A Moët & Chandon champagne bar. A Turkish tea garden. An outdoor swimming pool.
These aren’t the features of a new luxury hotel. Instead, they’re all offerings in modern airport lounges around the globe — at Dubai International, Istanbul Ataturk and Puta Cana International airports, respectively.
Now, lounge operators in the United States, where the concept of the airport lounge first launched in LaGuardia airport in 1939, are increasingly revamping their own pre-travel perks, from craft cocktails to on-site hair and makeup to sonic meditations led by famous gurus. The common thread? A focus on improving the customer experience for the modern traveler.
“Lounge design has to account for a family with two kids heading to a ski trip and for the businesswoman who needs to close a deal,” says Vicki Eickelberger of Big Red Rooster, a JLL company that worked on the design of all nine American Express Centurion Lounges. “When a customer’s varied needs are met — maybe some needs they didn’t even think of – that sense of comfort creates lasting brand loyalty.”
Here are four areas that are taking the lounge experience to new heights.
Wellness centers
Air travel is rarely a stress-free experience, even for those flying first class. New lounge amenities are aimed at minimizing the disturbances caused by time zone changes and long periods of sitting.
“Modern travelers care much more about their well-being, and airport lounge design has changed to reflect that,” says Eickelberger. “More lounges now have spas and tranquility rooms that offer respite from the stress of travel.”
Etihad, Emirates and Virgin Atlantic are among the international airlines with spa services in their lounges. The Centurion Lounge at Miami International Airport, which opened in 2015 and is currently undergoing a $6.7 million, even offers complimentary massages. Meanwhile, at Delta Air Lines’ Sky Clubs at John F. Kennedy International Airport and Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, guests can sit in a zero-gravity chair and listen to light-and-sound meditations led by Deepak Chopra.