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Business owners who spend more time in an airport than an office can leverage their business credit card to access airport lounges. With amenities like free food, drinks and Wi-Fi — along with phone rooms, semi-private workspaces and conference rooms — lounges can make your travel more comfortable and productive.
Several business credit cards include airport lounge access, but the extent of that benefit varies widely. One card may unlock thousands of lounges across the globe, while another may include a few free visits each year. Unsurprisingly, the former tends to come with a heftier annual fee than the latter.
Factor that cost against the value of the card’s overall rewards, while making sure the lounge perk lines up with your typical travel routes. And don’t forget to look at extras, like free checked bags and airline credits. That will help you find the best overall travel business credit card for you.
All of our picks for the best business cards are chosen by our editorial team, who follow strict editorial guidelines to ensure fairness and accuracy in our coverage to help you choose the business card for your company. We independently evaluate and rate dozens of small-business credit cards, scoring them on fees, rewards rates, bonus offers and other features. View our full methodology.
Note: Some of our selections can be applied for through NerdWallet, and some cannot. Below, you’ll find application links for the credit cards from our partners that are available through NerdWallet, followed by the full list of our picks.
Featured
Many or all of the products featured here are from our partners who compensate us. This may influence which products we write about and where and how the product appears on a page. However, this does not influence our evaluations. Our opinions are our own. Here is a list of our partners and here's how we make money.
Business owners who spend more time in an airport than an office can leverage their business credit card to access airport lounges. With amenities like free food, drinks and Wi-Fi — along with phone rooms, semi-private workspaces and conference rooms — lounges can make your travel more comfortable and productive.
Several business credit cards include airport lounge access, but the extent of that benefit varies widely. One card may unlock thousands of lounges across the globe, while another may include a few free visits each year. Unsurprisingly, the former tends to come with a heftier annual fee than the latter.
Factor that cost against the value of the card’s overall rewards, while making sure the lounge perk lines up with your typical travel routes. And don’t forget to look at extras, like free checked bags and airline credits. That will help you find the best overall travel business credit card for you.
All of our picks for the best business cards are chosen by our editorial team, who follow strict editorial guidelines to ensure fairness and accuracy in our coverage to help you choose the business card for your company. We independently evaluate and rate dozens of small-business credit cards, scoring them on fees, rewards rates, bonus offers and other features. View our full methodology.
Note: Some of our selections can be applied for through NerdWallet, and some cannot. Below, you’ll find application links for the credit cards from our partners that are available through NerdWallet, followed by the full list of our picks.
Featured
Here are the best business credit cards for airport lounge access
| Best for | NerdWallet rating▼ | Annual fee▼ | Rewards rate | Intro offer | Learn more |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Overall airport lounge access Capital One Venture X Business Apply now on Capital One's website Rates & Fees | 5.0/5 | $395 | 2x-10x Miles | 150,000 Miles | Apply now on Capital One's website Rates & Fees |
Centurion lounge access The Business Platinum Card® from American Express Apply now on American Express' website Rates & Fees | 4.8/5 | $695 | 1x-5x Points | 150,000 Points | Apply now on American Express' website Rates & Fees |
Delta frequent flyers Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Business American Express Card Apply now on American Express' website Rates & Fees | 5.0/5 | $650 | 1x-3x Miles | 80,000 Miles | Apply now on American Express' website Rates & Fees |
United Club membership United Club℠ Business Card | 4.7/5 | $450 | 1.5x-5x Miles | 50,000 Miles | |
| Best for | NerdWallet rating▼ | Annual fee▼ | Rewards rate | Intro offer | Learn more |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Overall airport lounge access Capital One Venture X Business Apply now on Capital One's website Rates & Fees | 5.0/5 | $395 | 2x-10x Miles | 150,000 Miles | Apply now on Capital One's website Rates & Fees |
Centurion lounge access The Business Platinum Card® from American Express Apply now on American Express' website Rates & Fees | 4.8/5 | $695 | 1x-5x Points | 150,000 Points | Apply now on American Express' website Rates & Fees |
Delta frequent flyers Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Business American Express Card Apply now on American Express' website Rates & Fees | 5.0/5 | $650 | 1x-3x Miles | 80,000 Miles | Apply now on American Express' website Rates & Fees |
United Club membership United Club℠ Business Card | 4.7/5 | $450 | 1.5x-5x Miles | 50,000 Miles |
I'M INTERESTED IN:
Our pick for
Overall airport lounge access
Annual fee
$395
Rewards rate
2x-10x Miles
Intro offer
150,000 Miles
Pros
- Lounge membership
- High rewards rate
- Welcome offer
Cons
- High annual fee
- Requires excellent credit
- Balance must be paid in full every month
One of the many perks of the Venture X Business card is a free Priority Pass membership with unlimited access for the primary cardholder and up to two guests (enrollment required).
