SoCal Cool: The Chase Sapphire Lounge by The Club at San Diego International Airport Shows Off Its Surroundings

It’s been an exciting year for travelers with access to Chase Sapphire airport lounges. Rounding out a year of new lounge openings is the Chase Sapphire Lounge by The Club at San Diego International Airport (SAN), marking the first West Coast location. With locally inspired design, great food and private relaxation pods spread across more than 10,000 square feet, you can channel the laidback San Diego lifestyle even at the airport.

Inside the Lounge

As with all Chase Sapphire Lounges, the interiors are inspired by the surrounding area. Inside, you’ll find nods to the city’s surf culture with ocean-themed artwork throughout the space.

One of the most eye-catching design elements is a row of surfboards that capture the vibrant colors of sunrises and sunsets by the beach, created by local muralist Hanna Daly. To the right of the wallscape, there’s a floor-to-ceiling digital installation featuring mesmerizing custom drone footage of the nearby coastline.

There’s also a limewashed adobe bookshelf inspired by the Spanish architecture of Balboa Park, a famous green space in the city, and large murals of ocean waves in several rooms.

If you’re a Chase Sapphire Reserve cardmember, don’t forget to snag a custom complimentary luggage tag, also designed by Daly, before you leave the lounge. The tag features the colorful landscape of the coast, and can be collected while supplies last.

Food and Drinks

If you worked up an appetite on your way to the lounge, you can fill up on San Diego-inspired cuisine, including made-to-order items curated by Oscars Mexican Seafood, a casual San Diego seafood spot serving some of the best ceviche and tacos in town, according to the experts at The Infatuation.

Kick off your morning travels with a hot coffee or cold brew from the West Coast roaster Groundwork Coffee, along with breakfast items like pastries, seasonal fruits, smoked salmon pinwheels garnished with sesame seeds and cucumber, and a pesto egg-white frittata. Or, opt for green-chili-and-mushroom eggs Benedict or a chorizo, bacon and ham-filled torta topped with powdered sugar from the made-to-order menu.

Ready for lunch? Order a chicken tostada using the QR code on your table—and wash it down with a Queen of Rum Row cocktail. (Angela Sun/Chase)

Lunch and dinner dishes from the lounge’s all-day menu are available as early as 11 a.m. Don’t miss the crispy garlic-and-parmesan chicken bites, or the shredded chicken tostado topped with pickled onions and cilantro. Another standout is the torta de elote—a warm corn cake stuffed with beef and topped with spicy jalapeños.

Before you head to your gate, pick up a walnut blondie or oatmeal raisin cookie from the dessert section.

You’ll also find a mix of locally inspired beverages. The extensive cocktail menu features two San Diego-inspired drinks, including the bourbon-and-gin Queen of Rum Row (named after a 1920s bootlegging boat based in San Diego) and the Prickly and Sweet, a blend of prickly pear, smoky bourbon and ginger. There are also classic cocktails, crafted with a range of local premium spirits and liqueurs. You can even choose from a selection of local beers, including an IPA from Ballast Point, along with wines curated by New York wine bar Parcelle.

Lounge Amenities

Scan the QR code at your table to book a range of complimentary amenities, such as a custom 15-minute facial by Face Haus, a California-based facial bar. Your treatment includes a skin analysis, and you’ll be sent off with a skincare kit selected by your specialist.

Or, sneak in a quick nap when you book one of the lounge’s four relaxation pods. Enjoy on-demand digital meditations from wellness educator Devi Brown while you watch planes taxi and take off in front of the North San Diego Bay through your pod’s large windows.

Looking to get some work done before your flight? Park yourself in one of the three private booths, each equipped with USB outlets and adjustable overhead lighting. Or head to the private phone room for an extra-focused work session.

Also available are classic Chase Sapphire lounge amenities, including quiet workspaces, nursing and family rooms, private bathrooms, a shower and high-speed Wi-Fi. 

