A Study Reveals The Number One Reason Passengers Are Flocking To Airport Lounges Like Never Before

Travel is tough enough as it is, especially if you find yourself stranded in an airport or having to deal with unexpected delays, which is why access to an airport lounge ranks high on any traveler's wish list. Because who wouldn't want to swap the overcrowded departure hall and the endless hunt for a working charger outlet for plush seats, clean toilets, and a quiet space to decompress? 

But according to the JD Power 2025 U.S. Airport Lounge Benchmark, ambiance and comfort aren't the number one priority for the 1,430 airport lounge customers who took part in the study. Instead, it comes down to something much more practical: free-flowing food and drinks. The study found that 74% of the respondents considered food and beverage to be the most sought-after lounge amenities, with rest and relaxation (62%) and escaping airport crowds (37%) trailing behind them. 

And it's not really surprising when you think of how airport food has become so expensive. Seasoned travelers have their savvy workarounds, of course, like a flight attendant who encouraged passengers to pack their own snacks in a CNN interview or Lonely Planet contributor James Pham's suggestion of carrying instant coffee packets to get through long layovers. But even these penny-pinching hacks aren't enough. For 38% of lounge customers, a terminal's high food costs were reason enough to seek out lounge access. This was the case for Redditor u/Binford6100User, who instead of paying $60 for at an airport restaurant, decided to spend $75 on a lounge day pass instead. "It was worth every penny of the $75," marveled the Redditor. "Had a couple drinks, an acceptable meal, and a quiet location with high speed internet to get some work done." 

What used to be a fun travel perk has become a deciding factor for many travelers. Faced with jam-packed terminal halls and overpriced airport meals, more passengers are making a beeline for the airport lounge. If the JD Power study is anything to go by, airport lounges are reshaping how people travel: 47% plan their routes around lounge access, while 82% choose to fly a certain airline for lounge perks. 

That said, airport lounges are making a strong case for themselves by upping their food game. Flying from Helsinki? Passengers with top-tier elite status get to sample a reindeer burger after a sauna session at Finnair's Platinum Wing Lounge. In the Middle East, Emirates' lounge offers unlimited caviar service and Moët & Chandon Champagne to passengers waiting to take off. Stateside, JFK's Capital One Lounge has a cheesemonger counter, which The Street's senior writer Veronika Bondarenko swears would "make some travelers with a weakness for all things cultured milk sign up for the Venture X Rewards credit card."

But airport lounges aren't all about fine dining. At Incheon International Airport — one of the world's most comfortable airports – Prestige East Left Lounge guests get to assemble and cook their own ramen after choosing ingredients from the Ramyeon Library, an entire wall of ramen fixings. Meanwhile, Bengaluru Airport's Gate Z lounge, with its punchy interiors and retro-inspired food stations, appeals to both the young and the young-at-heart.