Inside Chase's gorgeous new Sapphire Lounge in Philadelphia
There's a new crown jewel of Philadelphia International Airport (PHL).
It's been in the works for a while, and the day is finally here: Chase is ready to open its stunning new Sapphire Lounge by The Club at PHL. The space, which officially opens Thursday, is impressive — in its own right and especially relative to the existing facilities at the Philly airport.
On its own, the lounge is among the nicest credit card-branded outposts in the country. The Sapphire Lounge measures more than 20,000 square feet and offers a slew of top-notch amenities, from a game room to a beer garden and even a children's play area.
And relative to Philadelphia International, the space offers a much-needed glow-up to an otherwise pretty depressing airport. The lounge feels sleek and fresh, with a modern design and lots of bright natural light. Plus, the amenities on offer rival some of the things you'd find in the world's best credit card lounges.
While the competition for the best lounge at PHL is pretty weak — there are some outdated airline-branded lounges and a boutique Amex Centurion Lounge there — this space will easily win that award, and may even compete to become one of the best credit card lounges in the country.
In advance of the opening, TPG scored an exclusive preview of the new space. Here's everything you need to know.
Chase Sapphire Lounge Philadelphia location
The Chase Sapphire Lounge Philadelphia is located postsecurity in the corridor connecting Terminals D and E.
If you clear security at Terminal D, you can't miss the entrance — it's located directly after the TSA checkpoint. If you're connecting in PHL or traveling from a different terminal, all gates at the airport are connected airside, meaning that you can visit the lounge before departure without needing to reclear security.
Once you locate the entrance, you'll need to climb a flight of stairs or ride the elevator to the third floor, where you'll find the signature entrance to the lounge itself.
The space is open daily from 5 a.m. until 10 p.m.
Chase Sapphire Lounge Philadelphia access
The access policies for the Chase Sapphire Lounge by The Club haven't changed with this opening.
Primary and authorized cardmembers with the Chase Sapphire Reserve® (see rates and fees) can enter the lounge for free, and they can bring up to two guests. Note that you'll need to have the (complimentary) Priority Pass associated with the card to enter the lounge. Additional guests beyond the initial allotment will be charged at $27 per person.
The same access policy applies to those with the J.P. Morgan Reserve card or the Ritz-Carlton™ Credit Card (no longer available to new applicants), though the latter card includes unlimited guest access.
Even if you don't have one of these cards, you might still be able to enter the Sapphire Lounge. Travelers with a Priority Pass membership (from any other premium credit card) can visit one Chase Sapphire Lounge per calendar year and purchase additional entries for themselves and guests for $75 per person.
The information for the Ritz-Carlton Credit Card and J.P. Morgan Reserve card has been collected independently by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
Chase Sapphire Lounge Philadelphia layout
Immediately after arriving on the mezzanine level, you'll find the familiar Sapphire Lounge branding and signage.
Behind the reception desk is where you'll find the lounge's signature bar area, complete with a variety of dining tables, couches, reclining chairs and high-top barstools for socializing.
The lighting accents around the room help give this area a luxurious feel. That said, this room is the darkest of all the rooms in the lounge, but that fits well with the vibes that Chase seems to be going for in the bar area.
If you turn left after entering the lounge, you'll pass the bar and find two rooms located along the exterior-facing windows with views of the Terminal D and E apron.
The first room is designed as a work area, with a large shared conference table and some individual recliners arranged around a faux fireplace and a colorful art piece by James Burns that's supposed to depict the vibrancy of Philadelphia.
This room is also home to two phone booths, which are available on a first-come, first-served basis.
Next to this room is another large relaxation space with couches and more recliners. This space has two workstations built into the wall, which look to be great semiprivate areas to catch up on some last-minute work.
This room also has fantastic views of the apron.
Across the hall, you'll find the kids area, which has a variety of seating options for parents and kids.
The small tree in the center of this room helps add a nice touch of greenery to what's likely to be a bit of a chaotic space. Chase installed sliding glass doors to separate the play area, and it even added some toys to keep kids occupied while waiting for their flight.
If you continue going down the hall, you'll find the wellness center, showers and restrooms — more on that below.
If you instead make a right by the entrance, you'll find two unique-to-Philly spaces in the lounge.
The first is the game and memorabilia room, which features a variety of retro arcade games and a multiscreen wall for additional gaming experiences or for watching your favorite sports team. (I wouldn't recommend asking the concierge to watch New York Giants games here.)
