The World's Best Airport Lounges and How To Get In

Traveling is stressful!

Orlando International Airport

Whether you’re heading to the airport for business, for vacation, to visit family and friends, or for an important job interview, the whole airport experience can give anyone anxiety! The travel industry knows this, and some airports have created little safe havens for the weary travelers to find some respite.

Air travel is common, much more common than it was fifty years ago. Air travel is expensive! And, though you may be familiar with your local airport, you don’t visit it nearly as often as you do your regular Target, grocery store, or gas station. So even though you might know which terminal you’re departing from, you still have to get your bearings once you get passed security. So, you’re spending quite a bit of money to travel to a highly anticipated destination, and experiencing it all in familiar yet complicated airport, not to mention that nagging feeling of wondering if you’ve forgotten anything — it’s no wonder that traveling is stressful!

Orlando International Airport crowds in January

The travel industry has responded to the plights of weary travelers worldwide and have responded with airport lounges. Whether your goal is to relax, grab some drinks, be productive, or just get away from the throngs of travelers and their luggage, airport lounges can provide you with a brief retreat on your journey.

These lounges have become popular with various types of travelers for various reasons. Vacationers can start their break early by arriving at the airport with time to spare, and christening their trip with a cocktail before their flight. Families may want to book a lounge with a kids room, providing a safe place to play and get out the wiggles before being confined in an airline seat. Travelers with a LONG travel day or who experience delays or cancelations can wait out their downtime in style — some lounges even provide showers for those overnight journeys! And for those who get access with their airline club membership, why not make the most of the perks available?

LaGuardia Airport

So, now that we know what airport lounges are and why they can be so handy, let’s take a look at some of the world’s top airport lounges and what you need to access them.

Charles de Gaulle Airport in Paris, France

Air France La Première Lounge

This lounge is in the Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport in terminal 2E on Concourse K. It has food, snacks, drinks, and cocktails. You can also find showers, spa services, and all of the business features you need, like internet, copiers, and printers.

©SkyeTravel.com

You’re in for a treat if you’re departing or connecting in Paris in Air France’s La Première cabin. You can also purchase access if you’re departing on a long-haul Air France or Delta flight that’s not equipped with La Première cabins for 500 euros ($600), or 75,000 of the airline’s Flying Blue frequent flier miles, per person.

Heathrow in London, England

Virgin Atlantic Clubhouse

This lounge is in the Heathrow Airport in terminal 3. It has food, snacks, drinks, and cocktails. You can also find flight monitors to keep tabs on your next flight status, showers, spa services, and all of the business features you need, like internet, copiers, and printers. There is also a kids area for little ones to expel some energy.

©Justin Tallis/Getty Images

To get in, you’ll need to be flying Virgin Atlantic Upper Class or Delta One, or some combination of high-end elite status with Virgin Atlantic or one of its airline partners.

John F. Kennedy Airport, New York City, United States

Centurion Lounge

This lounge is in the JFK International Airport in terminal 4. You won’t find showers or spas, here, but you can find food, snacks, and drinks as well as a digital library, and they proudly boast about their specialty local-grown coffee. You can also find Centurion Lounges at 24 other locations:

Domestic: Charlotte, Dallas, Denver, Houston, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Miami, New York/JFK, New York/LGA, Philadelphia, Phoenix, San Francisco, Seattle
International: Buenos Aires, Delhi, Hong Kong, London, Melbourne, Mexico City, Monterrey, Mumbai, Sao Paulo, Stockholm, Sydney

©USAToday

If you have a Platinum, Business Platinum, or Centurion (a.k.a. Black) card and present a same-day boarding pass, you can spend some time in these lounges. Those with a Delta SkyMiles Reserve business or personal card can also come in when flying Delta.

Frankfurt Airport, Germany

Lufthansa First Class Terminal

This lounge is in the Frankfurt Airport in the First Class Terminal. This spot get rave reviews and provides not only the usual snack, food, and drinks you’d come to expect, but also has showers and private rooms you can use or reserve for those exhausting red-eye flights, and all of the corporate business features you may require.

©Frankfurt Airport

You’ll need to be departing in first class on Lufthansa, or arriving on Lufthansa in first class and connecting to a flight operated by Lufthansa, Austrian, or Swiss. Uber-elite Hon Circle fliers can also get in.

