How banks are using airport lounges to attract premium users

As big banks use travel benefits to attract customers to premium-priced credit cards, they're getting high marks from customers and maintaining high annual fees.

Bank-operated airport lounges are outperforming airlines in customer satisfaction, according to a survey published this month by J.D. Power. The three top spots for overall customer satisfaction with airport lounge networks were all claimed by banks: American Express and Capital One tied for first place, and Chase came in third, just ahead of the highest-ranked airline lounge network.

The study also found that 17% of surveyed respondents used a non-airline credit card perk to access an airport lounge in the last year and 23% of respondents used a co-branded airline card — another opportunity banks like Citi and U.S. Bank are using to capture market share in the travel spending space.

Some banks, such as the three featured in the J.D. Power lounge satisfaction survey, have been building airport lounge networks for years. Others, like Revolut and Nubank, are recent entrants as they expand their premium credit services, with Revolut announcing this month that it is opening its first airport lounge next year.

Here are five of the banks using airport lounges to court travelers to their premium credit cards:

Patrick T. Fallon/Bloomberg

American Express

American Express, which tied for first place on J.D. Power's ranking, is the oldest and largest credit card issuer-run network of airport lounges. The company, which opened its first Centurion lounge in Las Vegas in 2014, has long touted unlimited access to its lounge network as a travel perk for Platinum cardholders.

"Our focus is on creating differentiated value and experiences that attract and retain loyal card members, and our lounge network is an important part of that," Audrey Hendley, president of American Express Travel, told American Banker in a statement. "Today, eligible card members have access to more than 1,550 lounges worldwide, including 32 locations within the Centurion Lounge network and counting."

American Express currently has 17 Centurion locations in the U.S., with three more slated to open in the near future. At a now $895 annual fee (formerly $695 until late 2025), the American Express Platinum Card is one of the most expensive options in the current premium credit card market. American Express' consumer and business platinum card franchise generates $530 billion of annual spend globally as of late 2025.

"As our card member base continues to grow, we're evolving the lounge experience alongside it," Hendley said. "That means opening lounges in new locations, expanding existing spaces and introducing new formats like Sidecar by The Centurion Lounge for travelers who are short on time. We're also continuing to enhance the experience inside our lounges, from thoughtful, locally inspired design and elevated food and beverage to digital tools that make the journey more seamless."

Capital One

Capital One

Also tied for first place in the J.D. Power satisfaction survey, Capital One's lounge network includes seven U.S. locations with an eighth slated to open in the near future.

The bank opened its first lounge in November 2021 and launched its premium Venture X travel credit card that same month at a $395 annual fee, which has so far remained unchanged. The bank launched the premium card to compete with travel card heavyweights like JPMorganChase and American Express.

"As airport lounges play an increasingly important role in the travel journey, with 45% of travelers using them to escape crowded terminals, Capital One has built its lounge experience around the features and amenities that travelers value most," the company said in a statement, citing the J.D. Power study.

"We are proud to have earned the highest scores in five key categories that matter most to our travelers: food and beverage, ease of access, ambiance, Wi-Fi and cleanliness," the statement continued. "By balancing quality food and beverage with comfort, convenience, and thoughtful hospitality, we aim to deliver an exceptional experience."

Chase

JPMorganChase

Chase Sapphire Lounge by The Club (its airport lounge partner; the company also runs its own independent network of lounges), which ranked third on J.D. Power's lounge satisfaction survey, has nine U.S. airport locations and opened its first U.S. lounge in 2023. The locations are open to Chase Sapphire Reserve cardholders or individuals with an independent pass through Priority Pass, a network of private third-party airport lounges.

JPMorganChase increased the annual fee on its Sapphire Reserve credit card from $550 to $795 last summer, alongside launching a similarly priced version of the card for businesses. The price increase also came with a benefits overhaul, with additional credits and more emphasis on the bank's own travel and dining offerings that it assembled through a series of acquisitions and investments in recent years.

Chase Card Services did not respond to a request for comment from American Banker on the J.D. Power survey by time of publication.

Revolut

Revolut

Revolut, a European digital bank that submitted a request for a de novo bank charter in the U.S. earlier this year, is entering the airport lounge scene shortly after launching its premium Titan travel credit card (£65 monthly fee) for U.K. business customers.

The overarching strategy, according to a company statement, is to launch a network of airport lounges across some of Revolut's priority markets over the coming years. The company expressed that its goal is to eventually build one of the largest global premium lounge networks, in competition with both existing bank lounge networks and airline networks.

"Revolut is changing perceptions about finance, [and] our 75 million customers can attest to that," Hadi Nasrallah, director of product GP and head of RevLounges, said in a statement. "Of those, many are frequent flyers, and we want to continually improve their experience using our product. We'll strive to set a new standard for airport hospitality across Europe and bring more unique benefits to Revolut customers when they travel."

The planned airport lounge is slated to open in Copenhagen Airport sometime in 2027 through a partnership with airport hospitality company Plaza Premium Group. Revolut's Ultra membership tier (£55 monthly fee) also currently includes unlimited passes through the DragonPass network of private third-party airport lounges.

Nubank

NuBank

Nubank, a Brazilian digital bank that is currently building a U.S. bank subsidiary after getting conditional bank charter approval from the OCC, opened its first airport lounge in February 2025.

Ultravioleta Lounge in São Paulo International Airport, is available exclusively to members of its most expensive membership tier under the same name. Nubank Ultravioleta members can use their premium credit card, which has a monthly fee of 89 Brazilian reals (about $17.25 USD as of time of publication), to receive unlimited access to the VIP lounge with one complimentary guest.

"With the Nubank Ultravioleta Lounge, we aim to redefine the concept of traveling in style and comfort, transforming what is usually waiting time into part of the journey with a sophisticated and enjoyable experience," Nubank Ultravioleta general manager Aly Ahear said in a statement when the lounge was first launched. "Our idea is that our customers can work, relax, or even have fun with their families before international flights."

The company has not announced any plans to expand its airport lounges outside of Brazil, but the Nubank Ultravioleta membership also includes four passes to the international Priority Pass network.