Airport Lounge Access Plays Major Role in Choice of Routes and Airlines
J.D. Power released today its inaugural U.S. Airport Lounge Benchmark which offers some surprising information and data. These lounges have now become such an important component of the air travel experience that nearly half (47%) of airport lounge customers now plan their route selections based on access to their preferred airport lounge and 82% say their choice of airline is influenced by lounge access.
As you would expect, the primary way of having lounge access is through credit cards. More than one-third (34%) of lounge customers use credit card perks to gain access to an airport lounge, while just 21% are granted access due to elite frequent flyer status and 18% have a standalone lounge membership.
The most popular services and amenities utilized in airport lounges are food and beverage (74%), rest and relaxation (62%) and an escape from the airport crowds (37%). One noteworthy trend airports will want to watch closely is the fact that 38% of lounge customers say they visited the airport lounge due to the high cost of food and beverage in the terminal.
A majority (56%) of lounge customers spend between 31 and 60 minutes, on average, in an airport lounge. Among these guests, overall satisfaction averages 758 (on a 1,000-point scale). Overall satisfaction climbs 39 points to 797 when guests spend 121 minutes or more in a lounge.
Airport Lounge Ranking
American Express Centurion Lounge ranks highest in customer satisfaction with a score of 782. Capital One Lounge and Delta Sky Club rank second, in a tie, each with a score of 773.
The U.S. Airport Lounge Benchmark measures customer satisfaction with airport lounges in the United States across eight core dimensions (in order of importance):
- Food and beverage
- Ease of accessing the lounge
- Ambiance of lounge
- Wi-fi service
- Staff
- Value of lounge experience
- Cleanliness/upkeep
- Amenities
The 2025 study is based on responses gathered from 1,430 travelers who visited a U.S. airport lounge in the past year. The study was fielded from September through October 2025.
Surprised? Drop a vote below, or leave a comment and let me know what you think!
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