2023 is poised to be one other blockbuster 12 months for airport lounges.
Airways and bank card issuers have been busy building new lounges and renovating existing ones with the intention to meet the unprecedented demand from flyers in search of a (quiet) area to chill out earlier than their flights.
As increasingly lounge-eligible travelers take to the skies, we have seen lounges add new access restrictions to fight overcrowding. Whereas a few of these insurance policies are starting to work, maybe one of the simplest ways to deal with the crowds is to construct bigger areas.
In fact, discovering area in airports is a perennial problem, however some airways and issuers are getting inventive by debuting several types of lounges, together with smaller outposts targeted on quick grab-and-go service.
All informed, there are some much-anticipated lounge openings on the horizon this 12 months, and listed below are those I am most enthusiastic about.
Amex Centurion Lounge in Washington Nationwide
Estimated opening: 2023.
American Specific is the undisputed leader among credit card issuers that additionally provide airport lounges. The issuer already has 15 Centurion Lounge outposts worldwide, and Amex will open the sixteenth at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA) later this 12 months.
The area might be constructed within the refreshed Nationwide Corridor close to Terminal B after the airport’s $1 billion capital enchancment program is accomplished.
Airside, the 11,500-square-foot area might be bigger than the beforehand constructed Centurion Lounges. Count on floor-to-ceiling home windows, airfield views and distinctive, domestically impressed design touches.
Join our day by day e-newsletter
Associated studying:
Capital One Lounge in Denver
Estimated opening: 2023.
Capital One made its mark on the airport lounge scene with the opening of its first outpost in Dallas Fort Worth International Airport (DFW) in late 2021.
The issuer’s sole lounge has earned high marks from travelers, myself included, and I am unable to anticipate the issuer’s different lounges to open.
Two extra places are confirmed to open this 12 months (after being delayed from 2022), together with an outpost in Denver Worldwide Airport (DEN). The Denver location might be roughly 11,200 sq. ft and might be in Concourse A on the mezzanine stage.
Associated studying:
Capital One Lounge in Dulles
Estimated opening: First half of 2023.
Particulars are mild, however Capital One can be debuting a brand new lounge this 12 months at Dulles Worldwide Airport (IAD). The 9,100-square-foot area might be straight after the TSA PreCheck safety line in the principle terminal. The Dulles lounge ought to open within the first half of 2023.
Capital One can be anticipated to open a new location in Las Vegas, however no timeline has been revealed for that one.
Associated studying:
2 new Capital One Landings within the Northeast
Estimated opening: “Not-so-distant future.”
Final 12 months, Capital One unveiled a brand new airport lounge idea that it is calling “Capital One Landings.” Capital One will accomplice with the extremely acclaimed José Andrés Group to curate the meals and beverage choices at every location. True to the group’s culinary heritage, these Landings will serve Spanish-style tapas.
The primary two Landings might be in two of the Northeast’s busiest airports: New York’s LaGuardia Airport (LGA) and Ronald Reagan Washington Nationwide Airport (DCA) in Arlington, Virginia.
The Landings will differ from conventional lounges in that they’re going to largely concentrate on the meals and drinks with out a lot room to chill out and unwind.
Capital One hasn’t stated when these first two Landings will open apart from teasing that they’re going to open “within the not-so-distant future.” Hopefully, meaning 2023.
Associated studying:
Chase Sapphire Lounge in Boston
Estimated opening: 2023.
To not be outdone by Amex and Capital One, Chase can be moving into the airport lounge wars with the upcoming opening of its first domestic Chase Sapphire Lounge by The Club.
The primary outpost to open is predicted to be in Boston Logan International Airport (BOS) within the Terminal B to C connector.
The 12,000-square-foot lounge will embody a wellness space, enterprise lounge, bathe suites and a household room, based on airport authorities.
Associated studying:
Chase Sapphire Lounge in San Diego
Estimated opening: Seemingly 2023.
Whereas Chase has plans to open at the least seven home lounges, simply two are likely to open in 2023. Along with Boston, Chase is predicted to open a Sapphire Lounge location in San Diego Worldwide Airport (SAN) later this 12 months.
The 11,000-square-foot lounge might be in San Diego’s Terminal 2 West and can characteristic domestically impressed design, meals, drinks and artwork partnerships.
Associated studying:
Delta Sky Membership in New York’s JFK
Estimated opening: June 2023.
Delta just lately consolidated its operations at John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) in Terminal 4. As a part of the transfer, the airline will open a brand new Sky Membership on the A gates.
This 13,700-square-foot area will boast greater than 220 seats and have Delta’s newest design motifs, together with an open kitchen, full premium bar and domestically curated artwork gallery. A year-round, heated Sky Deck will even be accessible.
Moreover, the airline remains to be planning a business-class-only lounge for JFK, however that is anticipated to open in 2024.
Associated studying:
Delta Sky Membership in Boston
Estimated opening: Late summer time 2023.
As a part of Delta’s development in Boston, the airline expanded its international operations to the airport’s Terminal E, which is able to quickly be house to a brand new Sky Membership, opening this summer time. The 21,000-square-foot area will seat over 400 vacationers.
Associated studying:
Delta Sky Membership in Newark
Estimated opening: Fall/winter 2023.
Newark just lately obtained a giant glow-up with the opening of the stunning new Terminal A. Proper now, American, Air Canada, JetBlue and United all name the terminal house. (Solely a subset of United flights depart from Terminal A.)
Delta will transfer into Terminal A after the second section of development is accomplished there this summer time, and the airline will open a Sky Membership within the new terminal at the moment.
No extra particulars are presently accessible, however Delta will share the upper-level lounge area with a brand new American Admirals Membership.
Associated studying:
2 new United Golf equipment in Denver
Estimated opening: 2023.
United will open a United Membership in Denver’s Concourse A later this 12 months. Whereas the small print are mild, the brand new lounge might be “very giant” and “multi-level,” based on United’s head of lounges, Alex Dorow.
Along with the brand new area in Concourse A, the airline will even open a very overhauled membership in Concourse B close to Gate B44.
The so-called B-East outpost closed final 12 months for renovations, and the completed product is poised to impress vacationers, particularly as a result of it’s going to double in measurement.
Associated studying:
2 new United Golf equipment in Newark
Estimated opening: Between the second and third quarters of 2023.
Newark is now house to a “one-of-a-kind” United Club that opened final Could. This new 30,000-square-foot area is close to Gate C123 and has been successful with flyers.
The outdated membership close to Gate C74 is undergoing a renovation, and United is constructing a brand new location in Terminal A; each will open this 12 months.
The brand new membership in Terminal A will open on the finish of the second quarter (round June), whereas the revamped C74 membership will reopen on the finish of the third quarter (in September).
Each lounges are anticipated to appear to be the brand new C123 membership by way of design.
Associated studying:
To-be-determined American Airways Admirals Membership
Estimated opening: Unclear.
Final 12 months, American debuted a powerful new Admirals Membership design that is on show on the carrier’s latest lounge in DCA.
Three extra new Admirals Club outposts are within the works (and can characteristic the brand new design), but it surely’s unclear if any of them will really open in 2023. American hasn’t publicly shared any timelines but for the next three new places:
- Austin-Bergstrom Worldwide Airport (AUS).
- Denver Worldwide Airport.
- Newark Liberty Worldwide Airport.
That stated, we’re positively hopeful that at the least certainly one of these new outposts opens this 12 months as a result of the brand new design is actually a sight to behold, particularly in comparison with American’s current places.
Associated studying: