If your lounge access comes from a Priority Pass membership on a card other than Chase’s, the Sapphire Lounge door closed on August 15.
All nine Sapphire Lounge by The Club locations left the Priority Pass and LoungeKey networks on August 15, 2026, Upgraded Points confirmed that day, following Chase’s July 31 announcement. Until then, Priority Pass members got one free Sapphire Lounge visit a year and paid $75 for each additional one. Both options are gone. A walk-up guest pass is now $100, subject to space.
Who still gets in
Access is unchanged for holders of the Chase Sapphire Reserve, Sapphire Reserve for Business, J.P. Morgan Reserve and Ritz-Carlton cards: unlimited visits, up to two free guests, and $27 for each additional guest. Chase also widened the entry window for connecting passengers from three hours to five hours before departure; originating flights still get three.
Priority Pass itself remains a network of more than 1,900 lounges worldwide, so a Priority Pass membership from an American Express Platinum or Capital One Venture X card still opens most doors. Just not Chase’s.
Why Chase did it
Crowding. The Sapphire Lounges in New York, Boston, Hong Kong, Las Vegas, Philadelphia, Phoenix, San Diego and Washington were built as a Sapphire Reserve benefit, and Reserve holders complained about queues behind Priority Pass visitors who had paid nothing for the card. Removing the network access is the same move American Express made with Centurion Lounges years ago, and Capital One has never let outside members into its lounges at all.
What it means for your card choice
- If you value Sapphire Lounge access, only a Chase premium card delivers it now.
- If you fly mostly through airports with Amex Centurion or Capital One lounges, this change costs you nothing.
- If your current card’s Priority Pass was your route into Sapphire Lounges, that benefit is worth less than it was on August 14, and it is fair to reweigh the annual fee against what remains.
Our best travel credit cards guide compares lounge access, earning rates and fees across the premium cards.