Flying long-haul is, for many, the bane of travel life, a one-motion purgatory between terminal, air and arrivals. It therefore pays dividends to sort yourself out before you strap into the first-class recliner. With this in mind, we’ve scoured the globe to find the perfect airport lounges in which to take respite and freshen up, spots that sit somewhere between a modernist living room and a five-star bolthole. Safe journeys…
For escaping civilisation: PS, LAX
Situated in a private terminal completely removed from its public-facing counterpart, PS, at LAX, is a white-gloved service replete with members’-club-style amenities, including The Salon, a lounge with plush furnishings that contrast starkly from the Pret, WHSmith and Boots norm. For further escape, there’s also the option of a private suite, which comes with its own staff, unlimited amenities, day bed, entertainment centre, spa services and meals prepared by chefs.
For a hotel-like feel: Cathay Pacific’s First Class Lounge, The Pier, Hong Kong International Airport
Perhaps the most holistic, most considered option on this list, Cathay Pacific’s First Class Lounge is a marquee spot on the frequent-flyer scene, with its bevy of hotel-style hallmarks, such as day suites, shower suites and massage areas, meanwhile its culinary offerings, whose menus take their cues from international kitchens, has been done in collaboration with Rosewood Hong Kong. Work is also made an appealing prospect at The Bureau, a dark, moody office-esque area that brings to mind a mid-century studio – and, when switching off, StudioIlse’s scheme of onyx and darkwood, along with the fragrance of jasmine and lavender that permeates each room, will lull you into a calm mood.
For the oenophiles: Swiss First Lounges, Zurich Airport
The features typical of the efficient Swiss life are all there to see – a pair of hotel rooms, a conference area, restaurants that match your neighbourhood bistro – but it’s the flights of red and white that are the true attractions here, as, at the entrance, there’s a wine humidor that contains approximately 1,000 bottles of wine sourced from across the globe. If looking for something a little stronger, there’s a whisky bar in the Senator Lounge, which showcases more than 200 different offerings – and recliners are also on hand, were you to have a tumbler too many.
For an easy check-in experience: Lufthansa First Class Terminal, Frankfurt Airport
Here, we have an entire 20,000sq ft terminal dedicated to the gentle rhythms of first-class travel, including frosted-glass cubicles for firing off messages to those back home, and a full-on soaking tub in case Outlook were ever to get too much. The check-in desks, security areas and passport control are all for exclusive use, meaning getting to the good stuff is a rather breezy task, and the private pods for napping help you circumvent the whole Tom Hanks look in The Terminal.
For a spa-like experience: Air France Lounge, John F. Kennedy International Airport
JFK, as has been widely documented, can be a whirlwind of a place, a non-stop movement of bodies and chaos and duty-free queues. The Air France Lounge's Clarins spa helps counter both this and the cosmetic dangers that come with flying in a tin can. Here, there’s a trio of facials at hand: Anti Jetlag, Focus Regard and Instant Detox, all of which last for approximately 20 minutes. If tight on time, there are in-flight kits that one can take away and use when in the clouds.
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