The fun is even better when sharing an airport lounge.
From free food and drinks to premium amenities like showers and quiet rooms, lounges are your haven from the chaos of the terminal and hurried travelers. If you are traveling with companions, you may want them to join you when you visit.
While many rewards cards include free airport lounge access as a perk for primary cardholders, guest access has been tightening due to overcrowding. What should travelers and their companions do?
Thankfully, some travel cards offer lounge access to authorized users—usually for an additional fee.
If you travel frequently with a partner or have someone who enjoys their own lounge privileges, you should add these cards to your wallet.
Compare the best cards with authorized user lounge access
| card | Authorized user lounge access rights | annual fee | License fee |
|---|---|---|---|
| American Express Platinum Card® | They also have access to the American Express global collection of lounges, including Delta Sky Club*, Centurion and Priority Pass™ lounges, with the same access as primary card members. (Registration required.) | $895 (see rates and fees) | $195 per additional authorized user (see Rates & Fees) |
| American Express Business Platinum Card® | They also have access to the American Express global collection of lounges, including Delta Sky Club*, Centurion and Priority Pass lounges, with the same access as primary card members. (Registration required.) | $895 (see rates and fees) | $400 per additional card member (see rates and fees) |
| Chase Sapphire Reserve® (see rates and fees) | They also have access to Chase Sapphire lounges and their own Priority Pass Select membership, which provides access to more than 1,800 airport lounges around the world. | $795 | $195 per additional cardholder |
| Capital One Ventures X Rewards Credit Card | They also have access to Capital One lounges and Priority Pass lounges. Starting February 1, 2026, Capital One Lounges and Priority Pass Lounges will no longer be free for authorized users of Venture X. Instead, other cardholders will need to pay $125 per card to retain lounge access. | $395 | No additional fee for up to 4 authorized users (unless you want free lounge access, which will be $125 per card starting February 1, 2026) |
| Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard® (see rates and fees) | They also have access to select American Airlines Admirals Clubs and can bring immediate family members or up to two guests at no extra charge. However, they do not have access to the partner lounge. | $595 | The fee is $175 for up to three additional cardholders, then $175 for each additional authorized user |
| Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card | They also have access to Delta Sky Club** and the American Express Centurion Lounge when they travel on a Delta-marketed and operated flight and present a same-day Delta boarding pass. | $650 (see rates and fees) | $175 per additional card member (see rates and fees) |
| Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Business American Express Card | They also have access to the Delta Sky Club** and American Express Centurion Lounge when they travel on a Delta-marketed and operated flight and present a same-day Delta boarding pass. | $650 (see rates and fees) | $175 per additional card member (see rates and fees) |
*Eligible Platinum members are entitled to 10 visits to a Delta Sky Club or Grab and Go location per eligible Platinum card per year on same-day Delta-operated flights, unless they spend $75,000 or more on the card to unlock unlimited visits.
**Reserved card members are entitled to 15 visits to Delta Sky Clubs per year; to receive unlimited visits per year, the card’s total qualifying purchases must equal $75,000 or more per calendar year.
RELATED: 5 Ways to Make sure You Have Lounge Access Before Your Next Flight
Card with authorized user lounge access
American Express Platinum Card
this American Express Platinum Card Provides authorized users with the same extensive lounge access as primary card members. You are required to pay an additional $195 card membership fee per authorized user.
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The American Express Platinum Card comes with tons of valuable statement points and a high earn rate on travel-related purchases. Frequent travelers can’t go wrong with this card.
To learn more, read our full review of the American Express Platinum Card.
Apply here: American Express Platinum Card
American Express Business Platinum Card
authorized users of American Express Business Platinum Card Get the same lounge access as the primary card member. However, there is a hefty fee of $400 for additional card members.
Like personal cards, the American Express Business Platinum Card is a great card for frequent travelers running a small business. It offers many different benefits than a consumer card, so it might be a good idea for some card members to carry both cards.
To learn more, read our full review of the American Express Business Platinum Card.
Apply here: American Express Business Platinum Card
Chase Sapphire Reserve
If you want to share access to the growing Chase Sapphire lounges (and enjoy Priority Pass Select membership), you’ll need to add authorized users to your account. Chase Sapphire Reserve The fee is $195.
This premium card from Chase Bank earns valuable Chase Ultimate Rewards points and offers real savings on travel, dining and lifestyle purchases.
To learn more, read our full review of Sapphire Reserve.
Apply here: Chase Sapphire Reserve
Capital One Ventures X Rewards Credit Card
Venture X is known for its generous policy of offering free lounges to authorized users, but that’s set to change in 2026.
Still, the Venture
To learn more, read our full review of the Venture X.
Learn more: Capital One Ventures X Rewards Credit Card
Citi/AAdvantage Executive World Elite Mastercard
If access to selected Admirals Clubs is important to you, you may want to add authorized users to that club Citi/AAdvantage Executive. You’ll pay $175 for up to three additional cardholders, then $175 for each additional authorized user.
Frequent American Airlines fliers will appreciate the value this top-rated card offers, especially if Admirals Club access is important to them.
To learn more, read our full review of Citi/AAdvantage Executive.
Apply here: Citi/AAdvantage Executive World Elite Mastercard
Delta SkyMiles Reserve American Express Card
Delta SkyMiles Reserve Cardmembers can add an additional Cardmember for $175 and gain access to Delta Sky Clubs and American Express Centurion Lounges when they fly on a Delta-marketed and operated flight and present a same-day Delta boarding pass.
Features on the card, including a variety of benefits when flying with Delta and an annual companion certificate, are a plus for loyal Delta customers.
To learn more, read our full review of the Delta SkyMiles Reserve program.
Apply here: Delta SkyMiles Reserve American Express Card
Delta SkyMiles Booking Business American Express Card
As with the individual Delta Reserve mentioned earlier, you can add other cardmembers to Delta SkyMiles Reservations For just $175 per person, you can get access to the Delta Sky Club and the Amex Centurion Lounge.
Business owners who fly frequently with Delta will appreciate the benefits of this card, which allows cardholders to spend toward elite status and earn Delta SkyMiles on purchases.
To learn more, read our full review of Delta SkyMiles bookings.
Apply here: Delta SkyMiles Booking Business American Express Card
bottom line
If lounge access is a priority for the people you frequently travel with, it makes sense to add them as an authorized user on one of the cards.
These seven travel rewards cards offer a variety of useful benefits beyond lounge access, so be sure to consider the extras before applying.
Keep in mind that free lounge access for authorized users still requires payment – most cards on this list charge additional fees to add cardholders. Once Capital One launches Venture
RELATED: 9 Domestic Lounges Worth Going Out of Your Way to Visit
For American Express Platinum Card rates and fees, click here.
For rates and fees on the American Express Business Platinum Card, click here.
For rates and fees on the American Express Delta Reserve Card, click here.
For rates and fees on the American Express Delta Reserve Business Card, click here.
