Complete Guide to Last-Minute Travel Deals for Australians
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The lounge is one of the most coveted spots in an airport. Whether on a long journey or wanting to kick off a great trip, an airport lounge can help you relax, recharge and grab a drink as you wait for your next flight.
Many banks and credit card companies offer airport lounge access as a perk for being an account holder. With the cost to access a lounge increasing, it can be a good deal even if the card has an annual fee - but you’re going to want to weigh the overall costs. Want to know the best card to have for airport lounge access? Read on to learn how you can travel in style.
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Airport lounges can feel like an oasis from the bustle of the airport terminal. Instead of pushing through crowded gates and overpriced airport cafes, you can enjoy a more peaceful and comfortable experience in one of the many lounges an airport has to offer. All large airports have at least one airport lounge or more, but it may be harder to come by in a smaller or regional airport.
Lounges typically provide free drinks, snacks, comfortable seating areas and some even have showers or nap rooms. These perks let you recharge before the next flight while also saving you money by avoiding expensive airport food and drink prices.
Generally, lounges have a cost to enter which is posted on their website or at the front desk. However, many banks and credit card providers offer complimentary or discounted access to airport lounges as a benefit for premium cardholders. In this way, the banks and companies can incentivize card usage while also providing a perk.
Despite how nice it can be to have a snack and a nice glass of wine before a flight, it's important to remember that these card benefits come with costs elsewhere. Before signing up for a card primarily for lounge access, carefully consider the overall price tag by adding up costs like annual fees, foreign transaction fees, and interest rates. Using the card for international transactions might cost more than the airport lounge benefits.
International usage fees can eat into your budget quickly when you use a credit card or bank card abroad. Here are the top ones to watch out for:
Something else to watch out for are scams when using your card overseas. Take a look at our guide to preventing scams while using your card abroad 👉
While picking a card solely for lounge access may not always be the best idea, there are credit cards that offer unlimited access to lounges globally or entrance to exclusive clubs more than others.
Mastercard and Visa have multiple programs, such as the Mastercard Privilege Pass or Visa Airport Lounge Access programs, which let travellers get complimentary or discounted airport lounge access. American Express is the only card that allows you to enter the American Express-specific lounges. Banks and credit card service providers also partner with airline and hospitality companies to offer co-branded credit cards with airport lounge access.
Some credit card companies also offer lounge membership programs such as Priority Pass. You need to create a separate account with Priority Pass and show your account number or QR code at the qualifying lounge’s front desk.
Guide to Priority Pass Memberships
How do you decide the best card among all the choices? The most important thing is to look at the whole picture and consider overall costs. Here's a look at popular cards in Australia.
Premium credit cards, like the American Express Platinum Card and the Citi Prestige Card, offer a range of benefits that can boost your travel. One main benefit is that they both offer unlimited access to lounges, but differ when it comes to annual fees and rewards. Let's compare these cards to understand key features and determine which might be the best fit for how you travel and your wallet.
Fee | American Express Platinum Card1 | Citi Prestige Card2 |
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Annual fee | $1,450 AUD | $700 AUD |
Interest-free period | Up to 44 days | Up to 44 days |
Sign up offer | 275,000 bonus membership reward points | 250,000 bonus Citi rewards points on spending $10,000 on eligible purchases within the first 3 months |
Airport lounge access | Access to over 1400 airport lounges in 140+ countries | Complimentary airport lounge access to over 1,500 Priority Pass lounges globally |
Additional benefits | $450 AUD in travel credit and up to $400 AUD in dining credits annually; Rewards points, shopping and entertainment rewards | 3 Citi Rewards points for every dollar spent on eligible overseas purchases; Complimentary mobile phone insurance, cashback offers, and Uber vouchers |
Perks |
|
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Exchange rate on international transactions | Set by the provider (may include a markup on mid-market rates) | Set by the provider (may include a markup on the mid-market rates) |
Cards, like the American Express Platinum Card and the Citi Prestige Card, offer some amazing travel perks, including family travel insurance and free access to airport lounges. But these cards come with a pretty hefty annual fee. So they're really only worth it if you travel frequently enough to take advantage of all the perks.
While the American Express Platinum Card and the Citi Prestige Card offer unlimited airport lounge access globally, they are expensive. Let’s look at some alternatives with lower annual fees but limited airport lounge access.