- Earn unlimited 2X miles on every purchase, everywhere—with no limits or category restrictions
- This card has no preset spending limit, so you get purchasing power that adapts to your spending needs. The annual fee on this card is $395
- Earn 150,000 bonus miles once you spend $30,000 in the first 3 months from account opening
- Redeem your miles on flights, hotels and more. Plus, transfer your miles to any of the 15+ travel loyalty programs
- Earn unlimited 10X miles on hotels and rental cars and 5X miles on flights and vacation rentals booked through Capital One Travel, where you'll get the best prices on thousands of options
- Every year, you'll get 10,000 bonus miles after your account anniversary date. Plus, receive an annual $300 credit for bookings through Capital One Travel
- Empower your teams to make business purchases while earning rewards on their transactions, with free employee and virtual cards. Plus, automatically sync your transaction data with your accounting software and pay your vendors with ease
- Receive up to a $120 credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck®. Enjoy complimentary access to 1,300+ airport lounges worldwide, including Capital One Lounge locations and membership to Priority Pass
- This is a pay-in-full card, so your balance is due in full every month
- Enjoy a $100 experience credit and other premium benefits with every hotel and vacation rental booked from the Premier Collection
View Rates & Fees
Our pick for
Centurion lounge access
Annual fee
$695
Rewards rate
1x-5x Points
Intro offer
150,000 Points
Pros
- Lounge membership
- Transfer partners
- Bonus categories
- Automatic elite status
- Premium travel protections
Cons
- High annual fee
- Complicated rewards
- Requires good/excellent credit
This card unlocks more than a thousand airport lounges, including Centurion, Priority Pass and Delta Sky Clubs (when flying Delta).
- Welcome Offer: Earn 150,000 Membership Rewards® points after you spend $20,000 in eligible purchases on the Card within the first 3 months of Card Membership.
- 5X Membership Rewards® points on flights and prepaid hotels on AmexTravel.com, and 1X points for each dollar you spend on eligible purchases.
- Earn 1.5X points (that’s an extra half point per dollar) on each eligible purchase at US construction material, hardware suppliers, electronic goods retailers, and software & cloud system providers, and shipping providers, as well as on purchases of $5,000 or more, on up to $2 million per Card Account per calendar year. Purchases eligible for multiple additional point bonuses will only receive the highest eligible bonus.
- Unlock over $1,000 in statement credits on select purchases, including tech, recruiting and wireless in the first year of membership with the Business Platinum Card®. Enrollment required. See how you can unlock over $1,000 annually in credits on select purchases with the Business Platinum Card®, here.
- $200 Airline Fee Credit: Select one qualifying airline and then receive up to $200 in statement credits per calendar year when incidental fees are charged by the airline to the Card.
- $199 CLEAR® Plus Credit: Use your card and get up to $199 in statement credits per calendar year on your CLEAR® Plus Membership (subject to auto-renewal) when you use the Business Platinum Card®.
- The American Express Global Lounge Collection® can provide an escape at the airport. With complimentary access to more than 1,400 airport lounges across 140 countries and counting, you have more airport lounge options than any other credit card issuer on the market as of 03/2023.
- $695 Annual Fee.
- Terms Apply.
View Rates & Fees
Our pick for
Delta frequent flyers
Annual fee
$650
Rewards rate
1x-3x Miles
Intro offer
80,000 Miles
Pros
- High rewards rate
- Luxury perks
- Lounge membership
- Companion benefit
Cons
- Has annual fee
- Requires good/excellent credit
Cardholders get access to more than 50 Delta Sky Club lounges (with four one-time guest passes each year), as well as Centurion and Escape Lounges if you purchase a Delta flight with your card.
- Welcome Offer: Earn 80,000 Bonus Miles after spending $10,000 in purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership.
- Enter Delta Sky Club® at no cost. Effective 2/1/25, Reserve Card Members will receive 15 Visits per year to the Delta Sky Club; to earn an unlimited number of Visits each year starting on 2/1/25, the total eligible purchases on the Card must equal $75,000 or more between 1/1/24 and 12/31/24, and each calendar year thereafter.
- Earn 3 miles per dollar on eligible Delta purchases.
- Get closer to elevated Status next Medallion® Year with MQD Headstart and MQD Boost: receive $2,500 Medallion Qualification Dollars each Medallion Qualification Year and earn $1 MQD for each $10 on purchases with your Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Business American Express Card.
