Blab Business
American Express and Chase Expand Premium Lounges Beyond Airports to Capture High-Spending Cardholders
When the gates of airports close, the lounges follow.
American Express and JPMorgan Chase are taking their high‑end lounge experience off the tarmac and into music festivals, sporting arenas, and cultural venues. The move dovetails with a steep rise in annual fees: the Amex Platinum now costs $895, and Chase’s Sapphire Reserve is $795, both higher than last year.
The expansion is part of a larger strategy to woo and keep the wealthiest cardholders. The Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia reports that holders of cards with a credit score of 720 or higher—required for both the Sapphire Reserve and Platinum—spend more than twice what those with scores between 660 and 719 do. In 2025, American Express said that credit‑card fee revenue reached nearly $10 billion, an 18% jump from 2024.
In 2025, Amex Platinum members gained access to lounges at the US Open, California’s Stagecoach festival, and several Formula 1 races. Chase Sapphire Reserve holders now enjoy lounges at Lollapalooza in Chicago, Miami Art Week, Sundance Film Festival, and the PGA Tour. While some lounges are open to all event attendees, many are exclusive to premium cardholders. Chase has also opened spaces at Madison Square Garden and the Chicago Theatre, with a dedicated Sapphire Reserve lounge at MSG.
American Express has partnered with more than 20 venues worldwide, and eight of those host lounges today. Hard Rock Stadium in Miami and London’s O2 arena are among the sites, and a new lounge is slated to open at New York City’s Barclays Center this year. “We evaluate footprint, the ability to provide food and beverage, and viewing capabilities when selecting venues,” said Bess Spaeth, executive vice president of global brand management and experiences at Amex.
Lounges are only one piece of a broader suite of experiences aimed at high‑spending customers. Chase’s head of dining and lifestyle, Paul Needham, notes that partners deliver “gift bags, premium viewing areas, special access to merchandise, and discounts on food.” Amex has also teamed with Marriott Bonvoy to recreate New York City restaurant Rao’s inside a hotel for a cardholder dinner event, deepening emotional ties with the brand.
Industry analysts see the rollout as a differentiator in a market where premium cards vie for a shrinking pool of affluent consumers. Donald Fandetti, managing director of consumer finance equity research at Wells Fargo, called the lounges a “premium differentiator” that helps justify high annual fees. Dan Bennett, head of behavioral science at Ogilvy Consulting, added that “exclusivity signals social capital” and that issuers must understand the psychology of access.
A 2025 Mastercard report shows that affluent households—those earning $200,000 or more and holding at least $250,000 in investable assets—spend 4.3 times the general population on discretionary purchases. J.D. Power data supports this trend, indicating that cardholders with annual fees above $500 spent an average of $3,200 per month from May 2025 to June 2026, up 17% from the prior year. Those with fees below $500 averaged $1,144 per month, up 6%.
The focus on high spenders is also reflected in marketing shifts. American Express has redirected advertising dollars from no‑fee cards toward premium offerings, while Chase is actively enhancing benefits for its Sapphire Reserve holders. Chenzi Xu, assistant professor of economics at UC Berkeley, notes that “lounges become particularly valuable when they are accessible in a variety of places, not just airports.”
Lounges also serve as a platform for broader sponsorships. Amex’s partnership with Formula 1 began in 2023 and expanded in 2024 to include trackside lounges. The company has also collaborated with music artists such as Harry Styles and Olivia Rodrigo, and with the NFL and Formula 1, positioning itself at the intersection of travel, entertainment, and fandom.
American Express and Chase continue to add lounge locations and event activations. The next major openings include the Barclays Center lounge and additional venues in the United Kingdom and Europe. Upcoming events—such as the Paris Olympics and the 2026 FIFA World Cup—are expected to feature new lounges. The issuers are also monitoring spending trends and adjusting fee structures as the economic environment evolves.
In short, American Express and Chase are investing heavily in premium lounges outside traditional airports to reward and retain high‑spending cardholders. The expansion aligns with higher annual fees and a strategic focus on affluent consumers, while leveraging event sponsorships to deepen brand engagement.
