Many vacationers put up with crowded airports, costly meals and cramped airplane seats with a view to get the place they need to go.
Nevertheless, the flying expertise would not need to be depressing. With airline miles, elite standing or a premium journey bank card, you possibly can unlock unimaginable experiences — each onboard flights and on the bottom.
One technique to have a extra pleasant journey expertise is to go to an airport lounge. Whether or not you’re in search of some luxurious earlier than you board or have to take advantage of a protracted layover, these are a few of the finest airport lounges within the U.S.
American Airways/British Airways Chelsea Lounge (New York-John F. Kennedy)
In late 2022, American Airways and British Airways opened a model new firstclass lounge in New York-JFK as a part of a $400 million funding into the airways’ joint presence in Terminal 8. The ensuing Chelsea Lounge simply makes the checklist of finest airport lounges within the U.S.
Along with an iconic bar, the lounge provides sit-down full-service eating, modern bathe suites, a homey fire and actually firstclass service.
Learn how to entry the American Airways/British Airways Chelsea Lounge: To maintain the Chelsea Lounge unique, American Airways and British Airways prohibit entry solely to vacationers flying in Flagship firstclass on American Airways, British Airways firstclass and invitation-only AAdvantage ConciergeKey elites.
Qantas Worldwide First Lounge (Los Angeles)
My decide for the finest airport lounge at LAX — and among the finest within the U.S. — is the Qantas Worldwide First Lounge within the Tom Bradley Worldwide Terminal. What this lounge lacks in views and measurement, it makes up for in unimaginable service and food and drinks choices.
Eligible vacationers can take pleasure in a full-service sit-down meal with a few of the finest meals you may discover in any airport worldwide. Guests can refresh themselves earlier than a flight in one of many lounge’s bathe rooms or calm down with a handcrafted cocktail from the lounge’s in depth liquor choice.
Learn how to entry the Qantas Worldwide First Lounge: To go to the Qantas lounge in Los Angeles, you may have to have Qantas Platinum One or Platinum standing, Oneworld Emerald elite standing or be flying in firstclass on a Oneworld airline.
American Specific Centurion Lounges (A number of places)
Centurion Lounges, the unique and largest community of card issuer airport lounges, are operated by American Specific.
Eligible vacationers can take pleasure in glorious chef-prepared buffet-style meals and bartender-crafted cocktails in over a dozen lounge places throughout the USA — with virtually one other dozen lounges situated abroad.
Along with excelling at these facilities, some Centurion Lounge places provide bathe suites and even complimentary spa providers.
U.S. American Specific Centurion Lounge places:
Learn how to entry American Specific Centurion lounges: Holders of the next American Specific playing cards get complimentary entry to Centurion Lounges:
Capital One Lounges (A number of places)
Capital One turned heads with the debut of its first airport lounge in Dallas-Fort Value in 2021. After a two-year hiatus, Capital One not too long ago opened new places in Washington-Dulles and Denver. And these lounges have been definitely worth the wait.
Capital One Lounges provide a buffet of tapas-style small dishes — plus recent grab-and-go meals for these in a rush. Full-service bars provide signature cocktails, wine and even unique beers. Devoted espresso bars provide chilly brew and iced lattes on faucet.
Leisure, biking, yoga and multi-faith rooms all provide a non-public spot within the airport to refresh, recenter or get some blood flowing. Particular person loos provide loads of area to clean up or handle parental wants.
Capital One Lounge places: As of January 2024, Capital One has lounges within the following three airports:
Extra lounge places, branded Capital One Touchdown lounges, will give attention to upscale culinary experiences; these are deliberate for New York-LaGuardia and Washington-Nationwide airports.
Learn how to entry Capital One Lounges: Capital One Enterprise X Rewards Credit score Card holders and Enterprise X Enterprise cardholders and as much as two complimentary company get limitless entry to Capital One Lounges. Extra company value $45 every per go to.
Haven’t got a Capital One card? You should purchase a day cross to considered one of these glorious lounges for $65 per particular person per go to.
Chase Sapphire Lounges (A number of places)
Chase is the most recent main card issuer to hitch the airport lounge market, opening its first U.S. airport lounge in Could 2023.
Although new to the scene, Chase appears decided to make a splash.
Chase Sapphire Lounges provide regionally impressed meals and drinks, nursing and wellness rooms, bathe suites, and each working and resting areas.
Chase opened its largest lounge but in early 2024 at New York-LaGuardia, that includes the model’s first personal Reserve Suites, a kids’s playroom, photograph sales space and arcade, in addition to meditation pods and therapy rooms.
Chase Sapphire Lounge places: A relative newcomer to airport lounges, there are solely 4 Chase Sapphire Lounges open to vacationers:
Plus, Chase has unveiled plans to open Sapphire-branded lounges in Las Vegas, Philadelphia, Phoenix and San Diego.
