Several weeks ago, I covered how the very first Chase Sapphire Lounge to ever open would be shutting its doors. At the time, we didn’t officially know what would happen with this lounge, but now we do, so let’s cover all the details.
In this post:
The Chase Sapphire Lounge Hong Kong has closed
Over the past few years, we’ve seen the introduction and growth of the Chase Sapphire Lounge network, which are some pretty high quality lounges. The first lounge opened in October 2022, and was the Chase Sapphire Lounge Hong Kong (HKG).
That was always a bit of an oddball location, since the lounge network is otherwise focused on the United States, given that the Chase Sapphire Reserve is only issued in the United States. Interestingly, access requirements for the lounge were also different, with the Hong Kong location being open to all Priority Pass members, with no annual caps on visits.
In early December 2025, it was announced that the Chase Sapphire Lounge Hong Kong would be closing as of January 5, 2026. The company hadn’t issued any further statement explaining the reason for the closure, so all we could do was speculate.
It’s worth understanding that Chase takes a unique approach to its lounge network in terms of its partnerships and monetization. For one, Chase Sapphire Lounges are operated in partnership with The Club. Furthermore, Chase Sapphire Lounges are accessible with Priority Pass — if you have Priority Pass through an eligible Chase card, you get unlimited visits throughout the year, while if you have Priority Pass through a non-Chase card, you get just one visit to a US location per year.
So the monetization seems a bit more complex than with something like Amex Centurion Lounges, where cardmembers just directly access lounges with their cards, and everything is straightforward to track.
My guess was that having a non-US location in the Chase Sapphire Lounge network just didn’t accomplish any strategic goals, so I suspect Chase just didn’t find it worthwhile to be involved in this.
This space has been rebranded as the Kyra Lounge
The space of the Chase Sapphire Lounge Hong Kong has already reopened, and it has been rebranded as the Kyra Lounge. For context, this is the second Kyra Lounge location at the airport. I’ve reviewed the other Kyra Lounge, which opened in 2024, and is a very high quality Priority Pass lounge, if you ask me.
The second Kyra Lounge location is also accessible with Priority Pass, up to three hours before scheduled departure.
I think the fact that this space was rebranded as the Kyra Lounge confirms my suspicions — it just didn’t make sense for Chase to be involved in this lounge, since the network is otherwise focused on the United States.
Bottom line
The Chase Sapphire Lounge Hong Kong closed as of January 5, 2026, and has now been rebranded as the Kyra Lounge. This is the second Kyra Lounge location at the airport, and I suspect this will be among the better Priority Pass lounges out there.
This was the first lounge location in the entire Chase Sapphire Lounge network, so it’s a bit odd to see it close. Then again, it was strange that Chase decided to open a lounge abroad in the first place, if you ask me, so I’m not too surprised to see this.
What do you make of the Chase Sapphire Lounge Hong Kong rebranding?
I do not think the Amex lounges are not complex because there are entry requirements depending if you’re a primary cardholder, additional card member, or guest.
About the HKG Chase lounge, now that the new lounge operates three hours before departure that is in line with Amex. Chase didn’t have limits. Expect this lounge now to be overcrowded. I didn’t find it particularly luxurious as a Chase lounge - a pretty standard airline lounge.
The HKG Sapphire lounge was better than Kyra in that you could order hot dishes.
Visited the HKG lounge in November last year. The article says its a pretty nice Priority Pass lounge. That might be a stretch, but as the previous branding was Sapphire Lounge, that was well beyond a stretch. Now the Las Vegas Sapphire Lounge, though small, it is what I now expect from a Lounge.
I have had the pleasure of visiting three Chase Sapphire lounges in the USA, and am lucky enough to have one in my hometown of San Diego, CA. Let's just say that I always get to the airport 3 hours before my flight! The Sapphire lounges that I have visited were stellar, large and small.
As a comparison, I have also visited the Capital One and American Flagship lounges at DFW several times each. Both very good lounges and Sapphire is right up there with them.
I visited middle of December and was underwhelmed. Beelined to Cathay lounge even though it was father from my gate. I get it, if you have no other options, it is decent. But I was not impressed.
We have always been asked to show our Chase Sapphire credit card, rather than our Priority Pass membership card, when entering a Sapphire lounge. This conflicts with the statement that Priority Pass is required for entry.
You probably never been to HKG.
This conflicts with your limited exposure.
Ah come on. You could have explained how it works.
We're all trying to help each other here.
Ah come on Steve. This post have already explained how it works.
