Airport lounges promise an escape from the chaos of terminals. They usually have comfortable seating, complimentary food and drinks, and a place to sit and work or scroll on your phone.
For some travelers, lounge access is one of the reasons they’re willing to pay a hefty annual fee for a premium credit card. But one traveler’s experience at a Chase Sapphire lounge has her questioning whether the cost is actually worth it or if she would have been better off fending for herself with typical airport amenities like everyone else.
Chase Sapphire Lounge Disappoints
Carly (@cookinwithcarl) shared her underwhelming experience at the Chase Sapphire lounge at the Philadelphia airport. Her video has more than 260,000 views.
The footage shows Carly picking up what appears to be a burger patty with a strangely misshapen appearance. The patty looks like it’s caved in on itself with uneven cooking—burnt around the edges while the center looks greyish. When she taps the fries on the plate, they appear stale and break in half.
The meal looks more like something that would be served in a school cafeteria than a proper restaurant.
“$795 annually and this is the food in the Chase Sapphire lounge,” Carly said in the caption.
“Our burger literally had a hole through it, and that’s after our first order was ‘never received’ and waited forever.”
Carly’s experience highlights the disconnect between the premium price tag attached to airport lounge access and the actual quality of service provided. Between the missing first order, long wait times, and questionable food quality, the lounge visit fell far short of the elevated experience the annual fee would have you expect.
What Do You Get With Chase Sapphire Lounge Access?
The Chase Sapphire Reserve credit card went from a $550 annual fee to a $795 annual fee this year. It grants cardholders access to Chase Sapphire Lounges by The Club, NerdWallet reports.
Cardholders can bring up to two guests per visit for free, with additional guests costing $27 per person.
Chase Sapphire Lounges promise premium amenities that vary by location. But those typically include locally inspired cuisine crafted by renowned chefs, high-end decor often featuring work from local artists, premium beverages including craft cocktails and barista-made coffee, and ample seating with power outlets.
Food
The food is meant to be a major selling point. NerdWallet notes that each lounge features menu items from local restaurants and chefs. For example, the San Diego lounge serves food from Oscar’s Mexican Seafood. That includes chicken tostadas and Sonoran-style potato soup with grilled shrimp. The Phoenix lounge features dishes from James Beard Award finalist Stephen Jones, who runs a Phoenix restaurant called The Larder & The Delta. The article emphasizes that travelers should “arrive hungry, because the food is excellent.”
Drinks
Drinks are also supposed to get the premium treatment. Each lounge offers signature cocktails alongside local options. And there’s a signature Sapphire cocktail available at all locations, described as a fruity drink with bee pollen and pearl dust, with both alcoholic and nonalcoholic versions available.
Additional Perks
Beyond food and drinks, some locations offer additional perks. The LaGuardia lounge is described by NerdWallet as “arguably the best in the network.” It features a photo booth, arcade, children’s room, nursing room, meditation pods, and spa treatment rooms. Those amenities are all complimentary once inside. The San Diego location offers facials.
The Chase Sapphire Lounge network currently has locations open in Boston, New York City (both LaGuardia and JFK), Philadelphia, Phoenix, and San Diego. Additional lounges are in the works for Dallas-Fort Worth, Las Vegas, and Los Angeles, according to NerdWallet.
@cookinwithcarl $795 annually and this is the food in the Chase Sapphire lounge. our burger literally had a hole through it, and that’s after our first order was “never received” and waited forever 👎🏻 #travel #chasesapphire #chaselounge #sapphirelounge #philadelphia
Commenters React
“Lounges are for middle class to larp and play pretend as upper class,” a top comment read.
“Did they scrape that off the tarmac?” a person said.
“Omg!! They are usually so good. Was it made to order or from the hot bar? Unacceptable either way,” another wrote.
“This is an off day? I went and it was absolutely wonderful,” a commenter added.
BroBible reached out to Carly and Chase for comment via TikTok direct message and comment and to Chase via email.