Airport Experience® News -Customer Service Issue 2026

DATA CHECK

LOUNGE EXPECTATIONS EVOLVE Premium Hospitality Demands Shuffle As Lounge Users Multiply

BY CAROL WARD

irport lounges in the U.S. and U.K. are welcoming a broader mix of guests, while frequent

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Top 3 Luxury Signifiers In Airport Lounges Comfortable, not crowded, space to work or relax

Attentive, knowledgeable staff that provides personalized service

Culinary excellence (award winning chefs, table-side service)

business and first-class travelers continue to have high expectations for premium hospitality, a new study from Sodexo Live! and YouGov shows. The Future of Lounge Experiences: What Travelers Really Want from Food, Beverage and Hospitality is the result of a survey of more than 2,100 air travelers across the U.S. and U.K. It found that premium travelers are among the most frequent lounge users, but recent years have seen a significant increase in usage among non-premium travelers. In fact, 63% of lounge guests in the U.S. and 68% in the U.K. are not flying in business or first class. Expectations among all users are evolving for the lounge facilities but also for the food, beverage and hospitality. The study suggests operators have an opportunity to rethink the guest experience throughout the day. And as airlines, credit card companies and lounge operators compete to differentiate the pre-flight experience, the findings point to food, beverage and service becoming increasingly important expressions of the brand itself. Perceptions of a “premium” experience is about much more than the physical space, the study found. While more than 45% of respondents pointed to comfortable, uncrowded surroundings, 30% cited attentive service and 28% pointed to culinary excellence, including award-winning chefs and tableside service.

US

$ $ $

35%

45%

33%

Premium Travelers

$

48%

30%

33%

Economy Travelers

UK

$ $ $

51%

35%

30%

Premium Travelers

$

52%

28%

33%

Economy Travelers

Source: Sodexo Live! and YouGov study: The Future of Lounge Experiences: What Travelers Really Want from Food, Beverage and Hospitality

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AX NEWS OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2026