Equinox has built its reputation on being the gym where finance bros, models, and celebrities pretend they're not sweating.
Now the luxury fitness chain is testing that loyalty with a new ultra-premium membership tier that reportedly runs north of $40,000 annually, and the internet is having a field day.
The new tier, which the company has been quietly rolling out at select locations in New York and Los Angeles, promises perks like private training suites, concierge scheduling, and access to invitation-only recovery lounges.
Think cryotherapy, hyperbaric chambers, and the kind of cold plunge that makes regular members feel like they're drinking tap water at a bottle service table.
Celebrities are already weighing in, mostly through their wallets.
Sources close to several Equinox regulars say some A-listers have quietly upgraded, while others are openly mocking the concept.
One Hollywood trainer told outlets that clients are asking whether the $40K tier includes a personal chef, "because otherwise, what's the point?" The backlash isn't really about the money.
Equinox has spent years positioning itself as aspirational but attainable for the upper-middle class, the kind of place where a junior associate and a Netflix showrunner can both pretend they belong.
A six-figure membership ladder changes that math fast.
TikTok creators are stitching fake "Equinox Platinum" tours set in their kitchen with a foam roller and a sad smoothie.
Twitter users are joking that the next tier will cost $100K and come with a therapist who also judges your squat form.
Equinox hasn't confirmed exact pricing publicly, which only fuels the speculation.
A spokesperson offered the usual corporate poetry about "elevated experiences" and "meeting members where they are," which, translated, means meeting them where their Amex Black card is.
What's really happening here is a status arms race.
SoulCycle had its moment, then Barry's, then pickleball.
Luxury fitness is now competing with private clubs, wellness retreats, and the general sense that if you're paying this much, you'd better be getting abs and a personality upgrade.
The irony is that the people most annoyed by the new tier are probably the ones Equinox wants most.
Every think piece about the $40K membership is free marketing for the $40K membership.
Meanwhile, regular members are left wondering if their $300 monthly dues now buy them a lesser experience.
That's the real risk for Equinox: not that rich people won't pay, but that everyone else will quietly stop believing the brand is for them. **Our take:** Luxury brands love to test ceilings until they crack the floor beneath them.
Final Thoughts
Equinox can absolutely sell a $40K membership to a few hundred people, but it can't sell the fantasy of belonging to everyone else if the entry fee starts feeling like a cover charge for the VIP section.