Chase Sapphire Lounges Are Cutting Off Priority Pass — And Giving Cardmembers More Time Inside

I receive compensation for content and many links on this blog. Be aware that websites may earn compensation when a customer clicks on a link, when an application is approved, or when an account is opened. Citibank is an advertising partner of this site, as is American Express, Chase, Capital One, and others. Any opinions expressed in this post are my own, and have not been reviewed, approved, or endorsed by my advertising partners. I do not write about all offers that are available -- instead focusing on miles, points, and cash back (and currencies that can be converted into the same). Terms apply to the offers and benefits listed on this page.Chase Sapphire Lounges will change their access policies on August 15, in a way that’s a win for Sapphire Reserve (and Ritz-Carlton and J.P. Morgan Reserve) cardmembers, and that’s a loss for passengers trying to access the lounge without a premium Chase card. The lounges will no longer be part of Priority Pass (or LoungeKey). The window to access these lounges during a layover increases from 3 hours to 5 hours (matching American Express) Chase Sapphire Lounge Dallas – Fort Worth Bar Restricting Access to Cardmembers There is no change to access for Chase Sapphire Reserve® (See rates and fees) (and Sapphire Reserve Reserve Business), Ritz-Carlton Reserve and J.P. Morgan Reserve cardmembers. Cardmembers enter free, with up to two guests. Extra guests are $27 per person; kids 2 and under are free. These customers still have access within 3 hours of a departing flight, and can still bring up to two guests without the spending requirements that both American Express and Capital One impose for complimentary guest access. Lounges will still have a pay-in option but Priority Pass will not only no longer offer its one time per year free visit to a Chase lounge, but also no longer offer a discounted paid option. It always seemed strange that Chase lounges had access via Priority Pass cards issued by competitors like American Express and Capital One! But these lounges are run in partnership with Airport Dimensions, which runs The Club lounges, and is part of the same parent company (Collinson) as Priority Pass. Accepting Priority Pass in some cases was appealing to airports that awarded the space to Chase and Airport Dimensions, so this change may have required working with airports. It has likely been some time in coming. Limiting access to cardmembers accomplishes several things. It encourages cardmembership. Many passengers use a Sapphire lounge just once a year, or have multiple Priority Pass cards. Now, to use the lounges, they’ll want an eligible Chase card – access will no loger be an ‘extra perk’ of competitors premium cards. This makes the lounges less crowded for cardmembers. Cardmembers have had priority for entry ahead of Priority Pass customers, but those passengers helped fill up the lounge. One of the best parts of a lounge, and arguably the best part, is simply peace and tranquility and fewer people with access supports this. Shorter waits. Although cardmembers already receive priority, once Priority Pass customers do get into the lounge they fill up space that might be taken by cardmembers trying to enter after them. So restricting access reduces wait times for Chase’s own customers. Chase Sapphire Lounge Dallas – Fort Worth This is unfortunate for Priority Pass, of course, because Chase Sapphire lounges have generally been the nicest lounges that Priority Pass has offered complimentary access for. Expanded Access On Connecting Itineraries Allowing customers on connecting itineraries to enter within 5 hours of their connecting flight, instead of just three hours, is great for passengers on long connections. It’s also competitive with American Express, which has implemented that same policy. And restricting Priority Pass access helps to free up space for cardmembers on connections, too. In general I find the larger Chase lounges (Philadelphia, New York LaGuardia, now Dallas – Fort Worth) to have fewer times where crowding is an issue allowing for access to begin with. Chase Sapphire Lounge Las Vegas Changes I’d Still Like To See Current Chase Sapphire lounges now include Boston, Dallas – Fort Worth, Las Vegas, New York JFK, New York LaGuardia, Philadelphia, Phoenix, San Diego, and Washington Dulles. Chase Sapphire Lounge New York LaGuardia They’ll be opening Los Angeles soon, doubling the size of Phoenix, and adding one in Miami. Lounge crowding is an issue not just for waits to enter a lounge, but for space, peace and tranquility once inside as well as access to amenities lke spa and rest pods. Restricting access to entering no more than 3 hours before departure hasn’t been a major solution to this issue at Centurion Lounges or Capital One lounges. I’d love to see this rule abolished. When your meetings finish up early, it’s nice to go to the airport to sit down, have something to eat and work. Having to wait to enter the lounge isn’t a great experience. Chase Sapphire Lounge Washington Dulles One way to balance this expanded access would be to give entry priority to customers a few times a year. There are some people who use these lounges weekly and even multiple times per week. The occasional passenger should get to experience the lounge the two or three times a year they try to do so. It makes sense to offer a couple of priority admittances per year. Chase already has the ability to do this functionally, since they’ve been able to prioritize cardmembers over Priority Pass guests on their waitlists. Meanwhile, access priority could also be something offered to cardmembers as part of the $75,000 spend tier on Chase Sapphire Reserve® (that today comes with Southwest travel credit, Shops at Chase credit, and IHG and Southwest elite status) or they could offer incrementally more priority admittances at progressively more spend each year (e.g. a priority entry every $10,000 spent on the card). It’s always surprised me that J.P. Morgan Reserve cardmembers – who are supposed to be J.P. Morgan Private Bank customers with at least $10 million in investable assets at the bank (this can be lower, but on average is far higher) – do not get any priority at all. The one time during the year they show up with their families and want to use the lounge, they might get turned away, especially in the smallest Las Vegas and Phoenix lounges. American Express of course offers both priority ‘skip the line’ status and reserved seating for Centurion (‘black card’) cardmembers. Chase Sapphire Lounge Las Vegas Personally I’m most looking forward to the opening of Miami, and the Cuban coffee bar that was part of their proposal to the airport, and wish they’d improve the grind of the meat for their Sapphire Burgers – which aren’t nearly as tasty as when these lounges first opened several years ago. Sapphire Burger New York LaGuardia And I hope they extend the Dallas – Fort Worth experiment with grab ‘n go. Topics on this page Editorial note: any opinions, analyses, reviews or recommendations expressed in this article are those of the author’s alone, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any card issuer. Comments made in response to this post are not provided or commissioned nor have they been reviewed, approved, or otherwise endorsed by any bank. It is not the responsibility of advertisers Citibank, Chase, American Express, Barclays, Capital One or any other advertiser to ensure that questions are answered, either. Terms and limitations apply to all offers.