Roundup
Skytrax names Chase's LaGuardia lounge the world's best independent lounge. Should you care?
Six US card lounges made Skytrax's 2026 independent lounge top 20, led by Chase Sapphire at LGA. The list shows how strong bank lounges have become, but its method has gaps travelers should know about.
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Chase Sapphire Lounge by The Club
LGA · Terminal B · New York
4.8/5 overallSkytrax 2026 #1 independent lounge; LGA Terminal B
Opened 2024. Rated 4.8/5 across 14 measures. 2 showers. Eligible Chase cardholders retain complimentary lounge access and their card's guest allowance.
Get in with: Sapphire Lounge by The Club
Capital One Landing
LGA · Terminal B · New York
4.6/5 overallNot in the top 20, but View from the Wing argues it is LGA's best card lounge
Opened 2026. Rated 4.6/5 across 13 measures. Venture X and Venture X Business cardholders: guests $45 each (children $25), free with $75,000 annual spend.
Get in with: Capital One Lounge
The Centurion Lounge
LGA · Terminal B · New York
4.5/5 overallSkytrax 2026 #11; Amex lounge in LGA Terminal B
Amex's lounge in Terminal B sits on level 4 past security, near the entrance to the pedestrian bridge to the Eastern Concourse. It is open daily from 5 am to 10 pm.
Get in with: Centurion Lounge
Capital One Lounge
JFK · Terminal 4 · New York
4.7/5 overallSkytrax 2026 #5; Capital One's JFK Terminal 4 lounge
Capital One's flagship lounge opened in the Terminal 4 retail hall on June 19, 2025. At 13,500 sq ft it is the bank's largest, and it was the first Capital One Lounge to stay open around the clock.
Get in with: Capital One Lounge
The Centurion Lounge
JFK · Terminal 4 · New York
4.7/5 overallSkytrax 2026 #6; Amex lounge in JFK Terminal 4
Amex opened this Centurion Lounge in Terminal 4 in late 2020. At about 15,000 sq ft, it is one of the largest in the network.
Get in with: Centurion Lounge
Capital One Lounge
IAD · Main Terminal · Washington
4.6/5 overallSkytrax 2026 #13 at Washington Dulles
Opened 2023. Rated 4.6/5 across 13 measures. Venture X and Venture X Business cardholders: guests $45 each (children under 18 $25, under 2 free), free with $75,000…
Get in with: Capital One Lounge
Chase Sapphire Lounge by The Club
PHL · Terminal D · Philadelphia
4.5/5 overallSkytrax 2026 #14 at Philadelphia
Opened 2025. Rated 4.5/5 across 14 measures. 2 showers. Eligible Chase cardholders retain complimentary lounge access and their card's guest allowance.
Get in with: Sapphire Lounge by The Club
Analysis and opinion · Sources checked October 5, 2026.
Skytrax's 2026 list of the world's best independent airport lounges puts Chase's Sapphire Lounge at LaGuardia in first place. Six US card lounges made the top 20. The list is a clear sign of how far bank-run lounges have come, but it is a poor guide for deciding where to go on your next trip.
What the list actually says#
The ranking is the independent lounge category of the Skytrax World Airline Awards, so airline lounges such as Delta One or the Chelsea Lounge were not in contention. According to Time Out's rundown, the US entries are:
- #1 Chase Sapphire Lounge, LaGuardia (LGA)
- #5 Capital One Lounge, JFK
- #6 American Express Centurion Lounge, JFK
- #11 American Express Centurion Lounge, LaGuardia
- #13 Capital One Lounge, Washington Dulles (IAD)
- #14 Chase Sapphire Lounge, Philadelphia (PHL)
Plaza Premium took #2 at Rome Fiumicino and #4 at London Heathrow Terminal 4. Chase's Hong Kong lounge was listed third. Time Out describes the method as votes cast by travelers around the world over the past year.
Where the ranking falls short#
View from the Wing's Gary Leff makes two points worth knowing. First, Skytrax does not publish its underlying data, its sample sizes per lounge or its weighting. Second, the Hong Kong Sapphire Lounge ranked third "hasn't existed in over 9 months," according to Leff. Its space now houses other concepts. A survey that can rank a closed lounge near the top is measuring brand recognition at least as much as the experience inside the door.
Leff also argues that Chase's LaGuardia lounge is not even the best card lounge at its own airport. He gives that title to Capital One Landing in Terminal B. We think it is a close call that depends on what you want from the visit: a long sit-down before a delayed evening flight, or a quick stop on the way to the gate. Read recent reviews of both before you choose.
What it gets right#
The broad message holds up. In the US, the most consistent lounges are now often run by card issuers, not airlines. Capital One, Amex and Chase have all built lounges with real food, proper bars and design that a few years ago you would expect only in an international first class lounge. Ranking Capital One's JFK and Dulles lounges near the top seems fair to us.
How to use it as a traveler#
Treat a lounge award as a reason to look closer, not a reason to arrive early. Three questions matter more than any trophy. Do you have access through your card, status or ticket? Is the lounge in your terminal and past your security checkpoint? Will you get in at the time you are flying? Popular card lounges in New York can have waits at peak hours. When a card issuer has a reservation or waitlist tool, use it, and have a backup lounge in mind in the same terminal.
Related lounge guides#
Chase Sapphire Lounge by The Club (LGA) · Capital One Landing (LGA) · The Centurion Lounge (LGA) · Capital One Lounge (JFK) · The Centurion Lounge (JFK) · Capital One Lounge (IAD) · Chase Sapphire Lounge by The Club (PHL)
Related reading#
Cite this article
Lounge Frog Editorial. “Skytrax names Chase's LaGuardia lounge the world's best independent lounge. Should you care?.” Lounge Frog. Published 2026-10-05. Updated 2026-10-14. https://www.loungefrog.com/news/skytrax-2026-best-independent-airport-lounges
Wikipedia citation
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Quick answers
Which lounge networks get you into these lounges?
Capital One Lounge opens 3 of the 7; Sapphire Lounge by The Club opens 2 of the 7; Centurion Lounge opens 2 of the 7. Each lounge's page lists every program and card that admits you.
Written and checked to our editorial standards. Scores follow our methodology. Join the discussion below.
