AIRPORT HOSPITALITY WORLD ROUND-UP
Note: The Moodie Davitt Report has launched an Airport Hospitality World LinkedIn newsletter, a curated monthly selection of the latest global airport lounge news and key stories from the wider airport hospitality sector. Follow this link to subscribe. Please send your press releases to Martin@MoodieDavittReport.com while for advertising enquiries please contact Christelle Hill at Christelle@MoodieDavittReport.com
10 September
SPAIN. Iberia has opened its new Emerald Lounge Sorolla in Adolfo Suárez Madrid-Barajas Airport Terminal 4, strengthening the flag carrier’s premium ground proposition as part of its wider Flight Plan 2030 strategy.
The 800sq m lounge accommodates up to 128 guests and is targeted at Iberia’s highest-tier customers and eligible oneworld Emerald members travelling on short- and medium-haul services departing from gates H, J, K and M.
Named after Spanish painter Joaquín Sorolla, the lounge places a strong emphasis on Spanish design and identity. The interior combines cream and natural wood finishes with Iberia’s signature burgundy and incorporates furniture by Spanish designer Patricia Urquiola, recipient of the 2025 National Design Award.
The design also makes use of T4’s distinctive architecture, incorporating the building’s undulating roof and bright-yellow structural supports into the lounge environment.
Food & beverage is a central component of the offer. Airline catering partner DO & CO, which also supplies Iberia’s inflight catering, provides an evolving menu throughout the day centred on Spanish cuisine.
The selection includes tapas, Iberian products, salads and desserts alongside traditional dishes such as crema catalana, almond cake and rice pudding. Breakfast encompasses pastries, breads, tomato-rubbed toast, made-to-order hot dishes, smoothies, yoghurts and vegan choices.
A 360-degree bar is among the focal points of the lounge, supported by dedicated bartender and barista services.
The food & beverage proposition also includes a confectionery area featuring Madrid’s traditional violet sweets.
Iberia said it plans to use the facility as a platform for rotating experiences focused on Spanish products, recipes and regions, alongside gastronomy, cocktail and wellbeing activations.
Wellbeing and privacy are another significant element of the proposition. The lounge features two private suite-style sleeping and rest spaces, alongside showers and upgraded comfort and beauty amenities. Indirect lighting, acoustic treatments and a signature scent have also been incorporated into the design.
SWITZERLAND. Swiss International Air Lines is to open new Business and Senator lounges at Zurich Airport in Q1 2027, expanding its premium hospitality footprint as part of the airport’s planned replacement of Dock A.
The two lounges will occupy around 2,600sq m in a newly constructed building on the southern side of Dock B, offering approximately +20% more space than the existing facilities in Dock A.
Each lounge will occupy a full floor, with the design featuring an open layout, extensive glazing and panoramic views across the apron, runways and the Alps. The expanded facilities will provide additional areas dedicated to working and relaxation.
Around 20 fully soundproofed workstations will be available across the two lounges, alongside increased seating capacity.
The Senator Lounge will feature a bar positioned along the window frontage, offering 180-degree views of Runway 34, the apron and surrounding mountains.
The food & beverage offer will be complemented by a wine humidor and a dedicated maturation room for selected cheeses and cured meats.
Following the opening of the new Business and Senator facilities in Q1 2027, the existing SWISS Business and Senator lounges and SWISS Alpine Lounge in Dock A will close.
Swiss also plans to relocate its First and HON Circle Lounge from Dock A to Dock B in 2028, with further details to be announced.
9 September
SOUTH KOREA. Incheon International Airport Corporation (IIAC) and Star Alliance have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to establish a dedicated Star Alliance lounge in Incheon International Airport Terminal 1.
The development will maintain premium lounge access for eligible Star Alliance passengers following Asiana Airlines’ departure from the alliance on 16 December as part of its integration with Korean Air.
Eligible Star Alliance passengers currently use Asiana Airlines lounges at Incheon, making the planned facility an important component of the alliance’s future passenger proposition at the major South Korean hub.
The lounge will serve eligible customers travelling with the 14 Star Alliance member airlines operating at Incheon, which collectively connect the airport with 29 destinations worldwide.
The agreement also comes amid significant changes to the airline landscape at Incheon as the Korean Air-Asiana integration progresses. IIAC will support the project through airport operations and facilities, alongside efforts to enable Star Alliance carriers to develop their networks from Terminal 1.
The new facility will become the seventh dedicated Star Alliance lounge worldwide.
The alliance’s existing lounge network includes locations at Paris Charles de Gaulle, Los Angeles International and Guangzhou Baiyun International airports.
Across its broader global network, eligible passengers travelling with Star Alliance member carriers have access to more than 1,000 airport lounges.
