Austin-Bergstrom International Airport has lounges for each of the major US airlines. So if you’re flying with American, Delta or United and have lounge access, you can visit one of those locations. The downside is that there’s no independent lounge for those flying on another airline. And since Southwest is the airport’s number one carrier, that’s a significant number of passengers who have to spend time in the terminal without access to their airline’s lounge. Fortunately, Austin Airport has plenty of restaurants, seating with power ports and free Wi-Fi.
But there’s another option for those with a Sapphire Reserve card from Chase:
Sapphire Reserve Terrace
The Sapphire Reserve Terrace opened in March 2023. It is located at the very end of the Barbara Jordan Terminal near Gate 1, next to the Delta SkyClub. It replaced a public viewing deck that we visited shortly after it opened in 2019.
Entry Requirements
- You must be a Sapphire Reserve cardmember and you must have a departing ticket from Austin-Bergstrom International Airport.
- When you arrive, show your Sapphire Reserve credit card, government-issued ID and eligible boarding pass.
- You may bring up to two guests (access and amenities are complimentary for cardmembers and their guests).
- You can enter the Sapphire Terrace within three hours of your departing flight.
Our Visit
One thing I neglected to research before our visit was the opening hours. The Sapphire Terrace is open from 10am. to 8pm daily (times subject to change). We arrived at a closed terrace around 9 a.m. and turned back to our gate and found seats. Our flight was scheduled to begin boarding at 10:20am, so I did stop back when the terrace opened to take a few pictures.
There’s a small inside space after the check-in kiosk that separates the area from the rest of the airport. There are a few chairs, and this is also where you’ll find the bar.
Two Farmer’s Fridge vending machines provide food in the lounge. Guests can use the machines for free. When the lounge opened, the machines were almost empty, and the staff told guests they should have someone there to restock them shortly.
The bar provided beer, wine and soft drinks, along with snacks like chips and cookies.
The main area of the terrace is outside, which is problematic for the months of the year when temperatures in Austin hover around 100 degrees. They’ve upgraded the furniture from when it was a public deck, but there’s still not a whole lot of shade. The Delta SkyClub is the covered area at the end of the terrace.
Besides the seating areas, there are some games to keep people busy.
Final Thought
The Sapphire Reserve Terrace is a nicely decorated space at the end of Austin Airport. If you have access, a bit of time and don’t mind the walk, it’s somewhere to grab some food and a drink before your flight. If the weather’s right, it’s also a great place to do some planespotting from the outside terrace.
Just don’t get your hopes up that this is an airport lounge like the Sapphire Lounges at BOS, JFK and LGA; it most certainly is not.
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