- Receive a Companion Certificate on First Class, Delta Comfort+®, or Main Cabin domestic, Caribbean, or Central American roundtrip flights each year after renewal of your Card. The Companion Ticket requires payment of government-imposed taxes and fees of no more than $80 for roundtrip domestic flights and no more than $250 for roundtrip international flights (both for itineraries with up to four flight segments). Baggage charges and other restrictions apply. See terms and conditions for details.
- With the $240 Resy Credit, earn up to $20 per month in statement credits on eligible Resy purchases using your enrolled Card.
- Earn up to $10 back each month after using your enrolled Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Business American Express Card for U.S. rideshare purchases with select providers.
- Save 15% when booking Award Travel on Delta flights. Not applicable to partner-operated flights or to taxes and fees.
- Not a Medallion Member? Card Members with an eligible ticket will be added to the Complimentary Upgrade list, after Delta SkyMiles Medallion Members.
- As a benefit of Card Membership, you can check your first bag free on Delta flights, saving up to $70 on a round-trip Delta flight per person. For a family of four that’s a potential savings of up to $280 per round-trip flight.
- When you purchase a Delta flight with your Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Business Card, you will receive complimentary access to The Centurion® Lounge or Escape Lounge – The Centurion® Studio Partner.
- Receive Zone 5 Priority Boarding on Delta flights; board early, stow your carry-on bag and settle in sooner.
- Elevate your travel experience with an annual statement credit of up to $250 after using your Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Business American Express Card to book prepaid hotels or vacation rentals through Delta Stays on delta.com.
- Enjoy travel without foreign transaction fees from American Express with your Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Business American Express Card.
- Terms and limitations apply.
View Rates & Fees
Our pick for
United Club membership
Annual fee
$450
Rewards rate
1.5x-5x Miles
Intro offer
50,000 Miles
Pros
- High rewards rate
- Lounge membership
- New cardholder bonus offer
- Free checked bag
Cons
- High annual fee
- Rewards have limited flexibility
Business travelers and up to two adult guests, or one adult and dependent children (under 21), can visit any of the more than 45 United Club lounges, as well as partner lounges, when traveling on United, Star Alliance™ or another partner-operated flight.
- Earn 50,000 bonus miles + 1,000 Premier qualifying points (PQP) after $5,000 on purchases in the first 3 months your account is open.
- United Club℠ membership - up to a $650 value per year. Enjoy access to United Club locations and participating Star Alliance™ affiliated lounges worldwide.
- 7x total miles on United flights - 5x miles on fare from United as a MileagePlus member, plus 2x miles on entire United purchase with the United Club Business Card. Premier® members earn even more. 2x miles on other United purchases.
- 3.5x total miles on hotel stays booked through United Hotels - 2x miles from United as a MileagePlus member, plus 1.5x miles earned with the United Club Business Card. 1.5x miles on all other purchases
- Employee Cards at no additional cost.
- Free first and second checked bags on United flights. Save up to $360 per roundtrip.
- Information related to the United Club℠ Business Card has been collected by NerdWallet and has not been reviewed or provided by the issuer of this card.
View Rates & Fees
NerdWallet’s editorial picks: Best business cards for airport lounge access
Capital One Venture X Business
Best for: Overall airport lounge access
NerdWallet star rating:
5
Capital One's premium business travel card delivers some serious perks, including a complimentary Priority Pass membership that provides unlimited access to more than 1,300 lounges for the primary cardholder and up to two guests. You'll also get access to Capital One and Plaza Premium lounges. Additional Venture X Business perks include annual statement credits and a massive welcome offer:
Earn 150,000 bonus miles once you spend $30,000 in the first 3 months from account opening.
