00:00:00:01 - 00:00:05:07
Chris
Chase just opened their ninth Sapphire Lounge in Dallas Fort Worth, and we were there before the crowds.
00:00:05:07 - 00:00:18:07
Katie
And we have thoughts. These lounges have a lot of hype around them. So today we're giving you an honest breakdown of what's actually inside, who can get in, and whether or not they're worth it. For a car that costs $795 a year.
00:00:18:08 - 00:00:26:08
Chris
Before that, I'll share my stay at the brand new era in Midtown New York. It's right next to Rockefeller Center, and I booked it entirely on points.
00:00:26:11 - 00:00:39:18
Katie
And finally I got my passport back. And I'll tell you how the story ended. It's all coming up next on the Upgraded Points podcast.
00:00:39:20 - 00:00:42:22
Chris
Hey, I'm Chris. Welcome to the Upgraded Points podcast.
00:00:42:22 - 00:01:08:02
Katie
And I'm Katie and today we are talking about Chris's Kimpton stay in New York City. I got my passport back and I'll tell you all about it. There's a Rome sale that is going to be ending soon. And then we are talking about Chase Sapphire Lounges and whether or not they are actually worth the hype. Before we jump into that, don't forget a free way to support the show is by leaving us a five star rating and review on Apple Podcast or Spotify.
00:01:08:02 - 00:01:19:23
Katie
We really appreciate that. And if you have questions or comments for us, you can reach us at podcasts at upgraded points. So let's start with Chris. You just went to New York City. How was it?
00:01:20:00 - 00:01:40:06
Chris
I did it was excellent. And I finally redeemed some itchy points, which I don't know. For some reason, I've just been having a lot of trouble redeeming them. But this is the second or third time I've got some great value in New York City with itchy points, which just feels crazy to say. My family and I, we stayed at the Kimpton Air in Midtown New York.
00:01:40:07 - 00:01:58:18
Chris
This hotel just opened up like 3 or 4 months ago. Dan did a full review on upgraded points, so we'll drop that that link in the in the show notes. But I was really surprised at how nice it was. I mean, I read his review and we had actually written about this hotel, you know, as it was being built.
00:01:58:18 - 00:02:17:01
Chris
So I was actually really looking forward to it. It's on 30. The address is 32 West 48th Street. It's right next to Rockefeller Center. And we were there at the. Yeah, we were there at the end of the World Cup two, and they had a big watch party there. So we were just walking in there and it was just really nice vibes and it was fun.
00:02:17:01 - 00:02:40:12
Chris
But we stayed for two nights Saturday and Sunday night. The first night was 65,000 points, which I paid for, and then the second night was 45,000. And since I had IHG premiere card, I used my free night certificate, which was 40,000 points, and all I had to do was add 5000 points to that to to get their second night.
00:02:40:12 - 00:03:01:11
Chris
So that was a great redemption. Rates were Saturday night was expensive. It was like in the 400. There was that big Jay-Z concert. So like the city was busy Sunday night. There's still a show, but it was less busy. So but either way, it was it was a good redemption. And Katie, I know you are waiting to hear.
00:03:01:15 - 00:03:03:15
Chris
I did say the secret password.
00:03:03:16 - 00:03:06:11
Katie
Oh my gosh, how did it go? Tell me all about it.
00:03:06:13 - 00:03:10:18
Chris
It was super awkward.
00:03:10:20 - 00:03:17:07
Chris
I'm just kidding. It was fine. I'll drop. I'll drop a link. So if you drop the video in the show.
00:03:17:09 - 00:03:18:13
Katie
Me how.
00:03:18:15 - 00:03:19:20
Chris
I feel myself.
00:03:19:21 - 00:03:21:00
Katie
Because I.
00:03:21:02 - 00:03:38:06
Chris
Love it. We checked in early and we got there like, 8 a.m., dropped our bags off and I forgot to say it. Let me dropped our bags off. But when I picked up the keys, I then I said it. So I put my phone down and recorded this. So on the. You're watching on YouTube, you'll be able to see the awkward interaction.
00:03:38:08 - 00:03:46:11
Chris
And I was told to say that things are in bloom and out of office at the moment. I don't know if that means anything to you. Yeah.
