5 of the World’s Swankiest Airport Lounges

Crowded concourses and crying kids — not to mention last-minute gate changes or delayed departures — can make taking to the skies seem anything but friendly these days. Enter the airport lounge, where flyers can relax away from the chaos of the terminal with plush seating, abundant chargers, and complimentary food and cocktails.

Like many businesses, today’s airlines are competing for the wealthiest travelers, particularly those buying first-class tickets and holding top-tier credit cards. For these deep-pocketed passengers, a conveniently placed electrical outlet, a cup of coffee, and a comfortable chair don’t cut it. As a result, airlines (and their credit card partners) are one-upping one another with amenities that would feel right at home in a five-star hotel, like museum-quality artwork, chauffeurs, celebrity chef-curated cuisine, pool tables, private butlers, and rejuvenating spa services. With perks like these, it’s a wonder passengers ever want to leave. Here are just a few of the most over-the-top airport lounges in the world.

Air France La Première Lounge – Paris, France

Trust the French to offer lounge luxuries that are worthy of King Louis XIV himself. Royalty — or those fortunate enough to be flying La Première (first class) on Air France, anyway — will feel right at home here, from the moment they step through the private entrance at Paris’ Charles de Gaulle Airport to the time they’re chauffeured in a Porsche Cayenne straight from the lounge to their plane. 

Passengers at the La Première Lounge can enjoy menus created by Michelin-starred chef Alain Ducasse, take a shower or head to the Sisley spa for a complimentary massage or facial, or simply sip on some 15-year-old Veuve Clicquot while relaxing on a private patio. 

Turkish Airlines Business Class Lounge – Istanbul, Türkiye

Considering Turkey’s affinity for coffee, it’s no surprise that the coffee service at the Turkish Airlines Business Class Lounge in Istanbul is amazing. But visitors to this enormous — more than 100,000 square feet, in fact — lounge will also find cooking stations where they can watch chefs create local delicacies such as pide (flatbreads) and manti (dumplings), along with dozens of varieties of dishes prepared fresh throughout the day. In addition to the complimentary culinary delights, there are marble-clad baths with private showers; golf, racing, and flight simulators; and roaming therapists offering shoulder massages.

Lufthansa First Class Terminal – Frankfurt, Germany

Who needs a lounge when you can have an entire terminal? That’s the situation at Lufthansa’s First Class Terminal at its Frankfurt mega-hub, where first-class passengers enjoy 20,000 square feet of elevated experiences. These include a private entrance and security, a cigar lounge, shower suites with full bathtubs (snag the souvenir first-class rubber duckie), and a personal chauffeur to ferry flyers across the tarmac directly to the steps of their plane. At the bar, there are more than 130 varieties of whiskey and rare bourbons, while the sit-down restaurant offers multicourse meals highlighting delicacies from many of the cities Lufthansa flies to.

The Windsor by Heathrow – London, U.K.

When you’ve booked Heathrow’s VIP Windsor Lounge, another private terminal, a private chauffeur will whisk you from your doorstep to the airport, where you’ll pass through private security and be escorted (by your butler) to your personal suite. (Prince William and Princess Kate might be in an adjoining apartment; do give them our best.) 

As you wait, your personal shopper can arrange for last-minute purchases from the airport’s luxury boutiques, or you can just buy one of the pieces of high-end (Andy Warhol, David Hockney, Tracey Emin) artwork displayed on your walls. Michelin-worthy meals are curated by celebrity chef Jason Atherton and include quintessentially British treats along with — naturally — unlimited Champagne. Unlike the other airline-operated lounges on this list, the Windsor Lounge is available to those flying any airline, as long as you’re booked in first or business class — and willing to pay the considerable fee for access, starting at 3,177 pounds (about $4,266 USD) for up to three guests. 

Qatar Airways Al Safwa First Class Lounge – Doha, Qatar

Travelers could be forgiven for mistaking Doha Airport’s Al Safwa First Class Lounge for a museum, as the design was inspired by Qatar’s Museum of Islamic Art. Soaring ceilings, a floor-to-ceiling waterfall wall, and stunning art and architecture make the space grand, but the sleeping rooms (featuring double beds and en suite baths) are intimate and as relaxing as a boutique hotel. Reserve a private (complimentary) soak at the spa’s Jacuzzi (other treatments at the spa are available for an additional fee), enjoy top-notch dining, or score a few bargains at the lounge’s private duty-free store.