• Chase Sapphire Reserve credit cardholders can use special Chase-branded airport lounges.
• The six lounges compete with American Express' well-established Centurion Lounge network.
• Both are great lounges, and Chase is slowly catching up to the superior Centurion network.

I've been a Chase Sapphire Reserve credit card loyalist for years.

I fly frequently for my job and invest the $550 annual fee for its comforts, like trip protection, free Global Entry, and airport lounge access. The latter includes Priority Pass and the Chase-owned airport lounges that have been popping up since 2023.

However, I recently toured an American Express Centurion Lounge for the first time and realized what I've been missing out on.

AmEx was the first credit card company to open a branded lounge at an airport when it launched Centurion in Las Vegas in 2013. Since pioneering the trend, AmEx has expanded its Centurion collection to about 30 locations worldwide, far exceeding Chase's six.

The Centurion concept changed how people experience travel by making lounge access dependent on owning a specific credit card rather than on airline loyalty. Only those with an AmEx Platinum, AmEx Business Platinum, AmEx Centurion, Delta SkyMiles Reserve, or Delta SkyMiles Reserve Business credit card can enter Centurion.

Centurion and Chase only compete domestically in New York City, and I've now experienced both locations at LaGuardia Airport.

I liked Chase's unique amenities, but AmEx has an overall better airport lounge network. Given my travel habits, Centurion access alone would be worth having both Chase and AmEx in my wallet.