JAPAN.Plaza Premium Group (PPG) has opened a 149-seat Plaza Premium Lounge at Chubu Centrair International Airport Terminal 1, the airport’s sole domestic departures lounge.
Open daily from 06:00 to 21:00 or the last flight, the facility offers work areas, wifi, refreshments and selected alcoholic beverages, with access for walk-in guests, programme members and eligible ANA and JAL passengers.
Walk-in access is priced at JPY1,500 (US$10) excluding tax.
8 September
PERU. Airport Dimensions has partnered with BBVA Peru to launch a premium lounge at Jorge Chávez International Airport (LIM), extending the airport experience provider’s growing presence at the Lima gateway.
Scheduled to open at the end of 2026, the facility will be located in the international departures area and will become the first dedicated airport lounge introduced by a Peruvian financial institution.
Access will be offered to BBVA’s premier customers, as the bank looks to incorporate premium travel benefits more closely into its customer proposition.
The lounge will feature a Mediterranean-inspired food & beverage offer developed by Peruvian chef Ignacio Barrios, alongside integrated digital services.
Airport Dimensions and BBVA said the design will focus on creating a calm environment for passengers before departure.
The partnership comes as passenger volumes continue to rise across Latin America. Airports in the region are forecast to handle around 821 million passengers in 2026.
Jorge Chávez International Airport is meanwhile expanding its annual capacity to 30 million passengers following the opening of its new terminal in 2025, with longer-term plans to accommodate 40 million.
The project further expands Airport Dimensions’ footprint at the Peruvian hub. Its existing airport hospitality and passenger service portfolio at Lima includes Sleepover private sleeping facilities, Priority Lane fast-track security and The Club LIM.
MALAYSIA. Malaysia’s CHG is plotting an ambitious global expansion as it builds on more than a decade of airport hospitality operations at Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA).
Its CapsuleTransit brand, which has served more than 1 million guests since 2014, recently extended its KLIA offer with a technology-led Sleep Lounge at Terminal 1.
The Moodie Davitt Report Founder & Chairman Martin Moodie caught up with CHG Co-Founder Ryan Loo to discuss the independent company’s growth strategy and international ambitions.
Read the interview here.
7 September
GREENLAND. Avani Lounge has opened at Nuuk International Airport, adding a new paid-access hospitality facility to the fast-developing Greenland gateway.
Located on the upper floor of the departures area, the lounge began operations on 12 August, offering passengers dedicated spaces for dining, working and relaxation.
Following a launch-day open house, access is priced at DKK150 (US$23/€20) per person for stays of up to four hours. Entry can be purchased directly at the lounge, with the same rate applying to adults and children.
The facility does not currently offer complimentary entry through Priority Pass, airline Gold status cards or other lounge access memberships, meaning all passengers are required to pay the standard admission fee.
Food and beverages are included in the entry price, with the menu changing according to the time of day.
The lounge combines comfortable seating with dedicated workspaces and complimentary wifi.
GHANA. A new VIP lounge under development at Accra International Airport is expected to be completed and handed over by the end of 2026, adding to investment in passenger facilities at Ghana’s principal aviation gateway.
Ghana’s Minister for Foreign Affairs Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa confirmed the timeline following an inspection of construction works on 4 September.
The project is notable for its funding structure. No taxpayer financing is being used, with the lounge instead being delivered through corporate social responsibility contributions from Ghanaian businesses.
Participating companies provide funding directly to local contractors involved in the development, while the Foreign Ministry’s Estate Bureau is overseeing the project and monitoring delivery standards.
The use of domestic contractors also places an emphasis on local participation in the development of the new airport hospitality facility.
The lounge forms part of a wider period of infrastructure investment around Accra International Airport, including projects designed to improve terminal connectivity, capacity and the overall passenger experience.
TAIWAN. Oriental Club Lounge is adding a vibrant cultural element to the passenger experience at Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport with an exhibition featuring Taiwanese artist Lin Yu-Chin (EmmaAparty).
Reinforcing its role as a ‘platform for cultural exchange’, the lounge is showcasing ten works by the acclaimed artist through 7 January 2027, including Twins and A Carefree State.
Full story here.
5 September
GERMANY. Air France has opened a new lounge in Frankfurt International Airport Terminal 3, strengthening its premium ground offer at a key destination in its European network.
Operated in partnership with Global Lounge Network, the nearly 500sq m facility offers close to 120 seats and panoramic views across the airport runways.
It is open daily from 05:00 to 21:30, with access for eligible Air France Business passengers and Flying Blue Elite Plus members, alongside qualifying KLM and SkyTeam customers.
Food & beverage is a central element of the offer. An open-plan dining area accommodating almost 50 guests features a menu built around traditional French cuisine, with sweet and savoury dishes changing throughout the day and vegetarian choices included.
The drinks selection spans French wines and Champagne, locally brewed beers and non-alcoholic options.
Air France said it is prioritising locally sourced and seasonal ingredients for the menu, alongside measures designed to reduce food waste and increase the sorting and recycling of catering waste.
Flying Blue Ultimate members have access to an exclusive area within the lounge, featuring cocoon-style seating and providing greater privacy while remaining connected to the main facilities.
Elsewhere, the lounge includes seating areas designed for dining, working and relaxation, plus a separate quiet zone and workspace with a soundproof booth.
Automated eligibility kiosks have been installed at the entrance, while passenger amenities include complimentary wifi, power and USB charging points, and digital access to French and international newspapers and magazines.
Designed by Air France in collaboration with MARKS Brandimage, the lounge combines the carrier’s blue, white and red colour palette with French furnishings from designers including Pierre Paulin and Ronan & Erwan Bouroullec.
Air France branding, its historic winged seahorse emblem and vintage travel posters feature throughout the space.
4 September
USA. Southwest Airlines is to enter the airport lounge market for the first time, unveiling plans for a network of at least 11 facilities in partnership with Chase. Construction has begun on the first four lounges, with openings planned from late 2027.
The initial locations will be Austin-Bergstrom International, Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall, Daniel K. Inouye International (Honolulu) and Nashville International airports.
Southwest said at least seven further lounges will open over the following years across high-demand business and leisure markets in its network.
The lounges will combine Southwest’s hospitality proposition with elements of the Chase Sapphire Reserve Lounge Network, including locally inspired food & beverage, premium amenities and travel benefits.
The development marks a significant expansion of Southwest’s premium passenger proposition and represents a strategic investment in its Rapid Rewards loyalty programme.
Southwest Airlines Executive Vice President, Chief Customer & Brand Officer Tony Roach said, “Our lounges will be a natural extension of that experience, offering customers a place to relax and experience the Southwest brand in a new way.
“The introduction of a lounge network represents a strategic investment in Rapid Rewards and deepens our 30-year partnership with Chase.”
2 September
THAILAND. Plaza Premium Group has entered the Thai market with the opening of two adjoining hospitality facilities at Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi Airport.
The dual openings – under the Plaza Premium First and Plaza Premium Lounge brands – mark a significant step in the airport hospitality company’s rapid Southeast Asia expansion, and introduce two differentiated lounge propositions for international departing and transit passengers at the key regional hub.
Full story here.
1 September
CHILE. Plaza Premium Group (PPG) has appointed Diana Borchard (pictured below) as Area General Manager, Chile, as the airport hospitality company prepares to open five lounges at Santiago Arturo Merino Benítez International Airport.
Borchard will lead the launch, development and operations of PPG’s Chile business, reporting to Senior Vice President Latin America David Thompson.
Three of the new lounges are scheduled to open in 2026, followed by two in 2027.
German-born and based in Chile for more than 20 years, Borchard brings over three decades of hospitality and hotel management experience, with a particular focus on operational start-ups and property launches.
Her previous roles include General Manager positions with Renaissance Santiago Hotel, ICON Hotel, Capital Hoteles and Time Hoteles El Golf. ✈
Read the June 2025 Airport Hospitality World column here.
Read the July 2025 Airport Hospitality World column here.
Read the August 2025 Airport Hospitality World column here.
Read the September 2025 Airport Hospitality World column here.
Read the October 2025 Airport Hospitality World column here.
Read the November 2025 Airport Hospitality World column here.
Read the December 2025 Airport Hospitality World column here.
Read the January 2026 Airport Hospitality World column here.
Read the February 2026 Airport Hospitality World column here.
Read the March 2026 Airport Hospitality World column here.
Read the April 2026 Airport Hospitality World column here.
Read the May 2026 Airport Hospitality World column here.
Read the June 2026 Airport Hospitality World column here.
Read the July 2026 Airport Hospitality World column here.
Read the July 2026 Airport Hospitality World column here.
Read the August 2026 Airport Hospitality World column here.
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 The Moodie Davitt Report is delighted to announce Airport Hospitality World, the latest edition to its wide-ranging, market-leading travel retail and airport non-aeronautical revenues publishing and event portfolio. Airport Hospitality World covers all forms of airport lounges across international and domestic terminals, including various definitions as follows:
Plus other hospitality-related platforms:
Excitingly, the long-established Airport Food & Beverage (FAB) + Hospitality Conference & Awards will embrace Airport Hospitality World from the 2026 edition – the event’s 15th anniversary. The event will take on an extended form, featuring an exhibition and the ultimate one-stop airport hospitality and food & beverage conference and awards platform. |
