Seattle delays its vote on Chase's planned 16,000 sq ft Sapphire Lounge to October 27

News and analysis · Sources checked October 5, 2026.

Chase wants to build a 16,000 sq ft Sapphire Lounge at Seattle-Tacoma. That would make it one of the larger card lounges in the country, on the A Concourse right next to Delta's lounge complex. The Port of Seattle has not approved it yet. On September 22, commissioners voted 3-0 to postpone the decision to October 27, Danny the Deal Guru reports.

What Chase is proposing

According to View from the Wing, the lounge would combine The Club SEA's current A Concourse space with an expansion area that was later cancelled. The deal is a 15-year lease. Rent starts at $500 per square foot, about $7.9 million a year for the airport, with 10% increases in years six and eleven. Construction and a mid-term refresh are expected to cost about $70 million. The Port estimates total revenue of roughly $131 million to $135 million over the 15 years (Danny the Deal Guru).

Access as proposed follows Chase's usual model. Sapphire Reserve cardholders get in free with up to two guests. Additional guests cost $27, and children 2 and under are free. J.P. Morgan Reserve and Ritz-Carlton cardholders get the same terms (View from the Wing). It would be Chase's 12th Sapphire Lounge.

Why commissioners paused

The questions were less about money and more about who the airport is for. Danny the Deal Guru reports that Commissioner Toshiko Hasegawa asked who would actually get in. She also asked whether giving scarce terminal space to one group of travelers fits the Port's equity mission. Commissioner Samia Mohamed raised the knock-on effect: passengers in a lounge may spend less at the restaurants and shops outside it. She also wanted absent commissioners to have time to weigh in, which is why the vote moved from a proposed October 13 date to October 27.

Those are reasonable questions for a public port, and the answer is not obvious. A card lounge does take space away from the general public. It also pays well over the life of the lease, and Seattle already has lounges that most travelers cannot use, from Delta's to Alaska's. The real test is whether the Port puts the rent to work for everyone, not whether one more members-only room is acceptable on principle.

Don't expect it soon

Even if the vote passes on October 27, this lounge is years away. View from the Wing describes a chain of moves. United first moves to a new club on the B Concourse. The Club then takes over the old United Club space. Only after that can Chase build in the space The Club leaves behind. Until then, nothing changes for Sapphire Reserve holders at SEA.

Where to go at SEA today

• The Club SEA on the A Concourse, across from Gate A11, is the space that would eventually become the Sapphire Lounge. It takes Priority Pass and sells day passes when space allows.
• The Club SEA (S) in the South Satellite is the better pick for many international departures.
• The Centurion Lounge on the Central Terminal mezzanine near Gate B3 is for Amex Platinum cardholders.
• Delta Sky Club near Gate A1 and the United Club near Gate A10 serve their own airlines' members. The United Club stays open until United's new club opens.

Before you head to any lounge, check your card's current terms, because lounge programs have changed often this year.

Related lounge guides

The Club SEA (SEA) · The Club SEA South Satellite (SEA) · The Centurion Lounge (SEA) · Delta Sky Club A (SEA) · United Club (SEA)