USA. Airport entertainment and hospitality specialist Portal Lounge has opened an immersive lounge concept at Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport Terminal 1.
It combines premium food & beverage, gaming and social experiences in a move designed to redefine airport dwell time.
The concept has been developed by Jordan and Emma Walbridge, founders of American airport gaming lounge operator Gameway, and marks an evolution of the company’s existing airport entertainment offer into a broader hospitality-led format.
The 3,800sq ft Portal Lounge features 17 gaming stations across console and PC platforms, including Nintendo Switch, Xbox, PlayStation and custom-built gaming PCs.
Guests can access more than 25 gaming titles spanning casual, competitive and multiplayer formats.
Food & beverage is positioned as a core component of the proposition, with chef-led menu items, curated cocktails and mocktails, alongside what the company describes as the first robotic bartender of its kind in a US airport lounge.
Portal Lounge said the facility has been designed as a social destination rather than a conventional premium lounge, with art deco-inspired interiors, custom furnishings, music programming and a portal-themed entrance intended to create stronger visual impact within the terminal environment.
Metropolitan Airports Commission Vice President and Commercial Revenue Officer Isabella Rhawie said: “Our passengers have been asking for more unique and elevated experiences, and we’re excited to be the first airport to bring this new lounge concept to life here at MSP.
“Beyond typical and standard, this airport lounge stands out in its experiential offerings that are sure to create a welcomed energy for a broad mix of our travellers.”
Gameway Co-Founder Emma Walbridge said: “Our mission has always been to make airports entertaining, and Portal Lounge is the fullest expression of that yet.
“This is what happens when you design a lounge for the next generation of travellers. The Metropolitan Airports Commission saw that future early and had the boldness to help bring it to market.”
Co-Founder Jordan Walbridge commented: “The airport lounge category has remained relatively unchanged for years, while traveller expectations have evolved dramatically.
“Portal Lounge was built around the idea that modern travellers are looking for experiences and destinations, even within the airport.”
Located in Terminal 1 between Concourses C and D near the Concourse C tram, walk-in access to the lounge is open to all passengers through paid entry, priced at US$70.
It also accessible for Priority Pass members and selected credit card partnerships including Chase, American Express and Capital One. ✈
 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. |
