Chase Sapphire’s $795 Revamp Hinges On Lounge Quality—LAX Promises Private Tarmac Transfers, Yet Will Spend Just $8.40 On Meals
One theme from readers around whether or not the $795 annual fee refresh of Chase Sapphire Reserve is worth it to them is that it hinges on how much they use and value Chase’s growing network of lounges.
Bar at Chase Sapphire Lounge, Philadelphia
So far they have 8 Sapphire lounges, and 3 more have been announced publicly.
| Airport | Size (sq ft) | Opened | Key notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| New York–LaGuardia (LGA) | 21,800 | Jan 2024 | Two-story design; Reserve Suites; Face Haus spa; arcade; broad a-la-carte & buffet program |
| Boston Logan (BOS) | 11,500 | May 2023 | Tap-room with local beer; massage chairs; showers; kids’ playroom |
| New York–JFK (JFK) | 7,600 | Jan 2024 | Shared Etihad space; full cocktail & dining menu; showers |
| Washington Dulles (IAD) | 5,200 | Mar 2024 | Shared Etihad space; compact but full service offering |
| Philadelphia (PHL) | 20,000 | Feb 2025 | Beer-garden zone, shuffleboard, retro arcade, rest pods, Face Haus facials |
| San Diego (SAN) | 10,000 | Dec 2024 | Wellness area with private pods & meditation; full F&B |
| Phoenix (PHX) | 3,500 | Nov 2024 | Small and overrun, limited amenities |
| Hong Kong (HKG) | 12,000 | Oct 2022 | Extensive buffet + small menu |
Chase Sapphire Lounge, Washington Dulles
Known lounge pipeline:
- Dallas/Fort Worth (DFW): ~ 18,000 sq ft in terminal D
- Las Vegas (LAS): ~ 4,500 sq ft in terminal C
- Los Angeles (LAX): ~9,200 sq ft in the Tom Bradley International Terminal
Pondering this sent me down a rabbit hole, pouring through LA city documents about the upcoming Chase Sapphire Lounge at LAX in the Tom Bradley International Terminal (all of the terminals at LAX are connected inside security).
It’s not enough for Chase and Airport Dimensions to come to LAX and say ‘we’re one of the biggest banks and we’re working with a team that’s one of the most experienced in airport lounges, we’d like to sign a lease and invest hundreds of millions of dollars’. This is a box-checking 281 page labyrinth of perfunctory documentation.
They planned to spend $23 million on the buildout, and expected to refurbish at a cost of $4.6 million in year six.
Ongoing operating costs for the lounge are about $20 million a year. But this one number stood out to me in particular: “We have projected an $8.40 cost per guest for all food and beverage consumption, commensurate with the high quality of our food and beveerage menus provided.”
The document includes the lease agreement, as well as details on partnership structure between Chase and Collinson, which is the parent of Airport Dimensions (lounge management) which runs The Club lounges as well as Priority Pass. It goes into details and qualifications of their vendors, and includes letters of support from other airports they’ve worked with. The document also lays out their artist partnerships for the lounge. And there are layouts of the space and graphical renderings.
Here’s what the space should look like:
There are also scheduling matrixes showing the number of staff in different roles at any given time, and there are proposed menus.
They’ve committed to “delivering airside escort services” as an add-on premium feature for “those passengers looking for a more discrete and seamless journey within TBIT or to other terminals.”
This VIP service, which can be pre-booked or added based on availability, will generate significant buzz for the airport overall and demand forhte LAX Sapphire Lounge by The Club. Guests will be escorted from the lounge to the tarmac below where they will be led to waiting branded, premium electric vehicle.
Inside, they will find amenity kits and refreshments to carry the lounge experience all the way through to their gate. Guests may choose to board first or last. A VIP attendant will escort them through the jet bridge doorway, as appropriate per SIDA regulations, where an in-flight crew member will check their credentials.
If approved, the LAX Sapphire Lounge by The Club will cover all costs associated with creating a passenger egress to the ramp level, acquisition and maintenance of the vehicles, cost of operations (including any EV charger stations) and any additional card readers or other security requirements. This investment represents a value of $24 million to the airport over the term and will offer more travelers a truly memorable experience at LAX.
The proposal had the lounge opening February 27, 2025. Of course nothing ever finishes on schedule, and nothing at LAX ever finishes on schedule. They’re expecting 761 passengers per day in year 1, growing to 900 per day. Maybe the biggest takeaway is putting specificity to their food and beverage investment per person – and if they’re spending less than $9 per head on food, wine, and cocktails imagine how little American Airlines spends even now after their supposed enhancements.
Chase lounges in the United States are available to passengers with a same day boarding pass within 3 hours of scheduled departure as follows:
- Chase Sapphire Reserve, J.P. Morgan Reserve, and Ritz-Carlton Visa cardholders (including authorized users) plus two complimentary guests, with additional guests charged $27 each.
- Priority Pass cardholders from other sources, allowed 1 free visit per calendar year to a Chase lounge and with no free guests. Each additional visit or guest is $75. (The Hong Kong lounge is different. Access is available for Priority Pass customers without the once visit per year restriction.)
- $100 at the door without Priority Pass.
I’m really looking forward to seeing this admittedly smaller space – much bigger than Phoenix (and than Las Vegas will be) but only half the size of Philadelphia. And I’m curious to see what the hefty price tag will be on tarmac transfers from the lounge.
