Looking for a credit card with lounge access? We show you the best credit cards with Priority Pass and suitable alternatives in our guide!
American Express Platinum Card
- Promotion: 85.000 points welcome bonus
- 150 euros in restaurant credit
- 200 euros in travel credit
- 200 euros in Sixt Ride credit
- Free lounge access with guest
- The best insurance package in Germany
American Express Platinum Card
- Promotion: 85.000 points welcome bonus
- 150 euros in restaurant credit
- 200 euros in travel credit
- 200 euros in Sixt Ride credit
- Free lounge access with guest
- The best insurance package in Germany
Revolut Ultra
- Promotion: 10 Euro welcome bonus
- Earn 1 RevPoint for every euro spent
- Unlimited lounge access included
- Free cash withdrawals and payments abroad
- Premium app-subscriptions worth over 1.000 Euro
Starting your vacation with cool drinks and delicious food in an airport lounge before your flight – that is the dream of many travellers. However, access to these exclusive lounges is usually only available to frequent flyers and Business or First Class guests. But with the right credit card with free lounge access, you can get into these comfortable quiet zones even without an expensive flight ticket.
In this guide, we take a look at the credit cards available in Germany that give you free lounge access. We compare the annual fees, conditions and other benefits and tell you which credit card may be the best for you.
Inhaltsverzeichnis
- Which is the best credit card with worldwide lounge access in comparison?
- Is a credit card with lounge access worth it?
- How much do credit cards with lounge access cost?
- How do I get into the lounge with Priority Pass?
- Which credit card with Priority Pass do the reisetopia financial experts recommend?
- How does reisetopia test credit cards with lounge access?
- How do you apply for a credit card with lounge access?
- Our conclusion on the best credit cards with lounge access worldwide
Which is the best credit card with worldwide lounge access in comparison?
Credit cards are now a dime a dozen, whether free credit cards, prepaid credit cards or travel credit cards, you are spoiled for choice. However, when it comes to finding a credit card with airport lounge access, the choice quickly shrinks to just a few providers. This is certainly also due to the fact that it is a comparatively special benefit that is certainly not an absolute priority for everyone.
Among others, the American Express Platinum Card or the HypoVereinsbank Visa Infinite offer you this unbeatable advantage. In this guide, we present all the credit cards available in Germany with free lounge access worldwide.
| 💳 Credit Card | 💶 Cost per year | 👥 Free accompaniment | 💵 Price for additional guests | 🛋️ Lounge access |
| American Express Platinum | 720 euros | 4 people | 30 euros per guest | Priority Pass Lounges, Amex Centurion Lounges, Lufthansa Lounges, Delta SkyClub Lounges, Plaza Premium Lounges |
| American Express Business Platinum | 700 euros | 4 people | 30 euros per guest | Priority Pass Lounges, Amex Centurion Lounges, Lufthansa Lounges, Delta SkyClub Lounges, Plaza Premium Lounges |
| Revolut Ultra Card | 600 euros | 1 person | The price is displayed in the app and may vary | Dragon Pass Lounges |
| Deutsche Bank Platin | 200 euros | 1 person | 30 euros per guest | Priority Pass Lounges |
| Volksbank Exclusive Card Plus | 349 euros | 1 person | 28 euros per guest | Priority Pass Lounges |
| BMW Premium Credit Card | 500 euros | 2 people | 30 euros per guest | Priority Pass Lounges |
| HypoVereinsbank Visa Infinite | 600 euros | 1 person | 26 euros per guest | Priority Pass Lounges |
When choosing the right card, however, you should also consider whether it is important to you to take a guest with you to the lounge or not.
Depending on this, the more expensive cards may be a better option because they also allow a family to visit an airport lounge free of charge before departure.
Is a credit card with lounge access worth it?
Before we look at the individual credit cards in detail, let’s take a look at the advantages of credit cards with lounge access in general and clarify for whom and, above all, when such a card is worth it.
What advantages do airport lounges offer?
