Airport Lounge Guest Policies by Card in 2026: Amex, Chase, Capital One, Delta and Priority Pass

Lounge access for one person is easy to compare. Guests are where the cards really differ, and 2026 brought the biggest change in years: on February 1, Capital One ended free guests for Venture X cardholders. If you travel with a partner, kids or colleagues, the guest policy can matter more than the number of lounges. This guide puts every major US lounge guest rule in one table, with the source for each line.

Guest policies at a glance

All rules checked Oct 21, 2026. Guests must normally hold a same-day boarding pass and enter with the cardmember or member.

Chase Sapphire Reserve: two free, per cardmember

Chase says Sapphire Reserve, J.P. Morgan Reserve and The Ritz-Carlton Credit Card cardmembers may enter Sapphire Lounges with up to two guests at no charge, and that additional guests cost $27. The operator’s terms clarify that the allowance applies per eligible cardmember per visit, and that children under two are free. Because Chase grants authorized users complimentary access, two Sapphire Reserve cardholders on one account traveling together can bring four guests between them. In Priority Pass lounges, Chase says Sapphire Reserve members can bring up to two guests free of charge.

Capital One Venture X: guests now pay

Since February 1, 2026, Venture X and Venture X Business cardholders pay $45 per guest aged 18 or over and $25 per guest 17 or under at Capital One Lounges and Landings; children under two remain free. Primary cardholders who spend at least $75,000 on purchases across their account in a calendar year can bring two complimentary guests to Lounges and one to Landings per visit, and Capital One says this extends to additional cardholders who paid the $125 annual lounge fee. It does not apply in Priority Pass lounges, where The Points Guy reports Venture X guests cost $35 each and Venture X Business cardholders keep two free guests. Full details are in our Capital One Lounge guide.

Amex Platinum: paid guests unless you spend big

At Centurion Lounges, Platinum guests cost $50 per adult and $30 per child aged 2–17, with complimentary guest access after $75,000 in eligible annual spend. Centurion cardmembers (the Amex “black card”) may bring two guests or immediate family free. At Delta Sky Clubs, Amex’s terms let eligible Platinum card members bring up to two guests or their immediate family at $50 per person per visit; the card’s 10 annual visits cannot be used for guest entry, guests must fly Delta the same day, and children under two are free. For Priority Pass, Amex says up to two complimentary guests where the lounge allows. See Amex Platinum lounge access and our Centurion Lounge locations.

Delta Sky Club memberships and the Reserve card

Delta’s access table sets out three common cases. An Executive membership includes two guests or immediate family free, plus two more at $50 or 5,000 miles each. An Individual membership lets you bring two guests or immediate family at $50 or 5,000 miles each. Delta SkyMiles Reserve American Express card members can bring two guests or immediate family at $50 each and receive four one-time guest passes each Medallion year, redeemable up to two per visit. Delta defines immediate family as a spouse or domestic partner and children under 21.

Priority Pass and airline passes

Every direct Priority Pass plan (Standard, Standard Plus, Prestige) charges $35 per guest per visit. Card-issued memberships set their own guest allowances, as above. Airline single-visit passes generally cover one person only: a United Club one-time pass is for one person and one visit, with children under two admitted free.

The 2026 changes in brief

All fees in this guide are per guest, per visit, in US dollars, as published by each issuer or airline.

Two shifts define guest access this year. Capital One moved from free guests to paid guests on February 1, 2026, and introduced the $125 fee for authorized users, with a $75,000 spend threshold to unlock free guests again. Amex already used the same $75,000 threshold for complimentary Centurion guests. Chase has kept two free guests per cardmember at its Sapphire Lounges, which makes it the outlier among the three big bank lounge networks.

Kids: the rules that catch families out

• Under two is free at Chase Sapphire Lounges, Capital One Lounges and Landings, Delta Sky Clubs (with an Amex Platinum member) and United Clubs.
• Capital One charges $25 for guests 17 and under; Amex Centurion charges $30 for children 2–17.
• Delta’s “immediate family” option counts children under 21 as a single allowance alongside a spouse or partner, which can beat two individual guest fees for a family.
• United and Capital One require guests under 18 to be with an adult.

Authorized users are not guests

An authorized user is a second cardholder on your account; a guest is anyone you bring in on your own access. The difference matters. Chase gives Sapphire Reserve authorized users their own complimentary access, so they can enter alone and bring their own two guests. Capital One now charges $125 a year for each Venture X additional cardholder’s lounge access, which then covers Capital One Lounges, Landings and participating Priority Pass lounges. Amex makes Delta Sky Club visits available to Platinum card members and additional Platinum card members, while companion cards on consumer accounts are not eligible for the Sky Club benefit. If you regularly travel with the same person, adding them as a cardholder can be cheaper than paying guest fees, depending on the card.

How to check a guest rule before you go

• Read the rule in the issuer’s app or terms page, not a third-party summary; rules changed at Capital One on February 1, 2026 and many older articles are out of date.
• Check whether the allowance is per cardholder or per account, and per visit or per year (Delta’s Reserve card guest passes are four per year, two per visit).
• Make sure every guest has a same-day boarding pass on an eligible airline; Amex and Delta require guests to fly Delta for Sky Club entry.
• Expect capacity limits; a guest allowance does not guarantee space.

What it costs for a family of four

A worked example, one cardholder plus a partner and two children aged 8 and 12, for one visit:

The arithmetic uses only the published per-guest fees above. Lounges may still refuse entry for capacity, and Amex’s family option is worded as “up to two guests, or immediate family”, so confirm the Sky Club count with Delta if you travel with more than two.

Related pages

• Amex Platinum vs Venture X vs Sapphire Reserve
• Chase Sapphire Lounge guide · Priority Pass lounges
• Lounge Access Cheat Sheet by Card (2026)

FAQ

Which credit card has the best lounge guest policy?

Among the major cards, Chase Sapphire Reserve: two free guests per eligible cardmember at Sapphire Lounges and in Priority Pass lounges, with $27 for extra Sapphire Lounge guests.

Can Venture X cardholders still bring guests for free?

Not since February 1, 2026. Guests cost $45 (18+) or $25 (17 and under) at Capital One Lounges and Landings unless the primary cardholder spends $75,000 in a calendar year.

How much is a Centurion Lounge guest?

$50 per adult and $30 per child aged 2–17 for Platinum card members, free after $75,000 in eligible annual spend.

Can I use my Amex Platinum Sky Club visits for guests?

No. Amex terms say the 10 annual visits cannot be used for guest entry; guests cost $50 each and must fly Delta the same day.

How much does a Priority Pass guest cost?

$35 per guest per visit on every direct Priority Pass plan. Card-issued memberships set their own guest rules.

Are babies free in airport lounges?

Children under two are free at Chase Sapphire Lounges, Capital One Lounges and Landings, Delta Sky Clubs with an Amex Platinum member, and United Clubs.

Sources

• Chase Sapphire lounge network
• Airport Dimensions: Sapphire Lounge terms
• Capital One Travel lounge access guide
• The Points Guy: Capital One lounge changes
• Amex Global Lounge Collection terms
• UpgradedPoints: Centurion Lounges
• Delta Sky Club access
• Priority Pass plans
• United Club terms

All sources checked Oct 21, 2026. Lounge rules change often; confirm in the issuer’s app before you go.