Chase has accelerated Chase Sapphire lounge openings and I was able to try its location at LaGuardia airport. It’s incredibly impressive, and open to Priority Pass.
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First Chase Sapphire Lounge Visit
I have been a Chase Sapphire Reserve cardholder nearly since it launched and while we don’t pitch cards often on this site, I have found a great deal of value and these lounges only enhance it. I haven’t been able to try one of the first Chase Sapphire lounges in Hong Kong but I love that they are expanding to other markets like San Diego where there’s not already many options.
My first visit was quick but it was enough to say that there is a new standard in airport lounges.
Access
As Chase builds out this program, it went with an experienced lounge operator. The Chase Sapphire Lounge by The Club allows unlimited visits to Chase Sapphire Reserve cardmembers and up to two additional guests, children under two years old are free. But as it is a partnership with The Club, Priority Pass Memberships (often offered by other premium travel credit cards) are still permitted one Chase lounge visit annually. To be clear, as it was explained to me, that one complimentary Priority Pass visit isn’t per Chase lounge location but rather one annual visit to any Chase lounge.
At nearly every lounge, an outgoing boarding pass is required, but in this instance, I was asked for both my Reserve card and my Priority Pass Select card (a perk of the Sapphire Reserve) and that seemed odd since I wasn’t using my Priority Pass to access the lounge.
The location in LaGuardia was post-security in Terminal B, just prior to taking the Eastern concourse bridge and directly next to the American Express Centurion lounge.
Space
The lounge is gorgeous, modern design that encompassed two floors with ample seating throughout. It features a mix of tables from which to eat and work, and several separated carrels with couches and loungers.
While the lounge was busy, it wasn’t crowded and for those looking for a quiet space to work, I’d recommend heading upstairs which was sparsely attended.
Food
There was a wide variety of food options and unlike the Centurion lounge next door, each portion was individually plated. There seemed to be a good mix of unique and complex dishes like avocado and kale salads as well as comfort food like grilled cheese sandwiches.
Like the rest of the lounge, the bar was occupied but not overly crowded. Some guests around the bar took the liberty of taking two chairs, one for them, and one for their stuff and as long as there’s not a line out the door and people standing – why not?
Special Services
The elusive feature of this lounge is Reserve Suites which start at $2,200 for up to (4) people but must be reserved at least three days in advance. There are three such suites, the third is larger and accommodates (6.)
It’s a clever concept and I am sure there will be some customers that take Chase up on this very unique feature. But it also lacked any showers at all. The airline lounges at most international airports have more showers than they need, and after a long flight, or frankly, right before one, a shower can be the ultimate reset. Centurion Lounges typically offer one, maybe two depending on the location and there’s almost always a waiting list, sometimes hours long. That’s not really good enough as some connections wouldn’t allow for enough time to wait it out.
While it’s incredible that Chase has more or less offered mini apartments in the airport, it has to be endlessly more useful to have replaced even one of the expansive Reserve suites with a handful of showers. Instead they don’t offer any and that’s a huge miss.
Conclusion
My first visit to the Chase Sapphire Lounge by The Club in New York’s LaGuardia was a positive experience. It felt premium, it wasn’t too full but it remained lively. Guests felt comfortable to relax, eat, or work and at the risk of overcrowding, I would recommend any cardholder with access to make it a part of their journey. I hope to spend more time there in the future, but it won’t be freshening up before a flight nor after one.
What do you think? Have you been to this lounge? How was your experience?
Chase uses Priority Pass as the entry credential for their lounges, which is why non-Reserve Priority Pass members receive one free visit annually (if you’re going to use the Priority Pass backend, you have to technically be in the network). Presenting your Reserve in addition is how the agent knows that you have ongoing complimentary visits and that your current visit doesn’t count as your single entry.
I don’t think that’s full accurate. As at the Boston location I only presented my Priority Pass card and the agent knew that it was from a Ritz card. At least for the 3 chase issued cards that have access they can see whether it’s CSR, Ritz, or JPM reserve and the respective entry privileges.
@Taylor – It seems odd to me to make this choice, it’s not a legacy system. If I put down a Reserve card with a valid future expiry and an active boarding pass, why do I need to also bring and present Priority Pass? What about cardholders that haven’t activated the perk or may use their card all the time but don’t fly as often and didn’t bring their Priority Pass with them?
It’s an unnecessary impediment.
Are showers really needed at a short-haul airport such as LGA?
It just depends on what the day has been like to that point. If I’ve been running around Manhattan with a backpack and a coat and I have the time, why not?
There were a lot of fears that these would just be a low-to-mid-grade lounge with a Chase logo but doesn’t seem to be the case here.
Being that it’s next to a Centurion Lounge, what would be your preferred location to kill time?
Probably the Chase lounge due to less crowding, a change up in the food from what AMEX has been doing the last 4-5 years is nice as well. But if I want a shower, I am back at the Centurion lounge. Maybe the right idea should be to submit my name for the shower, run over to the Chase lounge to eat and work for an hour, and then come back when it’s my turn.
That’s interesting since the *other* fear from Chase lounges is that everyone would just about have access to it.
Grilled cheese sandwich!? Wow, did you try it?
It looks good!
As a Chase Reserve card holder who doesn’t often travel with the PP card, I will be ripshit if I am turned away from the lounge in LGA when I pass through next week.
Showers are needed in every lounge, whether for multiple connection days or long-haul flights. My Ritz-Carlton card’s Priority Pass access has gotten me into three Sapphire Lounges. BOS is my favorite so far, because of the showers and massage chair.