Ranked: The 5 Most Luxurious Airport Lounges of 2024

It's no secret that traveling can be stressful. Airlines know this, too, and they've created an entire industry around making travel much more enjoyable -- if you have the personal finances to pay for it.

Luxurious airport lounges can be found in airports worldwide; if you have yet to experience them firsthand, consider this your official initiation. Here are five of the most luxurious details that will save you the trouble of peeking through lounge doors at the airport.

1. Air France La Première Lounge, Paris

A few hours at the La Première Lounge will have you saying "au revoir" to your travel stress. Complimentary 30-minute spa treatment? Check. A driver waiting to take you to the lounge? Yep. Signature meals created by acclaimed French chef Alain Ducasse? Sure, why not?

You'll get all this and more at Air France's La Première Lounge in Paris's Charles de Gaulle Airport. And with the lounge renovated just last year, travelers will enjoy a refreshed setting complete with work areas, a cocktail bar, and even daybeds for napping.

2. Lufthansa First Class Terminal, Frankfurt

As you arrive at the Frankfurt Airport, drive straight to the Lufthansa First Class Terminal -- yes, it's an entire terminal -- and toss your keys to the valet. They'll take care of the rest.

You'll be greeted by a personal assistant who will help you with your travel details, including getting you through security and the entire check-in process. Keep walking through all 20,000 square feet of the Lufthansa's lounge, complete with a cigar lounge, private shower suites (and even one bathtub!), and a bar stocked with over 130 types of whisky.

3. Turkish Airlines Business Lounge, Istanbul

The lounges (it has two) Turkish Airlines offers in Istanbul often rank as the best you'll ever find. As the name suggests, the business lounge is available to business-class travelers -- and doesn't disappoint.

With 60,000 square feet, you'll feel as if you've entered another airport as you stroll through the multiple sections filled with places to eat, a small kids' playground, and private rooms for working or napping. Take a shower and then sit down in the library as you wait for your next flight, or wander over to the golf simulator to pass the time.

4. Qantas First Lounge, Sydney

Perhaps you love books and botanical gardens and have at one time or another thought to yourself, "Why doesn't someone combine these two things at an airport?!" If so, you're in luck.

Qantas' First Lounge in Sydney, Australia, has a small library where you can kick back and read while you enjoy the botanical garden and plants throughout the lounge designed by tropical botanist Patrick Blanc. And if you, just like plants, enjoy a good shower, then access the available shower suites in the lounge at the end of a long travel day.

5. Swiss First Lounge, Zurich

Before you explore the historic city of Zurich, Switzerland, you may want to spend your first few hours in the Swiss First Lounge.

With a panoramic view of the Swiss Alps, you'll know you're not in just any airport lounge. Keep that feeling going while viewing the 1,000-bottle wine humidor, a well-stocked champagne bar, two hotel rooms, shower suites, and the lounge's five-star restaurant.

How to get access to airport lounges

Each of these lounges has specific requirements for access -- usually first-class or business-class tickets on certain flights. Some lounges may require specific memberships or a steep one-time fee.

If you're a regular traveler, you may benefit from signing up for a travel credit card. While you may not gain access to all the luxury lounges on this list, a travel credit card may make it easier to access the lounges in airports you most frequently visit.