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Just like Capital One and American Express, Chase has launched its own branded airport lounges to reward customers who have an eligible Chase credit card with a relaxing and unique experience before their flights. With four locations worldwide, the footprint is small but growing—and if you can check out one of these luxurious lounges, you won’t be disappointed.
Expect made-to-order food, craft cocktails, game rooms and even the potential to have caviar service. There are a few hoops to jump through first, so let’s examine what exactly you can expect with these new lounges (and if you should get a Chase Sapphire Reserve® for access).
How do I get into the Chase Sapphire Lounges?
Though they’re called Chase Sapphire lounges, you don’t necessarily have to be a cardholder of one of the Chase Sapphire credit cards to get in—but it certainly helps, particularly if you seek unlimited access and not just one visit per year. Note that it’s the Chase Sapphire Reserve with its $550 yearly price tag that gets you in, not the $95-annual-fee Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card.
The first step to gain entry is to activate the Priority Pass membership that comes as a benefit with your Chase Sapphire Reserve card. These lounges are a partnership between Chase and The Club and not totally owned and operated by Chase bank.
If you hold the Chase Sapphire Reserve card, you and two guests will receive unlimited access, free of charge, to any of the Chase Sapphire lounges worldwide. You’ll also get in if you hold the J.P. Morgan Reserve® Card or the The Ritz-Carlton™ Credit Card, but again you’ll need to activate the Priority Pass membership that comes for free with those cards.
Also, know that the Ritz-Carlton credit card isn’t currently open to new applications, meaning you can only hold it if you had an account before it was retired, or you were allowed to product change to it from a different Chase card. Meanwhile, the J.P. Morgan Reserve card is invite-only, so it won’t be available to most consumers either.
Chase Sapphire Reserve®
Intro bonus
75,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
Annual fee | $550 |
Regular APR | 22.49%–29.49% variable |
If you don’t have a Chase Sapphire Reserve card and instead have a Priority Pass membership provided by a different credit card, you’ll be allowed one visit to the lounge, with no guests, per calendar year. If you’d like to bring a guest or visit another time in the same year, you can do that for $75 per person. Since the price is so high, it might not make sense to visit frequently but instead enjoy your one free visit each year.
Where are the Chase Sapphire Lounges located?
While more lounges are slated to open soon, the only airport lounge locations currently open to visitors are in Hong Kong, Boston, and New York’s LaGuardia and JFK. As of this writing, Chase lists lounges slated for opening in Las Vegas, Philadelphia, Phoenix and San Diego.
The Hong Kong location is located in Terminal 1 and is open from 6 a.m. to midnight every day. It is located in the West hall, but if you’re in the East hall you’re not out of luck. It’s only about a 10-15 minute walk to be able to enjoy all the benefits.
If you’re traveling out of terminal B in LaGuardia, head up to the fourth floor just after security, and you’ll find the lounge just before the eastern concourse pedestrian bridge. Its hours are 4:30 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. daily.
Boston’s lounge takes up a huge space near gate B40 and is open from 5 a.m. to 11 p.m. daily, and the lounge in JFK is a unique joint partnership with Etihad Airways. You might not see it at first glance, but you can find it in Terminal 4 just past security. The JFK lounge is also open from 5 a.m. to 11 p.m. Note, however, that non-Chase customers are restricted to the hours of 10:30 a.m. to 2 p.m.
What are some of the amenities inside the Chase Sapphire Lounges?
Chase has pulled out all the stops with these new lounges as every attention to detail appears taken care of. You can expect local chefs creating fresh menus that change seasonally. The cocktail lists are curated by local bars to bring you a unique selection, above and beyond your normal mixer and well drinks.
For example, in the LaGuardia lounge, local NYC chef Joseph Leonard helped to design the menu and local coffee shop Joe Coffee operates the barista stand to whip up made to order coffee all day long. As an extra perk, you can relax with meditations from Devi Brown, private rest pods, and facial treatments from Face Haus, all included in your admission to the lounge.
Boston takes a local spin as well with a taproom featuring local beers, Boston-area roaster Atomic Coffee preparing gourmet coffee treats, and award-winning Chef Douglass Williams creating a seasonal menu reflecting the best that New England has to offer.
Generally speaking, you’re going to find ample areas to relax and stretch out, free Wi-Fi, and in some locations even private bathrooms with showers so you can freshen up before your flight.
What are the Reserve Suites by Chase?
If you’re looking for a more exclusive experience inside the airport, the LaGuardia Chase lounge offers you the Reserve Suites—for a fee.
There are only three suites at the lounge, but if you’re looking for the ultra-luxe experience where your comfort is a priority, it doesn’t get more posh than this.
You can book the suites in the Chase Mobile app under “Benefits and Travel” for a fee up to 72 hours before your departure and the cost will cover you and all of your guests. A suite includes:
- Champagne and caviar.
- Exclusive menus not found in the normal lounge.
- An exclusive wine list.
- In-suite entertainment with TVs and speakers.
- Private bathrooms with spa showers.
While the Chase website doesn’t currently seem to list the price, reports say these suites go for anywhere between $2,200 and $3,000 each for three hours and up to eight guests.
Are the Chase Sapphire Lounges worth it?
For travelers who value being able to relax and enjoy their trip, absolutely. Unlimited entry is available only to those who have the Chase Sapphire Reserve, JP Morgan Reserve, or Ritz Carlton Card. Considering the cost of food and drink in most major airports, being able to come to these lounges before your flight, or even on a layover, is a huge perk.
Since even authorized users of the cards gain entry, chances are you’ve more than made up for the cost of the card with just a couple of visits for you and your family.
Even if you don’t have one of the cards mentioned above, remember to take advantage of your one visit per year if you have a Priority Pass membership provided by a different travel card. While only allowed in once per year, you can have multiple Priority Pass memberships.
The takeaway
While still growing and expanding, the Chase Sapphire lounges are an excellent respite from the hustle and bustle of major airports. Finding a quiet place to relax before your flight is one of the keys to a great airport experience. Food from top quality local chefs and local touches make these lounges a must stop on your next time passing through any of the participating airports.
Fortune Recommends™ has partnered with CardRatings for our coverage of credit card products. Fortune Recommends™ and CardRatings may receive a commission from card issuers.
Please note that card details are accurate as of the publish date, but are subject to change at any time at the discretion of the issuer. Please contact the card issuer to verify rates, fees, and benefits before applying.
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