Monday newsletters always feature top 10 travel lists to inspire.
Today: Top 10 best Business Class airport lounges in the world
Access to an airline’s lounge is considered one of the best perks that comes with a Business Class ticket. However, the privilege of waiting for a flight in a lounge has always eluded me. Airport lounges are often located in dark and cramped spaces, most of the time they are far away from the gate, and the food is mediocre at best. But that is not the case at the 10 lounges listed below, which represent oases of tranquility, privacy, and first-rate amenities. In fact, you might even want to get to the airport early to while away the pre-flight hours in my pick of the world’s top 10 best Business Class lounges.
There is more information below the slideshow. What’s your favorite airport lounge? Leave a comment.
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10. BRITISH AIRWAYS GALLERIES LOUNGE, HEATHROW AIRPORT, LONDON
British Airways ’s Business Class lounge at Heathrow ( designated ‘Galleries Lounge’) is definitely a step up from most airline lounges. The lounge is very spacious, features Osborne and Little exclusively designed fabric, and embraces the daylight with large floor-to-ceiling windows that offer nice tarmac views. It has plenty of food on display, with a fresh soup bar, hot and cold entrees, lots of snacks, full coffee stations with all sorts of cappuccino and lattes, and a very broad selection of wines, beers and spirits.
I have reviewed the Galleries Lounge in the following trip reports:
- Review: British Airways A380 Business Class from London to Los Angeles
- Review: British Airways B747 Business Class from London to San Francisco
9. ETIHAD AIRWAYS PREMIUM LOUNGE, ABU DHABI
Etihad’s spacious Premium Lounge at Abu Dhabi International Airport features a chic decor that you would expect in a boutique hotel rather than an airport lounge. There is a wealth of services and facilities on offer in the lounge, including shower rooms, champagne bar, cigar lounge, children’s play area staffed with qualified nannies, work and relaxation areas. Several food stations display an impressive, frequently replenished international buffet which includes a wide variety of meats, cheeses, pastries, fruits, and hot items. The lounge’s Six Senses spa, dedicated to ambient relaxation, provides an urban sanctuary where guests can enjoy a range of complimentary express treatments.
I have reviewed the Etihad Airways Premium Lounge in the following trip report:
- Review: Etihad Airways Boeing 787 Dreamliner Business Class from Abu Dhabi to Bangkok
- Review: Etihad Airways Airbus A330 Business Class from Brussels to Male
8. SINGAPORE AIRLINES SILVERKRIS LOUNGE, CHANGI AIRPORT, SINGAPORE
The SilverKris Lounge is Singapore Airlines’ main Business Class lounge at Changi Airport. The carrier introduced a ‘home away from home’ concept for its SilverKris Lounge, with unique spaces modelled after living, dining rooms and kitchens, featuring tastefully selected art pieces. There is no shortage of seating variety as guests can choose from meeting rooms, café/bars or 13 Italian-leather slumberettes. It has one of the widest variety of lounge foods in the world, including vegetarian cuisines, western dishes, pastas, Chinese stir-fried classics or Indian curries, in addition to Singaporean classic dishes like carrot cake, fried noodles, and chicken rice.
I have reviewed the Singapore Airlines SilverKris Lounge in the following trip reports:
- Review: Singapore Airlines A380 Business Class from Singapore to London
- Review: Singapore Airlines A330 Business Class from Singapore to Ho Chi Minh City
7. FINNAIR PREMIUM LOUNGE, HELSINKI
Finnair’s ultra-white, swanky Premium Lounge is designed by the Helsinki firm dSign Vertti Kivi & Co and features a classic Nordic design with dynamic changes in lighting, inspired by the Finnish outdoors. Video projections on the walls and ceiling are in tune with the seasons and time of day. The lounge features design furniture such as Tulip and Wombs chairs created by Finnish American architect and industrial designer Eero Saarinen. Food & beverage selection are plated on Marimekko tableware or served in Iittala Ultima Thule glasses, first designed for Finnair in 1968 by Tapio Wirkkala. The Premium lounge also features a children’s play area, Apple computers, a staffed bar and even a unisex sauna for those wanting to experience real Finnish culture before boarding the plane.