Airport lounges offer you a whole range of benefits and amenities that can make your journey, whether for business or pleasure, much more pleasant and comfortable.
First of all, the lounges offer you a retreat from the hectic airport terminal where you can relax and wait for your flight.
💡 Important: Not all airport lounges are the same. There are enormous differences in the quality of lounges around the world, which is also crucial when choosing the right credit card, because the more lounges you can visit with one card, the better quality you get on average!
To make this waiting time as comfortable as possible for their guests, most lounges offer free drinks (alcoholic and non-alcoholic) as well as a selection of hot and cold dishes. You can consume these in comfortable armchairs while enjoying the quiet and relaxed atmosphere. To make your journey even more pleasant, many lounges have shower facilities where you can freshen up before or after a long flight.
If you are traveling on business, you will find well-equipped work areas with desks, power sockets and Wi-Fi access in most lounges. This allows you to clarify important matters before the flight and enjoy your time in the air all the more later.
What exactly is offered in a lounge can vary from airport to airport and from provider to provider. You can find an overview of the best lounges and what they have to offer in our lounge reviews.
For whom is a credit card with lounge access worthwhile?
A credit card with free lounge access such as the American Express Platinum Card is worthwhile for you if you travel a lot internationally for business or leisure and often have longer stays or waiting times at airports.
You can put your feet up before your flight, indulge in complimentary meals and drinks, check your emails in a quiet environment or freshen up in the lounge shower before you start or continue your journey.
And the best thing about it – lounge access is not tied to the class you have booked. You can benefit from the amenities of the lounges regardless of whether you are flying in Business Class, Economy or perhaps even on a low-cost airline.
If you only travel twice a year, an expensive premium credit card with lounge access is less worthwhile. For these few occasions, it’s worth opting for lounges where you can simply pay at the entrance.
When is a credit card with lounge access worthwhile?
As already mentioned, the monetary aspects should not be ignored. The annual fee for credit cards with lounge access can be considerable and can quickly amount to several hundred euros per year.
You have to decide for yourself whether the benefits and savings you gain from using the lounge offset or exceed the cost of the card. As these are usually credit cards with Priority Pass, it is also worth comparing them with the direct purchase of a membership.
However, you should also bear in mind that most credit cards with airport lounge access also come with other benefits, such as travel insurance, car rental credit or the opportunity to earn miles. In other words, the card does not have to be amortized purely through the lounge costs to annual fee ratio.
An illustrative example when calculating the attractiveness of the card is the American Express Platinum Card, which alone offers credit worth more than 640 euros.
So if you can make clever use of travel and restaurant credit, the card is a good deal either way. And then there’s worldwide lounge access on top!
American Express Platinum Card
- Promotion: 85.000 points welcome bonus
- 150 euros in restaurant credit
- 200 euros in travel credit
- 200 euros in Sixt Ride credit
- Free lounge access with guest
- The best insurance package in Germany
American Express Platinum Card
- Promotion: 85.000 points welcome bonus
- 150 euros in restaurant credit
- 200 euros in travel credit
- 200 euros in Sixt Ride credit
- Free lounge access with guest
- The best insurance package in Germany
Revolut Ultra
- Promotion: 10 Euro welcome bonus
- Earn 1 RevPoint for every euro spent
- Unlimited lounge access included
- Free cash withdrawals and payments abroad
- Premium app-subscriptions worth over 1.000 Euro
How much do credit cards with lounge access cost?
In Germany, the selection of cards that allow free lounge access is quite limited. Nevertheless, the cards differ considerably in terms of both the annual fee and the scope of services included.
According to the reisetopia financial experts, the following six credit cards with lounge access are particularly relevant:
- American Express Platinum – 720 euros per year
- American Express Business Platinum – 700 euros per year
- Revolut Ultra – 600 euros per year
- Deutsche Bank Platinum – 200 euros per year
- Volksbank ExclusiveCard Plus – 349 euros per year
- BMW Premium Card – 500 euros per year
- HypoVereinsbank Visa Infinite – 600 euros per year
As is so often the case, the cheapest option is not necessarily the best choice. Especially when it comes to fees, benefits and insurance services, the credit cards with airport lounge access differ considerably. Below you will find all the details about the individual cards so that you can find the right one for your needs.
