The Platinum Card^® from American Express vs. Chase Sapphire Reserve^®: Which Offers More Lounge Access?

Airport lounge access is one of the most coveted credit card perks for frequent travelers because of the many benefits it can offer when passing through airports. This could include free Wi-Fi, food, and drinks, as well as privacy, relaxation, and even showers.

The Platinum Card^® from American Express and the Chase Sapphire Reserve^® are two of the top credit cards for travel, including airport lounge access. But there are a few big differences between these cards when comparing their lounge access benefits.

Here we’ll do a side-by-side comparison of the Amex Platinum and Chase Sapphire Reserve airport lounge access perks. This will help you learn whether the Amex Platinum has more lounge access than the Chase Sapphire Reserve (or vice versa).

Quick look: Amex Platinum vs. Chase Sapphire Reserve lounge access

The table below gives you a quick overview of the lounge access benefits granted to you by both the Amex Platinum and Chase Sapphire Reserve. This will help you see the breakdown of the potential lounge networks available, as well as how many lounges total and the type of perks you can expect.

Keep in mind that not every lounge will have every special perk, so be sure to check the specific lounge website (Priority Pass, Centurion Lounge, etc.) to see which amenities each lounge offers.

	Network(s) and # of lounges	Special perks
Amex Platinum	The Centurion Lounge (14) American Express Lounges (9) Delta Sky Club (49) Airspace (1) Priority Pass Select, not including restaurants (1,300+) Escape Lounges (13) Enrollment or activation required for select lounge benefits Total # of lounges = 1,386+	Free Wi-Fi, food, and drinks Free showers Free massage chairs or massage services Family rooms Workspaces Conference spaces Game rooms Spas
Chase Sapphire Reserve	Priority Pass Select, including restaurants (1,300+) Total # of lounges = 1,300+	Free Wi-Fi, food, and drinks Free showers Free massage chairs or massage services Family rooms Workspaces Conference spaces Game rooms Spas Priority Pass restaurants, cafes, and markets are included with this membership

The Platinum Card from American Express

While it has a $695 annual fee, the Amex Platinum is often recommended as a top airport lounge card because it’s one of the best travel credit cards available. It comes with loads of travel perks and benefits that offset the cost of its annual fee, including possibly the most airport lounge options of any card on the market.

That’s a hefty claim, but the benefits seem to add up. The Amex Platinum offers access to over 1,386 airport lounges, most of which are included in the Priority Pass network. However, you also get access to the Amex Centurion Lounge and other Amex lounges, Delta Sky Clubs, Airspace Lounges, and U.S. Escape Lounges. Enrollment or activation may be required to access certain lounge benefits. 

No other non-Amex card offers quite the same selection of airport lounges and their associated benefits, whether it’s free food and drinks or simply an escape from the hustle and bustle of an airport terminal.

You can learn more about all of this card’s benefits — including how it can help you rack up Amex Membership Rewards and use them to book trips in the Amex Travel portal — in our Platinum Card from American Express review. But let’s go into the lounge benefits in more detail here.

The Centurion Lounge

Amex Centurion Lounges are typically known for their high-quality dining options, high-speed Wi-Fi, and additional amenities. This could include the family rooms at the Centurion Lounge in Las Vegas or the spa services at the Centurion Lounge in Los Angeles.

Access policy: Unlimited complimentary access for Platinum cardmembers for departing flights only. Cardmembers must present their valid Amex Platinum card, a government-issued I.D., and a confirmed boarding pass for same-day travel. You can only access these lounges within three hours of your scheduled departure time, though this rule may not apply if you’re waiting for a connecting flight.

Guest policy: Cardmembers may bring up to two companions for free. Note: This policy could possibly change on Feb. 1, 2023 to no free guests.

Locations:

• Charlotte, U.S. (CLT)
• Dallas, U.S. (DFW)
• Denver, U.S. (DEN)
• Hong Kong (HKG)
• Houston, U.S. (IAH)
• Las Vegas, U.S. (LAS)
• Los Angeles, U.S. (LAX)
• Miami, U.S. (MIA)
• New York, U.S. (JFK)
• New York, U.S. (LGA)
• Philadelphia, U.S. (PHL)
• Phoenix, U.S. (PHX)
• San Francisco, U.S. (SFO)
• Seattle, U.S. (SEA)

Though not included in The Centurion Lounge network, cardmembers can also access other American Express lounges in different worldwide locations. The amenities at each location will vary, as well as the guest access policies. However, American Express states, “At minimum, one complimentary guest is allowed.”

