8 features that would make the perfect airport lounge
At a time when global travel is, for the most part, on pause, we're finding ourselves dreaming of faraway destinations, business-class flights and, for some of us, even airport lounges. Many see a visit to the airport lounge as one of the things we look forward to about taking a flight -- unless you're TPG Travel Analyst Zach Griff, that is, who always skips the lounge and goes straight to the gate.
But not all airline lounges are great. And very few are perfect. Reading through this list, you might be inclined to think that most of these features come as standard, but you'd be surprised at the reality.
Airport lounges come in all shapes and sizes and are owned and run generally by either an airline, member alliance or a lounge club such as Priority Pass. Lounges are also a saving grace for passengers on long layovers who may need to spend many hours waiting for their next flight -- that's when we really need some of these extras.
Related: The 8 do's and don'ts in an airport lounge
That said, I've picked some of the features from my favorite lounges as well as some elements from ones that I have on my list to visit. Here are eight features that would make for the perfect airport lounge in my view.
1. Dining area with table service
While the food available in lounge buffets is often nice, with them comes more of a canteen-like vibe than a first-class lounge vibe. It's also important to have a self-service food area in a lounge for passengers who might only have a few minutes to spare and would like to grab a quick bite.
But from the range of lounge restaurants with table service I've eaten in so far, I think my favorite is BA's Concorde Room in Heathrow Terminal 5. The combination of delicious food and excellent service made for a proper first-class experience. There are countless other lounges around the world that also offer sit-down dining, such as Air France's La Première in Paris.
If you're lucky, you might even find table service dining areas in business class lounges, like the Qantas lounge in Heathrow's Terminal 3 -- when flying from T3, get there early so you can sample the breakfast menu -- you won't regret it.
Related: 5 things airport lounges need to do ASAP to stop overcrowding
A sit-down service for those who want it is a great option for any perfect lounge.
2. Space to sleep
When I'm really tired, I can pretty much doze off anywhere. But a proper sleep on a long layover even when exhaustion has set in can be pretty difficult in a lounge. Unless, of course, your lounge has a dedicated space to nap.
They come in different forms — from open-plan nap zones like in Heathrow Terminal 3's Aspire Lounge to the fully kitted out, hotel-style bedrooms that you can get cozy in like at the Swiss first-class lounge in Zurich.
3. Cocktail bar
Having a preflight tipple is a firm favorite of many frequent flyers. Each lounge offers its own specific selection of different alcoholic and nonalcoholic beverages. Over the past few years, I've seen everything from self-service beer taps to all-you-can-drink Champagne.
But, my favorite thing of all to encounter in a lounge is a fully stocked bar complete with a cocktail menu -- the kind you'd find in any good hotel lobby. Nothing says the start of a trip like a freshly made espresso martini, right?
Related: The best hotel bars we drank at this year
4. Viewing terrace
This is probably one of the rarest features of them all but perhaps one that any AvGeek would get most excited about. Unless you're at Schiphol in Amsterdam, you're unlikely to get access to an airport's viewing terrace without having a boarding pass in your hand. Even then, airside viewing terraces, especially open-air ones, are pretty hard to come by. One of TPG's favorites is this one at the Swiss first-class terminal in Zurich.
Related: Swiss perfection: a review of Swiss first class on its flagship Boeing 777-300
5. Barbers/hairdressers
For those who travel frequently, time on the ground can be packed with meetings and other commitments, making trying to squeeze in a mop chop before a trip a struggle. Virgin Atlantic hits the nail on the head with the in-house hairdresser in its Clubhouse Lounge in Heathrow Terminal 3.
It's definitely something I'd like to see more of in airport lounges.
6. Massage/spa treatments
There's nothing quite like a massage or spa treatment to ease you into a holiday or relax after a busy day in the office. While it can often be hard to get a free time slot if you haven't got long before your flight and free treatments rarely last more than 10 or 15 minutes, airport massages are an absolute blessing. If I had my way, every airport lounge would feature award-winning spas like you can find in the Thai Airways Royal Silk Lounge in Bangkok and treatments would last for 30 minutes or more.
One of the best treatments I've had to date in an airport lounge was a facial in the SkyTeam Lounge at Heathrow Terminal 4.
7. Chauffeur to and from the plane
I realize that this would be a logistical nightmare for every single passenger in a busy business-class lounge, but this is my "perfect" lounge, after all. I haven't yet experienced the chauffeur service available to passengers passing through the Lufthansa first class terminal at Frankfurt where you get whisked from the terminal to your plane in a Mercedes.
But from my experience at PremiAir, Manchester's private terminal, where I was chauffeured to the boarding area in a BMW 7 Series, I can say that it's definitely something I could get used to when I fly.
8. Gym
Finally, to combat all that alcohol and plane food, my perfect lounge would absolutely feature a gym. There are only a few airports in the world that have gyms in them, and most are within airport hotels rather than in actual lounges. Even then, the entry fee can be pricey.
On flying days, traveling to an airport can use up a lot of your day, meaning that something has to be cut out of your routine and for me, it often ends up being the gym. I'm not talking state-of-the-art fitness centers, but more somewhere with a few benches, dumbbells and cardio machines to give people the opportunity to get in a preflight run or workout that they otherwise might have had to sacrifice that day.
Bottom line
Let's be honest, the likelihood of there ever being a lounge that features all of the above is rather slim. I already enjoy spending a couple of hours in the lounge before my flight as it is, so with the addition of these features, I'd probably end up having an entire day out in the lounge before taking my flight.
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| 3X | Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com. |
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Why We Chose It
There’s a lot to love about the Amex Gold. It’s a fan favorite thanks to its fantastic bonus-earning rates at restaurants worldwide and at U.S. supermarkets. If you’re hitting the skies soon, you’ll also earn bonus Membership Rewards points on travel. Paired with up to $120 in Uber Cash annually (for U.S. Uber rides or Uber Eats orders, card must be added to Uber app and you can redeem with any Amex card), up to $120 in annual dining statement credits to be used with eligible partners, an up to $84 Dunkin’ credit each year at U.S. Dunkin Donuts and an up to $100 Resy credit annually, there’s no reason that foodies shouldn’t add the Amex Gold to their wallet. These benefits alone are worth more than $400, which offsets the $325 annual fee on the Amex Gold card. Enrollment is required for select benefits. (Partner offer)Pros
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Cons
- Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
- Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
- You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
- $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an American Express Card for your transaction. That’s up to $120 Uber Cash annually. Plus, after using your Uber Cash, use your Card to earn 4X Membership Rewards® points for Uber Eats purchases made with restaurants or U.S. supermarkets. Point caps and terms apply.
- $84 Dunkin' Credit: With the $84 Dunkin' Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations. Enrollment is required to receive this benefit.
- $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
- $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings, sweet or savory, with the $120 Dining Credit. Earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. Enrollment required.
- Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges* with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. *Eligible charges vary by property.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- Annual Fee is $325.
- Terms Apply.
Rewards Rate
| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 3X | Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com. |
| 2X | Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com. |
| 1X | Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases. |
Intro Offer
You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after spending $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer.As High As 100,000 points. Find Out Your Offer.Annual Fee
$325Recommended Credit
Credit ranges are a variation of FICO® Score 8, one of many types of credit scores lenders may use when considering your credit card application.Excellent to Good
Why We Chose It
There’s a lot to love about the Amex Gold. It’s a fan favorite thanks to its fantastic bonus-earning rates at restaurants worldwide and at U.S. supermarkets. If you’re hitting the skies soon, you’ll also earn bonus Membership Rewards points on travel. Paired with up to $120 in Uber Cash annually (for U.S. Uber rides or Uber Eats orders, card must be added to Uber app and you can redeem with any Amex card), up to $120 in annual dining statement credits to be used with eligible partners, an up to $84 Dunkin’ credit each year at U.S. Dunkin Donuts and an up to $100 Resy credit annually, there’s no reason that foodies shouldn’t add the Amex Gold to their wallet. These benefits alone are worth more than $400, which offsets the $325 annual fee on the Amex Gold card. Enrollment is required for select benefits. (Partner offer)Pros
- 4 points per dollar spent on dining at restaurants worldwide and U.S. supermarkets (on the first $50,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter and $25,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter, respectively)
- 3 points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with the airline or with amextravel.com
- Packed with credits foodies will enjoy
- Solid welcome bonus
Cons
- Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
- Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
- You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
- $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an American Express Card for your transaction. That’s up to $120 Uber Cash annually. Plus, after using your Uber Cash, use your Card to earn 4X Membership Rewards® points for Uber Eats purchases made with restaurants or U.S. supermarkets. Point caps and terms apply.
- $84 Dunkin' Credit: With the $84 Dunkin' Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations. Enrollment is required to receive this benefit.
- $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
- $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings, sweet or savory, with the $120 Dining Credit. Earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. Enrollment required.
- Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges* with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. *Eligible charges vary by property.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- Annual Fee is $325.
- Terms Apply.