00:03:46:13 - 00:04:07:19
Chris
But it was great because I said it and we got free drink certificates and my dad and his wife were staying as well, and they said it and they got breakfast certificates. So between all of us, we got like some solid value. They ended up giving us their breakfast certificates and I mean breakfast in New York City. It was like a they had a preset menu.
00:04:07:19 - 00:04:28:12
Chris
But I mean, the kids got pancakes. I got like an avocado toast. I mean, you talking like $30 plates. Drinks were like $20 in the bar, so there was some serious value there. So if you are staying at a Campton, don't forget to say the secret password. This one ends August 31st. I think it's in bloom and out of office.
00:04:28:12 - 00:04:32:00
Chris
So you still have probably a couple couple more days when this episode goes live.
00:04:32:00 - 00:04:34:03
Katie
I'm doing it in a few weeks.
00:04:34:05 - 00:04:58:17
Chris
Yeah. All right. Remember, because it's worth it. But for the hotel itself, it's brand new hotel. Really nice design. The rooms were really tight, but really well designed. So we had two queen beds for the four of us, I mean, my wife and two kids. But we had incredible views of the Empire State Building, and we had like a little sliver of Times Square as well.
00:04:58:21 - 00:05:15:06
Chris
It just really nice. The gym was very good. It was a happy hour every day from 5 to 6 with free beer and wine, something free. In New York, it's crazy free coffee in the lobby each morning because there was no coffee maker in the room, because everything was just so small. But it was fine. It worked out.
00:05:15:07 - 00:05:40:18
Chris
The only negative that I have with the hotel was the WiFi. We were on like 36th floor in the back corner and I could barely get a signal. So I actually had to go down to the lobby to upload our podcast. And it took, it took like two hours to upload the podcast. Yeah, it was ridiculous. And I even tried the Starbucks next door, and even then I couldn't do it.
00:05:40:18 - 00:06:07:10
Chris
So can't blame. I mean, Starbucks couldn't. I don't know if I was expecting more from Starbucks, but that was the only the biggest complaint. But overall great stay super value with it points. And then it's a great location obviously. And it's a brand new hotel. It was really good. I mean, the rooms are tight, so if you're traveling with the family for make sure you get the two beds, but otherwise highly recommended.
00:06:07:11 - 00:06:13:04
Katie
Yeah. Sounds great. Great redemption. Their points prices are really reasonable, especially for now.
00:06:13:04 - 00:06:21:17
Chris
It's crazy. Yeah, yeah, that was that. Let's hear about the passport Katie. Because I am we've all been on on eggshells waiting.
00:06:21:18 - 00:06:43:00
Katie
Same. Yeah. So yeah, if you have no idea what we're talking about, go back to last week's episode and I explained all about how I lost my passport and the the path that I took to try to get it back, which included going to Chicago for no reason. So if you didn't hear that story, go back to last week and listen.
00:06:43:01 - 00:07:07:18
Katie
The good news is I have a passport now, so I feel whole. Once again, it is weird because it's like not the same number. It's not the same picture. Like it feels very foreign to me to like hold this thing and know that it's my passport. So I ended up doing the expedited shipping along with or I'm sorry, the expedited processing along with the like overnight 2 to 3 day shipping.
00:07:07:18 - 00:07:26:22
Katie
There was like two like one way it was overnight and the other day was two days shipping, which was the absolute quickest, most you could you could do because I told them to give me every upgrade possible. And from the day that I went to the post office to submit everything to the day that I had my passport in hand was nine days.
00:07:26:22 - 00:07:50:12
Katie
So okay, really good news if you're traveling, you know, pretty soon I was trying to think back because we renewed my daughter's last year and it was a regular renewal. We didn't pay for anything and I think we had hers in like three weeks. So I think sometimes they can come pretty quick. But I was traveling from that day, four weeks from that day, and I was not going to mess around.
00:07:50:18 - 00:08:10:03
Katie
So nine days with the expedited shipping and expedited processing. So I thought that was pretty good. I did pay like I think it was like $36 for the extra shipping, $60 for the expedited processing. And then because I lost it, I had to pay for like a new passport. I didn't get to do the renewal because it's lost.
