Three years after opening its first U.S. lounge, Chase is still exploring how best to make each new one feel local. Along those lines, the finance brand debuted its ninth Sapphire Lounge at Dallas Fort Worth International Airport (DFW) on July 16—in a space that’s uniquely Dallas.
Beyond now-standardized Sapphire Lounge elements—blond wood floors, a central bar under a brass canopy, a signature burger on the menu, among others—there are nods to the Dallas-Fort Worth area throughout.
Texas whiskey takes center stage. Semi-hidden behind the bar area is Chase’s first whiskey lounge. That includes a custom barrel selection exclusive to Chase, all served over ice embossed with a horseshoe. Hair-on-hide walls created by Dallas-based artist Kyle Bunting provide a rustic (but still refined) look.
The 40-seat whiskey lounge doubles as an area for Texas sports fans, with sleek mirrored TVs for watching the big game. Dana Pouwels, head of airport lounge benefits at Chase, noted that the only other Chase lounge with screens is at Philadelphia International Airport (PHL), as that city has a rabid sports culture too.
Sit back and relax in a lounge space that has Dallas-style touches throughout.
Photo by Jonathan Bumble/Courtesy of Chase
Elsewhere, travelers can book a 30-minute facial with a Face Haus esthetician, on a first-come, first-served basis. Two treatment rooms, along with two reservable relaxation pods and a shower suite, complete the wellness area. Peloton stretches and meditations made exclusively for the lounge are available on guests’ own phones and tablets.
At the farthest end of the lounge, a hallway leads to a family room with children’s games and a dedicated seating area, a private nursing room, and restrooms, alongside cozier semiprivate loungers.
Near the entrance is a grab-and-go fridge with a variety of snacks and drinks, a concept that might not be available in the future. Pouwels says Chase is currently “testing” the entryway space during peak periods, when travelers may want to grab something quickly and go rather than sit down.
Where to find the new Chase Sapphire lounge at DFW
The 18,000-square-foot sanctuary in DFW’s Terminal D, near Gate D25, consists of one long corridor broken up into various relaxation, dining, and wellness zones, with interior-facing views of the check-in area.
A focal point of the lounge is a Texas whiskey bar.
Photo by Jonathan Bumbe/Courtesy of Chase
Growing competition among travel credit cards in Dallas
These days, travelers have a plethora of lounge options at DFW, and it’s now a haven for premium credit cardholders seeking access. Within a few minutes’ walk of Chase’s new space are two of its rivals. A 12,500-square-foot Centurion Lounge opposite Gate D12 (currently undergoing an expansion due to complete in 2027) is for travelers with an Amex Platinum card, while Capital One’s 10,000-square-foot lounge near Gate D22 is for those carrying a Capital One Venture X card.
Chase’s space is the largest of the three, but the dining and bar concepts are what set this lounge apart. Local flourishes abound. Encina, the Bishop Arts District restaurant, serves dishes like a Southern pulled chicken with apple and celery slaw and blue corn butterscotch pancakes.
“From design conception, we asked how we can bring Texas to the Sapphire Lounge,” Pouwels told Afar during a preopening event this week.
“We want each [lounge] experience to be different,” Pouwels said. That includes obvious elements, like a Dallas-focused food-and-beverage program, but it also extends to more minute details. For instance, where previous lounges had dome lights in the dining area, Pouwels’s team went with “a more Texas” gold shingle fixture.
How to access the new Chase Sapphire lounge at DFW
Most travelers can get access to the DFW lounge through the Chase Sapphire Reserve card, and up to two guests are allowed in at no charge. (Among the premium credit cards from the major banks, Chase has the most generous guest policy.) Next up, Chase says a Sapphire Lounge at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) is due within the year.
