Brazilian banks raise spending thresholds for airport lounge access

Several Brazilian banks have tightened the conditions for premium‑card holders to use free airport VIP lounges. Santander now demands at least R$30,000 in card spend over the previous three months, while Itaú requires R$15,000 for its Visa Infinite and Mastercard Black cards. The Banco de Brasília (BRB) applies the same R$30,000 threshold to its DUX card. Smaller issuers such as XP Investimentos and Rico set lower targets of R$3,000, and Nomad links the number of complimentary lounge entries to spend levels between R$3,500 and R$4,500. Genial Investimentos requires an average R$6,000 spend or a single R$20,000 bill. The shift follows rising lounge‑operating costs, overcrowding, and a surge in premium card issuance. Other issuers, including Banco do Brasil, Bradesco, BTG Pactual, C6 Bank and Porto Bank, have introduced similar minimum‑spend rules, indicating the trend may broaden across the market. Despite the new restrictions, airport lounges remain a valued benefit for frequent travelers.