Many credit cards include Priority Pass membership as a perk. Many airport lounges across the world accept Priority Pass for free entry. But Priority Pass offers more than just lounges. Some Priority Pass memberships also include free access to experiences (airport massage chairs, gaming rooms, etc.) and restaurants (free meals at participating airport restaurants). Priority Pass memberships that include experiences are becoming rare, and those that include restaurants are rarer still.
The Ritz-Carlton card used to be the hands-down best way to get Priority Pass for yourself and your whole family. The equation changed when Chase removed restaurant access from Priority Pass, and again when the card stopped offering unlimited free guest access. The Ritz card is still a great choice, but there are plenty of other credit cards that offer Priority Pass. Which is best? The answer depends on whether you value restaurant access, guest access, sharing Priority Pass with others, and/or access to other lounges. Depending upon what you value most, you’ll undoubtedly find options below that meet your needs…
Best overall (restaurants + sharing + unlimited visits)
The best versions of Priority Pass include access to Priority Pass restaurants and experiences, allow multiple guests, offer unlimited visits, and enable friends or family members to get their own Priority Pass with the same capabilities.
| Card | Annual Fee | # Visits | # Free Guests | Rest-aurant | Exper-iences | Sharing | Other Lounges |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UBS Visa Infinite | $650 | No limit | No limit | Yes | Yes | Free authorized user cards include Priority Pass | Includes credits that can be used to pay for lounge access or membership |
| UBS Visa Infinite Business | $650 | No limit | No limit | Yes | Yes | Free authorized user cards include Priority Pass | Includes credits that can be used to pay for lounge access or membership |
| Bank of America Premium Rewards Elite | $550 | No limit | No limit | Yes | Yes | Includes 4 Priority Pass memberships that can be assigned to anyone (but can’t be re-assigned later) | $300 annual airline incidentals credit can be used for lounge access |
| Emirates Skywards Premium World Elite Mastercard | $499 | No limit | 2 | Yes | Yes | Free authorized user cards include Priority Pass | Provides a path to Gold status, which offers Emirates Business Class lounge access |
| HSBC Elite Credit Card | $495 | No limit | 2 | Yes | Yes | Free authorized user cards include Priority Pass | N/A |
More restaurant access (Additional cards that offer Priority Pass restaurant access)
If restaurant access is important to you but you don’t mind limited sharing options or fewer visits, there are several other options besides the cards listed above. Particularly notable is the U.S. Bank Altitude® Connect card, which has no annual fee and offers 4 visits per year, including restaurants.
| Card | Annual Fee | # Visits | # Free Guests | Rest-aurant | Exper-iences | Sharing | Other Lounges |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| JetBlue Premier Mastercard | $499 | No limit | 2 | Yes | Yes | $150 authorized user cards include Priority Pass + BlueHouse | JetBlue BlueHouse |
| U.S. Bank Altitude® Connect | $0 | 4 | See note | Yes | Yes | Note: 4 annual passes can be used for self or for guest access (1 per person) | N/A |
| U.S. Bank Business Altitude® Connect | $95 | 4 | See note | Yes | Yes | Note: 4 annual passes can be used for self or for guest access (1 per person) | N/A |
| U.S. Bank Altitude Reserve | $400 | 8 | See note | Yes | Yes | Note: 8 annual passes can be used for self or for guest access (1 per person) | N/A |
| U.S. Bank Korean Air SKYPASS Select | $450 | 4 | See note | Yes | Yes | Note: 4 annual passes can be used for self or for guest access (1 per person) | 2 Korean Air Lounge vouchers each year |
Other types of lounges (Cards that offer Priority Pass plus non-Priority-Pass lounge access)
Depending upon which airports and airport terminals you frequent, Priority Pass lounge access may not be your primary goal. For example, if your airport/terminal has a Capital One Lounge, an Amex Centurion Lounge, or a Chase Sapphire Lounge, access to one of those lounges may be much more important to you. And, ideally, your solution for getting access to one of those lounges will also get you a Priority Pass membership for times when you’re in other airports. Similarly, your primary goal may be access to airline clubs. This, too, can be solved in a way that also gives you Priority Pass access. Here are the primary options:
| Card | Annual Fee | # Visits | # Free Guests | Rest-aurant | Exper-iences | Sharing | Other Lounges |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| American Express consumer Platinum Cards | $895 | No limit | 2 | No | No | $195 authorized user cards get the same lounge access as the primary cardholder | Centurion Lounges, Delta Sky Club (10 per year), Airspace Lounges, Escape Lounges, Plaza Premium Lounges, select Lufthansa Lounges |
| The Business Platinum Card® from American Express | $895 | No limit | 2 | No | No | $400 employee cards get the same lounge access as the primary cardholder | Centurion Lounges, Delta Sky Club (10 per year), Airspace Lounges, Escape Lounges, Plaza Premium Lounges, select Lufthansa Lounges |
| Capital One Venture X | $395 | No limit | 0 | No | No | Up to 4 authorized users can optionally pay a $125 lounge access fee | Capital One Lounge and Landing. Authorized user and guest access details are available here. |
| Capital One Venture X Business | $395 | No limit | 2 | No | No | Up to 4 authorized users can optionally pay a $125 lounge access fee | Capital One Lounge and Landing. Authorized user and guest access details are available here. |
| Chase Sapphire Reserve® | $795 | No limit | 2 | No | Yes | $195 authorized user cards include Priority Pass + Sapphire Lounges | Chase Sapphire Lounge + select Air Canada Maple Leaf lounges when flying Star Alliance |
| Chase Sapphire Reserve for Business℠ | $795 | No limit | 2 | No | Yes | N/A. Authorized user cards do NOT include lounge access | Chase Sapphire Lounge + select Air Canada Maple Leaf lounges when flying Star Alliance |
| Chase Ritz-Carlton™ Credit Card | $450 | No limit | 2 | No | Yes | Unlimited free authorized user cards include Priority Pass + Sapphire Lounges | Chase Sapphire Lounge |
| Citi Strata Elite℠ Card | $595 | No limit | 2 | No | No | $75 authorized user cards include Priority Pass, but no AA lounge passes | Four American Airlines Admirals Club® Lounge Access Passes |
| JetBlue Premier Mastercard | $499 | No limit | 2 | Yes | Yes | $150 authorized user cards include Priority Pass + BlueHouse | JetBlue BlueHouse |
| Marriott Bonvoy® Brilliant® | $650 | No limit | 2 | No | No | N/A. Authorized user cards do NOT include lounge access or elite status. | This card offers Bonvoy Platinum Elite status, which grants access to Marriott hotel lounges. |
| Bilt Palladium Card | $495 | No limit | 2 | No | No | $95 authorized user cards include Priority Pass | This card provides an easy path to Bilt Gold elite status, which offers access to BLADE lounges in NYC, even when not flying. |
Conclusion
If Priority Pass access is your primary interest, the best overall choices are the UBS Visa Infinite cards and the Bank of America Premium Rewards Elite Card. Both offer restaurant access, unlimited guests, and the ability to gift Priority Pass membership to friends or family for no additional fee.
That said, there are many reasons to select credit cards beyond Priority Pass access. So, if a card you’re interested in includes Priority Pass as one of its features, so much the better! For example, if you frequent an airport that has a Capital One lounge, your best bet may be the Venture X or Venture X Business card. Each is sort of free after rebate since they offer $300 in annual travel credits plus 10K points each anniversary in exchange for their $395 annual fee.
If you have a card that offers Priority Pass without restaurant access, I recommend also picking up the no-annual-fee U.S. Bank Altitude® Connect card, which offers 4 Priority Pass visits per year, including restaurants.
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Hi Greg, since it is still a card that many of us have (but not available to new applicants), what about Citi Prestige as an honorable mention? The Priority Pass with Citi Prestige still includes restaurants.
Great suggestion. I’ll add that with the next update.
The Bilt Palladium and the Citi Strata Elite are World Legend MC cards, which shoudl come with restaurant and experience according to MC. Did Bilt and Citi strip their cards of that?
When/where did Mastercard assert that World Legend Priority Pass includes restaurants and experiences? I haven’t seen that.
Greg,
MC’s website for World Legend card benefits says:
“Priority Pass
Get access to 1,700+ airport lounges worldwide and special offers and discounts in the terminal on dining, retail and spa experiences.”
Which sure seems to imply strongly that dining, retail and spa experiences should be covered as part of a WL MC Priority pass.
Holding the title for one of the more worthless versions of Priority Pass is the PenFed Pathfinder card. The card gives you a membership to “Priority Pass Select” (which looks like PP is calling “Standard”) which gives you the “benefit” of accessing lounges for only $35 per visit.
That said, it is still a good sock-drawer card for other reasons as you can get it AF-free (need to open a free checking account), get a $100 airfare credit per year, and also reimburses Global Entry/TSA Precheck every 4 years.
Haha. I saw that one when I was researching this post and decided not to include it.
Didn’t know emirates card had PP with restaurants. Good to know
Sapphire Reserve also includes access to Air Canada Maple Leaf lounges.
Thanks for the reminder. I’ll add that
Hi Greg,
I thought this post would add Citi strata elite and Bilt palladium’s newly discovered restaurant access
See the update to that post. It was a glitch
Greg, I have read that the four assignable PP memberships of the BoA Premium Rewards Elite cannot be swapped. That is, once a membership is assigned to a specific person, that slot cannot be subsequently reassigned to another person. I don’t have the card so I can’t confirm this.
Good to know! Thanks for this info.
I was looking at the terms and conditions for the BOA Premium Rewards Elite and the Altitude Connect cards tonight and they both say that the Priority Pass benefit is lounges and experiences. they don’t specifically say restaurants are included. I don’t have either so I don’t have any personal experience, just stating what the terms and conditions state.
DoC has confirmed that the BofA Premium Rewards Elite does have the restaurant benefit.
Is the exclusion of the Strata Elite intentional? Good for someone who needs occasional American lounge access, has a better Priority Pass guest policy than the Venture X, and a low effective annual fee for anyone who can get Citigold status with deposits or investments.
Given US Bank’s history over the past few years, I would not be surprised if the Altitude Connect loses the benefit completely and the Altitude Reserve’s benefit is pared back.
To emphasize, a non-Chase Priority Pass membership can have one Sapphire Lounge visit per calendar year. If you have more than one PP membership, each can have one visit. But, you can only use one at a time — that is, no stacking.
For the cards that offer free AUs and reimburse TSA-Pre or Global Entry, do they do that for AUs too or just the primary cardholder?
With the VX, while AU are currently free, the person i put on as an AU got global entry and pre-check. They just show up with the card that’s in their name.
Generally, any charge for TSA/GE will trigger the statement credit. Whether the application is for the primary cardholder, AU, or non-AU. A friend. As long as the charge is on that card. I hope that answers your question.
I have the Ritz card, but I’m not clear on how I get Priority Pass. Do I get it through Chase or Priority Pass and use my Ritz card to purchase?
Simply contact Chase and ask for your priority pass card
I spoke with a PP rep and learned a few things that maybe others already knew. The entire number is needed to identify what specific PP card is linked to a specific cc. For each card they ask 3 security questions that vary from card to card such as the name on the card, mail address, email address, phone #, a security word, issuing bank (crazy since that’s the reason for calling) etc. Once you get past the security they will tell you the cc type; ie. Amex plat its last 4 numbers it’s attached to, the exp date of the PP card, and the cc card exp date. If the cc card has expired or was canceled the PP card it deactivated regardless of its exp date. So it’s important to keep track of which PP card is linked to which cc.
My home airport is CLE and they only have a restaurant Michael Simon’s BSpot. Not only are they open early and all day they have a separate counter for take and go items. I have the ritz card which doesn’t gain you access. Which card would you get? I need access 4-8 times. I’d prefer a no fee card but I’m not sure if that’s possible. Thanks
Start with the U.S. Bank Altitude® Connect Visa Signature® Card. No fee and it will give you four visits. If that works out well you could also add the business version (which does have a fee ~$100) to get another 4 visits
@Greg
The Amex Plat is also great for LH lounges in EU -regular LH Business Lounge on LH/LX /partners Coach if you have an LH/LX/etc F/J Domestic/I’ntl tix – it gives you access to the LH Senator lounge (not even an Intl F/J tix gives you access – typically just LH Elite Senators. We enjoyed the lounge at ZRH.
Also the Plat gets you fast-track/Priority security line at ARN (Stockholm), In AMS we got $30 USD pp Grab and Go items – they are opening(ed) a CL at AMS as well.
The Plat also give you access to little known/hidden Elite Status Levels – Upgraded points has an article – Elite status isnt what it was – but the best Elite Status I’ve gotten – VIP from Radission Hotels (non – N. America properties) upgraded to at least a Jr Suites on all our EU/Nordic stays last fall – Free Breakfast and lounge access – it was a short lived match last August that gave me 1 yr and P2 2 years.
Thanks for the heads up on the UBS/BofA – we have the USB Altitude Reserve that gives us 8 *$28 F&B credits per card year – but PDX has been so-so with the PP experiences locations post c19 – plus they just opened an Escape lounge – PDX first non-airline lounge – we gave it a spin in May. Plus we have Delta Club when flying DL and we have UA club passes from Biz card.
We also have VenX cards for Cap1 lounges – and gave us access to Sap Lounge ( but we both upgraded CSR – before the refresh last month – so a moot point).