And with an annual fee of $395
, the Venture X Business is also the most affordable card on this list. (See rates and fees.) Learn more and apply.The Business Platinum Card® from American Express
Best for: Centurion lounge access
NerdWallet star rating:
4.8
A five-star option for business travelers,
The Business Platinum Card® from American Express
opens the door to more than 1,400 lounges across 140 countries, including American Express Centurion lounges, as well as International American Express lounges and Priority Pass. Cardholders also get complimentary access to Delta Sky Club and Lufthansa lounges, when flying with the respective airlines. The AmEx Business Platinum card has other perks, too, including statement credits, automatic elite status and a generous welcome bonus. All this comes at a price, though. Namely, a $695
annual fee. If you use all of the cards’ rich benefits, though, the card pays for itself and then some. Learn more and apply.Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Business American Express Card
Best for: Delta frequent flyers
NerdWallet star rating:
5
Delta loyalists can gain access to some of the same lounges available through the AmEx Business Platinum with a few caveats. The
Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Business American Express Card
($650
annual fee) includes access to Centurion lounges and Delta’s own Sky Clubs, but only when flying Delta. Other travel-friendly perks include priority boarding, complimentary seat upgrades and an annual companion certificate. Terms apply. Learn more and apply.United Club℠ Business Card
Best for: United Club membership
NerdWallet star rating:
4.7
The
United Club℠ Business Card
’s most notable perk is the included United Club membership, which covers more than 45 United Club lounges and more than 1,000 Star Alliance-affiliated lounges (terms apply). Traveling with guests? United Club lounges allow you to bring along up to two adult guests, or one adult and any dependent children under the age of 21. Other popular lounges, like Sky Club and Centurion, charge for any guests that accompany members into a lounge. The United Club Business Card has a $450
annual fee.Other business cards with lounge access to consider
The following cards offer limited airport lounge access:
United℠ Business Card
: Includes two United Club passes per year. Passes don't include guests (except children under 2). There are more than 45 United Club lounges, including in a handful of popular international destinations, such as London Heathrow and Hong Kong International Airport.U.S. Bank Business Altitude Connect World Elite Mastercard: Includes up to four free Priority Pass visits per year for the cardholder and one additional guest per visit. There are more than 1,400 Priority Pass lounges and experiences around the world.
There are also several personal travel cards that offer airport lounge access, which can be an option for sole proprietors or business owners who don’t need employee cards. Lounge benefits and annual fees are pretty similar between personal and business cards, but welcome offers and other rewards categories may differ slightly.
If you opt to use a personal card, it’s smart to keep it exclusively for business purchases. Commingling business and personal expenses can complicate bookkeeping and tax filing.
Compare airport lounge access for business credit cards
Business card | Lounge access |
|---|---|
Capital One Venture X Business | Priority Pass, Plaza Premium and Capital One lounges. |
The Business Platinum Card® from American Express | American Express Centurion and Escape Lounges, International American Express Lounges, Priority Pass Select, and Delta Sky Club and Lufthansa Lounges (when flying with that airline). |
Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Business American Express Card | Delta Sky Club and American Express Centurion® and Escape Lounges, when flying on a Delta ticket purchased with the card. |
United Club℠ Business Card | United Club and participating Star Alliance lounges. |
United℠ Business Card | United Club (up to two visits per year). |
U.S. Bank Business AltitudeTM Connect World Elite Mastercard® | Priority Pass (up to four visits per year). |
How to choose a business card for airport lounge access
Seeking out a business credit card for airport lounge benefits narrows your options of business travel cards to a handful. But how do you choose from there? Ask yourself three questions:
1. Which airlines do you fly? If you’re loyal to United or Delta, a co-branded card like the
Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Business American Express Card
or the United Club℠ Business Card
will give you entry into the airlines’ respective lounges, plus airline-specific perks like discounts and free seat upgrades. Capital One Venture X Business
, on the other hand, is the best option if you fly with multiple airlines or have the flexibility to book most of your flights through Capital One’s travel portal (you’ll get 5 points per $1).2. What routes do you fly? Most major travel hubs have multiple airport lounges in each terminal, making it easy to pop into one on a layover. But some airports have limited options. In Detroit, Delta Sky Club is your only option (unless you’re flying Lufthansa). Always connecting through Charlotte, North Carolina? You won’t find a United Club lounge. Select a card that gives you convenient lounge access along your normal travel routes.
3. How often will you visit a lounge? Airport lounge access doesn't come cheap. Annual fees for many of our picks range from $
395
to $695
— and that’s usually less than what the lounge membership would cost. Make sure you’ll use the lounge benefits, and the card’s other perks, enough to justify the annual fee. Can AmEx business cards access airport lounges?
A handful of American Express business cards offer airport lounge access.
The Business Platinum Card® from American Express
, for example, includes complimentary access to Centurion and Priority Pass lounges, along with a handful of other domestic and international lounges. A handful of co-branded AmEx business cards, including the Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Business American Express Card
also offer lounge perks.To view rates and fees of
The Business Platinum Card® from American Express
, see this page.To view rates and fees of the
Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Business American Express Card
, see this page.Last updated on November 12, 2024
Methodology
NerdWallet's Credit Cards team selects the best credit cards for small business based on overall consumer value, as evidenced by star ratings, as well as their suitability for specific kinds of small-business operators. Factors in our evaluation include annual and other fees, rewards rates, the earning structure (for example, flat-rate rewards versus bonus categories), redemption options, bonus offers for new cardholders, introductory and ongoing APRs, and other noteworthy features such as special financing arrangements, free cards for employees or tools for managing business expenses. Learn more about how we rate business credit cards.