00:08:10:04 - 00:08:28:16
Katie
So you have to treat it as a brand new passport, which is a higher price. But like whatever, I didn't care. I wanted my passport back, so I should be good to go. One tip if you are in the situation, you lost your passport and you have a new one. Go into your trusted traveler programs like Global Entry and change your passport number.
00:08:28:17 - 00:08:58:06
Katie
Because this is something that did not occur to me until my husband mentioned it. And it, you know, it's connected to your passport number. And so had I not done that, none of that would have showed up on my next international trip. So great tip. Yeah. Make sure you update all of that. So happy ending there. One other thing I wanted to mention one of our favorite tools for award searches is called Rome, and they have been having a great sale.
00:08:58:07 - 00:09:21:14
Katie
Saving 25% on Friends of Rome subscriptions and that is ending soon. You have through August 16th of this year, so a couple weeks from when this publishes to save 25%. This is for new subscribers only. And you can do this on the monthly or the yearly subscription. If you do it on the monthly, though, it only saves the 25% off the first month.
00:09:21:14 - 00:09:43:19
Katie
But if you only maybe need a short period, it could make sense. If it's a tool that you think you're going to use a lot, go for the year. The years already discounted 30% from like the full price. When you top in this 25% discount, it ends up being like just about 50% off the like full regular price.
00:09:43:19 - 00:09:57:18
Katie
So totally worth it. If that is something you think you're going to use, you can use the code up 25 to save 25%, and we will drop that link in the show notes. So you can go read a little bit more about the Friends of Rome subscription.
00:09:57:23 - 00:10:22:17
Chris
All right. Well, let's move on to our main segment. And today we're going to be talking about Chase Sapphire Lounges, their new location and whether they're worth it. So Chase just opened their ninth Sapphire Lounge in Dallas Fort Worth. This opened on July 16th. We were invited to the media preview before it officially opened, so we came away with a really clear picture of what these lounges do well and kind of where they fall short.
00:10:22:17 - 00:10:24:09
Chris
So Katie, let me kick that off to you.
00:10:24:14 - 00:10:45:06
Katie
Yeah. So I was able to go to the media preview, which was a day before the lounge opened to the public. And it's a really great opportunity to to see what's happening right off the bat. And it's really cool to see a brand new lounge. This is the ninth Sapphire Lounge in the US. It was about 18,000ft², which I think makes it the third largest in the network.
00:10:45:06 - 00:11:07:14
Katie
So it's a really good size. It is in terminal D by gate D 25, and it's open from 5 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily. So if you're familiar with DFW, this is kind of right around the corner from the Capital One Lounge. And then I believe the Centurion Lounge is also in that terminal. So if you are flying at a terminal D at DFW, you have all the options.
00:11:07:14 - 00:11:08:00
Chris
Options?
00:11:08:00 - 00:11:35:10
Katie
Yeah, yeah. Really really really good for for travelers at Dallas. So if you've been to more than one Chase Sapphire Lounge, you know they all kind of look the same. They have very similar design esthetics and typical features that you're going to see in every lounge, like the the big fireplace. I think it's a water vapor fireplace and it's absolutely gorgeous.
00:11:35:10 - 00:11:55:12
Katie
You're going to find that in basically every lounge. Then you will see subtle hints as to where you are. And this lounge in Dallas followed that exact same formula. You walk in, you know, you are in HS Chase Sapphire Lounge, and then when you look a little closer, you know, you're in Texas. There's, you know, cowboy photos on the walls in the kids room.
00:11:55:12 - 00:12:17:02
Katie
There's some horse themes. There was and I didn't see this. But at the bar they were stamping like a horseshoe on, like the big ice blocks. So very similar to other lounges where, you know, you're in Chase, but then you look a little closer and you know where you are in the world. There were two beverage centers.
00:12:17:02 - 00:12:35:02
Katie
So you walk in and you see the big signature fireplace, really gorgeous lounge area, lots of nice seating. You've got your two beverage centers, and this is where you're going to find your soft drinks and your fancy waters and your teas and your cold brew and your espresso machines and all of that. There's one kind of in the front.
