Howdy friends and happy weekend!

I’ve spent all week trying to figure out if I can cram any trips in between now and the holidays.

I think I’ve googled all the options into oblivion. 😵‍💫

Fall foliage vs. coastal road trip? East Coast vs. West Coast? Saving my points for a big summer trip vs. using them now?

And which of the many credits, deals, tips, or promos do I prioritize using??

It’s honestly keeping me up at night a little bit. 😅

So, I’m taking a break to hang with y’all because my brain is tired.

Let’s run back the week’s highlights, and maybe I’ll be inspired to make a decision. 🤔

🏨 Just announced: a new transfer partner to actually get excited about.

🧁 A sweet spot just got sweeter with this limited-time transfer bonus.

🏝️ Book a Hawaiian getaway thanks to this sweet spot.

🏨 An underrated status match to an increasingly interesting program is up for grabs.

👑 See who took home the crown and now holds the Points Pursuit bragging rights.

🏆 Our Favorite Pick: The yes, no, maybe dilemma

Mike came out swinging this week with a hot take on credit card lounges.💳🔥

He took the strong stance that they kinda suck, if we’re all honest with ourselves.

As I read Monday’s newsletter, I shook my head in disagreement until I suddenly found myself nodding along with his point.🙂‍↔️🙂‍↕️

They’re a perk that regularly overpromises and underdelivers.

But when they do deliver, it can be pretty great.

So, after a lot of ‘yes, no, yes, no, yes, no,’ I think my stance is that... it depends.

Wait, why do credit card lounges suck?

Credit card lounges are increasingly popular because it has become pretty easy to get access with various premium credit cards.

In fact, they’ve been so overrun that there have been several changes to restrict the number of guests allowed per card in an attempt to cut down on wait times and improve guest experiences.

Because if everyone has access, is it really a perk worth having?

Nothing sours a layover like navigating terminals hunting for a lounge, fighting for a table, and hitting the buffet to find only one sad, lonely salad left — if you can even get into the lounge in the first place.

So, let’s break down when it might actually be worth it👇

When it’s a ‘no’

A card with lounge access probably isn’t for you if:

You’re a major Type B traveler

If you’re someone who regularly throws caution to the wind and shows up to the airport less than an hour before your flight — I salute you — then you probably don’t have time to mess with getting on a crowded lounge’s waitlist.

You’re an irregular traveler

If you don’t travel very often, it might not make sense to cough up a high annual fee for a premium card with lounge access.

You might only be able to take advantage of the perk 1-2 times a year, and if those 2 times are ruined by a long wait, then what’s the point?

You travel as a big family or group.

This one hurts because lounge access is a great way to save on airport food, which can add up for a family.

But credit card lounges have severely cracked down on this recently, with many limiting access to only the cardholder and charging steep fees for guests. 

Paying additional fees to get everyone in likely negates any savings you’d get eating in the lounge over purchasing airport food. Packing your favorite snacks from home might be the most cost-effective move here.

When it’s a ‘maybe’

Personally, I feel like I’m living in the maybe category.

Because this card allows you to bring in two guests to their premium lounges at no additional charge – and kids under 2 don’t count.

So, my little fam can hit the lounge – provided there’s no long wait – and all get in for free.

We did this earlier this summer and visited one of the best lounges at LaGuardia in New York.

It had a great brunch selection with made-to-order dishes, an intriguing cocktail menu, nice bathrooms, and a separate, quiet baby-changing room. Plus, there was even a dedicated playroom for little kids.

Honestly, I could go on — it was like an upscale cocktail bar with an adjacent preschool playdate area off to the side.

The couple of hours we got to eat and relax in the lounge before our Southwest flight while our daughter got to play in an approved, contained area was a traveling parent’s dream.

We weren’t alone, either — there were several parents with little kids taking advantage of a prime pre-flight opportunity to get a good meal while letting their mini-me burn off some energy.

On the flip side, this same card’s lounge at JFK had a 45-minute waitlist when we tried it the week before, so it’s very much a toss-up on how it might work out. 🤷‍♀️

Meanwhile, Capital One Lounges have tried to combat the waitlist issue by removing free guests — a devastating development for many cardholders.

But cardholders do have the ability to log into the Capital One app and add themselves to the waitlist ahead of time – like when you’re on your way to the airport or going through security.

The caveat being, you have 10 minutes to get to the lounge after you’re paged that it’s your turn – and must pay to bring in additional guests. And some users report not always having the waitlist option in their app. YMMV.

When the digital waitlist feature is available, it’s a great option if you’re the type of solo traveler that plans ahead. Or travel with someone who also holds a Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card.

So like I said... it’s a maybe.

When it’s a ‘yes’

A card with lounge access might be for you if:

You travel frequently.

If you will have the opportunity to use multiple lounges throughout the year. That means you can weather a few annoying lounge wait times and still feel like you’re getting value out of your premium card.

You regularly travel solo.

This one is just hard to beat.

Solo travel means it’s often easier to get into the lounge, find a seat, and get what you want out of a lounge.

Of course, if you have loyalty status that gets you into an airline lounge like Mike talked about, that takes the edge here. We envy and want to be you.

You have a lounge sweet spot that works for you.

The Priority Pass lounges in the U.S. get a lot of hate.

They’re often small, don’t have great offerings, or they aren’t convenient.

But, if you find one that works for you... then it can be worth it.

In my case, my parents live in Colorado, and there happens to be a tiny little Priority Pass lounge in the Colorado Springs airport.

Honestly, it’s not really anything to write home about aside from free food and a place to sit.

But the option to rush out of the house at 5 am to drive to the airport, zip through TSA PreCheck, and plop down in a lounge to grab free breakfast before an early morning flight home has saved me a few times now.

Or riding out a weather delay and suddenly needing lunch to keep the hangry toddler happy before finally boarding our flight. 😑

Used this way, it’s not a sexy lounge perk in any way... but it works and hasn’t failed me yet, so I will keep using it until it does!

And since my Venture X comes with a $300 travel credit and 10,000 bonus miles every card anniversary, I’ve already broken even on the card’s annual fee before I dig into a single free lounge meal. 🤷‍♀️

Bottom Line

Credit card lounge access can be really hit-or-miss and doesn’t hold a candle to a lot of airline loyalty lounges.

But if you can find the right instance in which it works for you, holding a premium card with lounge access might just be worth it.

👀 This Week’s Must-Reads

🌍 Week in Review

• Monday: 😬 Is credit card lounge access overrated?

• Tuesday: ✈️ How to find award deals more easily

• Wednesday: 🏨 Match to hotel elite status (or don’t)

• Thursday: ✈️ The overlooked airline sweet spot

• Friday: 🏝️ Sweet Spot: Hawaii edition

Not gonna lie, I’d plan a trip to LaGuardia just to hit that lounge again. 😅

Hope you’ve got a clearer stance on where you personally stand on our credit card lounge debate!

Guess I’ll get back to pondering my fall trip plans now.

Let me know if you’ve got any cool fall trips coming up! 📩 

29.7499° N , 95.3584° W

With contributions by Mike Dodge and Sam Anthony.