Airports are stepping up their VIP game with major upgrades, swanky lounges

Pittsburghers are so excited to see the new $1.7 billion airport terminal opening this fall that 18,000 of them applied for 2,000 test day slots even before the date was set.

The lucky volunteers chosen to drive to the airport and fly nowhere will be among the first “passengers” to pass under the soaring wood ceiling dotted with more than 4,000 constellation lights and grab some fresh air while enjoying a snack on one of the four outdoor green terraces.

They’ll be greeted by Alexander Calder’s reinstalled 28-foot-long hanging mobile, which is named for the city. Then they will make their way through a facility powered by the airport’s own microgrid and staffed by some employees whose kids spend their days playing at the airport’s on-property day care.

In addition to being more efficient and high-tech, the new terminal is designed to “elevate the passenger experience,” said airport CEO Christina Cassotis.

Airports everywhere are undergoing makeovers, amplifying VIP-style services and other amenities that offer travelers expanded options. Airlines are installing premium cabin upgrades, and lounge spaces are getting larger and snazzier.

Portland International Airport’s (PDX) new main terminal opened in late 2024 with a speakeasy, regular visits from therapy llamas and a soaring 9-acre wood-beamed ceiling that inspired a rap song. The $19 billion makeover underway at John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York includes two new terminals and modernizations of the two existing terminals. New Terminal One, which will be JFK’s largest terminal, will open in phases beginning in 2026 and include more than 300,000 square feet of dining, retail, lounge and recreational space.

The partners building JFK’s $4.2 billion Terminal 6, also set to open in phases starting in 2026, say travelers will find a “digital-first, boutique guest experience.”

The recent $1.5 billion transformation of JFK Terminal 4, currently the airport’s largest terminal, is “distinctive, personalized and not cookie-cutter,” said Belinda Jain, vice president of customer experience and commercial at the terminal’s operator, JFK International Air Terminal. Its commercial offerings are intended to reflect life in New York, with regular pop-ups and eight lounges, including Capital One’s largest lounge to date.

While many airport upgrades reflect expected growth in passenger traffic and some long-delayed infrastructure investments, the “premiumization” of many services and the flurry of new lounges may be a response to airports being — or feeling — more crowded. Travelers have been willing to open their wallets to improve their experience and feel “special.”

At many airports, the experience on the concourse is nice enough that you don’t need to access a lounge to have robust Wi-Fi, power outlets, comfortable seating, pleasant surroundings and plentiful concessions, said travel analyst Henry Harteveldt, president and founder of Atmosphere Research.

Yet 14% of the 5,000 U.S. airline passengers his group surveyed earlier this year said they have access to airport lounges through paid memberships, qualifying credit cards or flights, and spend status with an airline, said Harteveldt.

“We all want something that not everybody else has. And these lounges also appeal to the innate snob in all of us,” Harteveldt said. “In some cases, the lounges are above the general concourse area, meaning you are literally looking down on the people in the main terminal area.”

In a recent survey of more than 10,000 global travelers who take two or more trips a year, airport lounge operator Airport Dimensions found that 66% of U.S. travelers said they’d be willing to purchase premium services such as priority check in, fast-track lanes, paid waiting areas and lounge access to improve their airport experience.

The survey found that so-called affluent leisure travelers were significantly more willing to pay for those premium services than others. These travelers, also known as ALTs, are defined in part as taking three or more trips a year.

“These are people traveling by choice, not just necessity,” said Chris Gwilliam, Airport Dimensions’ senior vice president of global business. “And they are willing to spend when the experience feels worth it.”

Those with big budgets who want an even more premium experience can access luxury terminals when flying commercial from some airports.

PS, which opened a private, gated terminal for affluent travelers at Los Angeles International Airport in 2017, opened a second oneat Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport in Georgia in 2023. It plans openings for airports in Dallas/Fort Worth and Miami in 2026.

Services include private security screening, on-site customs and immigration facilities, spa services, chef-prepared meals, private suites or shared private lounge access and chauffeur service to the airplane. Fees range from $1,295 for individual access to close to $5,000 for a private suite for up to four travelers.

Demand for private travel experiences has skyrocketed since the pandemic along with a general desire to splurge on travel, said Amina Belouizdad Porter, CEO of PS. “It’s a trend that we have benefited from.”

Even less than affluent flyers are ponying up.

SkySquad is a service that expedites check-in and escorts travelers from the curb to the gate, with prices from $79 (walk-up) to $149 (prebooked) for up to six people at a growing number of airports, The Bethesda, Maryland-based company had its busiest month ever in December at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport (FLL), where the company can only service customers of Spirit Airlines, an ultra-low-cost carrier.

“We helped over 2,900 groups at FLL that month, which shows that travelers across all price points value a VIP experience,” said company founder Julie Melnick.

There are other widely available ways to get preferential treatment. The expedited screening lane accessible with TSA Precheck is available at more than 200 airports. Pricing varies by enrollment provider but can be around $85. For $209 a year, travelers can join CLEAR+ and cut to the front of the security checkpoint line at more than 59 airports.

“Travel is hard, and it’s only getting harder,” said Annabel Walsh, CLEAR’s senior vice president for marketing. Services like CLEAR’s, she said, give travelers “a faster, more predictable, premium experience when they need it most.”