Inside Chase's stunning new Sapphire Lounge in San Diego

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Chase's rise to relevance in the credit card airport lounge games has been nothing short of impressive.

The issuer's take on airport lounges, dubbed the Sapphire Lounge by The Club, first opened in the U.S. in Boston Logan International Airport (BOS) in 2023. The domestic network has since expanded to New York's LaGuardia Airport (LGA) and John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK), Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport (PHX), and Dulles International Airport (IAD), in addition to an international outpost in Hong Kong.

On Friday, the issuer will take the wraps off its latest lounge — its seventh domestic outpost — at San Diego International Airport (SAN), making Chase the first credit card issuer to open a space at SAN.

There's lots to love about this new outpost, so read on for everything you need to know.

Chase Sapphire Lounge San Diego location

The Chase Sapphire Lounge by The Club at SAN is in Terminal 2 West between gates 46 and 47. The entrance is opposite Starbucks.

All gates in Terminal 2 are connected airside, so as long as you're not flying on Frontier Airlines, Spirit Airlines, Southwest Airlines or Sun Country Airlines, you'll be good to enter the lounge before departure without reclearing security. (The aforementioned airlines operate from SAN's Terminal 1, which is only connected presecurity to Terminal 2.)

Once you locate the entrance, you'll need to take an elevator or stairs up to the mezzanine level, where you'll find the frosted blue doors that mark the official entrance to the lounge.

The space is open daily from 5 a.m. until 10 p.m.

Chase Sapphire Lounge San Diego 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 JP 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 San Diego layout

Immediately after entering the new space, you'll see familiar color schemes and design elements that mimic the rest of the Sapphire Lounge network.

From the colorful artwork to the wood flooring to the slatted room dividers, this space is unmistakably a Sapphire Lounge.

That said, Chase certainly imbued a local flair into this space, with the lounge's focal artwork on display for everyone to see just after entering.

This colorful surfboard-lined mural perfectly fits San Diego and establishes a sense of place for travelers passing through SAN.

After entering the lounge, you'll walk straight past the reception desk into the dimly lit and moody main bar and dining areas. The wraparound bar is the largest one that Chase has built yet, and it's sure to be a popular gathering and socializing area once the lounge opens.

CS lounge SAN — ZACH GRIFF/THE POINTS GUY

There are a handful of bench-style dining tables lining the wall here.

The main dining area features freestanding four-top tables.

The room adjacent to the dining area — complete with an eye-catching lighting fixture — has even more tables for dining or relaxing.

As you pass the main dining area, you can move in two directions. If you go straight to the back of the lounge, you'll find another large relaxation room outfitted with couches, recliners and a faux fireplace that acts as its centerpiece.

Opposite this relaxation area are three productivity pods that are built directly into the wall — a cool touch for those who are trying to crank out some last-minute work.

If you're taking calls, you'll want to make a beeline for the lounge's sole phone booth, located just next to the productivity pods.

As you proceed farther into the lounge, you'll find the space's amenities — more on that below.

If you instead go from the dining room and turn left to go back toward the lounge entrance, you'll find two more relaxation areas.

The first is accented by a palm tree that serves as a fitting local touch. This open space is mostly outfitted with couches and comfy chairs to promote relaxation.

Meanwhile, if you continue going straight to the back of the lounge, you'll find the "Balboa breezeway," named after San Diego's Balboa Park. This room feels like a California-inspired home library, and this is where you'll find me posting up the next time I'm in the lounge.

Chase Sapphire Lounge in San Diego. ZACH GRIFF/THE POINTS GUY

Interestingly, the Balboa breezeway can be partitioned off from the rest of the lounge by a sliding frosted glass door, though Chase doesn't intend to separate this space.

Chase's first digital wall, which displays stunning drone footage of the San Diego coastline, is in the hallway connecting the rest of the lounge to the Balboa breezeway.

All in all, this lounge is unmistakably Southern Californian.

Better yet, the space will also be popular with aviation enthusiasts because the floor-to-ceiling windows that line the perimeter of the lounge provide unparalleled views of the apron and tarmac area.

The space measures just over 10,000 square feet and has space for nearly 200 flyers. Though that may not be enough to handle peak demand, the partitioned design should make the lounge feel less crowded than it actually is.

Chase Sapphire Lounge San Diego amenities

Though Chase's flagship outpost in LaGuardia might be the amenity king, this space could definitely be considered a mini-me of New York's finest.

It starts with a wellness area located at the back of the lounge, which has four private relaxation pods. Each pod has access to digital meditations by Devi Brown.

Meanwhile, there's a small facial bar with treatments from Face Haus located just across from the wellness area.

The lounge also has a family room, which is filled with toys, games and books for younger travelers.

There is also one shower in the lounge, and it's available on a first-come, first-served basis. Chase uses Apotheke products in all of its lounges.

Meanwhile, there are separate men's and women's restrooms. The men's bathroom features three stalls, two urinals, a beautiful hand-washing area accented with gold sconces, and fantastic views of the tarmac and departing aircraft.

In fact, this might be the prettiest restroom in the entire airport.

Note that there is also a separate all-gender, accessible bathroom.

There's also a separate nursing room that's available on a first-come, first-served basis.

To reserve a facial, a wellness pod or the shower, you'll need to scan one of the QR codes that are displayed on each of the tables. From there, you'll be redirected to the lounge's landing page, where you can make your reservations (and even order a la carte dining).

In addition to the aforementioned amenities, the lounge has the basics covered. Speedy Wi-Fi, power outlets, and USB-C and USB-A ports are located at nearly every seat.

Chase Sapphire Lounge San Diego food and drinks

All of Chase's lounges have above-average dining options, and this location is no exception.

The lounge offers a full breakfast buffet until 11 a.m., when it switches to all-day fare. From French crepes to hamburgers and parfait bowls to hummus and pita pockets, you'll likely find something appetizing on the buffet.

If you're after more substantive food, you can also order items from the web-based portal. Chase is teaming up with San Diego's Oscar's Mexican Seafood on a handful of specialty dishes, such as a chicken tostada and potato soup with shrimp, which are available in addition to staples such as the Sapphire Burger.

Also, the bar can whip up your favorite cocktail or pour one of the San Diego signatures, such as the bourbon- and gin-based Queen of Rum Row — all served for free.

For those looking to hydrate, there are two large beverage stations, one near the buffet and another near the entrance by the surfboards.

Both offer multiple types of water, coffee from California's Groundwork Coffee, espresso machines and minifridges stocked with popular soft drinks, such as Spindrift and Leisure Hydration's electrolyte drinks.

Bottom line

With seven operational lounges in just over two years and three more already confirmed in the pipeline, Chase is making a big play for travelers to carry its top-of-the-line credit cards.

The San Diego location will undoubtedly help attract even more cardmembers. The space itself is gorgeous, and it offers a slew of amenities and top-notch dining options that are sure to impress.

Plus, the Southern California-inspired design helps give the space some local flair that will distinguish it from the existing outposts.

As Chase continues to build more lounges, it raises the bar for what travelers can expect from a credit card-branded airport lounge. As the network grows, American Express and Capital One should take note because the Sapphire Lounges are, in some ways, even nicer than the Centurion Lounges and Capital One Lounges.

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