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Visiting an airport lounge can be a great way to comfortably pass the time before a flight or during a long layover. Airport lounge experiences vary, but many have food, drinks, comfortable seating and Wi-Fi as standard offerings. Higher-tier lounges can even offer showers, exercise rooms, nap rooms or spas.
Some travel credit cards have complimentary lounge access as a perk, but unfortunately, not all. Among the top travel credit cards, the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card is frequently mentioned as being one of the best. But does it have lounge access?
Featured Partner Offer
Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card
On Chase Bank USA, NA's Website
5.0
Forbes Advisor created additional star ratings so that you can see the best card for specific needs. This card shines for this use, but overall the star ratings may differ when compared to other cards.
On Chase Bank USA, NA's Website
Up to 5x Reward Rate
Earn 5x on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, 3x on dining, select streaming services and online groceries, 2x on allRead More
Welcome Bonus
60,000 bonus points
Annual Fee
$95
Regular APR
21.49%-28.49% Variable
Credit Score
Excellent, Good(700 - 749)
Editorial Review
Offering a rare mix of high rewards rates and redemption flexibility, this card is a dream for frequent spenders on travel & dining – while charging a modest annual fee.
Pros & Cons
- Earn high rewards on several areas of spending
- Transfer points to travel partners at 1:1 rate
- Many travel and shopping protections
- Annual fee
- No intro APR offer
- Best travel earning rates are only for bookings through the Chase Travel℠ portal
Card Details
- Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That’s $750 when you redeem through Chase Travel℠.
- Enjoy benefits such as 5x on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, 3x on dining, select streaming services and online groceries, 2x on all other travel purchases, 1x on all other purchases, $50 Annual Chase Travel Hotel Credit, plus more.
- Get 25% more value when you redeem for airfare, hotels, car rentals and cruises through Chase Travel℠. For example, 60,000 points are worth $750 toward travel.
- Count on Trip Cancellation/Interruption Insurance, Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver, Lost Luggage Insurance and more.
- Get complimentary access to DashPass which unlocks $0 delivery fees and lower service fees for a minimum of one year when you activate by December 31, 2027.
- Member FDIC
Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $750 when you redeem through Chase Travel℠.
Credit Score ranges are based on FICO® credit scoring. This is just one scoring method and a credit card issuer may use another method when considering your application. These are provided as guidelines only and approval is not guaranteed.
Does the Chase Sapphire Preferred Offer Lounge Access?
You may be surprised to learn that, no, the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card does not provide any sort of lounge membership or complimentary one-time passes, not even to any of the Chase Sapphire Lounges.
Despite its lack of lounge access, the Sapphire Preferred may still be right for you thanks to its rewards-earning, flexible redemption options and access to travel partners. However, if lounge access is a priority for you, you have other options from Chase.
Which Chase Credit Card Is Best for Airport Lounge Access?
If you’re looking for a Chase card with lounge access, the Chase Sapphire Reserve® is likely to be your best choice. The Sapphire Reserve is the Sapphire Preferred’s premium brother and includes a complimentary Priority Pass Select membership, which grants access to more than 1,300 lounges worldwide for the primary cardmember and authorized users, plus a maximum of two guests each.
In addition to lounge access, some of the top benefits of the Sapphire Reserve include:
- $300 annual travel credit
- Global Entry, TSA PreCheck or NEXUS application fee statement credit of up to $100 every four years
- Two complimentary years of Lyft Pink All Access – activate by Dec 31, 2024; membership auto renews annually.
- Complimentary DoorDash DashPass subscription for a minimum of one year when you activate by Dec. 31, 2027, plus a $5 monthly DoorDash credit through Jan. 31, 2025
- Earn 5 points per dollar on flights and 10 points per dollar on hotels and car rentals when purchasing travel through Chase Travel℠ immediately after the first $300 is spent on travel purchases annually. Earn 3 points per dollar on other travel and dining and 1 point per dollar spent on all other purchases
- Welcome bonus: Earn 60,000 bonus points after spending $4,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening
The Sapphire Reserve also has many of the same benefits as the Preferred, such as primary rental car insurance and the ability to transfer points to airline and hotel partners. The annual fee on the Reserve is hefty at $550, but when you take into account the annual $300 travel credit and even just a few lounge visits per year, the perks can more than cover the card’s cost.
Not sure that the Sapphire Reserve is the right Chase card for you? There are four United credit cards from Chase that offer some sort of lounge access, ranging from full United Club membership to a couple of one-time United Club passes per year. If you travel frequently on United Airlines, these cards may be worth considering because they offer additional perks, including free checked bags and priority boarding on United-operated flights.
Featured Partner Offer
Chase Sapphire Reserve®
On Chase Bank USA, NA's Website
4.9
Forbes Advisor created additional star ratings so that you can see the best card for specific needs. This card shines for this use, but overall the star ratings may differ when compared to other cards.