American Express Platinum
The American Express Platinum Card is often described as one of the best freely available credit cards on the market and, in our opinion, rightly so. So it’s no surprise that with the premium card from American Express you get a Priority Pass Prestige, which opens the doors to over 1,400 lounges worldwide.
On top of that, the card even allows you to take one other person with you free of charge. A service that normally costs 30 euros per visit, even with the highest Priority Pass level. Incidentally, this applies not only to the main card, but also to the additional card. This means you can enter the lounge with a total of four people!
The main and additional cardholders together are entitled to a total of 50 lounge visits per year, with each individual visit counting as one visit, regardless of whether it is the cardholder or a guest. There are no restrictions on visits to Amex Centurion Lounges.
👉 With the annual fee of 720 euros, you receive a total of two Priority Pass memberships – and one guest is also allowed in the lounge with you, which further increases the value of the benefit.
Amex Platinum also gives you access to a number of other lounges, such as the Lufthansa Lounges, the Delta SkyClub Lounges, the Plaza Premium Lounges and the Amex Centurion Lounges.
Access to some independent lounges is also included for Amex Platinum holders. This gives you a much wider choice of lounges with Amex Platinum. Especially if you often travel to, from or within America, you can benefit from an immensely large selection of lounges.
The card comes with a hefty annual fee of 720 euros. A sum that may seem quite high at first, but is quickly put into perspective when you take a closer look at the benefits of the card. Among other things, you can benefit from the following advantages with the American Express Platinum Card:
- 👥 Priority Pass + free companion
- 💶 Travel credit of 200 euros per year
- 🍽️Restaurant credit of 150 euros per year
- 🛍️ Shopping credit of 90 euros per year
- 🚖 SIXT Ride credit of 200 euros per year
- 🎁 Access to the Membership Rewards program
- 🏨 Status benefits at many hotels
- 🛡️Comprehensive insurance package
- 💻 Easy online application
As you can see, the Platinum Card from American Express really packs a punch. If you add up the annual credit alone, you already get a credit of 640 euros. If you use all these credits, you basically get all the other benefits of the card, including free lounge access, for free.
If you have a lot of trips planned and would like to benefit from other advantages in addition to the lounges, the American Express Platinum Card is the best choice in our opinion.
American Express Platinum Card
- 200 Euro travel credit per year for flights, hotels and more
- 200 Euro SIXT Ride credit per year
- Up to 200 Euro discount & Priority benefits for Condor flight bookings
- Exclusive metal credit card
- Collect valuable points with each turnover
- Free platinum partner card with all benefits included
- Best insurance package in Germany
- Free lounge access with a guest at 1.550 lounges worldwide
- Upgrades, breakfast and more status benefits in hotels
American Express Business Platinum Card
Although not worth a look for everyone, the American Express Business Platinum Card is basically guaranteed to be the first choice for the self-employed, freelancers and company managers. Not only is it even cheaper than the regular Platinum Card, it also offers significantly more in terms of insurance and partner cards. However, there are no differences in lounge access, which is a positive thing.
In concrete terms, this means that you can look forward to a credit card with Priority Pass including guest. Incidentally, this applies to both business and private travel, as the Priority Pass is attached to the additional private card.
Lounge access is also granted for the private partner card, which is also included in the scope of the Business Platinum Card. The overall package is correspondingly attractive, as there are no disadvantages compared to the private card!
