Review: Chase Sapphire Lounge Hong Kong
The content on this page includes affiliate links. While clicking on these links won't cost you anything extra, we may earn a modest commission from any purchases.
We had a flight connection at Hong Kong International Airport after a long flight from Frankfurt before continuing to Bali, Indonesia. Considering our long journey, we decided to unwind at Chase Sapphire Lounge in Terminal 1 West Hall of Hong Kong International Airport. Please read the article about how we rated this well-situated lounge.
Covered in the Article
Hong Kong International Airport
Hong Kong International Airport is a busy hub in Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (SAR). While it serves millions of passengers annually, most travellers have flight connections at the airport. Hong Kong International Airport is also a hub for a few airlines, notably the flag carrier of Hong Kong Cathay Pacific.
Hong Kong Inernational Airport has two terminals. Terminal 1 is one of the largest terminal buildings in the world. From this terminal, passengers can fly to Mainland China and different international destinations.
Terminal 1 is Y-shaped with tens of gates. In addition, there is Midfield Concourse on the west with 20 parking stands and T1 Satellite Concourse on the north with ten jet bridges. Midfield Concourse can serve long-haul flights, but Satellite Concourse is only for short-haul routes. You can reach Midfield Concourse by Automated People Mover train and T1 Satellite Concourse via a bridge from the main terminal.
Terminal 2 of Hong Kong International Airport is temporarily closed. It used to be a check-in and arrival area for a few airlines.
Our Visit to Chase Sapphire Lounge
We arrived in Hong Kong from Frankfurt. Before we reached Terminal 1's departure area, we had to show our boarding passes and passports to an automated gate and then pass a security check. This took only 15 minutes, and soon, we were in the West Hall of Terminal 1. This time, we decided to visit Chase Sapphire Lounge by Club, which could be accessed by Priority Pass. Priority Pass comes with many credit cards, which we got as a perk of American Express Platinum. Earlier, we had asignificantt lounge visit at the Plaza Premium Lounge in East Hall. However, we chose to visit Chase Sapphire Lounge this time as it was closer to us when we arrived at the West Hall of Hong Kong International Airport.
Arrival at the Lounge
Terminal 1 is massive but easy to navigate. We followed Priority Pass instructions on finding Chase Sapphire Lounge, and we could see the location quickly. The lounge was on the second floor of West Hall near Gate 40. The second floor is officially Level 7 of Hong Kong International Airport.
You must take escalators/elevators to the second floor to reach the lounge.
Upon arrival to the lounge, the staff at the reception were friendly. They checked our Priority Pass and boarding passes fast, and after a moment, we got in. It was early morning, so the lounge was still quite empty. We could choose the seats with the best views.
Chase Sapphire Lounge welcomes passengers with Priority Pass and LoungeKey memberships and a similar membership. For walk-in customers, we recommend Plaza Premium Lounge in East Hall since it can be pre-booked with money.
Facilities
We were quickly surprised at how big Chase Sapphire Lounge was. It had a dining area, staffed bar, working area and many other areas for relaxing with nice chairs. The lounge also looked spacious because it was not a closed area, but from the outside view, it appeared more like a balcony at the corner of West Hall. On the right side of the lounge, you could see the departure area a floor below, and on the left side, there's a tarmac view through large glass windows.
The lounge had clean toilets with nice lighting but no showers. There was a manned bar where you could order alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks. The lounge had many different chairs for relaxing, working tables and a dining area. The premises looked new, and the lounge was nicely decorated. It was comfortable to spend time in this spacious yet quiet lounge.
The lounge was not crowded early in the morning.
Food and Drinks
The lounge had a dining area where mainly Chinese food was served from a buffet. The area was occupied especially by Asian travellers who were eating similarly as if it were a normal scene in food stalls in big Asian cities. The buffet had Asian food and Western food options. Another buffet table served salad, cheese, and ham. Some fresh fruits were available, like bananas and apples.
Eating in the dining area was not mandatory, but the food could be taken anywhere in the lounge. There were even QR codes on tables to order food as a service. For some reason, this food selection contained only hot soup and waffles. This could be because the lounge had a warm buffet open during our visit. If Cathay Pacific had not served us warm meals during the previous flight, we would have loved to try the lounge's on-demand food service, too.
Coffee, soft drinks and warm drinks could be taken from self-service machines. Also, juice and water were available.
Services
Besides tasty food and drinks, the lounge had a well-working Wi-Fi. Power sockets were available everywhere, and as a surprise, EU plugs could be used without adaptors. The lounge had big gate information screens, so it was easy to stay informed about your next flight.
Rating
We rate Chase Sapphire Lounge by Club as a 4.5-star lounge. The manned bar, stylish design and extensive premises made the lounge an excellent place to visit. As usual, warm food was a nice extra, and a separate dining area attracted Asian customers, especially.
With shower facilities and an even better food selection, we would have given the full five stars.
The lounge also had a VIP area, but unfortunately, we couldn't visit it.
Bottom Line
While connecting this time at Hong Kong International Airport, we had two choices: To visit Plaza Premium Lounge or Chase Sapphire Lounge in West Hall. We ended up choosing Chase Sapphire Lounge as it was new to us. And yes, we were not disappointed on our lounge visit.
The lounge's perfect location, and the staff were friendly. Like most restaurants in Hong Kong, you can scan a QR code on your table to order food. The precook food options are good but quite narrow. Asian customers would appreciate it if more Hong Kong foods could be ordered from the menu. Chase Sapphire Lounge is a new lounge that opened in October 2022, so it has new, comfortable seating, is not busy, and has bright natural lighting with a great view from the tarmac. It has ample space, and overall, the lounge is incredibly well-designed. We had an excellent breakfast, and the atmosphere was relaxing. The lounge offers a suitable workplace with plenty of work desks, comfy seatings, and a reliable Wi-Fi service. For visitors who are longing for their favourite alcoholic drinks, they would like this lounge's full bar. Again, the lounge rating for Chase Sapphire Lounge would have been full stars. Still, with the absence of shower facilities (many passengers have long hours of layovers in Hong Kong International Airport) and quite narrow food options, it would be 4.5 this time.
What is your favourite lounge in Hong Kong Airport? Comment below!
Add Comment
Comments (1)
How far is the longue from a boarding gate? How many minutes do I have to spare?