On Chase Bank USA, NA's Website
Up to 10x Reward Rate
Earn 5x total points on flights and 10x total points on hotels and car rentals when you purchase travel throughRead More
Welcome Bonus
60,000 bonus points
Annual Fee
$550
Regular APR
22.49%-29.49% Variable
Credit Score
Excellent(750 - 850)
Editorial Review
This card offers superior points earning rates if you spend frequently on travel and dining out. The $300 travel credit justifies much of the annual fee, and redeeming points for travel through Chase Travel℠ nets you a 50% bonus.
Pros & Cons
- $300 annual travel credit is incredibly flexible
- Generous welcome bonus
- Get 50% more value when you redeem points for travel through Chase
- Points transfer to valuable airline and hotel partners
- High annual fee
- High variable APR on purchases
- Excellent credit recommended
Card Details
- Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That’s $900 toward travel when you redeem through Chase Travel℠.
- $300 Annual Travel Credit as reimbursem*nt for travel purchases charged to your card each account anniversary year.
- Earn 5x total points on flights and 10x total points on hotels and car rentals when you purchase travel through Chase Travel℠ immediately after the first $300 is spent on travel purchases annually. Earn 3x points on other travel and dining & 1 point per $1 spent on all other purchases
- Get 50% more value when you redeem your points for travel through Chase Travel℠. For example, 60,000 points are worth $900 toward travel.
- Get complimentary access to DashPass which unlocks $0 delivery fees and lower service fees for a minimum of one year when you activate by December 31, 2027.
- 1:1 point transfer to leading airline and hotel loyalty programs
- Access to 1,300+ airport lounges worldwide after an easy, one-time enrollment in Priority Pass Select and up to $100 application fee credit every four years for Global Entry, NEXUS, or TSA PreCheck®
- Count on Trip Cancellation/Interruption Insurance, Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver, Lost Luggage Insurance and more.
- Member FDIC
Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $900 toward travel when you redeem through Chase Travel℠.
Credit Score ranges are based on FICO® credit scoring. This is just one scoring method and a credit card issuer may use another method when considering your application. These are provided as guidelines only and approval is not guaranteed.
Should I Upgrade to the Sapphire Reserve for Lounge Access?
Carefully consider whether you can get enough value from the Sapphire Reserve to justify its annual fee. If you can’t, you’ll ultimately hurt your bottom line by switching cards. Confident that the Reserve is right for you? Unfortunately, you won’t be eligible to get it while you’re still a Preferred cardholder. That leaves you with two options:
- Upgrade your Preferred card to a Reserve, OR
- Close your Preferred and then open a new Reserve account
One good reason to close your Preferred and open the Reserve as a new credit card is to qualify to earn a welcome bonus. However, Chase does have some application rules to be aware of:
- 5/24 rule: Chase is likely to deny you a new card if you’ve been approved for five or more credit cards in the last 24 months. This rule applies to credit cards from all banks, not just Chase.
- 48-month rule: You won’t be eligible to earn a welcome bonus on a Sapphire card if you’ve received a welcome bonus on any Sapphire card within the past 48 months.
If it’s been 48 months since you received a welcome bonus on a Sapphire card and you’re under the 5/24 limit, you could be in good shape to close the Preferred, apply for the Reserve and potentially earn the card’s welcome bonus.
If you don’t meet those requirements, however, requesting a product change from the Preferred to the Reserve might make more sense. By upgrading, you would avoid negative credit effects that could result from applying for a new card, which would involve a hard inquiry being added to your credit reports.
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Is the Chase Sapphire Preferred Worth It?
The Sapphire Preferred is often recommended as a great beginner travel card because you can either transfer your points to partner airline and hotel loyalty programs or redeem your points at 1.25 cents to book travel through the Chase Travel℠ portal. Here are some of the card’s other highlights:
- Welcome bonus: Earn 60,000 bonus points after spending $4,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening
- Earn 5 points per dollar on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, 3 points per dollar on dining, select streaming services, and online grocery purchases (excluding Walmart, Target and wholesale clubs), 2 points per dollar on all other travel purchases and 1 point per dollar on other purchases
- $50 annual hotel credit for stays purchased through Chase Ultimate Rewards
- Annual points bonus equal to 10% of purchases made the prior year
- Exclusive benefits with partners including Lyft, DoorDash and Peloton
The Sapphire Preferred earns flexible points that can be redeemed in numerous ways. Plus, it provides several travel insurance and shopping protections–all for a modest $95 annual fee.
Still undecided? Check out our full breakdown of the Sapphire Preferred’s pros and cons.
Bottom Line
While the lack of airport lounge access with the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card is a negative, it has many positives that can make it a rewarding choice. This is especially true for those who don’t travel often enough to maximize the benefits of a more premium card. However, frequent fliers may find that the more expensive Chase Sapphire Reserve® is worth getting, thanks to its lounge membership and extra travel perks.
