First Look: New Chase Sapphire Lounge by The Club at LaGuardia Airport (LGA)

New York City travelers, listen up: the newest Chase Sapphire Lounge by The Club has just opened at New York-LaGuardia (LGA).

Chase invited members of the media — including Upgraded Points — for a guided tour of the lounge ahead of its opening of the Sapphire Lounge by The Club at LaGuardia in Terminal B.

The nearly 22,000-square-foot space is different and considerably larger than Chase’s other lounge offerings, with more food and beverage options, a children’s playroom, and even private suites.

Upgraded Points had the chance to sit down with Dana Pouwels, head of airport lounge benefits and strategic partnerships at Chase, to talk about the new LGA lounge and what the issuer hopes travelers will experience.

“When we think about the end-to-end travel journey, we want to curate that end-to-end experience,” Pouwels said. “Airports are historically a place you have to go through to get to a place you want to be. We want the journey to start in the airport — we want you to come to this lounge and have a great experience to really start your vacation.”

Read on to learn more about LGA’s newest airport lounge and how you can get in.

Chase Sapphire Lounge by The Club at LaGuardia (LGA)

The Interior

The Chase Sapphire Lounge by The Club immediately stuns. At 21,850 square feet, the lounge is double the size of the relatively new Chase Sapphire Lounge by The Club at Boston Logan International Airport.

Located in LaGuardia’s Terminal B, Chase is firmly planting its flag inside a terminal already home to many lounges, including an Air Canada Maple Leaf Lounge, American Airlines Admirals Club, Be Relax Spa, Minute Suites Express, United Club and, of course, its next-door neighbor and major competitor, the Amex Centurion Lounge.

You’ll take an elevator from Terminal B (toward gates 41 to 59) down to the ground floor and are immediately greeted with an aesthetic that feels more like a speakeasy or private members’ club than an airport lounge.

Upon checking in with the front desk, you’ll find artwork from local artists, a board with real-time flight information, and lounge chairs.

The lounge is akin to a treehouse, as a tree-like structure makes up much of the bar and extends to the second floor, with additional seating. And speaking of seating — there is a lot of it. You’ll find seating immediately upon entering the lounge, ample bar and dining seating, plus lots of places to sit upstairs.

Plenty of seating and space to move around are major pros the Chase Lounge has over the Centurion Lounge. It’s clear that Chase has used every bit of the 2-story space to cater to a few different groups of travelers: families, business travelers, and the gastronomically-minded. 

What resulted is an airport lounge that feels spacious and should accommodate a large influx of travelers waiting for a flight or passing time during a layover. In contrast, the Amex Centurion Lounge at LGA has always struggled with overcrowding, mainly due to the lack of space (it’s 10,000 square feet) that diminishes the premium experience of the Centurion Lounge network.

One thing you will not find is natural lighting. Where the Amex Lounge is bright and airy, the Chase Lounge, in contrast, has virtually no natural lighting. The designers — headed up by the firm ICRAVE — did a great job of brightening the space, adding mood lights and soft color palettes, which make the space feel bright and not suffocating. 

But it is easy to feel like you’ve lost a sense of time while in the lounge, so you’ll likely want to stock up on lots of coffee (or an espresso martini!) while you’re there.

Hot Tip:

The Sapphire Lounge at LGA is open from 4:30 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. daily. Hours are subject to change.

Amenities 

The Reserve Suites

A private club experience within a private lounge? Chase is bringing exactly that to its LGA lounge.

The Reserve Suites are private bookable rooms, a new feature of the Chase Lounge network. Located on the second floor, toward the back of the lounge, lies 3 suites of varying sizes. Here, you’ll find rooms with Champagne on ice, a private bathroom and shower, and a PlayStation 5 with 2 game controllers. 

Each suite features the following:

• A personal bathroom with a shower, including amenities such as a Dyson hairdryer, Oribe products, and more
• A dedicated suite attendant
• A menu from Jeffrey’s Grocery, designed exclusively for the Reserve Suites
• Signature caviar service upon arrival
• Entertainment, including TVs and PlayStation 5
• A special selection of wine options from Parcelle, a New York City wine bar and online wine retailer
• Option to select a premium travel gift upon departure
• Fully stocked snacks and refreshments

While Pouwels demurred on her favorite lounge feature, she pointed out the Reserve Suites, saying, “They’re pretty iconic and differentiating.” She said that research — the size of the dining space and productivity zones for working travelers — informed Chase’s design choices.

“Every decision we make in the lounge, every component of the lounge, is based on data that we have and research that we conduct,” she said. “The differentiated private experience is definitely something that we saw in our customer data and research that people were interested.”

You can visit the Chase Mobile app for information and pricing to book a Reserve Suite. You must book your suite at least 72 hours before your flight and can book the suite up to a year in advance.

