Airport Lounges Are Sexy Again—if You Can Get In

“The best spaces feel more like high-end hospitality than a pre-flight pit stop,” he adds.

In order to cater to different tiers of travelers, both airlines and credit card companies have debuted new “lounge-within-a-lounge” concepts—reservable, private spaces ideal for a power lunch or power nap. Last year, Air France introduced private suites within its already-exclusive La Première lounge at Paris Charles de Gaulle (CDG). These 500-square-foot sanctuaries are connected to the main first-class lounge and feature a spacious living area, a bedroom with a double bed, an outdoor patio, and a dedicated butler. Meanwhile, Chase’s “Reserve Suites,” private rooms with a personal attendant, include a welcome caviar service, á la carte dining, and an ensuite bathroom with Augustinus Bader amenities. The smallest suite, with a four-person capacity, costs $2,200.

Easing Airport Stress

Beyond in-lounge amenities, easing airport stress for business travelers is about eliminating points of friction. Karp says that includes “skipping the line to enter, accessing a private security checkpoint, or avoiding crowds altogether.”

In 2023, Delta Air Lines opened an exclusive check-in area at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) for Delta One customers. Tucked away on the arrivals level, the 4,200-square-foot space not only offers white-glove assistance (hot towel, anyone?) but also a special TSA lane and direct access to the lounge upstairs.

Several US airlines, including American Airlines and United Airlines, allow customers to book a VIP concierge (on a pay-per-use basis) who can meet you curbside, check your bags, secure lounge access, and even escort you to the gate. However, it’s limited to certain hubs and is targeted to specific corporate customers.

Then, there are the airport terminals that function more like private FBOs. Here, travelers can pay to bypass the entire commercial terminal, with perks like dedicated security, customs clearance, and being driven directly to or from the plane. PS (formerly called Private Suites) offers these amenities at both LAX and Atlanta (ATL). Instead of the congested entryway for pickups and dropoffs, travelers arrive at a separate facility across the airfield.

“We sit in a space that, until now, didn’t really exist—the white space between commercial and private air travel,” says Amina Belouizdad Porter, CEO of PS. New openings for PS are set for Miami (MIA) and Dallas (DFW) in 2026.

Karp believes this model will continue to grow, especially on this side of the Atlantic. “Europe is ahead of the US in many ways when it comes to offering bespoke airport experiences,” he notes. “I think we’ll see more here, especially for travelers who are used to the control and calm of flying private.”