Sapphire Reserve Adds Maple Leaf Lounge Access

New Chase Sapphire Reserve Lounge Benefit

Perhaps in response to my recent 'Ask Tad' update on the Best Card For Lounge Access, Chase today unveiled a new lounge access benefit to on the Sapphire Reserve Card to make it a bit more competitive – giving access to select Air Canada Maple Leaf Lounges in North America and Europe when cardholders are booked on same-day Star Alliance flights.

Which Lounges Are Included

Tl;dr, it basically covers all the good ones except those at their flagship hub in Montreal. Of particular interest to you are probably these:

United States 

  • Los Angeles (LAX) – Air Canada Maple Leaf Lounge, Terminal 6 (from November) 
  • New York LaGuardia (LGA) – Air Canada Maple Leaf Lounge, Terminal B Eastern Concourse 
  • San Francisco (SFO) – Air Canada Maple Leaf Lounge, Terminal 2 

Europe 

  • Frankfurt (FRA) – Air Canada Maple Leaf Lounge 
  • London Heathrow (LHR) – Air Canada Maple Leaf Lounge  
  • Canada
    • Toronto Pearson (YYZ)
      • Domestic departures
        • Air Canada Maple Leaf Lounge
        • Air Canada Café
      • U.S. departures
        • Air Canada Maple Leaf Lounge
        • Air Canada Maple Leaf Lounge Express
      • International departures
        • Air Canada Maple Leaf Lounge (excludes Air Canada Signature Suite)
    • Toronto Downtown Billy Bishop (YTZ)
      • Aspire Air Canada Café
    • Vancouver (YVR)
      • Domestic departures
        • Air Canada Maple Leaf Lounge
      • U.S. departures
        • Air Canada Maple Leaf Lounge
      • International departures
        • Air Canada Maple Leaf Lounge (excludes Air Canada Signature Suite)

You can find the full list of inclusions here.

So Does This Change Tad's Take On Lounge Card Recommendations?

No.

But it certainly improves the value prop of the CSR, in particular for United/Star Alliance flyers on the West Coast. The get a Terminal 6 option to complement the Sapphire Lounge in TBIT, and their first non-Priority Pass option in SFO. East Coast domestic flyers get another option in LGA, which is always welcome, but it shares the same home as the Sapphire Lounge in Terminal B, so it's as exciting an addition.

All in all, great to see a premium card enhance its benefits. This also signals ongoing mutual interest between Air Canada and Chase; a relationship which has been great for the frequent flier community, and has led to some pro-consumer innovations.