American Express and JPMorgan Chase are taking their high‑end lounge experience off the tarmac and into music festivals, sporting arenas, and cultural venues. The move dovetails with a steep rise in annual fees: the Amex Platinum now costs $895, and Chase’s Sapphire Reserve is $795, both higher than last year.
The expansion is part of a larger strategy to woo and keep the wealthiest cardholders. The Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia reports that holders of cards with a credit score of 720 or higher—required for both the Sapphire Reserve and Platinum—spend more than twice what those with scores between 660 and 719 do. In 2025, American Express said that credit‑card fee revenue reached nearly $10 billion, an 18% jump from 2024.
In 2025, Amex Platinum members gained access to lounges at the US Open, California’s Stagecoach festival, and several Formula 1 races. Chase Sapphire Reserve holders now enjoy lounges at Lollapalooza in Chicago, Miami Art Week, Sundance Film Festival, and the PGA Tour. While some lounges are open to all event attendees, many are exclusive to premium cardholders. Chase has also opened spaces at Madison Square Garden and the Chicago Theatre, with a dedicated Sapphire Reserve lounge at MSG.
American Express has partnered with more than 20 venues worldwide, and eight of those host lounges today. Hard Rock Stadium in Miami and London’s O2 arena are among the sites, and a new lounge is slated to open at New York City’s Barclays Center this year. “We evaluate footprint, the ability to provide food and beverage, and viewing capabilities when selecting venues,” said Bess Spaeth, executive vice president of global brand management and experiences at Amex.
Lounges are only one piece of a broader suite of experiences aimed at high‑spending customers. Chase’s head of dining and lifestyle, Paul Needham, notes that partners deliver “gift bags, premium viewing areas, special access to merchandise, and discounts on food.” Amex has also teamed with Marriott Bonvoy to recreate New York City restaurant Rao’s inside a hotel for a cardholder dinner event, deepening emotional ties with the brand.
Industry analysts see the rollout as a differentiator in a market where premium cards vie for a shrinking pool of affluent consumers. Donald Fandetti, managing director of consumer finance equity research at Wells Fargo, called the lounges a “premium differentiator” that helps justify high annual fees. Dan Bennett, head of behavioral science at Ogilvy Consulting, added that “exclusivity signals social capital” and that issuers must understand the psychology of access.
A 2025 Mastercard report shows that affluent households—those earning $200,000 or more and holding at least $250,000 in investable assets—spend 4.3 times the general population on discretionary purchases. J.D. Power data supports this trend, indicating that cardholders with annual fees above $500 spent an average of $3,200 per month from May 2025 to June 2026, up 17% from the prior year. Those with fees below $500 averaged $1,144 per month, up 6%.
The focus on high spenders is also reflected in marketing shifts. American Express has redirected advertising dollars from no‑fee cards toward premium offerings, while Chase is actively enhancing benefits for its Sapphire Reserve holders. Chenzi Xu, assistant professor of economics at UC Berkeley, notes that “lounges become particularly valuable when they are accessible in a variety of places, not just airports.”
Lounges also serve as a platform for broader sponsorships. Amex’s partnership with Formula 1 began in 2023 and expanded in 2024 to include trackside lounges. The company has also collaborated with music artists such as Harry Styles and Olivia Rodrigo, and with the NFL and Formula 1, positioning itself at the intersection of travel, entertainment, and fandom.
American Express and Chase continue to add lounge locations and event activations. The next major openings include the Barclays Center lounge and additional venues in the United Kingdom and Europe. Upcoming events—such as the Paris Olympics and the 2026 FIFA World Cup—are expected to feature new lounges. The issuers are also monitoring spending trends and adjusting fee structures as the economic environment evolves.
In short, American Express and Chase are investing heavily in premium lounges outside traditional airports to reward and retain high‑spending cardholders. The expansion aligns with higher annual fees and a strategic focus on affluent consumers, while leveraging event sponsorships to deepen brand engagement.
