In a bid to combat overcrowding at its Centurion Lounges, American Express long ago started charging travelers with *amex platinum* up to $50 apiece for guests. Capital One recently announced it will follow suit next year for cardholders with its top-tier *venture x*.
But Chase is holding the line.
A top Chase executive confirmed that the bank has no plans to match its competitors and eliminate free guest access for cardholders at Chase Sapphire Lounges across the country. So after increasing annual fees from $550 to $795, travelers with the *chase sapphire reserve* – or the new Chase Sapphire Reserve® for Business – can continue bringing two guests apiece with them on each and every visit.
“For now, our cardmembers can bring up to two guests for free,” Chase Sapphire General Manager Sam Palmer said during a Q&A session after previewing this week's big changes. “We'll continue to review the access and we'll continue to review the traffic to make sure that the experience of the cardmembers is the best that it can be in those lounges.”
The words “for now” are carrying a lot of weight there. Over time, that policy will almost certainly change.
But with seven Chase Sapphire Lounges now open and more on the way in Dallas-Fort Worth (DFW) and Los Angeles (LAX), Chase is committing to continue letting its top-paying cardholders bring their travel companions in with them. Authorized users will get their own access (plus free guests), though the cost is increasing from $75 per additional card all the way up to $195 apiece.
One small hitch: It's not the Reserve that gets you and your travel pals in the door but the Priority Pass membership you get from your Reserve card. Just be sure to activate that account, use your Priority Pass card (physical or digital) at the door, and you should be set.
And that brings us to another wrinkle: Even travelers who have a Priority Pass membership from a non-Chase card like *amex platinum* or the *venture x* get one free visit to the Chase Sapphire Lounges each calendar year.
Chase isn't cutting that yet, either.
“We're currently not changing any Priority Pass access at this point,” Palmer said. “Remember that we prioritize Sapphire clients in the lounges above Priority Pass clients, naturally, and we'll continue doing that.”
Translation: Rather than cutting that once-a-year pass for cardholders from other banks, Chase would rather turn more of them away at the door in order to leave space for their precious Reserve cardholders.
“We're continuously monitoring the traffic and making sure that we manage capacity. That's something that we continue looking at closely,” Palmer continued.
Chase was the last of the big three banks to get into the lounge business, opening its first U.S. location in Boston (BOS) just over two years ago. But in both quantity and quality, Chase has quickly closed the gap in the airport lounge wars.
By partnering with top local restaurant groups, Sapphire Lounges serve food and drinks that rival what you’d find at a solid mid-tier restaurant in each city. We’re talking about dishes worth paying for, not the dried-out chicken thighs and uninspired salad bars you’ll find elsewhere.
In addition to the usual buffet full of self-serve items, Chase also lets you order plates a la carte via QR codes throughout the main dining area. The ability to order a fresh-made meal is an option you typically only see in exclusive business class lounges, like Delta One lounges and United Polaris lounges – not one run by a credit card company. Capital One recently copied that with its newest lounge in New York City (JFK).
Most importantly, these lounges still feel like an oasis inside. That's a far cry from the average experience at your typical Amex Centurion Lounge or Delta Sky Club, where you may face a 20-plus-minute wait to get in the door … only to struggle to find a seat inside.
Bottom Line
While its competitors are cutting complimentary lounge access for guests (or did long ago), Chase plans to keep that perk intact for its top cardholders.
It may only be a matter of time before Chase follows suit. But for now, it's a welcome win for travelers with a Sapphire Reserve in their wallets – especially at that higher price tag.
