LoungeBuddy beats Amex Green: How to maximize it

Airport lounge access can make long connecting flights or unexpected delays more comfortable. Much travel rewards card offer lounge access as a perk of the card, often through a free pass Priority Pass Members. But American Express® Green Card there is another approach to reach airport lounges.

Instead of offering membership to a network of lounges, the American Express Green Card offers a statement credit of up to $100 per calendar year when you use the card to purchase lounge access directly through via LoungeBuddy. Lounge access through LoungeBuddy starts at $8 per person, although most lounges cost between $26 and $61 per person.

Considering the Amex Green Card has an annual fee of $150, you can offset most of this fee each year if you maximize the credit on your card’s LoungeBuddy statement. So let’s look at how to maximize these statement credits.

Information about the American Express Green Card has been independently collected by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.

Use another lounge card first

If you have free lounge access through other means, use it when available to save your LoungeBuddy statement credit for other trips.

For example, let’s say you have American Express Platinum® Card or American Express Business Platinum® Card. In that case, you have access to it American Express Global Lounge Collection; this provides Access to Centurion LoungePriority Pass membership, access Delta SkyClub* with same-day flight bookings operated by Delta and more. Registration is required to receive select benefits.

If you have chosen a premium airline card, e.g Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard® (see exchange rates and fees) or United Club℠ Unlimited Pass, you may be able to use that airline’s lounge when flying with that airline or its partners. Elite status or flying in a premium cabin may also get you lounge access.

Effective February 1, 2025: Qualified Platinum Card members will receive 10 visits per eligible Platinum Card per year to Delta Sky Club or Grab and Go when traveling on the same flight days operated by Delta.

Related: Best credit cards for airport lounge access

Research your options

If you want to book a lounge with LoungeBuddy, you can view all available lounge locations above LoungeBuddy website. For example, the following image shows all airports in the United States that currently have at least one lounge bookable through LoungeBuddy.

You can use the LoungeBuddy website to compare lounge options before booking. It’s worth taking the time to compare amenities, key information, reviews and costs on the LoungeBuddy website to help you decide which lounge to visit.

You may be surprised by some of the price differences between lounges at the same airport. For example, Escape Lounge costs less than The Club CVG at Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport (CVG). Thus, prior research will help you choose the most valuable option.

Finally, if you want access to a specific lounge, check to see if you can buy access cheaper through another method. Of course, this is only good advice if it’s easy for you to use your Amex Green Card LoungeBuddy statement credit each calendar year for other lounge visits.

Related: 5 ways to make sure you have lounge access before your next flight

Use LoungeBuddy to pay additional guests

If you already have free lounge access through other means, you may want to use LoungeBuddy to purchase access for your travel companions.

For example, Amex Platinum and Business Platinum cardholders get complimentary access to Escape Lounges for themselves and up to two guests. However, if you’re traveling with a larger group, you can use LoungeBuddy to purchase lounge access for additional guests.

Similarly, let’s say a lounge participates in both Priority Pass and LoungeBuddy. In that case, you can purchase access for additional companions through LoungeBuddy if you are not allocated a sufficient number of guests through your Priority Pass membership.

Related: 8 do’s and don’ts when going to the airport lounge

Make sure your lounge visit qualifies

The LoungeBuddy website displays a variety of lounges, including some that you cannot book through LoungeBuddy.

So even if you’re at the airport and want to visit a lounge, you’ll need to visit the LoungeBuddy website and use your Amex Green Card to book a lounge visit through LoungeBuddy to use the star credit your millet. To find lounges bookable online through LoungeBuddy, look for the green LoungeBuddy icon next to the price.

Related: 9 domestic lounges worth trying

Track your usage

You can continue to use LoungeBuddy to purchase lounge access after you have exhausted the credit on your Amex Green statement. However, you may want to keep a note on your phone to keep track of your LoungeBuddy usage.

This way, you’ll know when you book a lounge visit that puts you over the $100 mark for the calendar year; After this point, you will not see any statement credits from your American Express Green Card for additional LoungeBuddy visits for the remainder of the year.

Related: Is the Amex Green Card worth the annual fee?

Consider international lounges

Many lounges outside the United States have lower prices than domestic lounges. This means you can take advantage of more lounge visits from your American Express Green Card LoungeBuddy statement credit each calendar year when you use it for lounges outside the US. Many of these lounges include more extensive food offerings and better amenities than comparably priced lounges in the United States. WE

For example, you can book six lounges through LoungeBuddy at Singapore Changi Airport (SIN), with prices ranging from $28 to $46 per person.

Eight lounges at Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi Airport (BKK) can be booked through LoungeBuddy for $34 per person.

Some lounges are even less accessible. Entering the Concordia Lounge at Indonesia’s Syamsudin Noor Airport (BDJ) costs just $8 per person when you book through LoungeBuddy. However, this lounge is located at the domestic terminal so you need to fly domestically in Indonesia to use it.

Similarly, Aviserv Lounge (West) in Mumbai offers three-hour lounge access for $9 per person; Additionally, it offers seven-hour access to a shower and four hours in a private capsule for $51 per person.

With options like these, you can stretch your $100 statement credit across multiple lounge visits per calendar year.

Related: Why Amex Green is great for points and miles beginners

Bottom line

A benefit of American Express Green Card is a $100 LoungeBuddy statement credit per calendar year. You can stretch your credit to cover up to 12 lounge visits per calendar year, but you can also use your entire credit for one or two lounge visits high-class. Maximizing looks different for every traveler, but you have many options for using your LoungeBuddy statement credit in a way that brings you the most value.

If you want to learn more about lounge access and the American Express Green Card, check out these guides: