A guide to Chase airport lounges – The Points Guy

Editor’s note: This post has been updated with new information, including the opening of the Boston lounge on May 16, 2023.

Credit card issuers compete on many fronts, but one area that has been heating up the most is airport lounges. Chase is now in the game with facilities dubbed “Chase Sapphire Lounge by The Club.” You’ll need the right credit card to get unlimited access to these lounges, which is detailed in this guide.

The lounges in Hong Kong and Boston as well as a ‘terrace’ in Austin have already opened. The opening dates for most other lounges have not been announced.

Although American Express remains the undisputed heavyweight in this arena with its Global Lounge Collection, Capital One has also made a foray into the field by opening its first airport lounge at Dallas-Fort Worth (DFW) in 2021.

Here’s the latest on the upcoming Chase lounges, plus what cardholders can expect from the lounges.

Chase Sapphire Lounge locations

These three locations are open or will open soon:

Additionally, confirmed plans call for clubs in the following six airports:

When a potential space at Dallas-Fort Worth becomes a confirmed location, we will update this list.

More details about Chase Sapphire Lounges

Chase is working in partnership with Airport Dimensions to build out its lounges. Airport Dimensions currently operates over two dozen lounges worldwide, most of which are branded as “The Club” or “Club Aspire” and are largely accessible via Priority Pass membership.

Chase’s lounges are expected to offer more upmarket amenities than you might find in some other Priority Pass locations, including facilities like showers and family rooms, business lounges and both wellness and rest areas.

Boston (BOS) location

This location is the first Chase lounge to open on U.S. soil and is easily accessible for passengers departing from any terminal. It offers a spacious and well-lit environment with great views for planespotting.

The lounge features a self-service buffet, the option to order from an a la carte menu using QR codes, a full-service bar offering locally inspired cocktails, and a unique tavern with craft beer.

Additionally, the lounge provides wellness rooms with massage chairs and comfortable loungers for relaxation.

Read more: First look at Chase’s lounge in Boston

Hong Kong (HKG) location

The Chase Sapphire lounge at HKG opened in October 2022, making it the first Sapphire lounge to open. It is located in the West Hall of the International Departures area near Gate 40. The lounge is also accessible for passengers departing from the East Hall via shuttle or a 10- to 15-minute walk.

Las Vegas (LAS) location

Chase’s plans to open an outpost in Las Vegas first appeared in public board documents from the Clark County Commission.

At 4,500 square feet, the lounge will be quite small, especially considering how many cardholders will likely have access.

The lease is for a space just past security in the C gates in Terminal 1, which is primarily home to Southwest’s operations in Sin City. Travelers flying from Terminal 3 would need to take a train to the C gates to access the lounge.

New York LaGuardia (LGA) location

Details about this location seem the most difficult to find. It will be located in the airport’s new Terminal B, where you’ll also find Amex’s Centurion Lounge (opened in June 2021).

Phoenix (PHX) location

The Sapphire Lounge in Phoenix (PHX) will be located at the new eight-gate facility in Terminal 4. This south concourse will be the home of Southwest Airlines. A connector bridge will link to the north concourses, which include gates occupied by American Airlines.

According to Phoenix Airport board meeting documents, three major players competed for the right to the 3,500-square-foot lounge space: Chase with its Sapphire Lounge, Capital One and Escape (in partnership with American Express).

Competition for these types of spaces at busy airports remains fierce, as the number of applicants for this one demonstrates. (Note that there are already two Escape lounges and a dedicated Centurion Lounge located at Phoenix.)

Related: Amex to scale to over 40 Centurion-branded lounges worldwide

San Diego (SAN) location

In early November 2021, Airport Dimensions (in partnership with Chase) was awarded the contract to build out an 11,000-square-foot lounge in San Diego’s Terminal 2 West.

Chase’s lounge proposal beat out other key competitors, including Escape Lounge (in partnership with American Express), Plaza Premium Group and the Aspire Lounge.

The Chase Sapphire Lounge by The Club has a target opening date of November 2023 and will feature “locally inspired design, local food, beverages and art partnerships,” according to San Diego Airport Authority (SDAA) documents.

These same documents indicate that the space, once completed, will be located on the mezzanine level between Gates 46 and 47 and be part of a 10-year lease with a $17.6 million capital investment.

Washington Dulles (IAD) location

This location will be approximately 5,200 square feet in size and located in Concourse A, according to the Washington Business Journal. This area is home to many of the international airlines departing from IAD, and lounge plans include two levels, with the lower level being the larger of the two. Plans include a bar, dining area, work area, family room, prayer room and kitchen.

It’s worth noting that this location will compete with the planned opening of a Capital One Lounge at Dulles, slated to open in 2023.

Related: Best credit cards for airport lounge access

Sapphire Terrace at AUS

Again, this is not technically a Sapphire Lounge, but it’s worth highlighting here. This 5,000-square-foot space is mostly outdoors, offering excellent planespotting opportunities but is not ideal during Austin’s hot summers or during inclement weather.

The 4,000 square feet of outdoor space offer multiple seating types, places to relax, games and opportunities for watching planes coming and going at the airport. The Sapphire Terrace offers complimentary drinks and light bites (including grab-and-go options) and is located upstairs, near Gate 1 and the Delta SkyClub.

Related: Now open: Chase Sapphire Terrace at Austin’s airport

The Sapphire Terrace is not part of Priority Pass and is accessible exclusively by showing your Chase Sapphire Reserve.

Who can access Chase Sapphire Lounges?

Those with the Chase Sapphire Reserve, J.P. Morgan Reserve card or the Ritz-Carlton Credit Card (no longer available to new applicants) as either a primary cardholder or an authorized user have unlimited access to the Chase Sapphire Lounges once they activate their complimentary Priority Pass membership.

Chase Sapphire Reserve and J.P. Morgan Reserve cardholders can also bring up to two guests per card, per visit, for free and additional guests for $27. Those with a Ritz-Carlton Credit Card can bring unlimited guests for no additional charge.

But you may be able to get in once, even if you don’t have one of these cards. Travelers with only a Priority Pass membership can visit one Chase Sapphire Lounge (excluding the Austin location) per calendar year and purchase additional entries for a to-be-announced fee.

Aside from simply pleasing cardholders, plotting out a lounge network appears more and more to be a tactic Chase needs to commit to in order to remain competitive in an increasingly crowded field of premium rewards cards, more of which are beginning to offer access to more lounges.

The information for the Ritz-Carlton Credit Card has been collected independently by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.

Related: Chase adds bonus categories, new perks to Sapphire card lineup

Bottom line

For years, the network of Amex-owned and operated Centurion Lounges was the only major player in the card-run lounge space. In fact, Amex’s Global Lounge Collection, which includes its Centurion-branded spaces, took home the Editor’s Choice prize for best credit card perk at the 2021 TPG Awards.

But there’s little doubt that airport lounge competition is intensifying amongst major credit card issuers.

MELISSA KLURMAN/THE POINTS GUY

Related: Airport lounge wars: How credit card companies are competing for your pre-flight cocktail

Capital One has opened its first airport lounge, operated by the Plaza Premium Group, at Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport. Capital One also has plans to debut additional locations at Denver International (DEN), Las Vegas (LAS) and Washington Dulles (IAD).

For its part, Chase has stepped into the ring with Chase Sapphire Lounges at — so far — six proposed locations, in addition to the now-open Austin, Boston and Hong Kong locations.

Let the lounge games continue.

Additional reporting by Emily Thompson and Ryan Smith.