00:12:35:02 - 00:12:59:21
Katie
There's one kind of in the back. There's a central bar that serves signature cocktails that can be made with or without alcohol, which is always a really nice touch. I'm not really a drinker, so it's always nice to go get a nice cocktail that is made with nonalcoholic spirits. And they really do put the thought into the nonalcoholic versions, which is always nice if you're into the real alcoholic versions, though, they have the full bar there, as usual.
00:12:59:21 - 00:13:22:04
Katie
But then the first ever within the Chase Sapphire Lounge network Whiskey Lounge. So. And it's not obvious, I think if you didn't know it was there, you could easily miss it. It's behind the bar, so there's two entrances on either side of the bar. You go back and you are in a whiskey lounge. There was a cart where you could do a whiskey tasting with food pairings.
00:13:22:07 - 00:13:45:19
Katie
There was, you know, chocolates and cheeses and things. And it was a really cool space. There was like one wall that had this blue, like kind of a cow hide or hair kind of texture, just really cool. There was, you know, modern marbles. So it was very like Texas design elements mixed with very modern elements, which I just it looked great.
00:13:45:19 - 00:14:03:12
Katie
And there was a lot of seating back there, along with some other drinks. You know, they had some fridges with other drinks. So that's probably I'm guessing going to be an area maybe that is less crowded than the rest of the lounge because it's not as obvious. So definitely go back there. And it's the only one in the Chase Sapphire Lounge network.
00:14:03:14 - 00:14:23:19
Katie
The buffet is towards the back of the lounge. The lounge ends up getting very skinny and long, so there's kind of like just a long hallway that goes back. You'll find your full buffet. They did have the QR code so you could order things directly to your table, which is always nice. They have a lot of the signature dishes that you're going to find at Chase Sapphire Lounges, like the Sapphire Burger.
00:14:23:19 - 00:14:45:11
Katie
I think they have that at every lounge. But then they had Texas inspired options. They had these blue corn butterscotch pancakes, which after I was at the lounge, I was watching some other content from some of the other media that was there, and they all raved about them, and I didn't try them because honestly, they looked really terrible.
00:14:45:13 - 00:15:11:16
Katie
Like they weren't. They just didn't look amazing. So I didn't try them. And I really wish I did because everyone said they were amazing. There was like a slab bacon with cheddar grits and southern pulled chicken with apple and celery slaw. So a lot of very Texas inspired things. All of that is done in partnership with a local restaurant that I cannot remember the name, but I will drop the link to my review and it includes all that information.
00:15:11:19 - 00:15:32:17
Katie
There's some seating along big windows that do not look out onto the terminal, but it looks out onto the check in area. So you do get some sense of natural light, but you're not looking out onto a runway or seeing planes or anything. There's a nursing room there for moms and babies. There's a family room for kids with.
00:15:32:18 - 00:15:55:22
Katie
They have like some cartoons playing, some small tables and chairs and things for kids just to like, you know, be kids, which is always nice. They have a face house, spa, so you can go in and get a complimentary facial. I think it's a 30 minute treatment if you have a, if you have time for that, go in and put yourself on the list immediately because those do fill up.
00:15:55:22 - 00:16:14:18
Katie
So it can be hard to get those appointments. There were two relaxation rooms that you could book where you can just go in, and it's a private room. You get like a little eye mask and you can play with the lights and a nice comfy chair. There's showers there. So it's just a really a really well done lounge.
00:16:14:19 - 00:16:31:14
Katie
The other cool thing about this one that's a little bit different, when you first go in, you check in right by the front desk. There's a grab and go section, and if you didn't know any better, you would think you were in a Capital One lounge. It has that vibe. It's the very same because this is not something we have seen at Chase Sapphire Lounges.
00:16:31:14 - 00:16:48:16
Katie
They generally, up until now, do not have any grab and go. So they're testing that concept here. So a really nice spot with a, you know, a coffee machine. You can get a coffee to go. They had some prepackaged I think like sandwiches, little salad things. Just some things. If you if you've been to a Capital One lounge it's going to be that same vibe.
