You won't find a traditional dry sauna or steam room at the vast majority of Planet Fitness locations. The chain built its business model around low monthly fees and high-volume floor space, which leaves little room for high-maintenance amenities like pools, hot tubs, or hot rooms. While a small group of locations feature a newer infrared RedZone sauna or Red Light Sauna pod as part of their PF Black Card tier, you shouldn't sign up expecting a classic post-workout heat session unless you've verified your local club's specific offerings.
Understanding how this budget-friendly gym structures its perks helps you decide if a membership fits your recovery routine. Let's break down what Planet Fitness actually offers, where exceptions exist, and how to find the right facilities for your wellness goals.
The Planet Fitness Amenity Model Explained
To keep costs low, Planet Fitness focuses primarily on strength equipment, cardio machines, and locker room basics. They omit expensive-to-maintain features like swimming pools, heavy spa plumbing, and traditional cedar-lined sweat rooms.
Instead, memberships split into two primary tiers:
- Classic Membership: Gives you access to your home club, standard cardio and weight equipment, and free fitness training from club instructors. It doesn't include spa features.
- PF Black Card Membership: Upgrades your access to any club worldwide, lets you bring a guest, and unlocks the Black Card Spa zone.
What You Get in the Black Card Spa
If you upgrade to the Black Card, you get access to a rotation of self-service recovery tools. None of these replace a traditional sauna, but they target muscle tension and relaxation in different ways:
- HydroMassage Beds and Lounges: Water-powered jets massage your back and legs through a waterproof barrier while you remain fully clothed.
- Massage Chairs: Zero-gravity mechanical chairs designed to lower heart rate and soothe tight calves or shoulders after a heavy lift.
- Total Body Enhancement and Wellness Pods: Stand-up booths that combine red light skin therapy with gentle vibration plates to stimulate circulation.
- Tanning Beds and Booths: Traditional UV beds and spray-tan booths available at participating clubs.
The RedZone Infrared Exception
A growing minority of locations—roughly a hundred clubs across the network—now feature a compact infrared cabin often labeled as a RedZone Sauna or Red Light Sauna. These standalone units combine infrared heat with red-light panels for short 10-to-15-minute recovery sessions. They require a Black Card membership, but they are absent from over 95% of the chain's total locations.
How to Check Your Local Club's Amenities
Because equipment packages vary heavily by franchise owner and building size, you shouldn't guess what your gym offers. Use these steps to verify amenities before you join:
- Visit the Official Club Finder: Go to the Planet Fitness website, search for your closest branch, and open its specific "Features" or "Offers" tab. Look for explicit mentions of a Red Light Sauna or recovery lounge.
- Check the PF App: Download the app, set your home club, and review the digital amenity list.
- Call the Front Desk: Speak directly with staff and ask: "Does this specific location have a dry sauna, a steam room, or an infrared sauna, and is it currently operational?"
Alternatives If You Need a True Sauna
If heat therapy is a non-negotiable part of your workout recovery, Planet Fitness probably isn't the right primary gym for you. Consider these alternatives instead:
- The YMCA: Most regional Y branches feature full locker room amenities, including traditional saunas, steam rooms, and indoor lap pools.
- Commercial Chains: Brands like LA Fitness, Life Time, and 24 Hour Fitness regularly include steam rooms and saunas with standard memberships.
- Local Community Centers: City-run recreation facilities often provide aquatic and heat therapy areas at affordable monthly rates.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use a sauna at Planet Fitness with a guest pass?
No. Because the vast majority of clubs do not have any kind of sauna, guest privileges generally apply only to standard gym equipment, massage chairs, and HydroMassage units at participating locations.
Do any Planet Fitness locations have a steam room?
No. No Planet Fitness club in the network features a steam room. The high humidity and complex plumbing required for steam rooms do not align with their low-cost layout model.
Is the infrared sauna free with a Black Card?
At the specific clubs where an infrared unit is installed, it is included in your Black Card monthly fee without extra session charges. However, it requires a reservation or front-desk check-in depending on local traffic.
Why doesn't Planet Fitness build saunas?
Saunas require dedicated square footage, strict hygiene monitoring, frequent repairs, and liability oversight. Omitting them allows the company to keep membership dues under $25 a month while maximizing open floor space for weight racks and cardio machines.
