Chase Sapphire Lounge - San Diego

[dfwxjer]

 This past week, my wife and I had the opportunity to visit the Sapphire Lounge at San Diego International Airport (SAN), and we can confidently say it's an excellent way to spend time before a flight.

Over the years, we've appreciated various airline lounges, the Priority Pass network, and the Centurion Lounges since their inception. However, as many are aware, Centurion Lounges have become overcrowded and often lack appealing food options. Priority Pass experiences can be inconsistent, and airlines have increasingly restricted access to their lounges. We frequently travel to San Diego to visit family, and the Aspire Lounge has never been a satisfactory option. While it is preferable to waiting at the gate, it has consistently fallen short of expectations.

In search of a better alternative, I applied for and was approved for the Chase Sapphire Reserve card, hoping it could replace our Platinum card. Our home airport is Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport (DFW), where a large Sapphire Lounge is under construction, but it has yet to open, so I haven't had the chance to experience it. However, the Sapphire Lounge in San Diego is simply outstanding. The convenience of online ordering directly to our table, superior food compared to the Centurion Lounge's buffet, and top-notch drinks made for a delightful experience. The seating was ample, the staff was exceptional, and overall, this lounge ranks among the best we've enjoyed over the years.

Once the Sapphire Lounges at DFW and Las Vegas open, we may finally consider retiring our Platinum card.

If you have the opportunity to visit a Sapphire Lounge, I highly recommend doing so.

[Horseshoez]

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@dfwxjer wrote:

 This past week, my wife and I had the opportunity to visit the Sapphire Lounge at San Diego International Airport (SAN), and we can confidently say it's an excellent way to spend time before a flight.

Over the years, we've appreciated various airline lounges, the Priority Pass network, and the Centurion Lounges since their inception. However, as many are aware, Centurion Lounges have become overcrowded and often lack appealing food options. Priority Pass experiences can be inconsistent, and airlines have increasingly restricted access to their lounges. We frequently travel to San Diego to visit family, and the Aspire Lounge has never been a satisfactory option. While it is preferable to waiting at the gate, it has consistently fallen short of expectations.

In search of a better alternative, I applied for and was approved for the Chase Sapphire Reserve card, hoping it could replace our Platinum card. Our home airport is Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport (DFW), where a large Sapphire Lounge is under construction, but it has yet to open, so I haven't had the chance to experience it. However, the Sapphire Lounge in San Diego is simply outstanding. The convenience of online ordering directly to our table, superior food compared to the Centurion Lounge's buffet, and top-notch drinks made for a delightful experience. The seating was ample, the staff was exceptional, and overall, this lounge ranks among the best we've enjoyed over the years.

Once the Sapphire Lounges at DFW and Las Vegas open, we may finally consider retiring our Platinum card.

If you have the opportunity to visit a Sapphire Lounge, I highly recommend doing so.

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Thanks for the review, I spent several hours two weeks ago in the United Club lounges in Dulles and Las Vegas, and was not terribly impressed; at least the Dulles lounge had a business area with individual carrels to work from.  I guess they figure nobody goes to Las Vegas to work. 

[Thomas_Thumb]

Lounge lizards.

[Horseshoez]

Leisure Suit Larry. 

[dfwxjer]

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@Horseshoez wrote:

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Thanks for the review, I spent several hours two weeks ago in the United Club lounges in Dulles and Las Vegas, and was not terribly impressed; at least the Dulles lounge had a business area with individual carrels to work from.  I guess they figure nobody goes to Las Vegas to work. 

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United is one of the few airline lounges I haven't experienced since I so rarely fly with them. Good to know I'm not missing anything, and yeah I don't envy the folks that travel to Vegas for work lol. By the time I'm at the lounge in Vegas I'm trying to keep drinking to delay the hangover. 

[Gregory1776]

Thanks for sharing! 
I have the CSP now with the elevated offer. I've been wanting the CSR mostly because it "looks cool!" And the travel benefit which I anticipate being able to take advantage of in the coming years.

At what point and when/why do you want a lounge?

It is a question I haven't asked before and I need to make a post on it. It would help me request an upgrade in a year. Mostly going to be doing domestic travel. 

[dfwxjer]

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@Gregory1776 wrote:

Thanks for sharing! 
I have the CSP now with the elevated offer. I've been wanting the CSR mostly because it "looks cool!" And the travel benefit which I anticipate being able to take advantage of in the coming years.

At what point and when/why do you want a lounge?

It is a question I haven't asked before and I need to make a post on it. It would help me request an upgrade in a year. Mostly going to be doing domestic travel. 

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I got hooked on airport lounges a long time ago when I'd fly business back when that still got automatic lounge access. 

Not only are the spaces more comfortable than the seating at the gate, but free booze, food, showers, and various other amenities make them a more appealing way to spend time before a flight. 

It comes down to your home airport and your primary airline. I'm based out of DFW and primarily fly AA so several travel cards make sense. I'm trying out the CSR this year and hopefully the new Sapphire lounge opens at DFW this year. 

My wife and I are... alcohol enthusiasts lol... so we drink through our annual fees pretty quick. Free drinks and food save us quite a bit of money compared to the overpriced food/drink in the terminal. 

[Gregory1776]

@dfwxjer 

alcohol enthusiast. I'm saving that.
So having only flown a few times, and usually getting to the gate 1 hr before departure doesn't seem so bad. What does your typical flight out look like? Time wise. How long does it take to get from a lounge to the gate?

I do hate how crowded they get & everyone getting up at once to get on the plane like they're going somewhere faster than anyone else.

[dfwxjer]

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@Gregory1776 wrote:

@dfwxjer 

alcohol enthusiast. I'm saving that.
So having only flown a few times, and usually getting to the gate 1 hr before departure doesn't seem so bad. What does your typical flight out look like? Time wise. How long does it take to get from a lounge to the gate?

I do hate how crowded they get & everyone getting up at once to get on the plane like they're going somewhere faster than anyone else.

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Depends on the day. If it's a leisure trip and we don't have anything else going on then we get there 2-3 hours early. DFW is nice in that there are several lounges between Amex's and the Priority Pass network so it's usually less than 5 minutes to the gate. Ideally I like to arrive to the gate right as they're calling my boarding group. 

They're also great for layovers. A lot of our international trips involve hours at random airports so it's nice to shower after the first 8 hour flight to freshen up before hopping on the next one. 

There's no one-size fits all answer so it depends on your own needs. If you don't fly all that often it's probably not worth it.