A REVIEW OF THE CHASE SAPPHIRE / ETIHAD LOUNGE IN DULLES AIRPORT (IAD) AND THE CENTURION LOUNGE IN SALT LAKE CITY (SLC)

I had the opportunity to travel out west with my son, Brendan, to Park City, Utah, for a father/son ski trip. March presented record high temperatures so there was no snow on which to ski, but we found other fun things to do. Also, we were guests at the house of a friend, so there were no hotel stays to credit shop. Finally, we had no flexibility on flights, so I found no opportunity to book a saver fare using points. So with no hotel and no flights to take advantage of, was I able to even use my credit cards to enhance the trip? You betcha! This trip enabled us to explore the Etihad / Chase Sapphire Lounge in Dulles Airport (IAD) and the Centurion Lounge in Salt Lake City Airport (SLC), both of which were positive experiences. This article will focus on our experiences in those two lounges.

Etihad Airways / Chase Sapphire Lounge at Dulles International Airport (IAD)

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After my partner dropped us off at Dulles and we made our way through security, my son and I started our trip by heading to the Etihad Airways Chase / Sapphire Lounge. The lounge is located in Terminal A, right next to gate A14. From security, we rode the underground rail to Terminal A. Trains left every 2 minutes, and the ride duration was about 1 minute. Upon departing the train, we took escalator up to the terminal. Entering the terminal, the lounge was right there. A quick left followed by another quick left and we were at the entrance. Even though our flight was out of Terminal D, we knew we could get there in 10 minutes taking the underground rail to Terminal C and walking to Terminal D.

This lounge is also part of the Priority Pass collection, so many are aware of it and even more have access. I had low expectations of getting in because we went at peak time. Our flight was at 5:55pm, and we arrived at 4:15pm. At check-in there was a waitlist 20 names deep. We put our name on the waitlist and planned to go to a United lounge in Terminal C. After a quick stop for snacks and halfway to Terminal C, our name rose to the top of the waitlist. We turned around, headed back, and were led to a couple of comfortable high-backed seats. Because Chase still allows cardmembers 2 guests free of charge (and because it is a Priority Pass lounge), we were not charged upon entry.

The lounge was relatively small, but ordering was easy using a QR code on the table to order from an online menu. Service was excellent. The food was terrific as well…my son and I ordered burgers and were able to get them made to order, exactly as we liked them. Their offer included a nice craft cocktail list, multiple beer and wine options, and soda in a self-serve fridge. Serf-serve small food plates were out as well, meaning there were plenty of options.

American Express Centurion Lounge at Salt Lake City International Airport (SLC)

After a fun trip, we headed back to the Salt Lake City International Airport (SLC). It was a morning flight, so the airport was not crowded and we knew there would be plenty of lounge availability.

The American Express Centurion Lounge in SLC is located next to Gate B31. This was convenient for us as our flight departed from Gate B23. The lounge itself was surprisingly large. We went through the standard entry with the vine covered wall and calming whiff of lavender in the air at check-in. A small hallway opened up to a room with a circular fireplace surrounded by couches and comfortable chairs. In a nook off to one side were a variety of fresh muffins along with orange and apple juice. This had, as might be expected, the vibe of a ski chalet, with the inviting feel of warming up by the fire with a cocktail after an active day on the frigid slopes.

Chocolate chip cookies, brownies and lemon bars were available for dessert. I grabbed a small caprese salad and pasta with shrimp and marinara to go along with my burger.

The lounge had two levels and comfortable seating. It had a modern and sleek yet comfortable feel. Our bellies were soon full and our trip was off to a great start!

Beyond this room, to the immediate left, was a coffee counter with a barista mixing your preference of the caffeinated beverage.

Up a few steps to the right of that was to be found a breakfast buffet with unique takes on traditional breakfast dishes. Crostini bread with cream cheese and mixed berry spread, hash browns with a hint of cinnamon, scrambled eggs with salsa and tortillas, and a creamy egg souffle dish. The usual variety of fresh fruit and cereal was on hand as well.

Down a hallway, now moving to the right side of the fireplace room and passing the rest rooms and showers on the way was the bar. Additional seating was found here, and the bar was serving a limited menu of “breakfast cocktails”, including palomas with fresh squeezed grapefruit, mimosas, and bloody marys.

Continuing through the bar was additional seating, patio-style, along with another bar offering fantastic views of the airport and the surrounding mountains. It was closed in the morning, but opened later in the day when the lounge crowd was larger.

In all, this is the most impressive of the Centurion lounges I have visited.

Max's Take:

We may find that we are not able to cash in on points or credits earned through credit cards on every trip. That does not mean we can't put our cards to work for us! On this trip, a long weekend was enhanced by visits to two excellent lounges, one on our way to our destination, and one on our way home.

I hope you enjoyed this article! Let me know your thoughts. Have you experienced ether of the lounges referenced? Do you have any travel hacks you’d like to share? Are there any topics you would like to see me write about? Please respond with any feedback you may have.

If you would like to have similar experiences and receive guidance on which credit cards are right for you, free of charge with no obligation, please contact me at email@maxyourplastic.com.