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How to Get Into Every Airport Lounge

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Last week I showed you how to get into the Miami Airport lounges. What if you aren’t flying through the Miami airport? It’s helpful to know how to get into every airport lounge. Here are some tricks and tips on how to get airport lounge access.

How to Get Into Every Airport Lounge

brown leather chairs and couch, wooden bookcase in airport lounge

With these easy tips and tricks, you can get into every airport lounge, even if you’re flying coach or using airline miles

Have you walked past those double doors at the airport? Sometimes they’re frosted glass or solid wood.

Often they’re restricted to access to a select few passengers.

Passengers who’ve paid for the privilege in one form or another.

But no longer.

From being a frequent flyer, buying a day pass, to having the right credit card, here are all the ways you can get into an airport lounge.

Book a First Class or Business Class Ticket

You get airport lounge access when you book a First Class or Business Class ticket. | airport lounge access | how to get airline lounge access | travel hacks \ TravelingWellForLess.com

First Class ticket = airline lounge access

You can get airport lounge access when you book Business Class and First Class tickets. But each airline has different requirements depending on where you’re flying.

If you’re flying First Class on Cathay Pacific or have oneWorld Emerald status and are flying on any oneWorld airline, you can relax in the Cathay Pacific The Pier First Class Lounge.

Pro-tip: Here’s how to find Cheap First Class and Business Class tickets.

Domestic Flights

For flights in the United States, a First Class or Business Class ticket will not get you lounge access. Unless you are flying First Class on transcontinental flights.

Transcontinental flights are non-stop flights from the East Coast to the West Coast and vice versa.

Examples of transcontinental flights:

  • Boston to San Francisco
  • Los Angeles to New York
  • Miami to Los Angeles
  • San Francisco to New York
  • Washington, DC to Los Angeles

International Flights

An international First Class or Business Class ticket gets you airport lounge access. Some airports like Los Angeles have separate First Class and Business Class lounges.

Pro-tip: American Airlines and Delta Airlines consider certain international flights as domestic flights:

  • Flights between the US and the Bahamas, Bermuda, Canada, the Caribbean, and Mexico (except Mexico City) on American Airlines
  • Flights on Delta to/from the US and the Caribbean, Guam, Palau, and Saipan

Have Elite Status

If you have elite status you can get airport lounge access. American Airlines Executive Platinum members get Flagship Lounge access when flying internationally, even on coach tickets. | airport lounge access | tips and tricks to get airline lounge access | travel hacks | TravelingWellForLess.com

American Airlines Executive Platinum members get Flagship Lounge access when flying internationally, even on coach tickets.

Frequent flyers with elite status can get free airport lounge access. And the best part, you get lounge access flying coach or on an award ticket.

American Airlines Executive Platinum Members get access to American Airlines and OneWorld lounges when flying internationally.

Delta SkyTeam Elite members on international flights can use the Delta lounges. And you get lounge access on a domestic flight with an international connection.

If you have United Airlines Gold elite status and are flying internationally, you get free airport lounge access to Star Alliance lounges. You can get into United Club lounges if you have Gold Elite status on a different Star Alliance airline such as Turkish or Aegean.

Pro-tip: Qantas Frequent Flyer Gold members can’t use the Qantas Domestic Business Lounges.

Get Invited

You can get guested into the Pier, Cathay Pacific's First Class Lounge. You can enjoy a free foot or shoulder massage. | airport lounge | how to get airport lounge access | travel hacks | TravelingWellForLess.com

Get invited in the Pier, Cathay Pacific’s First Class lounge, and enjoy a free foot or shoulder massage

Don’t have elite status and are flying in in coach? You can get invited into an airport lounge. If you’re traveling with friends, family, or colleagues, they can guest you in.

But what if you’re traveling solo? Or no one in your party has lounge access? Time to get friendly and cozy up to a stranger.

Consider hanging out near the door to the lounge. Muster up your courage and ask someone if they’d be willing to guest you in. Too shy to ask in person? Post your request on Flyertalk.

Don’t take it personally if someone turns your request down. They might be flying on a coach ticket, or have a restricted membership. Or they could be uncomfortable. Keep trying until you find someone who says yes. Or you get chased away by the lounge staff.

Pro-tip: Dress sharp. No one wants to invite a backpacker or scruffy looking person into a lounge as their guest.

Buy an Airline Lounge Membership

Buying an airline lounge membership could be worth it, especially if you fly a lot on the same airline. Membership can range from $400 to $745 a year.

Before you purchase a membership make sure that the airports you’re flying into have lounges. Not all airports have lounges. Some airports may only have non-airport lounges, also known as contract lounges.

Pro-tip: Sometimes the airlines offer discounts on airline lounge membership.

You get free airline lounge membership with your Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard®, the United Club℠ Infinite Card, and the Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card.

Effective February 1, 2025, Reserve Card Members will get 15 Delta Sky Club lounge visits per year. For unlimited access, you have to spend $75,000 or more on eligible purchases on your card between January 1, 2024 and December 31, 2024 and each subsequent calendar year.

Buy a Day Pass

If buying a yearly airline lounge membership is too rich for your blood or you don’t fly enough to make it worth it, buy a day pass. Not all airlines sell days passes to their lounges so you’ll have to check the airline you’re flying.

You can buy a one day airline lounge pass for the American Airlines Admirals Clubs, United Clubs, and Alaska Airlines Lounge.

Delta Airlines no longer sells day passes for the Delta SkyClub.

An American Airlines Admiral Club Day Pass is $79 or 7,900 AAdvantage miles.

A one day pass for the American Airlines Admirals Club allows you to visit several lounges on the same day within a 24-hour period. Day passes are not valid at American Airlines clubs under construction.

