American Express Centurion Lounge and Capital One Lounge ranked highest in overall customer satisfaction in the JD Power 2026 U.S. Airport Lounge Satisfaction Study. Chase Sapphire Lounge by The Club ranked third.
The survey also found that 45% of airport lounge guests are there to escape crowded airport terminals. Complimentary food and beverage was rated as the top airport lounge benefit, but the survey also found that lounge overcrowding negatively influences satisfaction. The report said 39% of travelers are turning to airport lounges as a respite from high-priced food and beverage options in the airport terminal
Andrea Stokes, hospitality practice lead at JD Power, said, “The airport lounge has become an oasis for travelers, but that oasis can sometimes become a mirage when lounges are overcrowded and people need to wait in line to gain access.” She continued: “With air travel demand as high as ever, the airport lounge customer experience is being challenged by crowded facilities and food and beverage offerings that do not always live up to expectations. As this segment of the airport economy continues to grow, it will be critical for lounge operators and their partners to continue to find ways to delight guests with higher quality food and beverage, and happier staff.”
Other findings of the report included:
- When asked to evaluate the quality of airport lounge food and beverage offerings, more than half (52%) say it was better than expected, while 44% say it was in line with what they expected and 4% say it is worse than expected, highlighting an opportunity for lounge operators to remain diligent when it comes to both food quality and variety.
- Staff service is a key component of overall lounge satisfaction, and the majority of lounge guests (77%) say they experience welcoming staff. However, just half of guests view lounge staff as happy (52%) and/or knowledgeable (51%).
- Nearly half (46%) of guests say the lounge they use most often is usually moderately or severely crowded. Overall satisfaction scores among guests who say the airport lounge was “not at all crowded” is 833 (on a 1,000-point scale). That score falls to 589, a decrease of 244 points, when guests say the airport lounge is “severely crowded.”
The study measures customer satisfaction with airport lounges in the US across eight core dimensions (in order of importance): value of experience; staff; food and beverage; cleanliness/upkeep; amenities; ease of accessing lounge; ambiance; and Wi-Fi service. The study is based on responses gathered from 2,991 travelers who visited a US airport lounge in the past year. The study was fielded from April through June 2026.
