Does Planet Fitness Have a Sauna?

No — Planet Fitness does not have saunas at any of its locations. This is a deliberate policy, not an oversight. Planet Fitness operates on a high-volume, low-cost model built around cardio equipment and basic strength training for casual gym-goers. Saunas require dedicated square footage, ventilation systems, ongoing maintenance, and liability protocols — none of which fit the $10/month pricing structure Planet Fitness is built around.

This is unlikely to change. The sauna-free model is baked into Planet Fitness franchise standards. With over 2,400 locations in the US, Planet Fitness has grown substantially without sauna facilities and has no publicly announced plans to add them.

What Does Planet Fitness Have Instead of a Sauna?

Planet Fitness Black Card members have access to wellness amenities sometimes confused with sauna facilities:

  • HydroMassage beds and chairs: Enclosed massage beds using pressurized warm water jets. Good for muscle tension relief, but not sauna. No sweating, no heat therapy, no cardiovascular benefit from heat stress.
  • Red light therapy beds: Available at select Black Card locations. Uses LED red and near-infrared light wavelengths. May offer skin and muscle recovery benefits, but is fundamentally different from heat therapy.
  • Tanning beds: Standard Black Card amenity. UV exposure — unrelated to sauna or heat therapy benefits.

These are useful amenities in their own right, but none replicate the effects of sauna heat therapy: elevated core temperature, profuse sweating, cardiovascular stress response, or the post-sauna recovery benefit. If heat therapy is your goal, Planet Fitness cannot help.

Planet Fitness Membership Tiers

Planet Fitness offers two membership tiers:

  • Classic ($10/month): Access to your home club only. Cardio and strength equipment. No wellness amenities beyond the basic gym.
  • Black Card ($24.99/month): Access to all Planet Fitness locations. Adds HydroMassage, red light therapy, tanning, and one free guest per visit. Still no sauna or steam room of any kind.

There is no tier at Planet Fitness that includes sauna or steam access. The amenity doesn't exist in their system.

Why People Think Planet Fitness Might Have a Sauna

The confusion often stems from comparing Planet Fitness to LA Fitness — chains with similar names but fundamentally different models. LA Fitness memberships ($35–45/month) include dry sauna and steam room as a standard feature at most locations. Planet Fitness ($10/month) built its brand specifically around not offering those kinds of amenities.

The "judgment-free zone" branding sometimes implies a fully-featured gym experience, but Planet Fitness deliberately limits its amenity set to keep costs low. Their target customer is someone who wants basic gym access at the lowest possible price — not someone who wants a full wellness facility.

Best Alternatives for Sauna Access

If you're a Planet Fitness member who wants sauna access, you have two main paths: switch gyms or supplement with occasional sauna visits elsewhere.

  • LA Fitness ($35–45/month): The clearest upgrade path. Most locations have a dry sauna and steam room as standard features. If you're willing to pay $25–35 more per month, LA Fitness reliably delivers what Planet Fitness doesn't. See our LA Fitness sauna guide.
  • YMCA ($45–80/month): Many branches have excellent sauna facilities at nonprofit pricing, with financial assistance available. Day passes ($10–25) let you test the facility first. See our YMCA sauna guide.
  • 24 Hour Fitness Sport ($35–50/month): Sport and Super Sport tiers include sauna access. Good for 24/7 coverage. See our 24 Hour Fitness sauna guide.
  • Korean spa ($25–60/visit): No gym membership required. Multiple sauna rooms at different temperatures, plus hot tubs and relaxation areas. Excellent for dedicated heat therapy without changing your gym.
  • Independent sauna studio ($20–40/session): Standalone sauna studios (infrared and traditional) are growing in most cities. Monthly unlimited passes are often $100–150.

See our full sauna finder guide and gyms with saunas directory for a complete look at options near you.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does Planet Fitness have a steam room?
No. Planet Fitness does not have steam rooms at any of its standard locations. Neither the Classic nor the Black Card membership tier includes steam room access. The chain's low-cost model excludes these types of facilities across the board.
Does Planet Fitness Black Card include sauna access?
No. The Black Card tier adds HydroMassage, red light therapy, tanning, and multi-club access — but no sauna or steam room. These amenities simply don't exist in the Planet Fitness system at any tier.
Will Planet Fitness ever add saunas?
Planet Fitness has not announced plans to add saunas. Their growth strategy depends on keeping overhead low enough to sustain $10/month pricing — saunas would significantly increase facility costs, maintenance, and staffing requirements. If sauna access matters to you, plan accordingly.
How do I find a gym with a sauna near me?
LA Fitness is the most reliable option for gym sauna access in the US. Use our gyms with saunas near me guide to find sauna-equipped gyms in your area, or use the Planet Fitness club finder to confirm what your current location actually offers.