You can also purchase a single visit pass to the American Airlines Flagship Lounge for $150 or 15,000 American miles.

A day pass for an Alaska lounge is $60. United sells one-time passes for $59 to its lounge via their app and at a lounge.

Previously by invitation only, Qantas now sells day passes to the Qantas Lounge. The cost of a Qantas Lounge access pass varies depending on airport.

A one day pass for the American Airlines Admirals Club allows you to visit several lounges on the same day within a 24-hour period. Day passes are not valid at American Airlines clubs under construction.

Whereas a day pass for Alaska and United airport lounges is a single visit pass. This means you have to pay $60 for each Alaska lounge and $59 for each United lounge you visit, even if you’re flying through many airports on the same day.

You can apply the cost of your day pass to a full airline lounge membership if you join within 30 days.

Pro-tip: Pay using your The Platinum Card® from American Express or The Business Platinum Card® from American Express to take advantage of the $200 yearly airline credit on the selected airline of your choice. Enrollment required for select benefit.

Use Independent or Third-Party Lounges

If your airline doesn't have a lounge, you can pay a fee to use an independent or third-party lounge. | airport lounge | how to get airport lounge access | travel hacks | TravelingWellForLess.com

Many airports offer independent or third party lounges

What are your options if you aren’t flying in First Class or Business Class? If the airline you’re flying doesn’t have a lounge or sell day passes? Or no one will guest you into a lounge?

Some airports offer public, third-party, or contract lounges you can use for a fee. Fees vary depending on the lounge. You can buy at the lounge.

Purchase a Lounge Membership

If you usually fly coach and on different airlines, you should get a Priority Pass membership. | airport lounge | how to get airport lounge access | travel hacks | TravelingWellForLess.com

Priority Pass membership gets you into over 1,000 lounges like the Avianca lounge in San Juan

If you usually fly coach and on different airlines, you should get a Priority Pass membership.

With over 1,000 airport lounges worldwide, Priority Pass membership gives you flexibility. Lounges in their network include third party, airline, and VIP lounges.

I use my Priority Pass membership to get into airport lounges without an airline lounge. Being able to relax in the Panama Airport lounge in during a mileage run with a 3-hour turn, made a huge difference.

There are three different Priority Pass membership levels:

Standard – $99 yearly fee, $27 visits
Standard Plus – $249 yearly fee, 10 free visits, $27 thereafter
Prestige – $399 yearly fee, free visits

Have the Right Credit Card

Did you know that you can get free lounge access from your credit card? Yep, some credit cards offer free airport lounge access.

Some cards like the United Club℠ Infinite Card get you into airline lounges. Other credit cards like the Chase Sapphire Reserve® Card and Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Cardgive you access to independent lounges.

These all the cards that offer free airport lounge access.

Pro-tip: You get free access to the most airport lounges if you have an The Platinum Card® from American Express or The Business Platinum Card® from American Express. Enrollment is required for select benefits.

Conclusion

Relax in comfort, enjoying free Wi-Fi, snacks, and all the amenities that come with airport lounge access. Airport lounge access is usually reserved to those who buy expensive tickets like First Class and Business Class. Or who have an airline lounge membership.

But with these easy tips and tricks, you can get into every airport lounge, even if you’re flying coach or on using airline miles. It can be as simply as having a credit card that gives you airport lounge access like the Citi Prestige or American Express Platinum card.

What’s your favorite way to access an airport lounge?

Related posts on airport lounges:

Pin this to your travel or travel tips board:

Airport lounge access is usually reserved to those who buy expensive tickets like First Class and Business Class. Or who have an airline lounge membership. But with these easy tips and tricks, you can get into every airport lounge, even if you're flying coach or on using airline miles. | airport lounge | how to get airport lounge access | travel hacks | TravelingWellForLess.com

Airport lounge access is usually reserved to those who buy expensive tickets like First Class and Business Class. Or who have an airline lounge membership. But with these easy tips and tricks, you can get into every airport lounge, even if you're flying coach or on using airline miles. | airport lounge | how to get airport lounge access | travel hacks | TravelingWellForLess.com
Airport lounge access is usually reserved to those who buy expensive tickets like First Class and Business Class. Or who have an airline lounge membership. But with these easy tips and tricks, you can get into every airport lounge, even if you're flying coach or on using airline miles. | airport lounge | how to get airport lounge access | travel hacks | TravelingWellForLess.com

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Lela, Frugal Nellie

Saturday 15th of July 2017

CSR includes free Priority Pass membership too.

Debra Schroeder

Sunday 16th of July 2017

Hi Lela, Frugal Nellie,

Yep, the CSR does include free Priority Pass membership. My post on which airlines cards give you free lounge access is still in my drafts folder. Looks like I need to finish it. :)

Lieurene

Wednesday 26th of April 2017

These are all great advice! I haven't had any experience being in the lounge but I would love to check it out and relax in there. I didn't know there are many ways to get in. It would be cool if I can go in as a guest just to get a taste of it.

Swati & Sam

Tuesday 25th of April 2017

These are some nice tips for getting access to a lounge. But not everybody can fly business class. Generally I use a Priority Pass to get into lounges. Some of the lounges in India do allow you to redeem credit card point/air miles as well.

Trisha Velarmino

Tuesday 25th of April 2017

I like your advice on being friendly! It always comes handy! hahaha. Oh, I never thought there's a website where you can post and get invited. Cool! Thanks for sharing.

Megan Jerrard

Sunday 23rd of April 2017

These are great tips! I would add, find a kind stranger with a elite status or lounge privilege :D Haha not the easiest way to get in, but QANTAS a while back stopped accepting my platinum AMEX as entry to the lounge and as I was leaving dejected a lovely man was walking in and told me to come in as his +1. Loved it :D!

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