When you are flying out of Sacramento International Airport (SMF), your lounge selection is not overly broad. You have an Escape Lounge at each Terminal of the airport. The Escape Lounges – The Centurion® Studio Partner are not part of the famous Priority Pass lounge network. To get in, you need either an American Express Platinum Card or you can buy a day pass.
When I departed SMF recently, I checked my Priority Pass app to see if there were lounges, I could use. The app didn’t show me any, so I tried to see if Alaska Airlines has a lounge there. The great bonus of buying a First-Class ticket on Alaska Air is the complimentary lounge access. Unfortunately, the airline didn’t have any lounges at Sacramento airport either. Luckily, I found the Escape Lounge Sacramento, which you can’t miss in Terminal B.
Location
You really can’t miss the lounge in Terminal B. Once you take the APM (Automated People Mover) to the satellite building and passed through security, the lounge will be on your left before you enter the main terminal corridor which takes you to all the gates left and right of it. At the other end of the lounge is the exit to the APM which will take you back to the main building and to the baggage claim. It is a very short walk to all the gates from the lounge.
Look at the map below. The lounge is in the center and marked with the Number 4.
Even though there are two Escape Lounges at Sacramento International Airport, going to the other lounge if one is overcrowded, is quite a task and I wouldn’t recommend it if you don’t have hours over hours to kill. You will need to go through security every time.
Hours of Operation
The Escape Lounges – The Centurion® Studio Partner have the following hours of Operation.
Terminal A: 4:30 a.m. – 10 p.m.
Terminal B: 4:30 a.m. – 10 p.m.
The above-listed hours are according to the Escape Lounge website for each lounge. The digital board on the lounge showed opening hours from 5 a.m. – 8 p.m. However, Escape Lounges confirmed to me that the hours on the website are actually correct, and they will update the boards at the lounges soon.
Access
- American Express Platinum Card Members and Centurion® Card Members receive complimentary entry for themselves and up to two guests.
- Complimentary entry for American Express Delta SkyMiles@ Reserve Card and $30 for additional guests.**
- $45 per person if paid at the door.*
- $40 per person if booked online at EscapeLounges.com at least 24 hours prior to entry.*
- TAV Passport Card Members receive complimentary entry for themselves and one guest.
- Dreamfolks Card Holders receive access based on their plan. Contact Dreamfolks to learn more about your benefits.
- Children under 24 months receive free entry.
- Ask the front desk about a membership discount including AAA and military discounts.
Note: Certain American Express Platinum Cards may display the name and/or logo of a third-party merchant or financial institution. For questions about eligibility of these Platinum Cards for complimentary access to Escape Lounges, please call the number on the back of your Card.
*NOT INCLUDING TAXES WHERE APPLICABLE
**Must be on a Delta marketed ticket for that day.
Escape Lounge Sacramento Int Airport Terminal B
Checking in was a bit of a strange experience. There was one guy in front of me when I entered. I have no idea how long he was waiting for an agent to show up to check him in. He got impatient and “checked” himself in by just walking into the lounge and settling down. I walked up and waited for someone to show up. I peeked my head down the small walkway inside the lounge and the agent realized that there were people waiting to get in. She stopped replenishing items at the buffet and walked up to check me in. All it took was handing her my Platinum Card and my boarding pass.
This must be the smallest lounge I have ever been to. Right after the check-in desk, there are plenty of seats in all kinds of different styles. Some are just single chairs with a small shelf between the seats. Others are small chairs with a table. The main pathway in the lounge is narrow. Other pathways branching off the main one, to get to the chairs and seats, are even smaller.
Past the sitting area is the bar and dining area. Here you find only a few dining tables with chairs. The bar offers more seating possibilities and another way to eat food comfortably. The sitting area has no tables or chairs which work well for dining.
The fancy coffee machine which makes all kinds of different coffees was out of service. Alternatively, they put up a thermos with coffee. Besides that, you had the choice of self-serve sodas and iced tea. When I arrived the buffet area looked raided. Barely anything on the food buffet and the fridge with the sodas was empty. I spent only about 20 minutes in the lounge but when I left, they had almost restocked everything. It looked like there was some staffing issue going on, as even the agent working the check-in counter helped fill the buffet and worked as a server at the bar as well.
There are no bathrooms in the lounge. You have to use the restrooms of the terminal if you need to. They are located to your left and right from the lounge. Both restrooms are equally far from the lounge.
Food
Food was only offered in small portions in individual containers to take it off the buffet and to your seat. During my visit, they served Lemon Chipotle Chicken and Oven Roasted Salmon as the main course besides Strawberry-Banana Smoothies. The chicken and salmon were excellent, and I had a few of each.
Normally American Express Platinum, Centurion, and Delta SkyMiles Reserve cardholders have access to exclusive premium snacks, wine, and liquors in addition to the full food and bar menu available to all guests. As this is a smaller lounge, cardholders had only access to wine and liquors as the food menu was shared with all guests here.
Conclusion
It was great to get in a lounge and be able to grab a couple of bites to eat before my flight. I wish the check-in experience would have been smoother, but I can also see the staff working like crazy to keep the lounge rolling and satisfy the needs of all the guests. Otherwise, the lounge was very crowded but as it is a small lounge, it wasn’t very loud inside. The food was great even when they only served some small portions. Hey, it beats cheese cubes and carrots you usually see at airline lounges! I was surprised about even having the option to visit a lounge at SMF. I enjoyed my stay and will use them again when flying out of Sacramento the next time.
Peter has a passion for Traveling, Photography, and Geocaching. These are the best ingredients for amazing adventures all over the globe. “Traveling is fun, no matter if you stay in a luxury hotel or travel like a backpacker.” Peter shares his experiences on his Blog www.gatetoadventures.com
Some of Peter’s photos are published on corporate websites, in-flight magazines, travel guides, and much more.
