The most luxurious airline lounges in the world
Are airport oases worth the price of entry? These lounges go above and beyond with spa treatments, tarmac chauffeurs and more.
In the 1963 movie The VIPs, a well-heeled group of travellers, portrayed by an all-star cast featuring Richard Burton. a bejewelled Liz Taylor and Australian actor Rod Taylor, are stranded at a fogged-in London Heathrow Airport. Inevitable dramas ensue. (Watch the trailer here.) But the flick’s real star is the airport lounge where the swells hole up. Modest by today’s standards, it lacks spas and lavish buffets but still reeks of exclusivity, with fawning attendants fetching telephones and plying guests with cocktails. This was an era when airport lounges were posh simply because they were invitation-only.
Today, lounges are ubiquitous, and you don’t need an engraved invitation to get in, just the right kind of ticket, paid membership or credit card. Originally conceived as a quiet space for travellers to work or grab a drink before a flight, the concept took off in the mid-1970s after the US federal government deemed the airlines’ lounge policies discriminatory and required carriers to open up the clubs to anyone who could pay. Frequent-flyer programs and branded credit cards began offering lounge access as a perk. An estimated 3000 lounges now populate major airports worldwide, according to LoungeReview.com.
But are these airport oases really worth the price of entry? Complaints about overcrowding soared during the northern summer, as travel rebounded and scenes of long queues outside airport clubs went viral. “There’s something wrong when people are lining up like it’s Studio 54,” says Gary Leff, founder of US-based air travel website View From the Wing.
To cut down on congestion, some clubs are setting limits on the duration of your stay and the number of guests you can bring. For example, Delta Sky Clubs limit stays to no more than three hours before scheduled departure. And from February next year, American Express, which has its network of Centurion lounges, will charge cardholders $US50 ($80) for each guest unless they put $US75,000 or more on their cards each year. A few airlines have stopped selling day passes at popular clubs. Needless to say, these moves have not gone over well with harried travellers.
One solution to the crunch is to build more lounges. During the pandemic, some were closed and many airlines used the downtime to refurbish their airport digs, or to build new ones, says Ty Osbaugh, co-head of aviation practice at Gensler architecture firm. “Lounges are probably the No. 1 priority now for airports,” says Osbaugh, who worked on Delta’s new Terminal C at New York’s LaGuardia Airport and new terminals at Pittsburgh International Airport.
For now, the travelling public has two options: endure the big squeeze or seek out the few remaining patches of true serenity, still accessible but at a price. At many of these extra-exclusive lounges, you’ll likely need a first-class ticket or elite status to get in (for mileage junkies that’s not beyond reach). At some clubs, premium credit cards can also grant you access. Here’s what travel insiders consider the top lounge amenities – and where you can find them.
Travelling incognito
“It’s all about privacy,” says Jack Ezon, founder of US travel company Embark Beyond. He and other luxury-travel advisers say one of their most common requests from clients during the past turbulent summer travel season in the northern hemisphere was some form of pampering and an escape from the crush at the terminal. For those willing to pay for privacy, Ezon recommends the PS Lounge (for “Private Suite”) at LAX, which is actually a separate terminal with individual suites and amenities such as private security and customs screenings (from $US695/$1100 for members and $US995 for non-members; annual memberships from $US1250).
London’s Heathrow has its Windsor Suite, which, if The VIPs were remade today, would probably be where the moguls would be hiding out, with private rooms, individual security screenings and meals curated by a Michelin-starred chef. From about $4750 for a group of three.
Park and fly
In Dubai, where the Emirates Airline’s first-class lounge takes up an entire floor of an airport terminal, flyers can simply waltz on to their flight when it’s called from one of the 30-plus gates. At almost 10,000sq m, with space for 1000 guests, it’s been billed as the world’s largest first-class airport club, and the time you save not having to cool your heels at the gate can be spent shopping at one of the in-lounge duty free boutiques, sipping a glass of cabernet in the wine-tasting room or eating a multicourse meal in a sit-down restaurant. Emirates business-class passengers can also board flights directly from their lounge in Concourse A, as can – starting last week – Delta Sky Club members who are flying through Chicago O’Hare’s Terminal 5.
