These Airports Have the Absolute Best Lounges, According to Our Readers
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Unforgettable food. Cutting-edge design. Immersive experiences. These are some of your top criteria for judging what makes a quality hotel—not to mention a worthy resort, cruise, spa, or island. In tallying up the 575,048 votes cast in our 37th annual Readers’ Choice Awards survey, we were struck by both your eagerness to embrace the new and your reverence for tried-and-true classics. Your favorite hotel in the five boroughs is the two-year-old Ritz-Carlton New York, NoMad, but you also can’t stop returning to storied French Polynesian resort The Brando. You’ve jetted through the sprawling Istanbul International Airport, booked intrepid sailings to Antarctica, and fallen in love with historic yet innovative cities like Copenhagen. Read on to start planning your next round of travels—these are the airports with the best lounges in the world, as voted by our readers.
View the Readers' Choice Award winners for best airports in the world, overall, here.
Jeff Goldberg7. New York LaGuardia (LGA)
As part of its much-celebrated glow-up, New York-LaGuardia got a number of new lounges in its Terminal B—like its very own American Express Centurion Lounge (accessible to travelers with the AmEx Platinum Card) and one of the first Sapphire lounges by The Club (use the Chase Sapphire Reserve to gain access). Both are sleekly designed, offer plenty of seating, and welcome guests regardless of what airline they’re flying. Of course, if you’re a loyalist, you’ll find in the same terminal lounges operated by Delta, United, American, and even Air Canada. All these options actually make flying through LaGuardia extremely fun; it even broke into the top 10 rankings of over all best airports in the United States in our Readers’ Choice Awards this year.
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6. Hong Kong International Airport (HKG)
This is one of the world’s busiest passenger airports, so it’s only natural that it has a breadth of lounges to choose from. As the hometown airline, Cathay Pacific has a massive presence here, with multiple lounges called the Deck, the Pier, and the Wing. The latter two are regarded by aviation aficionados and savvy travelers as some of the best airport lounges in the world. The Pier has a tea room in its business class section and a spa for first-class passengers; the Wing’s business class side has a coffee bar, while its section for first class has cabanas. If you’re not flying Cathay while in HKG, worry not: Many of the big players in the region operate their own lounges here, like Singapore Airlines, Qantas, and Emirates. As for lounges accessible via credit cards, there’s an AmEx Centurion Lounge and a Chase Sapphire Lounge (the only one outside of the United States). And for Priority Pass members, there are many Plaza Premium lounges to choose from.
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5. Dubai International Airport (DXB)
This is the airport that Emirates built. So, as far as lounges go, the Emirati flag carrier dominates the airport in Dubai. The Emirates first-class lounges have shower spas, a cigar bar, a la carte dining, and even direct boarding to the plane—literally, you can go from the lounge straight into your seat in first class. The business class lounges aren’t too shabby either. They’re massive and offer plenty of seating areas and chairs. You can even buy access to the lounge if you’re flying on an Emirates flight in economy class. Beyond that, there are the Plaza Premium and Marhaba Lounges accessible with Priority Pass. And if you need a bed for a few hours or an overnight stay, the Dubai International Hotel is highly convenient; it’s located airside so you don’t have to leave the airport or pass through immigration to catch some proper Z’s.
Getty4. Singapore Changi Airport (SIN)
Changi is one of the most beloved airports in the world, at least according to our readers; it consistently scores either first or second place in our rankings each year. The whole place itself is a destination, with the iconic glass-domed Jewel shopping mall featuring that immense waterfall at its heart. But if you’d like some peace and quiet, SIN has got you covered on the lounge front. Airlines like British Airways, Emirates, Qantas, and Cathay Pacific have lounges here; for Priority Pass members looking for Plaza Premium lounges, head to the SATS Lounges. And if you’re flying on Singapore Airlines, you’ve got two fabulous options. The KrisFlyer Gold Lounges are for travelers who hold elite status with either Singapore Airlines or other Star Alliance carriers. The SilverKris Lounges are for passengers flying business class and above; here, there’s even a separate lounge-within-a-lounge called the Private Room, reserved for those traveling in Singapore Airlines’s first class or Suites product.
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3. Seoul Incheon International Airport (ICN)
South Korea has two hometown carriers: Korean Air (KAL) and Asiana. These two airlines are expected to merge, pending government approval in 2025. But until then, each airline is operating their own lounges at their hub in Incheon. KAL has several outposts in the huge airport (shower suites, a la carte dining, beautiful design—oh my!), with specified locations for first and business class passengers. Asiana has their own lounges as well, but Priority Pass members can access the business class lounges when flying with Asiana or Star Alliance-operated flights. Singapore Airlines also has its own lounge here, and the Oneworld alliance (which includes American, British, and Cathay) has a group lounge here. Beyond the lounges, if you’ve got some energy to spare during your long layover, try a guided transit tour run by the airport itself. Depending on how much time you have, you can go to nearby temples and palaces—and even one of the most fashionable districts of Seoul.
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2. Hamad International Airport (DOH)
As to be expected, with a hometown airline as well-connected and polished as Qatar Airways, the lounges at Doha’s airport are similarly accommodating and beautifully designed—because they’re all lounges operated by Qatar Airways. The crown jewel is the Al Safwa Lounge, accessible to first class passengers flying with Qatar and other Oneworld airlines like British and American. It’s a massive and elegant space, more akin to a contemporary art museum than a lounge (though it has plenty of seating, rest areas, and delicious food). There are also the two Al Mourjan Business Lounges: The original South lounge is enormous, spread across two-stories; and the newer Garden outpost has a special Louis Vuitton-branded lounge-within-a-lounge. Qatar also has its Gold and Silver Lounges, accessible to travelers with the equivalent frequent flyer status with Qatar Airways or a partner airline.
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1. Istanbul Airport (IST)
This five-year-old airport, sitting at the crossroads between Europe and Asia, is one of the world’s busiest, having served more than 76 million passengers in 2023. It also scored the number-one spot on this year’s Readers’ Choice Awards list of best airports in the world—and it’s got the lounges to back up that accolade. Naturally, Turkish Airlines uses most of the lounge space at IST: The Turkish Airlines Business Lounge welcomes business-class passengers on Turkish Airlines and its Star Alliance partners and offers showers, massages, and even suites for travelers on select itineraries; while the Turkish Airlines Miles & Smiles Lounge is for passengers who hold status with Turkish or airline partners, accommodating more than 750 passengers. The airline also operates a lounge in the domestic terminal, while IGA Lounges are where Priority Pass members can go.
