Airport Lounges Are Sexy Again—if You Can Get In

“My apical priorities successful a lounge are steadfast and hearty nutrient options, and a coagulated enactment of cocktails and mocktails,” Kokoruz says. “It’s 2025—every large lounge should nail both.”

“The champion spaces consciousness much similar high-end hospitality than a pre-flight pit stop,” helium adds.

In bid to cater to antithetic tiers of travelers, some airlines and recognition paper companies person debuted caller “lounge-within-a-lounge” concepts—reservable, backstage spaces perfect for a powerfulness luncheon oregon powerfulness nap. Last year, Air France introduced backstage suites wrong its already-exclusive La Première lounge astatine Paris Charles de Gaulle (CDG). These 500-square-foot sanctuaries are connected to the main first-class lounge and diagnostic a spacious surviving area, a chamber with a treble bed, an outdoor patio, and a dedicated butler. Meanwhile, Chase’s “Reserve Suites,” backstage rooms with a idiosyncratic attendant, see a invited caviar service, á la carte dining, and an ensuite bath with Augustinus Bader amenities. The smallest suite, with a four-person capacity, costs $2,200.

Easing Airport Stress

Beyond in-lounge amenities, easing airdrome accent for concern travelers is astir eliminating points of friction. Karp says that includes “skipping the enactment to enter, accessing a backstage information checkpoint, oregon avoiding crowds altogether.”

In 2023, Delta Air Lines opened an exclusive check-in country astatine Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) for Delta One customers. Tucked distant connected the arrivals level, the 4,200-square-foot abstraction not lone offers white-glove assistance (hot towel, anyone?) but besides a peculiar TSA lane and nonstop entree to the lounge upstairs.

Several US airlines, including American Airlines and United Airlines, let customers to publication a VIP concierge (on a pay-per-use basis) who tin conscionable you curbside, cheque your bags, unafraid lounge access, and adjacent escort you to the gate. However, it’s constricted to definite hubs and is targeted to circumstantial firm customers.

Then, determination are the airdrome terminals that relation much similar backstage FBOs. Here, travelers tin wage to bypass the full commercialized terminal, with perks similar dedicated security, customs clearance, and being driven straight to oregon from the plane. PS (formerly called Private Suites) offers these amenities astatine some LAX and Atlanta (ATL). Instead of the congested entryway for pickups and dropoffs, travelers get astatine a abstracted installation crossed the airfield.

“We beryllium successful a abstraction that, until now, didn’t truly exist—the achromatic abstraction betwixt commercialized and backstage aerial travel,” says Amina Belouizdad Porter, CEO of PS. New openings for PS are acceptable for Miami (MIA) and Dallas (DFW) successful 2026.

Karp believes this exemplary volition proceed to grow, particularly connected this broadside of the Atlantic. “Europe is up of the US successful galore ways erstwhile it comes to offering bespoke airdrome experiences,” helium notes. “I deliberation we’ll spot much here, particularly for travelers who are utilized to the power and calm of flying private.”