Some airlines will drive you straight from the club to the plane. At Lufthansa’s first-class terminal at Frankfurt, flyers descend to the tarmac via an elevator when their flight is called, and then hop into a chauffeur-driven car.
A fresh start
For some flyers, the best lounge perks are better savoured after a flight. In Dubai, Jumeirah Hotels, the luxury chain best known for its striking Burj Al Arab tower, guests of that hotel and other UAE properties who have pre-booked transfers can head straight to Jumeirah’s airport lounge upon arrival. Changing rooms, showers and a restaurant-worthy meal await; a car will take them to their hotel when their room is ready.
Brian Coleman, a globetrotting contributor to the Airplane Geeks podcast, swears by the showers in the United Airlines Polaris lounges – reserved for premium passengers or those with the airline’s top-tier United 1K status. “It’s a great feeling being able to get clean, change your clothes and move on to the next part of the journey,” says Coleman.
Room to primp and snooze
At Air France’s La Premiere first-class lounge in Paris, the Sisley spa serves up facials and massages. First-class flyers on Swiss International Air Lines, cooling their heels at Zurich Airport, can avail themselves of two “hotel rooms”, with upscale bedding and ensuite bathrooms.
You can also get your beauty sleep at Singapore’s first-class lounge at Changi Airport in one of the nap rooms in a space dubbed The Private Room.
Wining and dining
Turkish Airlines’ sprawling lounge at Istanbul Airport is a favourite among passengers for its authentic local cuisine and wines, says Paul Tumpowsky, chief executive of New York’s Skylark Travel. He raves about the food and open kitchens, where you can watch chefs prepare made-to-order specialties such as pide and baklava. Joe Brancatelli, who runs business-travel website Joesentme.com, cites both United’s Polaris lounges and American Airlines Flagship First dining rooms (for first-class flyers) for the quality of their dining. But for a filling pre-flight chowdown, aficionados say nothing beats the classic cheeseburgers served up in Virgin Atlantic’s Clubhouses in New York, London and other gateways.
All decked out
Some lounges offer the most basic cure for claustrophobia – fresh air. Take Delta Sky Clubs, many of which have outdoor Sky Decks, a combination of patio and observation zone for plane spotting. At LAX, home to one of Delta’s newest and biggest spaces, the deck has a retractable roof and heaters so it can be enjoyed in any weather. At Swiss’s Zurich lounge, passengers can wait out layovers on a terrace with views of the Alps.
THE WALL STREET JOURNAL
More to the story
It makes sense that international airlines put most investment into their home-port premium lounges, showcasing elements of local design, culture and food. Qatar Airway’s Al Mourjan lounge at Hamad international airport, Doha, resembles the foyer of a boutique hotel with vast marbled spaces, multiple seating options, Arabian design flourishes and bronze surfaces, myriad dining options, a family area and excellent showers with fancy amenities. It’s positioned in a semi-open space above shops and departure areas and has a buoyant, airy feel. Automatic entry is for Qatar and oneworld first and business-class passengers. Economy and premium-economy class ticket holders have an option to book access online for an average of $US100 a visit.
Qantas First Lounge at Sydney international airport is vast but cleverly divided into zones for at-table dining, lounging and working, with the benefit of natural light, tarmac and runway views, and a vertical garden wall on the lower level that softens the cavernous space. There are meeting rooms, a small LaGaia spa with a menu of four 20-minute wellness treatments, and all the expected Qantas design and food collaborators are showcased, from David Caon’s contemporary tableware to Neil Perry’s breakfast and all-day dining menus (the deconstructed pavlova is a smash hit). Platinum and Platinum One Qantas frequent flyers have access, plus oneworld and Emirates equivalent status passengers, and First boarding pass holders. The First Lounge at Melbourne international airport features equivalent facilities.
SUSAN KUROSAWA