Seattle Airport Approves New 16,000 Square Foot Chase Sapphire Lounge

The Port of Seattle has approved a new 16,000 square foot Chase Sapphire Lounge at Seattle-Tacoma airport. The vote comes a month after commissioners delayed the project, had no idea what Chase Sapphire was, and complained that details from their public meeting materials had somehow made it onto the internet. The commission approved the lease Tuesday, clearing the way for Chase and Airport Dimensions to move forward with a project that will sit next to Delta’s lounge complex on the A concourse. I first reported plans for the lounge in September, based on the Port’s meeting documents. Staff had selected Airport Dimensions through a competitive process and negotiated a 15-year lease. Chase plans to invest $70 million across the initial build and a midterm refurbishment. The airport expects to collect approximately $135.6 million in rent over the lease term. But at the September meeting, Commissioner Toshiko Hasegawa asked what Chase Sapphire was and how reserving space for a subset of travelers fit the Port’s mission of equitable development. Commissioner Hamdi Mohamed wanted to know whether people eating in the lounge would spend less at airport restaurants. Two commissioners were absent, and the three present voted to postpone the decision. Then Vice President Sam Cho took issue with reporting on the proposal before the commission voted. He wanted to know how the information got out and suggested Chase might owe the commission an apology. The information was in the Port’s public agenda, memo and presentation. I linked to them. I also said approval was pending, though I expected the vote to be a formality. Airport staff came back with a 24-slide presentation that explained what lounges are, what Chase is, and why the bank and airport might want one and that lounge visitors were about as likely as other passengers to buy food and drinks in the terminal, and that nearby concession sales generally kept growing after the American Express Centurion Lounge opened. The new location will be part of a game of lounge musical chairs: United is building a new club in the B concourse in the original Centurion lounge space, freeing up its current A concourse space. The Priority Pass-accessible Club at SEA is expected to move into the space United vacates. Chase will take The Club’s current space along with the adjacent area that had been intended for an expansion of The Club. I look forward to watching video of the meeting once it’s posted. Topics on this page