00:16:48:17 - 00:17:00:21
Katie
So I was really happy to see that. Overall it was a great lounge, gorgeous space. I would absolutely go there when I'm flying through DFW. It's a fantastic spot.
00:17:00:22 - 00:17:15:07
Chris
That sounds really nice. I mean, it's right near the flagship lunch. I'm just thinking about my personal travels. When I go through DFW, I'm usually on American. Yeah, so I'll be up in that flagship bunch, but if it's nearby, maybe it's time to swap my priority pass there.
00:17:15:08 - 00:17:41:04
Katie
Yeah, yeah, I've not been to the flagship lounge there. Usually when I'm at DFW, I go to the Capital One Lounge. I've tried to go to the Centurion, but it's always packed. Although the Capital One Lounge can be always packed too. So I mean, hopefully this. I can be completely wrong here, but maybe this will alleviate some of the the the crowds at the Centurion and Capital One, because I'm sure a lot of people have all three of those or two of those.
00:17:41:04 - 00:17:47:21
Katie
So maybe it'll disperse crowds a little bit more. I don't know, I heard on the first day it was pretty busy. So we'll see.
00:17:47:22 - 00:17:48:22
Chris
You know, you would assume.
00:17:49:00 - 00:17:54:17
Katie
Once, once crowds level out. But it's a gorgeous space and you should definitely go check it out if you can.
00:17:54:18 - 00:18:11:09
Chris
Well, let's take a break. And when we come back, we're going to talk about how to actually get into these beautiful lounges and all about the other locations as well.
00:18:11:11 - 00:18:18:00
Chris
Hey, real quick, before we jump back in, if you're listening to this podcast, you're exactly the kind of person we build our free newsletter for.
00:18:18:01 - 00:18:28:05
Katie
We break down the best credit card offers, transfer bonuses, award alerts, and travel news that actually matters. No fluff, no spam, just the stuff we text a friend if something big dropped.
00:18:28:06 - 00:18:33:00
Chris
A lot of the deals we talk about on the show don't last long. The newsletter is where we flag those fast.
00:18:33:03 - 00:18:45:09
Katie
It's totally free and you can sign up at upgraded points.
00:18:45:11 - 00:19:08:04
Chris
Okay. Welcome back. We are talking about Chase Sapphire Lounges by the club today. And to get into these lounges, the easiest way is with the Chase Sapphire Reserve card. And now this is a premium card with a premium price tag. But one of the biggest benefits is access to these beautiful Chase Sapphire lounges. But we want to know, are they as good as the hype?
00:19:08:04 - 00:19:31:07
Chris
Yeah, Katy just went to a brand new one, but what about all the other ones? So let's go down the list of the other locations. And right now there are nine. There's one in Boston, Las Vegas, JFK, LaGuardia, Phoenix, Philadelphia, San Diego and Washington Dulles. That's in addition to the Dallas Fort DFW that Katy just visited. And there are actually two more coming as well.
00:19:31:07 - 00:19:54:10
Chris
There's one coming to Los Angeles at LAX, and there's even plans for one in Miami. Now, if you you have the Chase Chase, Sapphire Reserve card, the business or the personal version, you will have access to that to the lounge as well as Ritz-Carlton cardholders. And now where it gets interesting is you will get access for you and two guests.
00:19:54:12 - 00:20:15:23
Chris
And that's something we don't see very often, especially amongst the big three of Capital One, American Express and Chase. So you get two guests complimentary to go with you. Additional guests are $27, which is still a pretty good deal. Pretty reasonable to go. Yeah, go get one of those Chase Sapphire burgers and a whiskey that's you already made your money back.
00:20:16:00 - 00:20:33:20
Chris
Kids under two are free, which is pretty common. The only negative, really, with the admission is that you can only enter within three hours of your flight, even on a layover. So, yeah, it's tough. You really need to time yourself, especially if you want to do any of those spa treatments in there too, and really, really have to.
00:20:33:21 - 00:20:34:12
Katie
You got to have some.
