Airport Lounges Under Pressure: Can New Openings Restore Exclusivity?

At least 10 new lounges are slated to open at major U.S. airports in the next year or so – and they can’t come soon enough. According to a recent report by the International Air Transport Association, the total full-year air traffic in 2024 increased by 10.4% compared to a year earlier. This is 3.8% above pre-pandemic levels. 

However, record-breaking passenger numbers are only part of the problem. It’s also about what travelers do when they are actually at the airport. A growing band of credit cards offer flashy perks, such as access to cardholder lounges or Priority Pass membership. The result? Lounges that were once genuinely exclusive now feel like a slightly fancier boarding gate waiting room. 

Airlines, lounge operators, and other stakeholders are grappling with creating an elevated experience that can cope with higher footfall. 

American Airlines, Delta, JetBlue, and Virgin Atlantic are among the big names with new lounges in the pipeline. While individual strategies vary, the overarching goal is to restore the premium feel that made lounges so popular in the first place.

JetBlue’s Lounge Debut

JetBlue is introducing its first-ever lounges at New York JFK, and Boston Logan. Speaking at the Skift Global Forum last year, JetBlue CEO Joanna Geraghty confirmed that the airline’s lounges would be “smaller, bespoke, more personal, with hopefully no lines.”

With just two lounges planned, JetBlue is creeping, rather than leaping into the sector. To keep Geraghty’s vision of exclusivity alive, the airline will be imposing strict entry requirements. Only Mint passengers on transatlantic flights, Mosaic 4 members, and cardholders of the new premium JetBlue credit card will be eligible to enter.

Speaking to Skift when the lounges were first announced, JetBlue President, Marty St. George confirmed that guests of other carriers will not be allowed entry. 

“We do not have any plans to bring airline partners into the fold for this. We did our research with our customers about the desirability of these lounges, and the thing that we heard loud and clear was frustration with lines to get in, limited seating on the inside, and things like that. The most important thing for us is to make sure that we give the customers who get to experience the lounge a great experience," said St. George.

Delta Doubles Down

In 2024, Delta debuted three Delta One Lounges. This comprised an all-new Sky Club, as well as two expanded Sky Club locations. The new and improved spaces followed a controversial overhaul of its loyalty program in late 2023. This saw much stricter requirements for entry, including limits on annual visits for Delta SkyMiles Reserve cardholders. 

Looking ahead, Delta is due to open an 11,000 sq ft lounge at Seattle–Tacoma International Airport in June. A second Sky Club is also coming to Salt Lake City. At almost 34,000 sq ft, it will be one of the largest in the network and a high-profile attempt to combat overcrowding. The airline will also revamp its Sky Clubs in Orlando, Atlanta, and Philadelphia.

Other notable additions in the U.S. include two new locations from American Airlines. A Flagship Lounge and Admirals Club are due to open in Philadelphia later this year. Over on the West Coast, Virgin Atlantic will bring its famous Clubhouse concept to Los Angeles before the end of the year. The British carrier already has a well-established Clubhouse at New York JFK.

The Rise of the Cardholder Lounge

It isn’t just airlines getting in on the act. Co-branded credit card lounges have also been growing rapidly in recent years. American Express once dominated this area, but Chase and Capital One both entered the market to offer elevated airport experiences, regardless of the airline. 

Dana Pouwels, Head of Airport Lounge Benefits at Chase, told Skift how lounges factor into its broader business model. “As part of Chase’s strategy to invest in travel with the goal of making travel easier for our cardmembers, enhancing on-trip experience is paramount. To do this we’ve made significant commitments to expand our Chase Sapphire Reserve Lounge Network.”

Pouwels highlighted recently opened lounge locations in San Diego and Phoenix as examples of the strategy in action. She also noted Chase’s growing presence at food and music festivals as ways the company is looking beyond the airport to raise brand awareness and value. 

Chase Sapphire Lounges by The Club has been immensely successful in developing a high-end but accessible product. Two new spaces in Las Vegas and Philadelphia are expected to open in 2025. 

“When we open new Chase Sapphire by The Club lounges, our goal is to elevate our Chase Sapphire Reserve cardmember’s entire travel experience,” said Pouwels. “Our Brand and Design team take a thoughtful approach when it comes to redefining the look and feel of an airport lounge – our team is continuously looking to bring new and exciting amenities to each of our locations, reflecting their local city and the tastes of our cardmembers, for which we are incredibly well versed.”

A source confirmed to Skift that a new Chase Sapphire by The Club lounge location is also being planned for Los Angeles International Airport.

Elsewhere, Capital One is introducing two new Lounges — one in Las Vegas and another at New York JFK. A Capital One Landing is also on the way for LaGuardia, with a revised format offering a dining-focused experience. There will still be luggage nooks, outlets, and Wi-Fi, but the emphasis is on tapas and beverages for an elevated dining experience before departure.  

The Next Level Up?

If you thought tapas was a nice step up from regular airside dining, how about caviar? The Sapphire Lounge in LaGuardia offers ‘Reserve Suites by Chase’ at an additional cost. The ultra-exclusive space features amenities such as a dedicated host, caviar service on arrival, upscale menus, and private bathrooms. 

It’s early days for the model, but multi-use spaces with varying degrees of exclusivity could represent a future template for airport lounges. For example, budget-minded travelers might tolerate a standard lounge group offering, while a smaller pool of passengers could appreciate a mid-tier option with comfortable seating, fewer people, and elevated dining. An even smaller group could opt for near-complete privacy with products like the Reserve Suites.

Lounges that blend these tiers can cater to more travelers while increasing comfort for everyone. There is no shortage of hyper-exclusive lounges available to flying first class travelers, however, Chase’s hybrid approach could shake up the status quo. 

What’s Next?

In recent years, several major airlines introduced stricter entry requirements in a bid to reduce overcrowding. However, this hasn’t worked as well as hoped. Lines to enter lounges are often seen wrapping down corridors at airports across the country. 

New lounge locations need innovative solutions for guests. Ultimately, this means larger capacity while ensuring that the design, menu, and experiences represent the luxury feel that travelers expect. 

Personalized solutions and locally inspired touches give new lounges a leg up over run-of-the-mill waiting rooms. Designing a space that can serve thousands of passengers each day while still providing a comfortable and luxurious experience isn’t easy, but it’s a problem that at least some in the industry are trying to tackle head-on.

Watch JetBlue CEO Joanna Geraghty at the Skift Global Forum 2024: