The Guide to Chase Lounges

Chase is joining American Express and Capital One in launching its own set of branded airport lounges. Although originally announced back in June 2021, today's Chase lounges are few and far between, and details are scant as far as what's in the pipeline.

For now, there's the Chase Sapphire Lounge By The Club at Hong Kong International Airport. But for travelers within the U.S., there are no official Chase lounges yet. However, there is a lounge of sorts set that opened in early 2023, and it's called the Sapphire Terrace.

The Sapphire Terrace opened on March 20, 2023 at Austin-Bergstrom International Airport. But even Chase isn't calling it a lounge. Instead, Chase calls it an "experience," described as an indoor-outdoor space in the airport that will provide travelers a place to relax, recharge and fuel up before flights.

Happily, there are refreshments, including cider from Austin Eastciders and beer from (512) Brewing Company, and some light, grab-and-go style snacks. To stay entertained, there's shuffleboard to play and artwork from Austin artist and muralist Rex Hamilton to gaze at.

The Terrace is open exclusively to Chase Sapphire Reserve® cardmembers and up to two guests, who can access the space by showing their Chase Sapphire Reserve® card at the entrance. Daily hours are 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.

The Sapphire Terrace is a bit of an outlier, but as far as the Chase Sapphire Lounges go, here's what you need to know:

Chase Sapphire airport lounges are being developed by Airport Dimensions — the same group that develops and operates The Club lounges. In fact, "The Club" is included in the formal name of these new lounges: The Chase Sapphire Lounge by The Club.

For now, there is only one official Chase lounge open in the world, and it's in Hong Kong. The U.S. lounges have yet to open.

Chase's airport lounge in Hong Kong

The Chase Sapphire Lounge By The Club is located in Terminal 1 of Hong Kong International Airport. You'll find it at Level 7 of the departures level of the West Hall, near Gate 40. But even if you're flying from the East Hall, you can still get there — as long as you're willing to ride the shuttle or take a 10-15 minute walk.

The lounge admits folks within three hours of their flight's scheduled departure time, and children under two are admitted free.

Chase Sapphire airport lounge locations in the U.S.

At the time of writing, Chase hasn't yet opened any Chase Sapphire airport lounges in the U.S. (there is one in Hong Kong that's already open). However, details reveal that five airport locations are currently in the works in the following U.S. airports:

• New York-LaGuardia — Terminal B.

• Boston — Terminal B to C Connector.

• San Diego — Terminal 2 West.

• Phoenix — Terminal 4.

• Las Vegas — C gates.

Chase only officially announced two of those locations — New York and Boston — as well as Hong Kong, which is already open. The other three locations were unveiled through public filings made by the airport.

In announcing the initial Chase Sapphire Lounge by The Club locations, Chase highlighted that lounges "will draw inspiration from its host city, and will provide access to exceptional food, drink, art, entertainment, and wellness."

Public filings give a few more details about Chase Sapphire airport lounges. For example, the Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport press release notes that the Chase Sapphire Lounge will be 3,500 square feet. For comparison, that's just over one-third the size of the combined AmEx Centurion Lounge and Escape Lounge in Phoenix airport.

However, the San Diego location is expected to be much larger at 11,000 square feet. That size rivals several of AmEx's Centurion Lounge locations — and is bigger than the 9,665-square-foot lounge that AmEx bid for in the same San Diego location.

» Learn more: Credit cards with airport lounge access

Have a qualifying Chase card in your wallet

The Chase Sapphire Reserve®

As a Chase Sapphire Reserve® cardholder, you’ll have access to all locations of the Chase Sapphire Lounge by The Club. This is in addition to the card’s complimentary Priority Pass Select membership with access to over 1,300 other Priority Pass lounges around the world.

Chase Sapphire Reserve® cardholders and authorized users will each be able to bring two guests for free into the Chase Sapphire Lounge. Additional guests will cost $27 each.

» Learn more: The best priority pass lounges in the United States

Carry a card with built-in Priority Pass membership

Unlike, say, AmEx Centurion Lounges, Chase Sapphire airport lounge access isn't restricted to just Chase cardholders. Like other The Club lounges, Chase Sapphire airport lounges are accessible to all Priority Pass members.

Chase Sapphire Lounges largely work just like any other Priority Pass lounge. Any Priority Pass member should be able to access the lounge by presenting their Priority Pass card and showing a same-day boarding pass.

That includes Priority Pass Select members who have a complimentary membership through AmEx, Citi or U.S. Bank cards — such as holders of the following cards:

• The Platinum Card® from American Express — full Priority Pass Select membership. Enrollment required.

• Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card — full Priority Pass Select membership. Enrollment required.

• Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card — full Priority Pass Select membership. Enrollment required.

• Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card — 10 complimentary Priority Pass lounge visits per year. Enrollment required.

• Citi Prestige® Card — full Priority Pass Select membership.

• U.S. Bank Altitude™ Reserve Visa Infinite® Card — four free Priority Pass lounge visits per year.

Terms apply.

» Learn more: The best travel credit cards right now

Purchase a day pass (maybe)

One key detail was slipped into the Phoenix airport Chase Sapphire Lounge announcement: Travelers will be able to purchase a day pass.

That said, it remains unclear if travelers will be able to purchase a day pass at all locations or just at the Phoenix lounge.

When Chase announced its own line of Chase lounges back in 2021, it seemed as though Chase was directly responding to the rising popularity of the American Express Centurion Lounges and Capital One Lounges. The rising trend of AmEx, Capital One and now Chase lounges means that folks holding premium credit cards now have access to swanky lounges tied to big banks. That's as opposed to the more-common type of airport lounge, which is often tied to an airline (and typically reserved for folks with ultra-high levels of airline elite status, or business and first class passengers).

The lounges also tend to be more consistently-upscale than those in the Priority Pass network, many of which have suffered from overcrowding because so many credit cards now offer Priority Pass membership as a benefit. Certainly some Priority Pass lounges are impossibly posh, but other lounges offer some paltry carrots and cheese cubes, with little else.

Though of course — given that the Chase lounges will be accessible to all Priority Pass members — they could fall trap to the overcrowding problems too.

But the Hong Kong version of the Chase lounge gets generally rave reviews for its impressive menu of Western and Asian dishes, served in a thoughtfully-design environment. But most Priority Pass lounges in Asia tend to surpass those in the U.S. anyway.

It remains to be seen how Chase's U.S. lounges end up fitting in the airport lounge space.

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