Along with lounges, the Sapphire Terrace at Austin-Bergstrom airport offers eligible vacationers entry to grab-and-go meals, drinks and video games in an indoor/outside terrace area.
Learn how to entry Chase Sapphire Lounges: Holders of the Chase Sapphire Reserve® card, J.P. Morgan Reserve card and The Ritz-Carlton Credit score Card can get limitless complimentary entry to Chase Sapphire Lounge places. Nevertheless, cardholders might want to activate their complimentary Precedence Move membership to unlock entry.
Chase Sapphire Reserve® and J.P. Morgan Reserve cardholders can deliver two complimentary company into the lounge with them. Ritz-Carlton cardholders can deliver limitless company.
🤓Nerdy Tip
Ritz-Carlton cardholders not solely get limitless complimentary entry to Chase Sapphire Lounges, however they’ll deliver limitless company with them.
Precedence Move members who don’t maintain considered one of these bank cards get one complimentary go to to a Sapphire Lounge location every calendar 12 months. The Hong Kong location is excluded.
United Polaris Lounges (A number of places)
United Airways operates a collection of lounges for its United Polaris enterprise class passengers on abroad flights. These lounges embody sit-down full-service meals, bartender-crafted cocktails, bathe suites that includes Therabody merchandise, and daybeds for catching a jetlag-busting nap.
United Polaris Lounge places: Eligible vacationers can benefit from the United Polaris Lounge expertise within the following airports:
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Houston-Intercontinental.
Solely Star Alliance firstclass passengers are eligible to deliver a visitor into the lounge with them.
American Airways Flagship Lounges (A number of places)
American Airways additionally operates a premium set of lounges for its most valued flyers. Whereas not fairly as premium as United Polaris Lounges, Flagship Lounges provide loads of perks that make them value a go to. Eligible vacationers can take pleasure in “chef-inspired” buffet meals, build-your-own cocktails and bathe suites.
Moreover, unique full-service Flagship Eating areas are reserved for American Airways Flagship firstclass vacationers and passengers who bought Flagship Enterprise Plus fares.
American Airways Flagship Lounge places: American Airways at present provides Flagship Lounges in 4 of its busiest hubs:
One other Flagship Lounge will open quickly in Philadelphia.
Learn how to entry American Airways Flagship Lounges: Vacationers can entry Flagship Lounges when flying Flagship enterprise or Flagship firstclass.
Moreover, American Airways AAdvantage Platinum (and better), Alaska Mileage Plan MVP Gold (and better) and Oneworld Sapphire (and better) elite members can go to when touring on an Oneworld-operated intercontinental flight. ConciergeKey vacationers may also entry Flagship Lounges with their instant household or as much as two company.
Do not pay out-of-pocket for lounge entry
A number of journey bank cards embody airport lounge entry of their suite of advantages focusing on the frequent flyer.
The Platinum Card® from American Specific
on American Specific’ web site
Charges & Charges
Citi® / AAdvantage® Govt World Elite Mastercard®
on Citibank’s software
Charges & Charges
United Membershipâ„ Infinite Card
Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Specific Card
on American Specific’ web site
Charges & Charges
Chase Sapphire Reserve®
Lounge advantages
Entry to greater than 1,300 lounges worldwide, together with:
• The issuer’s personal Centurion Lounges and Worldwide American Specific lounges.
• Delta Sky Golf equipment, when flying Delta.
• Precedence Move Choose lounges (enrollment required).
• Lounges within the Plaza Premium, Escape and Airspace networks.
Complimentary Admirals Membership membership, plus entry to accomplice lounges with which American Airways has a reciprocal settlement.
Entry to United Membership places and collaborating Star Alliance affiliated lounges worldwide.
For infrequent United vacationers, a special card, the Unitedâ„ Explorer Card, offers you two one-time passes to the United Membership annually. That card has an annual payment of $0 intro for the primary 12 months, then $95 . Learn our overview of that card.
• Entry to Delta Sky Membership when touring with Delta, plus two one-time passes annually for company. (Observe that limits on lounge visits are scheduled to take impact in 2025. Learn extra about that right here.)
• Entry to American Specific Centurion Lounges when flying Delta.
• Entry to Chase’s personal Sapphire Lounges, although there are at present solely a few places.
Last ideas on the most effective airport lounges within the U.S.
For a lot of vacationers, the most effective airport lounge goes to be the one in your house airport or an often-used connecting airport.
Nevertheless, not all airport lounges are created equal. The airport lounges included in our checklist of finest airport lounges within the U.S. provide recent meals, complimentary cocktails and even perks like complimentary spa providers and bathe suites.
When you’re passing via one of many airports with these top-tier lounges, it is value determining entry them and construct in time to expertise among the finest airport lounges round.
Learn how to maximize your rewards
You need a journey bank card that prioritizes what’s essential to you. Listed here are our picks for the finest journey bank cards of 2024, together with these finest for: