On my way back from Hong Kong, I stumbled upon the Sapphire Lounge by The Club, an exclusive airport lounge for holders of J.P Morgan Chase credit cards. I was completely unaware of the existence of this lounge, so I was pleasantly surprised when I found out I could access it prior to me flight.
The Sapphire Lounge in Terminal 1 of Hong Kong International Airport is one of the first of the J.P. Morgan Chase airport lounge network. As of the time of this post, the only other Sapphire Lounge is located in Boston at Logan International Airport.
Members of Priority Pass offered with premium Chase credit cards, most notably the Chase Sapphire Reserve, are allowed unlimited entry, while those using Priority Pass from other card issuers are limited to one visit per calendar year.
Compared to the other Priority Pass lounges that I have visited around Asia, the Sapphire Lounge definitely had a more classy atmosphere. The seating is also incredibly varied, from individual booths, to long high tables, to different sized cushiony chairs. I spent my time here in one of the booths because of the easily accessible charging port and high level of privacy while I enjoyed my food.
Speaking of food, the meal and snack options also exceeded expectations. Cold food options included a variety of sliced deli meats, cheeses, sandwiches, and cut fruits. As usual though, it was the hot options that made the lounge worth it.
There was wanton noodles and char siew rice that could be ordered and prepped on the spot. Some other meat, veggies, and soups could be found in the chafing servers as well. The minestrone soup had me coming back for seconds and thirds!
I was also spoiled for drink options. Including the standard coffee, tea, juices, wines, and beers, the Sapphire Lounge features a full bar for free mixed cocktails, including four of their own unique creations.
I went with one of their special mixes, The Meriden Star. It is made with rum, passion fruit syrup, kiwi and pineapple juices, and club soda, and it was deliciously sweet.
Overall, waiting for my flight has never felt so comfortable before. This experience has gotten me excited for the development of the Sapphire Lounge network, and I will definitely be picking up a premium Chase credit card in the meantime. Several more locations are expected to open in the United States, like Las Vegas, New York City, Philadelphia, Phoenix, and San Diego.
Info
Address: Terminal 1, Sky Plaza Rd, Chek Lap Kok, Hong Kong
Contact: +852 2123 1483
Hours: 6AM-12AM (Every day)
Learn More: https://account.chase.com/sapphire-airport-lounge
Get Priority Pass!
Capital One Venture X ® Credit Card
Annual Fee: $395
APR: 21.99 – 28.99%
Bonus Offer: 75,000 miles after $4000 spend within the first 3 months of account opening, an offer worth $750.
Why it’s good: Similar to the Venture Rewards, the Venture X can serve as a “catch-all” card in that it gets unlimited 2X Capital One miles for every purchase. For travel, users get 10X miles on hotels and rental cars, and 5X on flights, all when booked through the Capital One Travel Portal. Benefits include Priority Pass™ Select membership for access to their partner lounge network, a $300 travel credit, a 10,000 anniversary points bonus, a $100 credit for TSA PreCheck® or Global Entry, and complimentary Hertz President’s Circle® Status for guaranteed vehicle upgrades. All of this with the exceptional travel and shopping protections that come with a Visa Infinite credit card, and up to four free authorized user accounts.
Chase Sapphire Reserve ® Credit Card
Annual Fee: $550
APR: 22.24 – 29.24%
Bonus Offer: 60,000 bonus points after $4000 spend within the first 3 months of account opening, worth $900 when redeemed towards travel through the Chase Ultimate Rewards Portal.
Why it’s good: The original king of travel, the Chase Sapphire Reserves offers a plethora of benefits. Starting with point multipliers, user will receive 10X Chase Ultimate Rewards points in hotels and car rentals, and 5X in flights, through their travel portal (with 3X on all other travel purchases), 3X for dining or food delivery. Using the travel portal for bookings will give UR Points a whopping 50% boost in value. There is also a $300 travel credit which can be used anywhere, Priority Pass™ Select membership which includes their restaurant collection, and a $100 credit for TSA PreCheck®, Global Entry, or NEXUS. All of this with the exceptional travel and shopping protections that come with a Visa Infinite credit card.
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