Chase, Amex or Capital One: which bank has the best lounge network?
Three banks now run their own airport lounges. Amex has the most, Chase is the most generous with guests, and Capital One costs the least.
Chase, American Express and Capital One each run their own airport lounges now, open to holders of their top cards: the Sapphire Lounge by The Club for the Chase Sapphire Reserve, the Centurion Lounge for the Amex Platinum and the Capital One Lounge for the Venture X. Each wins on something different: Amex on the number of lounges, Chase on guests, Capital One on the annual fee.
| Sapphire Lounge | Centurion Lounge | Capital One Lounge | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Card | Chase Sapphire Reserve, $795 a year | Amex Platinum, $895 a year | Capital One Venture X, $395 a year |
| Free guests | Two | None, unless $75,000 a year is spent on the card | None, unless $75,000 a year is spent on the card |
| Each extra guest | $27 | $50; $30 for ages 2–17 | $45; $25 for 17 and under |
| Guests on the same flight | Not required | Required | Not required |
| Extra cardholders | Get in ($195 each) | Additional Platinum cards get in ($195 each) | $125 a year each to add lounge access |
| Entry | Within 3 hours of departure | Within 3 hours; 5 hours on a layover | Within 3 hours; longer on a connection |
| US locations | 8, with Los Angeles next | 16, plus a Sidecar in Las Vegas; Boston and Newark next | 5 Lounges and 2 smaller Landings; Charlotte next |
| Abroad | None | London, Hong Kong, Tokyo, Amsterdam | None |
| Partner lounges | Priority Pass Select, 2 guests free; select Air Canada lounges, 1 guest free | Priority Pass, Escape and Plaza Premium, 2 guests free | Priority Pass; guests $35 each |
Most lounges: Amex
The Centurion network is twice the size. There are 16 Centurion Lounges in the US plus a smaller Sidecar in Las Vegas, with Boston and Newark next, and four abroad in London, Hong Kong, Tokyo and Amsterdam. Chase has eight Sapphire Lounges (Boston, Dallas–Fort Worth, New York JFK and LaGuardia, Las Vegas, Philadelphia, Phoenix and San Diego) with Los Angeles coming. Capital One has five lounges (Dallas–Fort Worth, Denver, Washington Dulles, Las Vegas, New York JFK) and two smaller Landings at Washington National and LaGuardia, with Charlotte next.
For anyone based in Atlanta, Miami, Seattle or Houston, the Platinum is the practical choice: each city has a Centurion Lounge and no Sapphire Lounge. The Platinum also brings two free guests into Priority Pass, Escape and Plaza Premium lounges, so away from Amex’s own doors its guest policy matches Chase’s.
Most generous with guests: Chase
Lounge visits are rarely solo. A partner, a colleague, a parent with two children: the real question at the door is who pays for them.
- Sapphire Lounge: two guests come in free with the cardholder, and a third costs $27. Authorized users on the Reserve get in on their own cards too.
- Centurion Lounge: every guest pays $50, or $30 for ages 2 to 17, and every guest has to be on the cardholder’s flight. A friend on a different flight home can’t come in at all.
- Capital One Lounge: every guest pays $45, or $25 for 17 and under. Only the primary cardholder gets in free; anyone else on the account costs $125 a year.
Amex and Capital One waive guest fees for cardholders who spend $75,000 or more on the card in a calendar year, a bar most households never reach. Chase sets no spending bar.
| Guest fees for ten visits a year | Sapphire Lounge | Centurion Lounge | Capital One Lounge |
|---|---|---|---|
| With a partner | $0 | $500 | $450 |
| With two friends | $0 | $1,000 | $900 |
| Family of four (two adults, two children aged 2–17) | $270 | $1,100 | $950 |
The same ten visits at a Sapphire Lounge cost nothing extra.
And what is inside
The Points Guy (TPG) named the Sapphire Lounge network the best credit card lounge network in its 2026 awards, citing its guest policies, amenities and menus. Each location leans on its city: a Champagne lounge in Las Vegas, a family room in San Diego, a complimentary facial in Philadelphia. Everything inside is included; only the Reserve Suites at LaGuardia, booked ahead, cost extra.
Which card fits
- Home airport has a Centurion Lounge and no Sapphire Lounge: the Platinum.
- Usually traveling with a partner, friends or family: the Sapphire Reserve.
- Mostly solo, and the fee matters most: the Venture X, at $395 a year, with the smallest network.
- $75,000 or more a year on one card: guests become free at Amex and Capital One too.
The Atelier Take
There is no single winner. Amex has the bigger network, with 16 Centurion Lounges in the US and four abroad. Chase is the better host for company, with two guests free and no spending bar. Capital One is the lowest-cost way in for anyone who travels alone.
Every benefit and its catch in the Sapphire Reserve review, the Platinum review and the Venture X review, or set them side by side in the card compare tool.
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