Istanbul International Airport, Turkey

Turkish Airlines Business Lounge

This lounge is in the Istanbul Airport in the International Terminal, take the escalator opposite the E1 boarding gate on the International departures floor. This lounge offers similar amenities to the Frankfurt lounge, with a plethora of food, snacks, and drinks. You can also find showers, a private nap room, and a quick refresher between flights. You’ll also have access to children’s areas to help keep the tykes entertained.

©Business Traveller

First- and business-class passengers on Turkish Airlines and other Star Alliance flights and Star Alliance Gold elites will have access to this lounge.

Hong Kong International Airport, China

Cathay Pacific The Pier First Class Lounge

This lounge is in the Hong Kong Airport in Terminal 1, Level 5, entrance near Gate 65 on Level 6. This lounge is very spacious and offers plenty of places to rest, relax, and yes — even stretch in between flights. You can find showers and some amazing food and specialty drinks. Be sure not to miss out on the Tea Room and the relaxation room.

©Shutterstock

Access to this luxurious lounge is reserved for those flying first class with Cathay Pacific and Cathay Dragon and those with top-tier status in the Oneworld Airline Alliance, such as Qantas Platinum and Platinum One members, regardless of their class of travel.

Hamad International Airport, Qatar

Qatar Airways Al Mourjan Business Class Lounge

This lounge is in the Hamad International Airport in Terminal 1, from the Duty-Free South Area, go up the escalators located to the left of the Giant Teddy Bear near Eye-Q Sunglasses and the Seafood Bar Caviar House & Prunier. This lounge invites you to “treat your five senses to a beautiful portrayal of Arabian heritage in a refreshing resort-like atmosphere.” It provides food, snacks, and drinks a la carte and buffet-style. There are also showers and kids spaces available.

©Karim Jaafar/Getty Images

You need to be flying business or first class on Qatar Airways, or one of its Oneworld partners, though you might be able to purchase access online ahead of time or during travel if you’re flying the airline in economy or on a basic business fare.

Dubai International Airport, United Arab Emirates

Emirates First Class Lounge

This lounge is in the Dubai International Airport in Terminal 3, Concourse A, on Level 4 in between gates A1 and A24. This lounge is open 24 hours a day and hosts more amenities than most other lounges we’ve reviewed. Some comments mention the shear size of the lounge can lead to an impersonal vibe, but that also means there’s plenty of space to relax. You’ll find ample food and beverage options, showers, spas, private rooms, conference rooms, and kid’s spaces.

You’ll need to have Emirates Skywards Platinum elite status or be departing in first class on an Emirates flight.

O’Hare International Airport, Chicago, United States

United Polaris Lounge

This lounge is in the O’Hare International Airport in Terminal 1, Concourse C, near Gate C18. Plenty of food, drinks and space. This lounge offers showers, private rooms, and everything you need to keep up with work while you travel.

For access, you must be flying United Polaris (not just the airline’s domestic business or first class) or business or first class internationally on a Star Alliance carrier.

Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, Atlanta, United States

Delta Air Lines Delta Sky Club

You can find several of these lounges on any Atlanta concourse you’re departing from. These lounges aren’t super big, but are plentiful and offer the basic lounge amenities you’re looking for like a place to rest from the hoards of travelers, food, snacks, and drinks. The Lounge on Concourse B seems to be a favorite among Sky Club members.

You’ll need a Delta Sky Club membership or to be flying business class on international or transcontinental routes with Delta or its SkyTeam partners. Some SkyTeam elites can also get in, as can folks with the Amex Platinum or Delta SkyMiles Reserve cards who are flying with the airline the same day.

Though not available for all lounges, the easiest way to guarantee you have lounge access on any given day is to purchase it outright with a day pass or one-time-use pass. LoungeBuddy is a great service that allows you to preview which lounges in any given airport around the world offer travelers the ability to purchase one-time access. If you find a lounge that looks appealing, you can purchase your one-time access directly through their app.

LaGuardia Airport

A few lounge providers allow active duty military members to access their lounges for free. In particular, United Airlines provides lounge access to active duty military members with a valid military ID and their families, so long as they have a boarding pass for same-day travel on a United- or United Express-operated flight. American Airlines also allows US military personnel and their immediate family traveling in uniform to access its Admirals Clubs if they’re traveling on a same-day flight operated by American.

Next time you have lengthy travel day ahead of you, check out some of these lounges which can help you keep your sanity and might even be a highlight of your trip! And stay tuned to DFB as we provide more travel tips and planning advice!