International American Express Lounge locations:

• Buenos Aires, Argentina (EZE)
• Delhi, India (DEL)
• Melbourne, Australia (MEL)
• Mexico City, Mexico (MEX)
• Monterrey, Mexico (MTY)
• Mumbai, India (BOM)
• São Paulo, Brazil (GRU)
• Stockholm, Sweden (ARN)
• Sydney, Australia (SYD)

Delta Sky Club

Delta Sky Clubs are available in 33 U.S. airports and typically feature a variety of food and beverage options, as well as complimentary Wi-Fi. If you’re flying on Delta through a U.S. airport that doesn’t have a Centurion Lounge, a Delta Sky Club could be a good option to relax before your departure flight. But keep in mind that guests will cost extra.

Access policy: Present your valid Amex Platinum card, government-issued I.D., and same-day Delta boarding pass for entry.

Guest policy: Up to two guests of the cardmember may enter for a fee, which may vary by location.

Locations:

• Atlanta, U.S. (ATL)
• Austin, U.S. (AUS)
• Boston, U.S. (BOS)
• Chicago, U.S. (ORD)
• Cincinnati, U.S. (CVG)
• Dallas, U.S. (DFW)
• Denver, U.S. (DEN)
• Detroit, U.S. (DTW)
• Fort Lauderdale, U.S. (FLL)
• Honolulu, U.S. (HNL)
• Indianapolis, U.S. (IND)
• Jacksonville, U.S. (JAX)
• Memphis, U.S. (MEM)
• Miami, U.S. (MIA)
• Milwaukee, U.S. (MKE)
• Minneapolis, U.S. (MSP)
• Nashville, U.S. (BNA)
• New Orleans, U.S. (MSY)
• New York, U.S. (JFK)
• New York, U.S. (LGA)
• Newark, U.S. (EWR)
• Orlando, U.S. (MCO)
• Philadelphia, U.S. (PHL)
• Phoenix, U.S. (PHX)
• Portland, U.S. (PDX)
• Raleigh, U.S. (RDU)
• Salt Lake City, U.S. (SLC)
• San Diego, U.S. (SAN)
• San Francisco, U.S. (SFO)
• Seattle, U.S. (SEA)
• Tampa, U.S. (TPA)
• Washington D.C., U.S. (DCA)
• West Palm Beach, U.S. (PBI)

Airspace

You can access the one available Airspace Lounge, located at San Diego International Airport (SAN), if you’re traveling through San Diego, California. Soft drinks and light snacks are complimentary while alcoholic beverages may be served at a discounted rate if you’re there during happy hour.

Access policy: Present your valid Amex Platinum card, government-issued I.D., and confirmed same-day boarding pass.

Guest policy: Cardmembers may bring up to two companions free of charge.

Locations:

• San Diego, U.S. (SAN)

Priority Pass Select

Depending on your travel destinations and home airport, the Priority Pass network may be your most used lounge network with the Amex Platinum. Priority Pass Select memberships are only available through partnerships with financial institutions, but it gives you access to over 1,300 lounges worldwide. While enrollment in a Priority Pass Select membership is required for lounge access, membership is complimentary for Amex Platinum cardholders.

The size of this network makes it much easier for you to find a lounge in plenty of global destinations, though you do have to make sure the lounges are located in the terminals you’re traveling through. Or that you have enough time before a flight to travel to another terminal and back while taking advantage of a lounge visit.

Since the Priority Pass network is so big, you have a wide variety of lounge brands, like Plaza Premium or The Club, with varying amenities. Free food, drinks, and Wi-Fi are commonplace, but it could vary from light snacks to full self-serve buffets. Additionally, one lounge might have free massage chairs while another could have a spa room.

If you already know your travel itinerary or have an idea of certain airports you might be flying through, check the Priority Pass website or mobile app to search lounges by airport and see what amenities are available. 

Note: Priority Pass Select memberships through the Amex Platinum do not offer benefits at Priority Pass restaurants (as of Aug. 1, 2019).

Access policy: Enroll in Priority Pass Select online using your valid Amex Platinum card to receive your Priority Pass Select card and membership package.

Guest policy: The policy may vary by each specific lounge, though any lounge that admits guests should allow you two guests for no charge. Additional guests are typically charged a guest visit fee that aligns with the guest visit fees on Priority Pass Standard memberships, which is $32 per guest (as of April 12, 2021).

The Priority Pass network has too many lounges to list, but here are a few popular locations:

• Ahlan Lounge at B, Dubai, United Arab Emirates (DXB)
• Air France Lounge, New York, U.S. (JFK)
• Sala VIP Internacional, Quito, Ecuador (UIO)
• The Plumeria Lounge, Honolulu, U.S. (HNL)
• Turkish Airlines Lounge, Washington D.C., U.S. (IAD)

Escape Lounges

Escape Lounges include both U.S. and United Kingdom locations, but only the U.S. lounges are free to access for Amex Platinum cardmembers. These lounges provide complimentary food, beverages, and Wi-Fi access.

