If you're like me, my first destination after getting out of the TSA security line is the airport lounge for a quick bite before my flight.
Having lounge access through your travel credit card is a great way to save on food and beverage costs at the airport, but actually getting in isn't always so simple. Fumbling around at the check-in desk to get out your card, boarding pass, and ID can be quite cumbersome. Or worse, maybe you schlepped all the way across the terminal to the lounge only to find it's full and you'll have to wait.
Fortunately, there are a couple of handy tricks and digital tools that can make getting into an airport lounge faster, and more efficient so you can relax and and take full advantage of all the complimentary food, drinks, and amenities.
Scan the Amex App to Get Into Centurion Lounges
At most lounges, getting in requires showing your boarding pass as well as handing over whichever credit card gets you in the door. To get into the American Express Centurion Lounges, though, you can leave your *amex platinum* in the drawer at home, so long as you have the Amex app .
Forget fumbling with your wallet: Simply pull up the Amex app and select “Airport Lounge Access.”
Find the lounge for the airport you're at, then click the “Get Eligibility Code” button to generate a QR code for the front desk lounge attendants to scan.
This will generate a QR code for the lounge attendants to scan, eliminating the need to pull out your Amex Platinum Card, if you brought it at all.
You'll still need to show your boarding pass and a form of ID to get into the lounge, but this makes the check-in process a tad more efficient.
Read next: The Ultimate Guide to Amex Centurion Lounges: Locations, Access & More
Add Your Amex Card to Your Delta SkyMiles Account
If you hold the Amex Platinum Card or co-branded *delta reserve card* (or both), you have access to Delta Sky Clubs . But you don't need to show your physical card with you to get in.
So long as you've saved your eligible Amex card as a payment method in your Delta SkyMiles account, you can just scan your boarding pass and head right into the lounge.
To do so, first, head to Delta.com and log into your SkyMiles account. Click on your name in the upper right-hand corner, and select “Profile” to be taken to your account settings.
Select “Payment Methods” and add your Delta Reserve or Amex Platinum Card as your primary credit card for your SkyMiles account.
You are not required to pay for your flight with the card but you must have it linked with your SkyMiles account as the primary card for you to gain entry into the SkyClub without the physical card. This way, all they will do is scan your boarding pass and let you in.
You'll also need to make sure to include your Delta SkyMiles number when booking your ticket, whether you booked it through Delta or a partner airline like Virgin Atlantic .
I've made the mistake of associating a different airline's frequent flyer number with my Delta ticket before and had to pull out my physical credit card for entry. Don't make this mistake!
Read more: The First Thing You Should Do Before Heading to a Delta Sky Club
Use the Priority Pass Digital Membership Card
Most premium travel credit cards these days come with a complimentary Priority Pass Select membership . With access to over 1,200 airport lounges worldwide, it's one of the best travel perks, period.
When you activate your membership, you'll get a physical Priority Pass card that will get you into participating lounges, and while you could carry that card around, why would you? Priority Pass has its own mobile app that provides a digital membership card with a QR code that the lounge attendants can scan for entry. Just click “Card” once you access the app to display your scannable code.
No need to remember to pack your Priority Pass card: The digital version makes it quick and easy to get into any of these lounges.
Thrifty Tip: If you've got the *venture x* card, you can show that to the lounge staff to get into a Priority Pass lounge. This is the only premium travel card we know where you can access a Priority Pass lounge without a Priority Pass digital or physical card.
Read next: The Cheapest Credit Cards for Lounge Access
Queue Up for Capital One Lounges Via App
Capital One now has its own branded lounges where travelers who hold the *venture x* can get in free. But like other airport lounges these days, they can get full fast.
But rather than wait in line to get in, Capital One recently launched a new feature in its app where you can scope out how full the nearest Capital One Lounge is – and digitally join the waitlist to get in if it's full. It's not a reservation system, but a virtual queue takes away the frustrating guesswork of whether or not you'll have to wait – and saves you from hoofing it all the way across the airport only to find you can't get in.
Start by logging into your Capital One app . Scroll down to the “Explore Rewards and Benefits” section, select “Travel,” then choose “Lounges” in the upper right-hand corner. That'll bring you to a dedicated tab for all three Capital One Lounges that are currently open: Dallas-Forth Worth (DFW) , Washington, D.C.-Dulles (IAD) , and Denver (DEN) .
Choose the lounge you're planning to visit and within a few seconds, you'll see a capacity indicator showing how full the lounge is. If it's at capacity, you'll see an option to join the waitlist – and the estimated wait time to get in.
Courtesy of Capital One
Just fill out the waitlist form with your name, phone number, and how many travelers are in your party – whether they're guests or hold their own Capital One cards.
Courtesy of Capital One
Once it's your turn, you'll get a text from Capital One.
Courtesy of Capital One
When that comes, you've got 15 minutes to get to the lounge before you lose your place. Just head back to your Capital One app to open your pass into the lounge.
This new feature means you can check how full the lounge is and join the waitlist while you're waiting in the security line or deplaning your connecting flight. By the time you get to the lounge, your name might be up!
Read next: How to Get Lounge Access for the Whole Family With 1 Credit Card
Bottom Line
Nothing makes a trip or long layover better than getting airport lounge access, and with these tips, you'll be able to get in more efficiently.
None of these tricks are groundbreaking, but if you didn't know about them, they can save you some time and stress the next time you're checking into a lounge at the airport.
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