The TVs are connected to Nintendo Switch game consoles, so you can ask to play games such as Mario Kart Deluxe and NBA 2K25.
Lining the other side of this room is a memorabilia wall filled with sports gear from Philly's major league teams. Don't try opening these lockers — they're for display only.
The other unique-to-Philly space is a beer garden located across from the game room. This is Chase's first beer garden (Amex has one at its Denver Centurion Lounge), and it's fitting that it's in Philly, the city that's believed to have brewed America's first lager in 1846.
The beer garden features some games, a beautiful mural of Philly and lots of greenery.
There's more about the food and drink options at the beer garden below, but the physical space feels much more like you've entered a beer garden in the city's Fishtown neighborhood than a major airport. (The only telltale sign that you're in an airport is the front-row view of the Frontier and Southwest planes you'll see from the space.)
Finally, the lounge is completed by a dining room, which features a variety of two- and four-top tables with an eye-catching lighting fixture hanging above.
All in all, the Sapphire Lounge in Philly is a beautifully designed space that's hopefully large enough to handle the passenger traffic passing through the airport.
The variety of spaces should make it easy for travelers to spread out, and I can't wait to come back inside to see what it's like on a busy travel day.
Chase Sapphire Lounge Philadelphia amenities
Chase's Sapphire Lounge network offers a strong lineup of amenities, and this latest outpost adds a few more.
It starts with a comprehensive wellness center, located in a partitioned area to the left of the lounge.
Inside, you'll find six private meditation and rest pods, which can be booked on a first-come, first-served basis using the QR codes on each table.
There are also two treatment rooms in the spa that offer complimentary facial treatments from Face Haus. These treatments are bound to be popular, so I'd recommend reserving your spot immediately once you get into the lounge.
In addition to the wellness area, the lounge has one set of large restrooms lined with green marble (go Eagles!) and some eye-catching sconces.
There are two unisex stalls located near the dining room.
There are also two shower suites featuring Apotheke products, Dyson hair dryers and last-minute essentials like dental and shaving kits.
The lounge's amenity selection includes a game room, a kids play area and two phone booths.
Given that this is a brand-new lounge, you probably won't be surprised to learn that it's got all the basics covered, too. Fast, free Wi-Fi, power outlets and USB-A and USB-C ports are located throughout the space.
Chase Sapphire Lounge Philadelphia food and drinks
As the credit card issuers keep one-upping each other in the lounge game, one of Chase's biggest strengths has been its dining program.
The latest iteration on display in Philly is nothing short of impressive. Having lived in Philly for the past 18 months, I was thrilled to see the lounge partnering with the popular Middle Child Clubhouse for the food menu. You'll find signature items like the Shopsin Club sandwich, as well as staples like the Sapphire burger on the a la carte menu.
I love how Chase lets you enjoy prepared food from the buffet and more extensive a la carte meals via a QR code ordering system.
Everything I tried was fresh, tasty and near restaurant quality.
In addition to the aforementioned food options, Chase has one special surprise in the beer garden: an exclusive menu of delicious bar food. From a soft pretzel to potato pancakes to cheesesteak sliders, I might recommend eating in the beer garden — as long as you're not counting your calories.
The beer garden also has a selection of local beers from brewers like Yards Brewing Co. and Love City Brewing. Beers can be ordered by themselves or as a flight for a taste of each of the four choices on tap.
Otherwise, the lounge's wine list is curated by New York-based Parcelle. Cocktails are also available, and the lounge features two Philly-specific picks: the vodka-based Philly Special named after the Super Bowl-winning play used by the Eagles and the gin-based Clover Club inspired by the city's iconic Bellevue-Stratford Hotel.
Nonalcoholic drinks are available at two beverage stations throughout the lounge. There are fridges stocked with cans of Spindrift and Leisure Hydration, and the coffee machines use brew from Elixr, one of Philly's top-rated coffee shops.
All in all, the dining offerings in this lounge are impressive and will certainly give travelers a taste of Philly.
Bottom line
Chase's new Sapphire Lounge in Philadelphia is a stunning new addition to the airport.
Measuring more than 20,000 square feet, the sprawling space features a slew of places to relax, get some work done, play a game and much more. There are so many ways to pass the time waiting for your flight that you might not even remember you're in an airport.
The lounge has all the basics covered, and it adds tasteful amenities, like a beer garden and facial treatments, making this the nicest lounge the airport offers.
I don't usually get to the airport early to spend time in the lounge, but I'm going to start making a rare exception for this space, because it's well worth a visit.
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