American Express Business Platinum Card
- 200 euro travel credit per year for flights, hotels, and much more
- 200 euro SIXT Ride credit per year
- 240 euro SIXT Plus credit per year
- 200 euro Dell Technologies credit per year
- 300 euro eBuero credit per year
- 300 euro Office Club credit per year
- Digital invoice management: GetMyInvoices membership
- Collect valuable Membership Rewards points with every euro spent
- Up to 99 free additional business and partner cards
- Additional private card included
- Additional liquidity thanks to up to 58 days delayed billing
- Full insurance package included
- Free lounge access for up to 4 people in 1.550 lounges worldwide
- Upgrades, breakfast, and other status benefits in hotels
Revolut Ultra Credit Card
The Revolut Ultra Credit Card is one of the most modern premium products on the market, designed for those who want both financial flexibility and lifestyle perks. With its sleek metal design and a strong focus on digital services, it is positioned as an alternative to traditional premium cards such as the Amex Platinum.
For an annual fee of 600 euros, the Revolut Ultra Credit Card offers you the following benefits and many more:
- 💸 Free cash withdrawals and no foreign currency fees
- 🌍 Airport lounge access worldwide
- 🛡️ Comprehensive insurance package
- 🎧 Lifestyle perks and exclusive partner discounts
In this sense, the Revolut Ultra Credit Card combines financial flexibility with useful premium extras. For those who value a digital-first experience and fee-free payments abroad, the Ultra can be a strong and modern alternative.
Deutsche Bank Platinum
The Deutsche Bank Platinum credit card is supposedly the cheapest card with which you can enjoy free access to lounges worldwide. With the card, you can enjoy Priority Pass for an annual fee of just 200 euros. As an existing Deutsche Bank customer, you can even get the credit card for just 120 euros per year under certain conditions.
Apart from this advantage, the DB Platinum Card is only suitable as a travel credit card to a limited extent. On the one hand, the foreign currency fees for payments outside the euro zone are quite high at 1.75 percent. Secondly, with regard to rental car insurance, for example, only liability insurance is included, but not fully comprehensive insurance.
Furthermore, the travel health insurance benefit is also linked to the use of the card. And last but not least, the Deutsche Bank Platinum Card does not offer a bonus program. Other cards, such as the American Express Platinum Card with the Membership Rewards® program, offer much more exciting options.
If you are interested in a Deutsche Bank Platinum Card, you can only apply for it during a consultation. It is currently not possible to apply online. You should also bear in mind that a partner card (which also comes with Priority Pass) is only available for a fee of 120 euros.
This means that if the credit card is used purely for lounge access, the annual fee for two people is already EUR 320.
If you are just looking for a way to get a discounted Priority Pass, this card is a good option. However, if you also want to be optimally protected when traveling and collect valuable points with every transaction, you are much better off with other providers.
Still, the Deutsche Bank Platinum is definitely better than buying a Priority Pass directly, although you should bear in mind that you can only apply for it with a Deutsche Bank current account.
BMW Premium Card Carbon
The BMW Premium Card Carbon is one of the many different American Express credit cards now available, which is positioned between the Amex Gold and the Amex Platinum. And even if the name suggests it, you don’t have to be a BMW driver to benefit from the advantages of the card.
For an annual fee of 500 euros, the BMW Premium Card Carbon offers you the following benefits:
- 🛋️ Free lounge access thanks to Priority Pass Prestige membership
- 🛡️ Comprehensive international insurance
- 🎁 Access to the Membership Rewards program
- 🚗 Double Membership Rewards points at BMW, SIXT and petrol stations
In this respect, the BMW Premium Card Carbon is a good product with a whole range of useful benefits. In terms of cost, however, it is not far removed from the American Express Platinum Card, which offers you significantly more benefits and, above all, credit and, in our opinion, has a much better cost-benefit ratio.
In addition, lounge access with the BMW Premium Card is not nearly as attractive as with the regular Platinum Card. Unlike the latter, there is no lounge access for guests of the respective cardholder, which makes the card less suitable than a regular Platinum Card, especially for those traveling with family or friends.
HypoVereinsbank Visa Infinite
The Visa Infinite is probably the most exclusive Visa credit card and is issued in Germany exclusively by HypoVereinsbank. However, an application is only possible during a personal consultation. An online application, as with American Express®, is not possible.