I have reviewed the Finnair Premium Lounge in the following trip report:
6. STAR ALLIANCE LOUNGE, LAX AIRPORT, LOS ANGELES
The award-winning Star Alliance Lounge at LAX’s Tom Bradley International Terminal is created and managed by Air New Zealand in consultation with its Star Alliance partners. The lounge’s main attraction is an outdoor terrace which invites guests to enjoy views over the airfield and distant Hollywood hills. By day you can enjoy Southern California’s famous sunshine and by night a sophisticated and cozy fire lit ambience. The lounge has a serviced bar with complimentary cocktails and refreshments available. Its numerous areas allow guests to relax, work, dine or be entertained as they wish. Well-appointed shower suites are available for guests wishing to freshen up before their flight.
5. VIRGIN ATLANTIC CLUBHOUSE, HEATHROW AIRPORT, LONDON
Virgin Atlantic’s Clubhouse in London Heathrow Airport is a favorite with passengers and it’s easy to see why. Located in the dedicated Upper Class Wing (with separate check-in counters), it feels more like arriving at a five-star hotel than an airport lounge. With fabulous amenities and a relaxed atmosphere, it’s the perfect place to chill out or get some work done. The moment you walk in you’ll be transported into a world of graceful elegance, with soothing lighting and luxurious furnishings. Passengers can indulge in something delicious from the complimentary a la carte menu at the Brasserie, which features tapas-style dishes and of course, the famous Clubhouse burger. And if you’re in a playful mood, the entertainment zone has an iconic red ball sofa, alongside a pool table and other games.
I have reviewed the Virgin Atlantic Clubhouse in the following trip report:
4. AIR FRANCE BUSINESS LOUNGE, CDG AIRPORT, PARIS
Air France operates several airport lounges across the globe, but its new Business Class lounge at Paris Charles De Gaulle airport is in a category of its own. Reopened in 2018 after a complete redesign, the enormous light-filled lounge has a capacity of 540 seats and is an ambassador of chic French style. The choice of materials and furniture with a palette of bright colors strikes a subtle balance between elegance, comfort and creativity. Facilities include a Parisian bistro styled dining corner with open kitchen, a stunning bar created by French designer Mathieu Lehanneur, and a wellness center with spa treatment rooms, private saunas and a detox bar.
I have reviewed the Air France Business Class Lounge in the following trip report:
3. TURKISH AIRLINES BUSINESS LOUNGE, ISTANBUL
In order to create an guest experience like no other, Turkey’s flagship carrier partnered with Istanbul Modern to merge its Business Lounge at Istanbul’s new airport with a museum. A great range of services and activities are at arm’s reach, including a realistic racetrack providing the excitement of a car race, video game consoles, a cutting-edge golf simulator, private resting and showering areas, a media wall, cinema, play area for children, library, pool room, prayer room, teleconference hall, and a spa. For those interested in Turkish cuisine, the lounge provides some of the unique tastes of Turkish and global dishes you’ll be hard-pressed to find elsewhere, such as “mantı” (Traditional Turkish beef ravioli).
2. KLM CROWN LOUNGE, SCHIPHOL AIRPORT, AMSTERDAM
Located between the E and F piers, the massive two-level KLM Crown Lounge at Schiphol Airport has some standout features such as the first Heineken lounge bar, several sleep pods, and an outdoor terrace overlooking the runways. The entrance to the lounge is via an escalator with illuminated glass walls adorned with some 5,000 Delft Blue miniature houses. The beautiful lounge is divided in four Dutch-inspired spaces: the Polder; the Dutch Mountain; the City; and the Sea. They allow passengers to work, relax/sleep, refresh, eat, drink, entertain themselves, or engage in fine dining. The lounge is also home to a pay-for restaurant – called Blue – with a menu compiled by Chef Joris Bijdendijk the Michelin-starred restaurant in Amsterdam’s Rijksmuseum (unfortunately, the restaurant closed during the pandemic and has not reopened yet).
I have reviewed the KLM Crown Lounge in the following trip report:
1. QATAR AIRWAYS AL MOURJAN BUSINESS LOUNGE, DOHA
Qatar Airways’ Al Mourjan Business Lounge at Hamad International Airport is the best Business Class lounge that I ever encountered during my extensive travels. It simply outclasses all the current competition out there. The physically stunning space with its high ceilings has a refreshing resort-like ambience. The lounge is adorned with marbles, designer furniture, and bronze walls featuring traditional Arab calligraphy. It offers a variety of dining areas with an extensive buffet as well as fully equipped business centers, private workstations equipped with personal display screens, shower rooms, prayer rooms, and game rooms (all of them state-of-the-art and incredibly well designed spaces).