Access policy: Present your valid Amex Platinum card, government-issued I.D., and confirmed same-day boarding pass.

Guest policy: Up to two guests free of charge.

Locations:

• Bradley International Airport (BDL)
• Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport (CVG)
• Greenville-Spartanburg International Airport (GSP)
• Minneapolis-Saint Paul International Airport (MSP)
• Oakland International Airport (OAK)
• Ontario International Airport (ONT)
• Palm Beach International Airport (PBI)
• Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport (PHX)
• Providence T. F. Green Airport (PVD)
• Reno-Tahoe International Airport (RNO)
• Sacramento International Airport (SMF)

Chase Sapphire Reserve

Among credit cards, the Chase Sapphire Reserve card is one of the best for travel and dining. This premium Visa card provides cardholders with complimentary airport lounge access to Priority Pass lounges, including restaurants, cafes, and markets within the network. This is a big difference between the Priority Pass Select memberships available from the Amex Platinum versus the Chase Sapphire Reserve.

Since the Amex Platinum’s Priority Pass Select membership doesn’t give any Priority Pass restaurant benefits, the Sapphire Reserve holds the upper hand here. And with more than 1,300 Priority Pass lounges to choose from, you might not miss out on the additional lounge networks available to Amex Platinum cardmembers.

You can learn more about all of this card’s benefits — including how it can help you rack up Chase Ultimate Rewards points and use them to book trips in the Chase travel portal — in our Chase Sapphire Reserve review. But let’s go into the lounge benefits in more detail here.

Priority Pass Select

Escape the crowded and noisy terminal gates by heading to one of over 1,300 Priority Pass lounges. Many lounges offer complimentary food, drinks, and Wi-Fi, though additional amenities, like massage chairs or spa rooms, will vary by lounge.

Access policy: One-time activation required for Priority Pass Select membership (and to receive your Priority Pass Select card). Present your valid Priority Pass Select card, government-issued I.D., and same-day boarding pass.

Guest policy: Up to two guests free of charge. Additional guests are $27 per guest.

Priority Pass restaurants function differently than Priority Pass lounges. At one of these restaurants, you can typically get around $28 of credit to use toward food and beverage purchases. This credit extends to up to two of your guests as well. So you would each get $28 in restaurant credit, or $84 total for you and two guests. The amount of restaurant credit may vary depending on the restaurant.

You typically have to dine at the restaurant, so to-go and grab-and-go orders aren’t eligible. You also have to present your valid Priority Pass card and same-day boarding pass to receive your credit. Any balance over the credited amount, including tips, has to be paid for.

Here are some examples of U.S. Priority Pass restaurants:

• Boston (BOS): Jerry Remy’s Sports Bar and Grill, Stephanies
• Cleveland (CLE): Bar Symon
• Ft. Lauderdale (FLL): Kafe Kalik
• Houston Intercontinental (IAH): Cadillac Mexican Kitchen & Tequila Bar, Landry’s Seafood
• Indianapolis (IND): The Fan Zone
• Lexington (LEX): Kentucky Ale Taproom
• Los Angeles (LAX): Rock & Brews, Point the Way Cafe
• Miami (MIA): Corona Beach House
• Minneapolis St. Paul Airport (MSP): PGA MSP Lounge
• New York Kennedy (JFK): Bobby Van’s Steakhouse
• Portland (PDX): Capers Cafe Le Bar, Capers Market, Westward Whiskey
• San Francisco (SFO): San Francisco Giants Clubhouse, Yankee Pier
• Seattle (SEA): Bambuza, Trail Head BBQ Bar
• St. Louis (STL): The Pasta House, The Pasta House & Schlafly Beer
• Syracuse (SYR): Johnny Rockets
• Tampa (TPA): The Café by Mise en Place
• Tucson (TUS): Barrio Brewery Co.
• Washington D.C. (DCA): Bracket Room, American Tap Room
• Washington D.C. (IAD): Chef Geoff’s

Here are some examples of international Priority Pass restaurants:

• Buenos Aires, Argentina (EZE): Outback Steakhouse
• Brisbane, Australia (BNE): Graze Grill & Bar, Merlo Caffe, Corretto Cafe & Bar
• Canberra, Australia (CBR): Capital Brewing Co Taphouse, City Hill Coffee
• Chandigarh, India (IXC): Cram Bar (Domestic), Cram Bar (International)
• Coimbatore, India (CJB): BlackBerry Restaurant & Bar
• Guangzhou, China (CAN): CITIC Food Port, Famous Cuisine Restaurant, Perch Coffee Restaurant
• Gold Coast, Australia (OOL): Coffee & Co
• Lima, Peru (LIM): Bleriot Bar & Lounge, La Bonbonniere
• London, United Kingdom (LGW): Grain Store Café & Bar
• Melbourne, Australia (MEL): Bar Pulpo by MoVida, Cafe Vue, Urban Provodore
• Montreal, Canada (YUL): Bistrot Montréal-Trudeau, Houston Avenue Bar & Grill, Pork & Pickle
• Osaka, Japan (KIX): Botejyu
• São Paulo, Brazil (GRU): Bleriot Bar & Lounge, Tryp GRU Airport
• Sydney, Australia (SYD): Bar Roma, Better Burger, Bistro 2020 & Bar, Chicken Confidential, Mach2, MoVida, Peroni Bar, Wok on Air

Note: Priority Pass restaurants are frequently added and removed, so these lists may often change.

Which card has the right lounge access for you?

If you want the most lounge access possible, the Amex Platinum is the top option between these two premium cards. But if you want Priority Pass restaurant benefits, the Chase Sapphire Reserve is the better choice.

However, you likely have to compare more details than these two features alone. It’s best to consider which airports you use most often, as well as future travel plans. If you know you’ll be in certain airports a lot, compare both cards to see which one offers more value at the airports you’ll be frequenting.

In addition, take a close look at each card’s rewards program. Consider that while both of these travel rewards cards earn valuable bonus points, the Amex transfer partners are different from Chase transfer partners. The partners available with one of these cards might align with the hotels or airlines you use the most while the other doesn’t.

Here’s a look at each of these travel rewards cards in more detail:

	American Express Platinum	Chase Sapphire Reserve
Welcome bonus	Earn 80,000 Membership Rewards points after spending $6,000 on purchases in the first 6 months	Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening
Annual fee	$695	$550
Rewards rate	5X points per dollar spent on eligible airfare (on up to $500,000 per calendar year, after that 1X) and eligible hotel purchases, and 1X points per dollar on all other eligible purchases	5X points on flights and 10X points on hotels and car rentals when you purchase travel through Chase Ultimate Rewards® immediately after the first $300 is spent on travel purchases annually; 3X points on other travel and dining & 1X points per dollar on all other purchases
Redemption rate	0.6 cents per point for statement credits Up to 1 cent per point for travel and gift cards	1 cent per point for cash back and gift cards 50% more value when you redeem your Ultimate Rewards points for travel through Chase
Credits	Up to $200 annually in Uber credits $200 annual airline incidentals credit on a qualifying airline $200 annual hotel credit at Fine Hotels & Resorts and The Hotel Collection $189 yearly CLEAR® membership credit $100 annually in Saks Fifth Avenue credits Up to $240 credit on eligible digital subscriptions Up to $300 annually in statement credits for an Equinox digital or club membership Application fee reimbursement for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck Activation required for select benefits	$300 annual travel credit Up to $100 credit for TSA PreCheck/Global Entry Monthly $5 credit to DoorDash
Hotel partner programs	Hilton Honors Gold status Marriott Bonvoy Gold Elite status The Hotel Collection - free benefits Fine Hotels & Resorts - free benefits	The Luxury Hotel & Resort Collection - special benefits Relais & Chateaux - special benefits
Rideshare and food delivery	Up to $200 in Uber Cash each year, good for Uber Eats	Complimentary Lyft Pink All Access membership for two years (activate by Dec. 31, 2024) Minimum of one year of DashPass membership from DoorDash
Car rental benefits	Premium status: Avis Hertz National	Premium status: Avis Hertz Silvercar
Travel accident insurance	No	Yes
Trip delay insurance	Yes	Yes
Trip cancellation insurance	No	Yes
Lost or delayed baggage insurance	Yes	Yes
Car rental insurance	Yes, secondary	Yes, primary
Foreign transaction fee	None	None
	Learn more	Learn more

The Amex Platinum tends to check more boxes for luxury travelers because of its wide variety of premium travel perks while the Sapphire Reserve is a good fit for general travelers who want to offset travel costs as much as possible. This is especially true when you transfer Chase points from other Chase credit cards to your Sapphire Reserve to take advantage of its increased 50% travel redemption rate benefit.

FAQs

Bottom line

The best credit card for airport lounge access for you depends on what you’re looking for. Both the American Express Platinum Card and Chase Sapphire Reserve offer complimentary lounge access, including the same lounges within the Priority Pass network. The biggest differences between the two cards are that the Amex Platinum offers access to more lounge networks while the Sapphire Reserve provides Priority Pass restaurant benefits. Select benefits require enrollment.

But you likely shouldn’t base your decision on which new card to get solely on lounge access. Consider the additional benefits of both credit card offers, as well as the travel portals and transfer partners offered by their respective credit card issuers, and the rewards you can earn on travel purchases. This will help you decide whether the Amex Platinum or Chase Sapphire Reserve is the better fit for you.