00:20:34:12 - 00:20:55:21
Chris
Luck either. Yeah, because sometimes there's a lounge allying to so you could get there three hours before your flight and then get in line. Yeah. One other benefit. I don't have the Chase Sapphire Reserve card, but I love going to Chase Sapphire Lounges because I have cards that come with Priority Pass. And if you have a Priority Pass membership, you can get access to these lounges once per calendar year.
00:20:55:21 - 00:21:17:10
Chris
So I actually have two priority passes and so does my wife. So between us we have four annual passes essentially to these lounges because the full name of the lounge is the Chase Sapphire Lounge by the club. The club is owned by Padi Pass or it has a membership with Priority Pass. So that's how the that connection happens.
00:21:17:10 - 00:21:24:11
Chris
So if you have a priority pass but you don't have a Chase Sapphire Reserve card, you still have access to these lounges once a year.
00:21:24:12 - 00:21:52:00
Katie
Yeah. And that's that's a pretty unique thing among these, you know, big, big lounge networks. So let's go over some of the positives and then some of the negatives because it's not all sunshine and roses. There's a lot of sunshine and roses, but it's not all perfect. So let's talk about the positives first because that's more fun. The biggest perk for me for these lounges is that I can bring in two guests for free, and that means that I can bring in my husband and daughter for free to the lounge, even though I only have one Sapphire Reserve card.
00:21:52:00 - 00:22:18:18
Katie
And that's unique among the big three lounge networks Capital One Century and and Chase. And on top of that, they have top tier amenities. There is a game room in Philadelphia, there's Spa in Dallas, LaGuardia and San Diego. In Boston, they have the room with those full chair massages. Word of warning, though, you're going to want to buy one after you visit, and it will be the most expensive lounge resort of your life.
00:22:18:19 - 00:22:19:06
Chris
Ask Katie.
00:22:19:06 - 00:22:22:19
Katie
How she likes.
00:22:22:21 - 00:22:40:02
Katie
Generally, the food is really good, top quality food that you can order both from your table or from the buffet. And then the other amazing thing is what Chris just said is they're accessible without a Chase Sapphire Reserve card once a year, as long as you have the Priority pass, which is super cool.
00:22:40:04 - 00:23:04:02
Chris
Very cool, very cool. I'll head over to the negatives. I'll be the Negative Nancy today. There's only nine locations, so it's a small network, and it does have one of the stricter policies when it comes to how long you can be there and what you can do during a layover. So Capital 1st May what capital One allows access on any layover, right.
00:23:04:03 - 00:23:24:20
Katie
They still allow you to come in anytime. And I did this when I was in Dallas because I flew in in the morning and my flight later wasn't until that later that afternoon. So I was there. And that's a huge benefit of Capital One. And then like we talked about I think last week is when we talked about it, since Centurion just changed their limits to five hours.
00:23:24:20 - 00:23:40:03
Katie
So Chase has the worst policy when it comes to going on a layover, which is frustrating because sometimes there's a three hour wait to get into a spa appointment or an appointment for the massage chair, so it doesn't. I don't like that. I don't like that at all.
00:23:40:05 - 00:24:04:02
Chris
Don't like that either. I can't imagine we would see that go the opposite direction. Amex just reduced theirs to five hours. But now when you're looking compared to actually seeing that bad. But yeah, we'll see another negative. Like all premium lounges lately, they do get very crowded. And I mean, that's partly our fault because we talk about these lounges so much because they are really cool and they are really nice, but they will get crowded.
00:24:04:04 - 00:24:29:02
Chris
With the exception of this new lounge in in Dallas, the grab and go options is not something you're going to find at a Chase Sapphire Lounge. Like Katy mentioned, super common with Capital One. We've actually seen a couple options of grab and go at at Centurion Lounges, but that's only because the lines have gotten so long that they're just handing stuff out because they're feeling bad about their members not getting into their lounge.
00:24:29:06 - 00:24:36:03
Katie
Well, and they have that new sidecar by Centurion that they're starting to introduce to you, which which is a great option.
00:24:36:05 - 00:25:00:17
Chris
Yeah. And we're seeing that more and more. I mean United has a grab and go option. American is doing this provisions grab and go. So I think we are seeing all this pressure and all these lines. And at least we are seeing the airlines and banks try to do something different to alleviate alleviate this pressure. The biggest negative I think we can all agree on is that it's not cheap to get into these lounges.
