Love-Love: A review of the Chase Lounge and Terrace at the US Open
You can do more than watch tennis at the US Open.
For the past few years, Chase has operated an exclusive lounge at the Flushing Meadows venue, where you can quite literally chill out during a day or night visit to the Open. And if you don't want to spend time indoors, Chase also has a new perk that's complimentary for members to access, too — an outdoor terrace.
As a Chase client with multiple branded cards in my wallet, I took the opportunity to try out both facilities on a recent day visit to the 2022 Open. Here's what I discovered on my lounge and terrace visits.
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The Chase Lounge at the US Open
The entrance to the lounge is on the second floor of the Chase Center building, which is immediately on your left when you enter the East Gate of the USTA Center.
This year, you'll either need to have made a free reservation to access the lounge, or when you arrive you will need to place your name on a waitlist through a QR code posted on a sign outside the entrance. When space becomes available in the lounge, you will receive a text to let you know that you've been added to the list and can come back to the lounge.
Related: Amex cardholders get these 6 perks at the US Open Tennis Championships
Once you're added to the list, you'll be asked to check in outside before entering the lounge. Here you'll receive a wristband that will serve as your entry pass for the entirety of the session you're attending.
There are both daytime and evening sessions, and you will need to leave and reenter, with a separate reservation, for each session. Note that the day session lounge access ends at 4 p.m., and the evening session opens at 6 p.m.
I had RSVPed for the lounge as soon as reservations became available, so I was able to visit without adding my name to the waitlist. However, there was still a sizable line to enter when I first arrived around noon on the third full day of the tournament (Wednesday, Aug. 31).
On a second visit later in the day around 3:30 p.m., there was no line for entry. However, there was also no more food available as the lounge prepared to transition to the evening.
Once inside, I headed upstairs to the lounge where I was greeted by the food and beverage bar. Here you'll find complimentary light bites and soft drinks, as well as the (paid) alcohol selection.
Expect to wait in line, again, for the complimentary snacks. When I visited, there was a selection of muffins and fruit plus cups of sweet tea, lemonade and cucumber-infused water. All other drinks carry an additional charge, including bottled Evian water for $6.
You can purchase the same alcoholic beverages that are available on the concourse. Beers and wines ranged from $14-$18, and mixed drinks are $17.
Evidently in the afternoon warm mini pretzels are served, but I didn't catch sight of them on either of my visits. I did spy some individual cups of ice cream early on, so you may luck out and get one of those.
Truly though, the lounge access isn't about the food. Instead, head here for the trifecta of Chase comforts: air conditioning, bathrooms and hats (in that order).
Without paid lounge access, this is the best option at the Open to sit in a cool spot, enjoy a chilled drink, not wait in line for the restroom and watch the matches from the comfort of a couch on a large screen until you're ready to head back out into the bustling main thoroughfare.
When you are ready to re-immerse into the Open, be sure to grab a hat. Every visitor to the lounge gets a free Chase blue baseball cap with a US Open logo (they'll make a mark on your wristband to show you've received one). It was the perfect way to keep the sun out of my eyes as I headed back into the hot afternoon.
Almost every seat in the lounge was filled when I visited at noon, but there was a little more wiggle room in the afternoon. Still, if you're concerned about crowds and want to stay outdoors, this next option is the one I'd recommend.
The Chase Terrace at the US Open
I'm going to go ahead and admit that I preferred this member space to the indoor lounge even though it didn't have hats or even any food when I visited.
What it does have that sets it apart: ringside seats to actual outdoor live tennis. You can sit on shaded stands and watch the action at Courts 8, 9 and 10. And from my visit, it seemed that few people knew about this option.
Like the lounge, the bar served free glasses of lemonade, sweet iced tea and water. You could also purchase wine and beer for $14-$18, but mixed drinks were not available outside.
You can enjoy any of these beverages while watching the match or sitting in a shaded, soft-cushioned lounge chair, which seemed very VIP. In fact, I've been fortunate enough to visit several boxes and one of the paid lounges in the past and not one had as comfortable a setup with views of tennis as this facility.
In addition, according to Chase representative Kate Schoff, ice cream is served in the mid-afternoon through a partnership with The Infatuation and Salt and Straw.
You do not need to make a reservation to enter the terrace and it does not close between day and evening sessions.
Flash your Chase card for free swag
Just outside the terrace entrance is another new Chase-branded area, the Chase Pass. Here customers can present their Chase debit card, credit card or mobile wallet to receive a bracelet that unlocks cool perks like the "free ATM" which dispenses swag instead of money.
I got a drink koozie, the person in front of me received a mini-fan and the woman behind me opened the ATM drawer and received a notebook. Other options include 3D photos and the chance to take your photo with US Open trophies.
The first 100 people to check in and receive their bracelets each day also get a free drink token. Later in the day, there are opportunities to get $10 food vouchers as well.
Bottom line
If you're a Chase customer, you can access some free perks at the US Open Tennis.
Reservations are sold out for the Chase lounge, but you can put yourself on the waitlist. Lower your expectations of free food and drinks at the lounge, though.
Conversely, the Chase Terrace was the biggest surprise of the day, with ample space and shade, as well as free non-alcoholic drinks.
Finally, flash your Chase card or digital wallet to pick up some swag to make your 2022 visit to the US Open a game, set and match.
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