ANZ Frequent Flyer Black3 | Australia Velocity High Flyer4 | Qantas Premier Platinum5 | |
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Annual fee | $425 AUD | $329 AUD | $349 AUD for the first year and $399 AUD after |
Lounge access | Two complimentary Qantas Club lounge invitations annually | Two single-entry airport lounge passes each year | Two complimentary single-entry lounge invitations to Qantas lounges |
Signup offer | 90,000 Qantas points plus $200 AUD cashback on spending $5,000 AUD on eligible purchases in the first three months | Up to 80,000 bonus Velocity Points and 100 Bonus Status Credits | Up to 80,000 Qantas points on spending up to $3,000 on eligible purchases in the first three months |
Discounts | Discounts on domestic and international air tickets | $129 AUD Virgin Australia gift voucher each year | Up to 20% discount on domestic flight tickets for you and eight friends once a year |
Other perks | Complimentary Qantas Frequent Flyer membership worth $99.50 | Visa Platinum benefits, purchase protection insurance, and extended warranty insurance | Concierge benefits |
Points | Additional 40,000 bonus Qantas points Earn 1 Qantas Point for every eligible purchase of $1 AUD up to $7,500 AUD and 0.5 Qantas points afterwards. | Earn 100 Velocity Frequent Flyer Points on spending $100 AUD up to $8,000 monthly; Two extra Velocity Points for every $1 AUD spent with Virgin Australia. | 1.5 Qantas points on spending $1 AUD internationally; 1 Qantas point on spending $1 AUD inside Australia and 1 additional Qantas point on spending $1 AUD on selected Qantas products and services |
Travel insurance | Complimentary travel insurance | Complimentary domestic and international travel insurance | Complimentary travel insurance |
Exchange rate on international transactions | Set by the provider (may include a markup on the mid-market rates) | Set by the provider (may include a markup on the mid-market rates) | Set by the provider (may include a markup on the mid-market rates) |
While many credit cards offer airport lounge access, you don't necessarily need one to enjoy the perk. Revolut Australia, a digital banking platform, offers a range of products, including travel cards and international money transfers. Some of Revolut’s premium plans include discounted access to airport lounges. If you’re a frequent traveller, here are how the plans stack up at Revolut:6
Features | Standard | Premium | Metal |
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Monthly Plan Fee | No fees | $9.99 AUD | $24.99 AUD |
Free ATM withdrawals | $350 AUD per month | $700 AUD per month | $1,400 AUD per month |
Revolut Metal Card | No | No | Yes |
Discount on international payments | No | 60% | 80% |
International spending | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Currency exchange in 30+ currencies | $2,000 AUD per month | $20,000 AUD per month | Unlimited |
Discounted airport lounge access | No | Yes | Yes |
Cashback on card payments | No | No | Yes |
Revolut Premium and Metal plan holders can use the Revolut app to search for and purchase discounted airport lounge passes. Each pass allows entry for one person and can be purchased in advance or at the lounge entrance.
Things to keep in mind:
Complete Guide to Revolut in Australia 👉
Revolut can be a good idea if you use the service already and want discounted access to lounges. That being said, the plan is not a credit line like a credit card.
In addition to credit cards, travel money cards like the Cash Passport Platinum can also provide access to airport lounges. This card offers a "Flight Delay Pass" that offers complimentary access to over 1,000 LoungeKey airport lounges worldwide if your flight is delayed by two hours or more.
To be eligible, you must register your flight details before you leave. Mastercard will notify you via email or SMS if your flight is delayed and provide your lounge pass details. You can then use the lounge pass to access the qualifying lounge.8
While many credit cards offer airport lounge access, they often come with high annual fees and potential hidden costs in the exchange rate, making your purchases more expensive. To save money on international transactions, and pay like a local around the world, check out the Wise Travel Card.
While the Wise Travel Card doesn't offer complimentary airport lounge access, it offers transparent conversion fees and the mid-market exchange rate when you load your wallet, saving you from hidden fees that eat into your travel budget.
Please see terms of use and product availability for your region or visit Wise fees and pricing for the most up to date pricing and fee information.
Choosing the best credit card for lounge access depends completely on how you like to travel and your budget. Let’s take a look at what may be good fits depending on your travel style:
Ultimately, the best choice will depend on your individual travel patterns, budget, and priorities. Keep in mind that credit cards can cost you a lot when you finally reach your destination and start spending locally. Evaluate your needs and compare the features and costs of each option to find the card that best suits how you travel.
Combining two cards, such as one that offers complimentary lounge access and another that saves you money on international transactions, is a great option to consider. You can combine the credit cards offering lounge access for domestic benefits, with the Wise travel card which saves you money on international transactions to get the best of both worlds.
Sources used for this article:
*Please see terms of use and product availability for your region or visit Wise fees and pricing for the most up to date pricing and fee information.
This publication is provided for general information purposes and does not constitute legal, tax or other professional advice from Wise Payments Limited or its subsidiaries and its affiliates, and it is not intended as a substitute for obtaining advice from a financial advisor or any other professional.
We make no representations, warranties or guarantees, whether expressed or implied, that the content in the publication is accurate, complete or up to date.
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