Know Before You Go

Select cardmembers can head to the San Diego Sapphire Lounge from  5 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily. (Angela Sun/Chase)

Who’s Invited?

Chase Sapphire Reserve and J.P. Morgan Reserve Card cardmembers may enter with up to two guests for no charge. Customers with The Ritz-Carlton™ Credit Card may enter with unlimited guests for no charge. Chase Sapphire Reserve cardmembers may enter up to three hours before a departing flight with their activated Priority Pass™ membership and their boarding pass. Priority Pass comes with their Reserve Card. All other Priority Pass customers may visit a Sapphire Lounge by The Club once per calendar year; guests and subsequent visits cost $75.

Location and Hours

The Chase Sapphire Lounge by The Club at San Diego International Airport (SAN) is located after the security checkpoint in Terminal 2 between gates 46 and 47. The lounge is open daily from 5 a.m. to 10 p.m. Breakfast is served daily from 5 a.m. to 10:30 a.m., and the main meal service runs from 11a.m. until 10 p.m.

What’s Included?

Sip on a cocktail while you take in views of North San Diego Bay. (Angela Sun/Chase)

All food and drinks, along with wine, beer and cocktails. Food can be enjoyed from the self-serve station or ordered directly to your seating area using the QR code on your table.

Chase Sapphire Reserve Benefits

The Chase Sapphire Reserve card is loaded with benefits that make the card worthwhile. Note that this card has an annual fee.

• Statement credits: You'll receive up to $300 in statement credits as reimbursement for travel purchases charged to your card each account anniversary. This credit may be used to cover airfare, hotels and other eligible purchases in travel. You'll also receive a statement credit of up to $120 every four years as a reimbursement for the Global Entry, TSA PreCheck® or NEXUS application fee.
• Rewards: Sapphire Reserve rewards include 3x points on dining and, after the first $300 is spent on travel purchases each year, 3x points on travel, 5x points on air travel purchased through Chase Travel, and 10x points on hotels (excluding The Edit) and car rentals purchased through Chase Travel.

Lounge Locations

Chase Sapphire Airport Lounges

The Chase Sapphire Lounge by The Club at San Diego Airport (SAN) joins lounges in Phoenix (PHX), Boston (BOS), Hong Kong (HKG), and New York JFK and LaGuardia Airport (LGA), along with the Sapphire Terrace in Austin (AUS) and The Etihad Lounge in Washington, D.C. (IAD).

Air Canada Maple Leaf Lounges

Eligible cardmembers can also access select Air Canada Maple Leaf lounges and cafés across the U.S., Canada and Europe when departing or connecting on Air Canada and other airlines in the Star Alliance network. Simply present your Chase Sapphire Reserve card and eligible same-day departure boarding pass for entry. You can also bring your travel companions along for a $59 per guest fee for locations within the U.S., 59 Canadian dollars in Canada, 59 euros in Frankfurt (FRA) and 59 British pounds sterling in London (LHR).

Priority Pass Lounge Access

Chase Sapphire Reserve cardmembers and authorized users are also eligible for a complimentary membership to Priority Pass, which has a network of more than 1,300 airport lounges around the world.

Easily find participating lounges with the lounge finder app and website. With the complimentary Priority Pass Select membership, eligible cardmembers can visit Priority Pass airport lounges with up to two guests for no additional fee.

Booking With Chase Travel

Chase Travel is the first stop for your next adventure. Earn and redeem Ultimate Rewards points with your eligible Chase card when booking a trip through chasetravel.com.

Chase Sapphire Reserve cardmembers who book a hotel stay through The Edit by Chase Travel will earn 3 points per dollar and receive special benefits, including daily breakfast for two, a property credit worth $100, plus early check-in, late checkout and a room upgrade, when available.

Eligible Chase cardmembers, visit chasetravel.com for trip recommendations, editor-curated itineraries and access to top hotels, convenient flights, car rentals and must-do local experiences.

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