Travel Club Lounge credit cards Malaysia - Which one is the best?

The Travel Club Lounge offers food, shower facilities, and complimentary beer - which can be an excellent alternative to other, larger, and busier airport lounges. Malaysia’s busy KLIA is home to two Travel Club Lounges, both airside and open 24/7. For those not travelling from KL, there are also lounges in Kuching (KCH) and Kota Kinabalu (BKI).

In this guide, we’ll look at and compare the top four Travel Club lounge credit cards in Malaysia that will give you access to lounges, regionally and worldwide. We'll also introduce the Wise card, a handy travel companion to make seamless card payments when you're overseas.

How to Get Travel Club Lounge Access in Malaysia?

Travel Club lounges are located in KLIA Terminal 1 and 2, Kuching Airport (KCH), and Kota Kinabalu (BKI). Outside of Malaysia, they can also be found at Mumbai, Chennai, Kolkata & Nagpur airports. To get access to these lounges, you can purchase a membership from an independent lounge access program like Priority Pass, but it can be pricey, costing €289 a year for 10 free visits.

For an ad hoc lounge visit, you can purchase a one-time pass at the lounge entrance, and this would cost about RM205 per entry for KLIA2. However, the best way to gain lounge access would be to use a credit card that gives you one or more free entries a year.

What to consider when choosing a credit card with Travel Club Lounge access?

If you’re a frequent traveller on the hunt for a Malaysian credit card that grants you airport lounge access, particularly to the KLIA Plaza Premium Lounge, you have plenty to pick from.

As each card comes with its own fees, features, and conditions for lounge access, it is important to draw comparisons between the cards to bag the best deal.

To narrow down your options, here are some things to look out for:

• How many times per year can you access an airport lounge?
• Is the offer for the primary card holder only, or are guests allowed?
• Does the card allow you into a selection of lounge brands or is Plaza Premium your primary option?
• Are there discounted entry options for guests subsequently once the free-entry allowance is exhausted?
• Is there a minimum spend requirement to qualify for lounge access?

Which Are the Best Credit Cards With Free Access to the Travel Club Lounge?

Not all credit cards are created equal, and the right one for you will depend on your preferences, annual income, and fees you’re willing to shell out.

In the following section, we’ll compare the top four Travel Club lounge credit cards that will give you access to a lounge at least once a year. We’ll also give you an overview of each card to help you choose the perfect one.

1. UOB Zenith Card

The UOB Zenith card² is a premium Travel Club lounge credit card designed for affluent travelers and high spenders, offering a bonus of 250,000 UNIRM when you spend a minimum of RM240,000 annually. The UOB Zenith Concierge is on hand to assist you with your lifestyle, from managing your dining and travel to car rental and golf.

Other perks of the UOB Zenith Card are insurance of up to RM500,000, a complimentary night at a hotel of your choice when you book a minimum of four nights with the UOB Zenith Concierge, and a complimentary Grab ride home to anywhere within the Klang Valley if you complete three overseas transactions.

Cardholders enjoy a generous 12 visits each year to Plaza Premium lounges, and from now till 31 December 2025, the Travel Club lounges³.

This is an elite card that is most suited for high-income earners and frequent travelers who value top privileges. Because of its relatively high annual fees, it makes the most sense for those who can use its elite benefits, rewards, and travel perks optimally.

2. Alliance Bank Visa Signature

*The fee for the first year is waived, and subsequent years will be waived if you spend more than RM12,000.

The Alliance Bank Visa Signature Card⁵ is designed for frequent usage. It offers a relatively high cashback of 5% on all your purchases, like online shopping, dining, groceries, petrol, and utilities, whether you pay by their eco-friendly card or by Google or Samsung Pay.

In addition, you can get two complimentary rides to KLIA a year, valued at up to RM80 each if you spend a minimum of RM120,000 per annum. As of 9 February 2024, cardholders enjoy one-time complimentary access to the Travel Club Lounge in KLIA, KLIA2, Kuching, and Kota Kinabalu airports.⁶

The Alliance Bank Visa Signature has a much lower minimum income requirement and annual fee. In addition, they give only one complimentary visit a year to the Travel Club Lounge. The one big advantage of this card is the high cash-back rate, making it suitable for occasional travelers who want a reliable card to use frequently in their daily lives.

3. UOB Visa Infinite Card

*Effective 1 January 2026, the annual fee will be waived if you spend more than RM50,000 per annum.

The UOB Visa Infinite Card⁸ is a step down from the Zenith but still offers an impressive number of perks. Through the DragonPass app, you’ll get 12x Travel Club Lounge access at KLIA, but the access to the lounge at KLIA2 will be discontinued effective 1 August 2025.

You will also get a complimentary ride to KLIA or KLIA2 if you’ve spent more than RM5,000 in the last month. Other perks include RM500,000 insurance coverage, 10X UNIRM for every RM1 spent overseas, and air miles at a special rate.

The UOB Visa Infinite is also a premium travel club lounge free access credit card that will suit frequent travelers and middle to high-income earners looking for excellent privileges. The relatively high annual fee might be a deterrent, but if you are confident that you can meet the minimum yearly spend, this card can be an excellent choice.

4. Alliance Bank Visa Infinite

The Alliance Bank Visa Infinite⁹ is a slight step up from their Visa Signature. This card offers generous 8x TBP (Timeless Bonus Points) for e-wallet top-ups and e-commerce purchases, and 5x TBP for groceries, overseas transactions, and dining. Best of all, the bonus points don’t expire, so you can use them indefinitely.

Although they only offer one Travel Club Lounge visit a year, they also offer two Plaza Premium visits worldwide. In addition, you can spend flight tickets, hotels, and overseas purchases and enjoy a 3-month 0% flexible payment plan.

This card will suit the enthusiastic online shopper, or if you prefer doing your travel bookings online. The generous rewards given to e-commerce and e-wallet users make it an ideal choice if you want maximum returns on your spending.

What else to look out for when choosing a credit card?

Even if you’re set on getting a credit card that allows you complimentary lounge access, there are other factors to consider. It is important to make sure you get the right card that will maximise your spending based on your lifestyle.

Before you sign up, pay attention to the following card features and fees:

• Compare the annual fees and check for fee waiver
• Check what interest rates will apply if you don’t pay your bill in full
• Choose a card that will benefit you in multiple ways beyond lounge access, like cash back or the eligibility for travel-related discounts
• Review the card fees – in particular, the foreign transaction fees which are incurred on overseas spend – you may be able to save on foreign transaction costs with an international debit card instead

While credit cards incentivise overseas spend with extra rewards that often can be exchanged for free flights or discounted accommodation, it is important to note that overseas spend does incur more charges on your credit card - always consider if the benefits are worth the extra cost.

Travelling soon? Bring along a credit card for lounge access and the Wise card to maximize your foreign currency transactions

While credit cards grant you free lounge access - cut the costs of foreign transaction fees when spending abroad with the Wise card.

The Wise card lets you spend in 40+ currencies at the mid-market rate including CNY, JPY, GBP, and SGD so you know you'll be getting a great deal in over 150+ countries. Simply create a free Wise account, order a card and top-up MYR to get started.

Virtual cards are free and can be added to your Google or Apple Pay wallet, while a physical Wise card can be ordered for a low fee of 13.7 MYR. Having a physical Wise card allows you to make chip and pin payments, as well as two free ATM withdrawals to the value of 1,000 MYR each month, before low fees start.

While abroad, you can choose to spend with directly in MYR and let auto-conversion do the trick, or convert to your desired currency with your Wise account. Either way, you’ll get the exchange rate you see on Google, with low, transparent fees from 0.77%.

💳 Get your Wise card today