Lounge Review: Escape Lounge - Sacramento (SMF) Terminal B

Written by Matthew Justice on Jul 6, 2025 (3.3 stars)

Front entrance area for the Escape Lounge in Terminal B at Sacramento.

On a recent trip to the California state capital, I had the opportunity to visit both Escape lounges at Sacramento International Airport (SMF). This review will cover the Escape Lounge located in Terminal B. I arrived around 11:00 am on a Sunday and stayed for both breakfast and lunch.

Location and Access

The Escape Lounge in Terminal B is located across from Gate B12, just past the TSA screening area. Sacramento terminals A and B are not connected airside, so you must exit the terminal if you are connecting on an airline not operating from Terminal B. The lounge is open Mon, Tue, Sat, Sun from 04:30 - 20:00 (8 pm) and Wed, Thur & Fri from 04:30 - 21:00 (9 pm).

terminal map showing location of Escape lounge at Sacramento terminal B.

Note: Terminal B has more than twice the enplanements of Terminal A, so most of the traffic from SMF departs from the B terminal. Airlines serving B are Aeromexico, Alaska Airlines, Frontier, Hawaiian Airlines, JetBlue, Southwest, Spirit, and Volaris.

I was flying on Southwest, so I used my Priority Pass membership to access the lounge. When I arrived, there was one person in front of me, but my entire wait was less than 5 minutes. The desk agent asked to scan my boarding pass and (Priority Pass) membership card, and I was quickly checked in.

Complementary entrance to the lounge can be gained using an American Express Platinum or the Delta SkyMiles Reserve credit card (when flying a Delta-marketed flight). Priority Pass is also accepted for lounge entrance. Walk-up access to the lounge can be purchased for $60 or pre-book to drop the price to $45 (plus tax) per person. Children aged 0-24 months can enter the lounge for free. This is a common-use lounge, so your status or airline affiliation does not matter; all you need is a same-day boarding pass.

Lounge Amenities

The lounge was comfortable and was a great place to relax. Overall, the lounge offers a nice balance for those who want to work or those seeking relaxation. The lounge is divided into several areas: a bar and dining area, a seating area with small tables, and an area featuring a TV and additional tables. There are three flight monitors around the lounge to help keep track of your flight while enjoying the lounge. There were many charging plugs located around the lounge; not all the seating areas had plugs, but most did. Under the listed amenities, the lounge mentioned it had a PressReader service, but I was unable to get it to work, even after connecting to the lounge Wi-Fi.

Entrance area showing a flight monitor and reception desk.

Seating and Work Areas

The lounge features multiple seating areas. There is a central sofa area with tables, as well as a more private seating area with chairs and side tables. There are also padded chairs located around the lounge, which are great for solo travelers. The lounge features two TVs, one situated over the bar and the other in the central seating area. When I was there, they were both tuned to sports. There were also some larger tables, which were great for working on a laptop or eating.

main seating area with sofa, chairs, and tables.

Food and Beverage

The food was limited but good. Since I arrived towards the end of breakfast, I was able to sample both breakfast and lunch items. For breakfast, they served eggs, potatoes, and sausage. They also had granola, yogurt, bagels (but no toaster), and some cereal. I tried the eggs, potatoes, and some granola + yogurt. The only fruit option at that time was sliced oranges. I liked the plateware they were using, and my yogurt and granola were very good. I am also always excited when a lounge has one of the Eversys espresso machines. I had an Americano, and it was great.

breakfast items, eggs, potatoes, and sausage in serving pans.

coffee, tea, espresso area, with can drinks.

When lunch rolled around, they were serving salami and cheese sandwiches, Macaroni and Cheese, broccoli, and pulled pork. They were also serving a fresh bean dip and a hominy and corn salad. There were no vegetarian sandwiches offered. I tried some of the Mac and Cheese with broccoli and some salsa.

The bar area was small but nice and located next to the buffet area. There was a very nice lady working, and they had a menu of recommended drinks. I chose to have a Bloody Mary, which was slightly spicy but almost perfect. The bar had two craft beers on tap and a small selection of cocktails. They offered complimentary and premium liquor choices for $4. In the buffet area, they offered multiple coffee and flavoring options, including expresso options such as Lattes and Cappuccinos. Additionally, near the buffet area, a self-serve refrigerator is available, offering various soda options in cans.

the bar area with bottles on the back and a tv.

Items tasted:

BYO Parfait with Yogurt and Granola = 3.5 (no fruit)
Eggs and Potatoes = 4
Americano (hot) = 4
Macaroni and Cheese (with salsa) = 3
Bloody Mary (with peppers and olives) = 4.5

Restrooms and Showers

Unfortunately, the lounge did not have restrooms or a shower. The closest restroom was located in the terminal, approximately a 1-minute walk from the lounge, near Gate B15.

Internet and Noise

The lounge provides internet access, and I was able to connect without any problems. The speed results were not very impressive. I ran two tests, and the fastest of the two was 14.8 Mbs (down) and 5.2 Mbs (up).

speed test results showing 14.8 Mbps down and 5.24 Mbps up.

The noise level was moderate (53.2 dB) around 11:30 am.

Summary: The lounge was a great place to relax before my flight. I appreciated the numerous options for dining and drinking while I was there, and the overall ambiance was pleasant.

Overall Rating: 3.3*

Amenities: 3.2
Food: 2.5
Beverages: 3.4
Seating & Tables: 3
Service: 4
Wow-Factor: 2

* scored using Nerd Score 1.0

Pros: comfortable seating and tables, expresso machine, very nice staff.
Cons: no outside views, no restrooms, limited food, snacks, and bar options, slow internet speeds.

Closing Thoughts

The lounge was a nice experience. It is interesting that at an airport with 12 airlines serving 53 destinations, there is only one lounge option available in each terminal. But I was very thankful to have an Escape lounge to visit. I can imagine this lounge getting very crowded during peak times, given its smaller size. During my visit, the lounge was the busiest, with about 75% of the chairs taken. Visit the Escape Lounge - SMF (Terminal B) website for more information.