary guest access is to purchase a Delta Sky Club Executive membership. Another way to access Delta Sky Clubs is to be a Delta Gold Medallion member (or higher), but only when flying Delta Premium Select or Delta One internationally (or its equivalent on a partner). Delta elite members can access SkyTeam lounges when flying in first class to Mexico, Canada or Central America (one guest allowed), but flights to the Caribbean are not included.

Those with SkyTeam Elite Plus status from another airline can access Sky Club lounges with one guest, but only when traveling on a SkyTeam international flight (regardless of cabin) or on a domestic flight that will connect onward internationally.

If you're a Reserve cardholder, you can bring up to two guests or immediate family members, and you must pay $50 per guest.

Delta considers anyone over age 2 to be a guest. Children under 2 receive complimentary entry. On the other end of the spectrum, children up to age 21 can gain entry as family members on categories of admission that allow for guest entry for immediate family members.

Plaza Premium lounges

Prices to enter Plaza Premium lounges vary greatly. What you might pay for a day pass or to bring an extra guest ranges from $35 to $65.

Priority Pass lounges

Premium travel cards like the Amex Platinum and the Chase Sapphire Reserve offer cardholders complimentary Priority Pass Select memberships — giving you access to over 1,600 lounges worldwide. The guest policy depends on the type of card you have, so we've outlined the differences for our top card picks for Priority Pass lounge access below (enrollment is required):

Enrollment is required for select benefits.

The information for the Citi Prestige Card, Altitude Reserve and Ritz-Carlton Card has been collected independently by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.

Most cards that grant you Priority Pass Select membership allow lounge access for you and up to two guests. There's an additional guest fee that ranges between $27 and $35, depending on the card you have. Employees can limit the number of guests for capacity controls, so you may not be guaranteed to bring multiple guests if a certain lounge is especially crowded.

United Club

United has relatively straightforward guest policies: United Club members may bring one adult and dependent children under 21 or bring up to two guests. Any additional guests will incur additional fees. If you want complimentary access, the United Club℠ Infinite Card offers a complimentary United Club membership — up to a $650 value.

Access typeGuest policy

United Club membership	Up to two adults or one adult and dependents under 21 years of age.
United Premier Gold status or higher (or Star Alliance Gold member)	One guest; the guest must be on the same flight.
Star Alliance first-class passenger	One guest.
Active U.S. military personnel	Family members traveling on the same flight as the military member.
United or Star Alliance business-class passenger	No guests allowed.
Air Canada Maple Leaf Club Worldwide members	One guest.
Virgin Australia Velocity elite members with Gold, Platinum or VIP status when flying on an international United or Virgin Australia flight	One guest only if the member is flying on a United-operated flight.
United Club one-time pass	No guests allowed.

Members with United Premier Gold status or higher can bring one guest, but your guest must be on the same flight as you. Those with United Gold status can only access U.S. lounges with an international same-day boarding pass, but not when flying domestically. Meanwhile, Star Alliance Gold status with an airline other than United gives you access to United Clubs if you have a same-day departure boarding pass on a Star Alliance-operated flight, including United. Star Alliance first-class passengers may also bring one guest into United Clubs.

As a United first-class passenger, you can access the United Club when departing, connecting or arriving with a same-day ticket to or from Canada. Star Alliance first class passengers may also access United Club or Polaris lounges at the departure airport only with a same-day boarding pass for an international flight. For example, if you're flying from San Francisco International Airport (SFO) to Munich International Airport (MUC) in Lufthansa's first class, you can access the Polaris Lounge at SFO. However, if you're flying into SFO on Lufthansa's first class, you cannot access the Polaris Lounge.

Those with a United Club membership can only access the lounge with a same-day boarding pass for travel on a United, Star Alliance or other partner-operated flight.

If you're a one-time United Club passholder or a business-class passenger on a United or Star Alliance flight, you're not allowed to bring any guests with you — unless you have a child under 2 years old.

It's also worth noting that these access policies do not apply to United's Polaris lounges. These are accessible only by passengers flying in long-haul Polaris business class with United or flying in long-haul business or first class with a Star Alliance partner airline.

Bottom line

The guest guidelines will vary greatly if you have lounge access through your credit card or airline elite status. Some lounges allow you to bring free guests, while others charge fees as high as $65 per person. As a general rule of thumb, you can bring children age 2 or younger at no additional charge. As frustrating as it may seem, you'll need privileges for free guests over this age, or you will have to pay to bring your child into the lounge with you.

For rates and fees of the Amex Platinum Card, click here

For rates and fees of the Amex Business Platinum Card, click here

For rates and fees of the Amex Delta SkyMiles Reserve Card, click here

For rates and fees of the Amex Delta SkyMiles Reserve Business Card, click here

For rates and fees of the Amex Bonvoy Brilliant, click here

Editorial disclaimer: Opinions expressed here are the author’s alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airline or hotel chain, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities.

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