The card comes with an annual fee of 600 euros, with a further 400 euros payable for an additional partner card. You will receive a Priority Pass Prestige with the card. However, it should be noted that this does not allow you to take a guest with you free of charge – unlike the Amex Platinum Card, for example.
In addition to lounge access, you also benefit from a comprehensive insurance package and access to the Visa Infinite Hotel Collection with the card. A bonus program or annual credit, as with the American Express Platinum, is not offered despite the comparatively high annual fee. Overall, the price-performance ratio of the card does not appear to be very attractive.
American Express Gold Card (discount for the Priority Pass)
The American Express Gold Card is the little sister of the popular Platinum credit card. The card comes with a whole range of benefits, but free lounge access is not included. However, with the American Express Gold Card you can receive a discount of 25 to 35 percent when purchasing a Priority Pass (depending on the version).
This means you can save up to 115 euros when purchasing a Priority Pass Prestige. In other words, the membership will only cost you 344 euros. The Standard Plus membership (ten free visits per year) is even cheaper.
All in all, however, the separate purchase of the Priority Pass is only worthwhile if you rarely use the offer and can manage with the ten free visitors of the Standard Plus variant. Otherwise, the cost of the Prestige Pass and the annual fee for the American Express Gold Card will almost match that of the Platinum variant.
For all Austrians who take their annual vacation from Vienna, the American Express Gold Card AT may also be worthwhile. This card offers free lounge access at Vienna Schwechat Airport. There is currently no equivalent offer for German customers.
How do I get into the lounge with Priority Pass?
With most credit cards, you don’t get lounge access via the card itself, but via the Priority Pass membership included. This pass gives you access to over 1,500 lounges worldwide. You can also purchase membership for this entry ticket to the world of lounges without a credit card via the Priority Pass website.
You can also find the provider’s lounges under contract at numerous airports in Germany, including Munich, Düsseldorf, Frankfurt and Hamburg. You can enter the lounge simply by presenting your Priority Pass card, which will be sent to you after you apply for a credit card.
Alternatively, you can also use the QR code in the Priority Pass app. In addition, a boarding pass for a flight on the same day is usually required.
The Priority Pass is available in three different levels, whereby only the highest, the so-called Priority Pass Prestige, allows unlimited free lounge visits. However, annual membership costs a hefty 459 euros, with an additional 30 euros per visit for taking guests with you.
It is also questionable whether the fees per visit (for the smaller memberships) or per guest are really attractive. While some lounges offer relevant value for money, such as an excellent buffet or a very quiet atmosphere, others are certainly not worth 30 euros for a visit.
A credit card such as the American Express Platinum Card is generally a much better option here. Its benefits include a Priority Pass Prestige and you can also be accompanied by a guest free of charge on every visit.
In combination with the partner card, you can enjoy the amenities of a lounge free of charge before every flight in a group of up to four people. This is worthwhile even if the lounge is somewhat less attractive in comparison.
Which credit card with Priority Pass do the reisetopia financial experts recommend?
Finding exactly the right credit card with Priority Pass is not that easy. This is due to the fact that people have very different travel habits.
If you only visit the airport two or three times a year, you don’t necessarily have to opt for a membership with unlimited visits; a discounted purchase thanks to the American Express Gold Card can be a viable option.
However, those who want to take full advantage of lounge access and visit the airport ten or more times a year should opt for one of the cards that offer unlimited access.
There are further differences, because while the Deutsche Bank Platinum credit card is a good choice if you always travel alone, the American Express Premium credit cards are particularly recommended if you often travel with your partner or family.
The lounge access for up to four guests is really unbeatable here, making the card the best choice for those who are not primarily traveling alone. What’s more, thanks to the wide range of credit balances, you can even reduce the annual fee to such an extent that it is lower than that of competing products.
Finally, when the reisetopia financial experts recommend a lounge credit card, it should also be mentioned that the differences in the number of available lounges and the various lounge types are very relevant.
In particular, the additional lounges that can be visited with the Platinum Card, including Lufthansa lounges in particular, can make a decisive difference in terms of quality, but also the global availability of corresponding waiting rooms!