00:25:00:21 - 00:25:23:01
Chris
You really need the Chase Sapphire Reserve if you want to go more than once per year, and that costs $795. Or if you can get the Ritz-Carlton card, there's some workarounds to get that card. It would be $450 either way, not cheap. But Katie, with all that in mind, what do you think? You know these lounges worth the hype?
00:25:23:03 - 00:25:46:00
Katie
I mean, yeah, they're pretty awesome. But you know, if you're considering getting a Chase Sapphire card, this should not be the only reason you're getting that card. That doesn't make sense. They're not worth it. You know, $800 a year just for that or almost $800 a year. Now, if your home airport has a Chase lounge, maybe that math is different.
00:25:46:01 - 00:26:08:20
Katie
You know, like if your home airport is a DFW, like, cool, you're lucky you've got some great options. So having access can be even more valuable. But but yeah, for me, I mean, the fact that I can bring in my whole family makes a huge difference, even though the the network is very small. Thankfully there in big hubs.
00:26:08:20 - 00:26:30:04
Katie
So when I'm flying internationally, I'm, I tend to fly through one of these hubs. So there's very often a Chase lounge. But I do have access to Capital One lounges and Centurion lounges, but then I can't bring my family in. So for me, I think it's a really, really valuable lounge network and I really, really enjoy them, you know?
00:26:30:05 - 00:26:35:01
Katie
I mean, the facials. Come on, get a massage. That's awesome.
00:26:35:03 - 00:26:39:01
Chris
You're in the you're in the sweet spot right now with the two guests. I mean, I think.
00:26:39:03 - 00:26:42:18
Katie
The key is only have one kid. That's where he went wrong, Chris.
00:26:42:20 - 00:26:47:15
Chris
That's the key. I mean, if I had started this hobby earlier, I would have known better. Yeah.
00:26:47:17 - 00:26:49:06
Katie
Poor.
00:26:49:08 - 00:26:57:07
Chris
Poor Tommy. We'll have to get him his own Chase Sapphire reserve. I think we just need to get Chase to open up a location at Columbus, and then you'd be.
00:26:57:07 - 00:26:58:01
Katie
Really wouldn't.
00:26:58:01 - 00:26:59:02
Chris
Have to be the sweet spot.
00:26:59:07 - 00:27:03:18
Katie
Well, as soon as they call me, Chase will talk.
00:27:03:20 - 00:27:24:08
Chris
Yeah. No, I'm a fan. Like I said, I go twice a year because I have two priority pass memberships. There is no Chase Sapphire Lounge in in Brazil, so I really just need to get lucky on a layover where I'm traveling by myself, essentially. So when we fly to Boston, it's usually with the kids. So there's four of us.
00:27:24:08 - 00:27:42:21
Chris
I don't think I've actually tried to use my membership for one of the kids. I'm going to guess they're going to say no to that, but it's it's rare that I actually have the opportunity to go to a Chase lounge. I'll have to be traveling by myself and not have any better options. But every time I go, it is excellent.
00:27:42:22 - 00:28:10:04
Chris
The food is good, the drinks are good, the vibe is good. As long as you can get through the line, you know before your connection. It's really nice. But yeah, like I said, Katie, the having the two guests for free is really a differentiator for someone like you. Or maybe just with a spouse, you can get one of these cards for your family, for your for your setup, and you'd be be pretty good position.
00:28:10:09 - 00:28:27:03
Katie
Yeah. And I don't think we mentioned it, but and correct me if I'm wrong because I don't use the priority pass to get in. The priority pass to get into the Sapphire lounges does not include guests. Is that correct? Because. Correct. Yeah. Okay. So that is one one thing to think about if you're going the priority pass route.
00:28:27:04 - 00:28:47:14
Katie
I mean, it is great that a lot of us in this hobby have multiple cards that have priority passes. Like you say, you and your wife each have two. So that's great because you can, you know, remember all those cards. You have priority passes on every activate every one, and you can get yourself into one of these lounges for essentially free with each one of those priority passes.