I have reviewed the Qatar Airways Al Mourn Business Lounge in the following trip reports:
- Review: Qatar Airways A330 Business Class from Doha to the Maldives
- Review: Qatar Airways A330 Business Class from Doha to the Seychelles
- Review: Cathay Pacific A330 Business Class from Doha to Hong Kong
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Wow. You seriously think the shoddy BA galleries lounge at LHR is better than the Virgin LHR clubhouse?! Crazy.
To each his own but leaving LHR clubhouse off this list seems like a major oversight
The Qatar lounge doesn’t offer a la carte. Even your last review states that.
I think the United Global First Class/Polaris Lounge at SFO is pretty special. Great food and superb wine/champagne selection. Best shrimp cocktail ever and chateaubriand to die for. Unique decor.
BA galleries suck. Overcrowded, food was meh for me on multiple occasions. Would never be in my top 10. The newer AA flagship and United in SFO are much nicer.
Qatar Al Mourjan lounge is exactly one of those you mention at the beginning of your article – far away from everywhere, crowded and the food is rather mediocre (unlike the food on board!). The picture is misleading because it shows the lower part of the lounge where there is a big pool in the middle and chairs around but no food no drinks. If you want to eat or drink, you have to use the staircase and go one level up and the upper part is considerably smaller and not comfortable at all. Or you have to come up, get your drink and then go back down and rest in one of the armchairs there whilst listening to the rhythmic “blob – blob – blob” that comes from the pool…
For me the best lounge is Emirates because it is huge and you can board directly from the lounge.
I agree. Overcrowded, poor food, toilets often incrediby dirty. Must be dozens that are superior.
First thing I looked for was the Virgin Atlantic LHR clubhouse. It is special—even has sauna, jacuzzi, beauty salon as well as excellent restaurant style eating. Very Chic ambiance. You will want it on your list after you sample it. Agree with other comments that it is definitely superior to some of the lounges you list.
This whole list is a joke
BA galleries is in so many ways inferior to the Virgin Clubhouse at LHR. For one, the Virgin clubhouse has full at-seat service anywhere in the lounge, a free spa for all, sauna, steam rooms, outdoor seating area and – most of all – FRIENDLY and fun staff.
The list is only a joke because of the number of people in them these days, if you take out the people and look purely at the aesthetics of the Lounges named, it’s probably OK, but unfortunately, every man and his kid and his dog qualify for Lounge entry. That is the joke.
I agree with the comments. The Doha lounge is overcrowded (hopefully this will change when the new lounge is opened) with a mediocre food and beverage offering. My biggest gripe with the lounge is that the chairs are incredibly uncomfortable.
The lounge in Doha may look nice on pictures, but for a longer stopover, there is no alcohol and all the seats are uncomfortable and not meant to be slept on, which is not that practical for a lounge in an airport
After flying business with AirFrance, we were let down by the lounge, we were there at around 9am and there was little, i possibly even remember there being no hot food options, and there was a huge smell of drains by the entrance; this however is very similar to the entire vibe at CDG Airport
The Emirates lounge in Dubai is huge, bigger than most airports, there is more than enough seating and so many food options. While it may be beginning to show it’s age, for now it is the best business class lounge in the world.
Air Canada Signature lounge at Toronto
Unbelievable that Emirates Dubai Lounge is left out and according t9 me its super high quality compared most of the lounges described in the article…can there be better convenience than acceasing the gates directly from.the lounge??4 or 5 diff food stations!!!
So far the lounges are not at all good. Also, travelling business class with Cathay is awful, nothing good to say.
Agree about Singapore Airlines and the Finnair lounge in Helsinki.
Cathay Pacific have an excellent lounge in HK airport as well. The Swiss air lounge in Zurich is another memorable one. The American Airlines lounge at JFK in New York is also very impressive.
Haven’t tried the Air France one in CDG, but if it is a good one it’s about the only good thing CDG has going for it.
Who ever wrote this survey does not know the meaning of quality and is totally devoid of travelling
business class travelling experience!!
Obvs written from PR guff and not actual visits as demonstrated by not knowing where the VS lounge is located at LHR T3.
Why are the business class sir fares beyond control ..