American Express Platinum Card
- 200 Euro travel credit per year for flights, hotels and more
- 200 Euro SIXT Ride credit per year
- Up to 200 Euro discount & Priority benefits for Condor flight bookings
- Exclusive metal credit card
- Collect valuable points with each turnover
- Free platinum partner card with all benefits included
- Best insurance package in Germany
- Free lounge access with a guest at 1.550 lounges worldwide
- Upgrades, breakfast and more status benefits in hotels
What experiences have we had with Priority Pass credit cards?
Our experience with Priority Pass credit cards has been consistently good. As a rule, you receive your membership a few weeks after applying for the card at the latest and can then use it straight away.
The card supplied can then also be used at all lounges without any problems. You can also create a digital card and then simply enter the respective lounges via the Priority Pass app. Thanks to the good selection worldwide, there is hardly an airport without a suitable waiting room.
The savings are usually pretty good thanks to the free drinks and food alone. The only disadvantage of most Priority Pass credit cards is that they usually only include the regular lounges. The so-called Priority Pass restaurants and Priority Pass spas are usually excluded from credit cards with Priority Pass. Nevertheless, our experience with credit cards with lounge access is generally good.
How does reisetopia test credit cards with lounge access?
Thanks to our many years of experience with financial products on the one hand and travel on the other, we have already been able to test more than 100 lounges around the world, as you can see in our lounge review overview!
We were also able to carry out a comprehensive comparison of the various cards with lounge access on all continents and thus identify the models that really offer the most benefits in practice.
Combined with our knowledge of the most relevant financial products in Germany, which we can demonstrate in particular through our well-known credit card comparison, we are able to recommend the perfect credit card with lounge access for every situation in life!
In order to find the best financial products for you, we have been conducting independent and comprehensive comparisons for years. To do this, we test offers according to fixed criteria such as fees, services, and customer service, and compare the results transparently. This way, you can be sure to make a well-informed decision.
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How do you apply for a credit card with lounge access?
Applying for a credit card with lounge access is comparatively complex. This is because most premium credit cards from branch banks such as Deutsche Bank and Volksbanken cannot be applied for online. In addition, these are usually not credit cards without a current account, which means that you must also have an account with the bank in question.
💡 Note: The fact that some credit cards with lounge access have a current account requirement may result in additional costs. You should definitely bear this in mind when calculating!
American Express credit cards are the positive exception here, as they can be applied for quickly and easily online. Billing can also be done easily via an existing current account (we usually recommend a free account from our current account comparison). As soon as you receive the card after a few days, you can also apply for the Priority Pass directly online so that you can use the lounge access promptly!
Our conclusion on the best credit cards with lounge access worldwide
Last but not least, which credit card with airport lounge access is the best? There is no general answer to this question, as with every card you always have to consider the entire package and not just the included lounge access.
In short, if you’re just looking for a credit card that you can use to visit a lounge on occasional trips, the Deutsche Bank Platinum card is the cheapest solution. In our opinion, however, it makes more sense to opt directly for a fully-fledged travel credit card such as the American Express Platinum Card. In addition to lounge access, this card comes with numerous benefits and credit, with which you can practically recoup the annual fee straight away.
American Express Platinum Card
- Promotion: 85.000 points welcome bonus
- 150 euros in restaurant credit
- 200 euros in travel credit
- 200 euros in Sixt Ride credit
- Free lounge access with guest
- The best insurance package in Germany
American Express Platinum Card
- Promotion: 85.000 points welcome bonus
- 150 euros in restaurant credit
- 200 euros in travel credit
- 200 euros in Sixt Ride credit
- Free lounge access with guest
- The best insurance package in Germany
Revolut Ultra
- Promotion: 10 Euro welcome bonus
- Earn 1 RevPoint for every euro spent
- Unlimited lounge access included
- Free cash withdrawals and payments abroad
- Premium app-subscriptions worth over 1.000 Euro