00:28:47:14 - 00:29:02:06
Katie
But you can't bring in guests. So, you know, it's kind of a toss up. It's great that they do have that priority pass kind of workaround for, you know, someone traveling as a solo or as a couple, and you each have them. But you know, when you're bringing in the kids, it does help to have that that Sapphire Reserve card.
00:29:02:08 - 00:29:12:21
Katie
But again, I think it just, you know, you got to do the math for yourself and decide if it's worth it. But it's a great benefit of that card. But it's not the only reason. It shouldn't be the only reason you're getting the.
00:29:12:23 - 00:29:28:08
Chris
Not the only reason. But it's also not the only benefit to. So there's a lot of people that can make that 7.95 work without even stepping into a lounge. So just like we talk about in almost every episode, you need to find out what works for you. And maybe it works for me, but not for you or vice versa.
00:29:28:08 - 00:29:28:18
Chris
So.
00:29:28:19 - 00:29:45:03
Katie
Well, well, we love seeing more of these lounges come and we'll definitely, you know, keep you posted on when we find out the LAX lounge is going to open. And then hopefully that Miami one at some point. So we will be covering those as soon as they are open. So let's move on. We have a question this week.
00:29:45:03 - 00:29:46:04
Katie
And Chris.
00:29:46:08 - 00:29:47:10
Chris
This.
00:29:47:12 - 00:30:04:22
Katie
This this question is for me actually. So this is a real situation that I was asking myself a couple of weeks ago. And I thought, I can't be the only one. So I wanted to to get your take on it. So my question is, does it ever make sense to have two city Strata Premier cards in one family?
00:30:04:23 - 00:30:14:18
Katie
My husband and I each have one because we had gotten the bonuses at different times, and the annual fee on mine just hit. Should I keep it or cancel it?
00:30:14:20 - 00:30:40:16
Chris
I have this card. I love this card, but my knee jerk reaction is no, I don't think it has really any other benefits that would justify having two in your own family because I mean, I have the card to get the three x on on dining and groceries and gas. Think not a short time, but either way it's it's a solid card for $95.
00:30:40:20 - 00:31:07:00
Chris
But outside of that, you know, slightly elevated earning for a really good annual fee, there aren't really many benefits. I mean, it has that $100 hotel credit when you spend $500 through the travel portal, but that's something I've never done. So unless you're really taking advantage, I can't imagine that you don't have any other cards in your wallet that might be better off, you know, kind of spending that annual fee.
00:31:07:00 - 00:31:08:05
Chris
Is that what you were thinking?
00:31:08:08 - 00:31:30:00
Katie
Yeah, that was my thoughts exactly. There's no reason for us to have two of these. What I ended up doing is I, I ended up downgrading mine to the city strata card, and I debated I only had, I think, 50,000 city points. So not a huge chunk. And I debated whether I just leave those there or park them.
00:31:30:00 - 00:31:48:08
Katie
And if I ever need to transfer them, I can re-up grade what I ended up doing. And I don't know if this was the right answer. I just transfer them to American Airlines because I know I'm going to get I'm going to be able to use those. I have a couple trips coming up where I'm hoping to use American Airlines miles, so I just transferred those out.
00:31:48:10 - 00:32:06:23
Katie
I have, you know, maybe 300 left. So they're just going to sit there for a while. And I decided to keep my husband's account open because that's the card that I give him for his, like one card. And I decide, you know, it's better to have it in his name. He had more city points already. So yeah, I downloaded mine and we're just keeping one, so.
00:32:07:01 - 00:32:07:05
Chris
Okay.
00:32:07:10 - 00:32:22:23
Katie
I just wanted to sanity check myself because I did for a second think like, you know, like you said that that 100 or 500, I'm like, well, I've never used it. So I'm like, that's silly. Don't keep this card because it has one benefit that you're not going to use so well.
00:32:23:00 - 00:32:25:08
Chris
Good question. Thank you for thank you for writing in.
00:32:25:09 - 00:32:38:07
Katie
Absolutely. Anytime that's going to do it for us. If you have questions that you would like to send in so you don't have to hear my questions, you can reach us at podcast at Upgraded Points and we will see you next week.