The Bilt Palladium Card is Bilt’s premium credit card, and one of its most valuable perks is a free Priority Pass membership. For frequent travelers, airport lounge access alone can be worth hundreds of dollars a year.
But how does the Bilt Palladium Priority Pass benefit actually work? Can you bring guests? Are airport restaurants included? And is it worth paying the $495 annual fee for lounge access? This guide answers all of these questions, explains how to activate your membership, and compares the Palladium with other cards that include Priority Pass.
What is the Bilt Palladium Card?
The Bilt Palladium Card is the top card in Bilt’s new card lineup, launched in 2026 alongside the Bilt Blue and Bilt Obsidian cards. It’s a World Legend Mastercard issued by Column N.A. and serviced by Cardless.
Here are the key features:
- Annual fee: $495
- Earning: 2X points on everyday purchases, plus higher rates on some Bilt Travel bookings, Lyft and Bilt partner restaurants
- Rent and mortgage: up to 1.25X points on housing payments, depending on how you use the card
- Bilt Cash: $200 in Bilt Cash each year
- Hotel credit: $400 a year toward Bilt Travel hotel bookings, split into two $200 credits
- Lounge access: a complimentary Priority Pass membership
- No foreign transaction fees
Bilt points can be transferred to airline and hotel partners, including United MileagePlus, Alaska Airlines Atmos Rewards, Southwest Rapid Rewards and World of Hyatt.
What is Priority Pass?
Priority Pass is a network of independent airport lounges around the world. Because it isn’t tied to one airline, you can use it whichever airline you fly. Inside, lounges typically offer seating, snacks or meals, drinks, Wi-Fi and a quieter place to wait for your flight. Some larger lounges also have showers.
A Priority Pass membership bought on its own can cost several hundred dollars a year, which is why it’s such a valuable credit card perk.
Bilt Palladium Priority Pass benefits
Who gets the membership
The primary cardholder gets a complimentary Priority Pass membership. According to Bilt, authorized users can also get Priority Pass. Each authorized user card has a $95 annual fee, so check the current terms before adding someone just for lounge access.
How many lounges you can use
Bilt says the membership gives access to more than 1,300 Priority Pass locations worldwide. Visits to participating lounges are unlimited.
Guest policy
You can bring up to two guests into Priority Pass lounges for free. That makes the Palladium a good option for couples, families and anyone who often travels with a colleague.
Are restaurants and spas included?
Generally, no. The Bilt Palladium Priority Pass membership is designed for lounges. Priority Pass restaurants, which give members a dining credit at some airport restaurants, are excluded, as are other non-lounge experiences such as spas.
In May 2026, some cardholders noticed restaurants and spas appearing in their Priority Pass app. Bilt later said this was an error. Don’t count on restaurant access, and always check what your membership shows in the Priority Pass app before you order.
How to activate Priority Pass with the Bilt Palladium
Priority Pass isn’t automatic. You need to enroll:
- Log in to the Bilt app.
- Go to your Palladium card benefits and find Priority Pass.
- Follow the steps to enroll. You’ll be taken to Priority Pass to finish setting up your membership.
- Download the Priority Pass app and sign in. Your digital membership card will appear in the app.
- At the lounge, show your digital card and your boarding pass for a same-day flight.
It’s a good idea to enroll before your trip, not at the airport, so you’re not rushing to set up an account at the lounge door.
Is the Bilt Palladium worth it for Priority Pass?
Priority Pass is only one part of the Palladium’s value. To decide if the card is worth $495 a year, add up the perks you’ll actually use:
- The $400 Bilt Travel hotel credit, if you book hotels through Bilt Travel
- The $200 in Bilt Cash each year
- Priority Pass for you and two guests
- Points on rent or mortgage and everyday spending
If you’ll use the hotel credit and Bilt Cash, they alone cover more than the annual fee. Lounge access then becomes a bonus on top.
If you rarely fly, or the airports you use have no Priority Pass lounges, the Palladium may not make sense for lounge access alone. Check the Priority Pass app for lounges at your home airport before you apply.
Bilt Palladium vs other cards with Priority Pass
Here’s how the Palladium compares with some other popular cards that include Priority Pass:
| Card | Annual fee | Priority Pass guests | Other lounges |
| Bilt Palladium Card | $495 | 2 free guests | No other lounge network |
| Capital One Venture X | $395 | 2 free guests | Capital One Lounges |
| Chase Sapphire Reserve | $795 | 2 free guests | Chase Sapphire Lounges |
| The Platinum Card from American Express | $895 | Check current terms | Centurion Lounges and more |
The Palladium doesn’t have its own lounge brand, unlike Amex, Chase and Capital One. But it offers a strong mix of Priority Pass access, travel credits and rent rewards that no other card matches. If you pay rent or a mortgage and want to earn points on it, the Palladium has a unique advantage.
Tips to get the most out of your Priority Pass membership
- Check the app before every trip. Lounge hours, locations and rules change.
- Look at lounges in other terminals. At some airports, you can walk to another terminal after security.
- Be ready for capacity limits. Popular lounges can turn people away at busy times, even with a valid membership.
- Bring your guests with you. Guests usually need to enter at the same time as the cardholder.
- Check whether you’ll be charged. If a location isn’t covered by your membership, Priority Pass may charge your card for the visit. Confirm before you go in.
Other Bilt Palladium travel perks
Lounge access is just one of the travel benefits. The Palladium also includes travel protections such as trip cancellation and interruption coverage and baggage insurance when you pay with the card. And because it has no foreign transaction fees, it’s a good card to use abroad.
Bilt points are also valuable for travel. You can transfer them to airline and hotel partners, often at 1:1, which can get you more value than using points through the Bilt Travel portal.
What to expect inside a Priority Pass lounge
Priority Pass lounges vary a lot from airport to airport. Some are small rooms with a coffee machine and a few snacks, while others are large, modern spaces with hot meals, a full bar, showers and quiet zones. Most offer:
- Comfortable seating and power outlets
- Free Wi-Fi
- Snacks or light meals
- Soft drinks, coffee and tea, and often beer and wine
- Flight information screens
Some lounges limit how long you can stay, often to around three hours before your flight. Others don’t let you in if your flight leaves from a different terminal. Read the lounge’s page in the Priority Pass app for its rules, opening hours and photos, so you know what to expect before you walk over.
If you have a long layover, a good lounge can turn a tiring wait into a chance to eat, shower and rest. With two free guests on the Palladium, that comfort extends to the people you travel with too.
Frequently asked questions
Does the Bilt Palladium Card include Priority Pass?
Yes. The Bilt Palladium includes a complimentary Priority Pass membership for the primary cardholder.
How many guests can I bring with Bilt Palladium Priority Pass?
You can bring up to two guests into Priority Pass lounges for free.
Does Bilt Palladium Priority Pass include restaurants?
No. Priority Pass restaurants and other non-lounge experiences are excluded. Some members briefly saw them in the app in 2026, but Bilt said this was an error.
Do authorized users get Priority Pass?
According to Bilt, yes. Each authorized user card has a $95 annual fee. Check the latest terms before adding users.
Do the Bilt Blue or Bilt Obsidian cards include Priority Pass?
No. Priority Pass is a perk of the Bilt Palladium Card, Bilt’s premium card.
Conclusion
The Bilt Palladium Priority Pass benefit gives you unlimited access to more than 1,300 airport lounges, with two free guests, which is a strong perk for anyone who travels regularly. Restaurants aren’t included, and you need to enroll before your first visit. Combined with the $400 hotel credit, $200 in Bilt Cash and points on rent, lounge access can make the Palladium’s $495 annual fee easy to justify for the right traveler.
