Airport Lounges Are Sexy Again—If You Can Get In
However, a version of commercial air travel—often hidden from public view and inaccessible to even premium credit cardholders—has emerged. This more private, pre-flight experience is essential for the affluent business traveler, says Rob Karp, founder and CEO of travel consultancy firm MilesAhead.
'What we're seeing now is a correction: tiered access, differentiated spaces, and new incentives to spend or commit more to a particular airline,' Karp notes. Business travelers are looking to optimize time and minimize stress—and they're willing to pay for it. That means sitting down for a proper meal, taking a call in a quiet, uninterrupted setting, or even squeezing in a quick spa treatment before boarding.
The 'lounge-within-a-lounge' concept is taking off at airports across the US, providing business travelers with reservable, private spaces ideal for high-level meetings.
Alex Green
Differentiated spaces
In the US, newer lounges that require an international business-class ticket for access, like the network of Delta One Lounges or United Polaris Lounges, are delivering on that promise.
Delta, for instance, offers an á la carte, bistro-like dining experience, soundproof phone booths, and even external monitors for focused work at each of its flagship business lounges. 'Each space is designed to balance comfort and luxury with practical efficiency,' says Claude Roussel, vice president of Delta Sky Club and lounge experience.
For Aaron Kokoruz, a public relations executive who clocks nearly 100 flights per year, lounges like these are about crafting a moment of calm and comfort before boarding, regardless of whether you are hopping over to Omaha or flying halfway across the world. Kokoruz lists both the Qantas First Lounge at LAX (with a Neil Perry menu) and the Cathay Pacific First Lounge at London-Heathrow as personal favorites.
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