Hot Tip:

Reserve Suites start at more than $2,000, and you must book a minimum of 3 hours.

Wellness Rooms

Ahead of your flight, you can receive complimentary treatment options from an esthetician in the Wellness Room through Chase’s partnership with the skincare company, Face Haus.

Services can be booked onsite on a first-come, first-served basis, and you’ll receive a complimentary travel kit to take home.

Game and Family Rooms

Perhaps the most remarkable feature is the game room, which features a jukebox, pinball, and shuffleboard, which evoke a 1970s New York feel. 

A photo booth is set up between the game and a children’s play area. The lounge also features a nursing room.

Another room appears to be for working travelers and features 3 booths with charging outlets.

A long table in the workspace offers even more seating and outlets to keep your devices charged, and a fireplace keeps the space feeling cozy.

Food and Drinks

Keeping to the local theme, Chase has partnered with the West Village restaurant Joseph Leonard on made-to-order and ready-to-eat food options.

Dishes include seared salmon, lentil ragout,·roast beef sandwich, and carrot cake. There appeared to be ample options for non-meat eaters and carnivores alike. 

Desserts included carrot cake, brownie bites, and chocolate chip cookies.

You’re able to pick your options by visiting the food station, or you can place an order using a QR code located at each table.

Chase partnered with the New York-based Apotheke on the drink menu. You’ll find eclectic cocktails made with vodka and rum, but the star of the show is indeed the aptly named Sapphire.

Made with gin or vodka, this robust but refreshing cocktail is made of blueberry, goldenberry, lime, ginger, oregano, 5-spice powder, bee pollen, and pearl dust.

There’s also a solid beer selection, Joe cold brew on tap, and spa-inspired infused water.

How To Access the Chase Sapphire Lounge by The Club at LGA

Now that you know everything about the new lounge, it’s time to talk about how to actually get in.

Chase currently has 4 lounges open in its network, including the newest lounge at LGA. They are Boston Logan International Airport (BOS), Hong Kong International Airport (HKG), and the Chase Sapphire Terrace at Austin-Bergstrom International Airport (AUS).

In addition, the Chase Sapphire Lounge by The Club with Etihad Airways is scheduled to open at New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) on Tuesday, January 23 — roughly 1 week after the LaGuardia opening.

Future Sapphire Lounge locations include Las Vegas Harry Reid International Airport (LAS), Philadelphia International Airport (PHL), Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport (PHX), and San Diego International Airport (SAN), with many more to come, the issuer hinted.

Like American Express and Capital One, Chase is making this lounge available to its most premium members holding the Chase Sapphire Reserve^®. 

Additionally, cardholders of the J.P. Morgan Reserve Card or The Ritz-Carlton™ Credit Card who have activated their complimentary Priority Pass lounge access can enter the Sapphire Lounge by The Club at LaGuardia (and other Chase lounges).

What’s different about this lounge is that while it’s a Chase Lounge, it’s also operated by The Club, which is part of the Priority Pass network.

Priority Pass membership is not necessarily exclusive to Chase and is a common benefit with many premium cards. Priority Pass access comes with direct Sapphire Reserve competitors such as The Platinum Card^® from American Express (upon enrollment) and the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card. 

That said, Priority Pass members without a Chase Sapphire Reserve card will only be able to enter a Sapphire Lounge by The Club location across the US once per calendar year at no cost 1 time at no cost per calendar year. They will be charged a $75 entry fee upon each subsequent visit to any U.S. location within the Sapphire Lounge by The Club network.

And non-Priority Pass members can enter the lounge — subject to capacity — for $100 per visit.

Hot Tip:

Note that the Chase Sapphire Preferred^® Card won’t get you into the lounge, as the card doesn’t include Priority Pass membership.

Guest Policy at the Chase Sapphire Lounge by The Club at LGA

Chase Sapphire Reserve cardholders and J.P. Morgan Reserve cardholders may bring up to 2 travelers for free per their Priority Pass membership card. Additional guests with the Sapphire Reserve card are $27 per person.

This is quite generous, considering that competing issuer American Express recently closed off Centurion Lounge guest access for many of its cardholders. Ritz-Carlton cardholders may bring unlimited guests at no charge.

Finally, there’s no guest charge for children under 2.

Final Thoughts

Chase is entering an already crowded lounge market in New York-LaGuardia’s Terminal B. Still, it is making a splash with features such as a wellness room, a game room with a jukebox and pinball machine, and perhaps the most unique feature: the Reserve Suites.

This lounge should prove to be popular with travelers looking for more space over the Centurion Lounge next door, and even with the lack of natural lighting, the lounge feels intimate and exclusive in a way the Centurion does not.

If you find yourself in Terminal B, the Chase Sapphire Lounge by The Club is a must-visit — just don’t forget your Chase Sapphire Reserve card!