We’re seeing credit card issuers invest in airport lounges like never before, including Amex Centurion Lounges, Capital One Lounges, and Chase Sapphire Lounges. Chase is the newest player in the credit card lounge game, and arguably has the best of these lounges.
Up until this point, locations for Chase Sapphire Lounges have included Boston (BOS), Hong Kong (HKG), New York (JFK), New York (LGA), and Washington (IAD), with several more being developed. There’s now an exciting update, as the latest outpost has just opened.
In this post:
Basics of the Chase Sapphire Lounge Phoenix
The Chase Sapphire Lounge at Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport (PHX) has opened as of Tuesday, November 12, 2024. The lounge has been under construction for a couple of years now, as there have been considerable delays, as is common with airport construction.
The Chase Sapphire Lounge Phoenix is located in the South 1 Concourse of Terminal 4, which is the eight gate expansion that opened back in 2022. It’s open daily from 4:30AM until 10:30PM. This is the terminal used by American and Southwest. Note that terminals aren’t connected airside at the airport, so this wouldn’t be useful for those traveling on other airlines.
The lounge is roughly 3,500 square feet, making it the smallest lounge in the network, by far. You can expect the lounge to feature the excellent food and drink options that Chase Sapphire Lounge locations are known for, including products from Phoenix-based The Larder & The Delta, served out of an Airstream, fresh local roasts from Press Coffee, a wine list by Parcelle, and craft cocktails.
The Chase Sapphire Lounge also boasts panoramic tarmac views, and has an indoor patio terrace overlooking the interior of the terminal.
This is an exciting development for the airport, since good lounges are otherwise lacking. There are several Admirals Clubs that are all pretty bad (in my opinion), then there’s an Amex Centurion Lounge and two Escape Lounges, and lastly there’s a Delta Sky Club and United Club. So while the Chase Sapphire Lounge is quite small, the quality should be excellent.
Chase Sapphire Lounge entry requirements
As a reminder, here are the entry requirements for all Chase Sapphire Lounges in the United States:
- Those with a Priority Pass membership through the Chase Sapphire Reserve® Card (review) can access the lounge an unlimited number of times, with up to two complimentary guests; this also applies to those with the Ritz-Carlton Credit Card, which is no longer open to new applicants
- Those with a Priority Pass membership issued through any other means can access any Chase Sapphire Lounge in the United States once per calendar year at no additional cost (that’s one visit across all lounges, not per lounge), and guests aren’t complimentary; subsequent visits, as well as guests, will be charged an entry fee of $75
- If you don’t have a Priority Pass membership, you can outright buy access to the lounge for $100 per person per visit, subject to availability
- Chase Sapphire Lounges are only accessible within three hours of departure, unless you’re connecting, in which case you can access it earlier
Bottom line
The Chase Sapphire Lounge Phoenix has just opened its doors, which is an exciting development for the airport. While this is the smallest lounge in the network, it should be the highest quality lounge at the airport. I’m looking forward to visiting it, as it should make Phoenix connections more pleasant (well, assuming you can actually get into the lounge, given crowding concerns).
What do you make of the new Chase Sapphire Lounge Phoenix?
I was in Sapphire Lounge PHX on opening day. Plus side - Everyone was friendly and helpful, and a few offerings were outstanding - like the roast cauliflower from the airstream. They're really trying hard.
Downside - it's very small, and while they're trying, there are major traffic flow issues because they've got too much in too small a space. The airstream is really cute, but takes too much space, and there's no room...
I was in Sapphire Lounge PHX on opening day. Plus side - Everyone was friendly and helpful, and a few offerings were outstanding - like the roast cauliflower from the airstream. They're really trying hard.
Downside - it's very small, and while they're trying, there are major traffic flow issues because they've got too much in too small a space. The airstream is really cute, but takes too much space, and there's no room for a line for ordering. Also, one has to walk down a passageway past the bar, then do a u-turn to the left to get back to the airstream. Once in that patio wing, you can either exit the cumbersome way you came in, or slip out the other way, which is technically before the registration desk where you enter, so you're basically outside the lounge unless you weave back the way you came. I was fortunate - there was no wait. That won't last, and we're all on limited time during our connections.
Removing the airstream and opening the area up for more seating, just serving the food offerings all at the buffet tables, would be a wiser design choice. Not as cute, but practical enough to accomodate more customers. It would also help if they did't take custom orders for the airstream foods. Just premake it and set it on the counter. Wait for food was very long, as it was just one or two people making it all to order. Not practical for an airport lounge.
I got the Reserve card because I'm through Phoenix regularly. So I paid for the reserve for a long time before the lounge was open, and now that it is open, I can't see getting a lot of benefit from it because it's always going to have a long line. Food offerings are also very limited, as expected from a lounge this small, but that decreases the value of lounge access. I chose the Reserve card because of 3 new lounges coming, including PHX, since the card is so much cheaper than AMEX. But I'm questioning that decision. May drop Reserve and pay the ridiculous fee for AMEX, as they have lounges everywhere and the Sapphire lounges I will be able to access (not being a New Yorker) don't quite measure up, from what I can see - not worth the extra price of the Reserve card.
Quick tour of the lounge: https://www.youtube.com/shorts/oQLM0fvIm4Q
Bummer. Not practical for United & Delta customers unless you have several hours to burn to thru 2 security checks, long Skytrain ride and a longish walk to Southwest gates!
“ If you don’t have a Priority Pass membership, you can outright buy access to the lounge for $100 per person per visit, subject to availability”
Why is this permitted? Surely it just weakens the experience for cardholders by causing overcrowding.
Don't know about PHX, but some airports require all lounges to offer walk-up cash rates as a part of the lease terms for the space. The Sapphire Lounge in HKG is subject to such terms and will sell access for 700-800 HKD but they don't advertise it and it is rarely purchased.
Could this post be any more less useful in terms of describing the lounge's location? It's in the high D gates (D11-18), which are used exclusively by WN. That's at least a 10 minute walk from the closest gates used by AA (the low As), and even farther if you're arriving/departing from either the high As or any of the B gates.
With the very limited access, the opening of this lounge is a total nothing burger far as I'm concerned.
Sapphire Lounge PHX opened this morning!
Having a layover on American in Charlotte, Phoenix and LA is tough. These terminals are all cramped and largely devoid of options. Even Dallas, other than Terminal D, isn’t much better. The lack of and quality of bathrooms other that Term D is Dallas is tough. It’s hard to get into the Centurion Lounge in PHX at peak times and this place, while maybe nice, is a quarter of the size. Oh well, I will...
Having a layover on American in Charlotte, Phoenix and LA is tough. These terminals are all cramped and largely devoid of options. Even Dallas, other than Terminal D, isn’t much better. The lack of and quality of bathrooms other that Term D is Dallas is tough. It’s hard to get into the Centurion Lounge in PHX at peak times and this place, while maybe nice, is a quarter of the size. Oh well, I will still go 1-2x a week, because it doesn’t snow there and you’ll be on time.