"Interestingly, access requirements for the lounge were also different,"
We're all trying to help each other here. But you gotta help yourself by reading first.
I think that was just a feedback lounge (so Chase can improve on other lounges) and it was good I went there. Happy to be rebranded instead of closed.
Chase just is too large to connect the dots apparently. They've got ads for JPM/Chase all over the tube in London, but no London lounge. They clearly were lounging in HK for banking reasons, and sure the economics of this made no sense, but why not partner with Kyra to have folks that use their CSR priority pass at a Kyra lounge get "Chase priority access" (whatever weak definition that might be) and staff all...
Chase just is too large to connect the dots apparently. They've got ads for JPM/Chase all over the tube in London, but no London lounge. They clearly were lounging in HK for banking reasons, and sure the economics of this made no sense, but why not partner with Kyra to have folks that use their CSR priority pass at a Kyra lounge get "Chase priority access" (whatever weak definition that might be) and staff all of one person there to hand out Chase luggage tags or whatever. These lounges are supposed to be marketing on some level for banking services, and they simply cannot connect the simple to see dots. Pretty amazing for the #1 bank by far in the US, actually.
UK is still one of the few places overseas that banks like JPM, BofA, etc. actually have a physical retail presence. Like, Citi used to be one of the few US banks doing this, but, they've really scaled back, especially in Europe, Asia, Latin America. I suppose Barclays has a presence in the US, but, mostly via credit cards and online accounts, other than their corporate offices, but it's not like you can go to...
UK is still one of the few places overseas that banks like JPM, BofA, etc. actually have a physical retail presence. Like, Citi used to be one of the few US banks doing this, but, they've really scaled back, especially in Europe, Asia, Latin America. I suppose Barclays has a presence in the US, but, mostly via credit cards and online accounts, other than their corporate offices, but it's not like you can go to their Midtown Manhattan location and deposit cash or sit down with a banker.
"the economics make no sense" You answered your own question. Lounge space is very hard to come by at LHR, the competitive landscape for cards is very different in the UK, the scale of cards/customers/interchange rates/etc. in the UK are all different. They know the dots. The economics don't support connecting them..
You have no clue what you are talking about. Chase literally launched its first non-US banking presence in the UK in 2021. It’s going well. They report having 2.5m customers already. They have ads plastered over London and JPM side has a huge presence. It is a logical place for cross promotion with US and UK customers and clients. But you’re right - I guess it makes complete sense for Amex to have a lounge there but not for Chase.
Since it was already open to all Priority Pass members (not just CSR card members), this seems fine. It's just odd for Chase to have branded it as theirs, then to retreat so quickly. Wonder how much the branding and rebranding cost. I'd imagine there's a 'real' story behind the scenes here; like, someone doing a favor for someone; someone losing their job over this; who knows, but finding that out might be interesting. Hot goss.
Let's begin with people who underestimate the size of JPM in HK. They already have a sizeable business.
Now 'Someone' though this would be a great concept to attract new customers, i.e. HNWI.
But the problem with Hong Kong, there isn't much real HNWI segment like in America, there are either still cheap or UHNWI.
The cheap wouldn't pay JPM fees, the UHNWI wouldn't use this lounge. Yes, there is a Private room IYKYK...
Let's begin with people who underestimate the size of JPM in HK. They already have a sizeable business.
Now 'Someone' though this would be a great concept to attract new customers, i.e. HNWI.
But the problem with Hong Kong, there isn't much real HNWI segment like in America, there are either still cheap or UHNWI.
The cheap wouldn't pay JPM fees, the UHNWI wouldn't use this lounge. Yes, there is a Private room IYKYK hidden under the Deck.
If making this lounge exclusive for UHNWI, this wouldn't be enough money to support the lounge.
To make money, they need to open to all PP. Thus, it becomes a zoo like it is.
However, I could see Kyra making one of its location more exclusive for NH.
Decent theory, Eskimo. Is this the real Eskimo, or the impersonator?
Does it matter if I'm OG fake impersonator or real?
This is a made up name online. This is as real and fake as 1990 or Tim Dunn.
With the exception of Proxima-CIE. Who keeps getting new made up names to overcompensate inferiority complexes as if the old made up name is already not good enough.
Consistently gaslighting Ben says it all.
Hey Ben, just a quick off-topic question? When will you be flying the new elements seat on etihad new 787-9. Really excited cuz I’m flying it to MEL this summer (2026) and I just want a relatively detailed review of it (just like most of your reviews). Also can you update the residence experience? With Etihad updating the soft product a few years back, I am also curious about how dining and lounge etc is holding up nowadays