Airport lounge operators refine attractions to curb overcrowding

LONDON – Travellers wary of crowded airport lounges will be getting more options including sleep pods, spas and possibly gym access as Collinson International, operator of Priority Pass and LoungeKey clubs accessed by millions of credit card users, looks to increase its offerings. 

London-based Collinson, which operates more than 750 lounges and airport experiences in Asia, is expanding in the region to add to its pre-departure offerings that include manicures, craft beer bars and dining discounts.

The privately held company plans to build out its inventory of lounges and experiences by more than 10 per cent this year as its Asia network sees the biggest growth in demand worldwide, said global chief commercial officer Todd Handcock.

Demand for airport lounges has skyrocketed since the end of the Covid-19 pandemic as people have resumed travelling with enthusiasm, leaving airports and members-only spaces busier than ever.

Premium programmes, which provide free food, drinks and seating before flights, now often attract long lines and crowds.

Collinson, airlines and other operators are adding locations as well as new services and experiences in an effort to alleviate the overcrowding.

“People want experiences,” said Mr Handcock, who also heads the company’s Asia Pacific operations. “We’re putting in a new digital platform that will open up additional doors for different types of experiences beyond the airport ecosystem.”

The group aims to add to its offerings to give travellers more options beyond airport clubs, such as sleep pods and more food and beverage options at restaurants.

It is also looking at ways to allow members to use their perks after they have reached their destinations. It is working with banks and credit card issuers to provide new services such as access to gyms and wellness classes, added Mr Handcock. 

Apart from expanding offerings, providers are looking at other ways to curb overcrowding.

United Airlines will begin charging its members more for access to airport lounges.

Collinson is exploring options such as new tiers or categories of memberships, pre-booking of activities and adding other perks involving health and wellness to bolster the exclusivity of its programmes. 

Travellers with lounge memberships provided by their credit card companies can now access manicures at Changi Airport, a brewery and beer hall at Melbourne airport, sleep pods in Kuala Lumpur and a Japanese onsen-style hot bath at an airport near Nagoya, all part of the Collinson network. 

Visits by global travellers to Collinson’s international lounges in Asia Pacific increased 46 per cent in 2024 compared with 2023, double the growth outside the region. 

“South-east Asia is going through a significant boom,” said Mr Handcock. “When you take a look at the growth markets across the world, the top growth markets right now for travel are in South-east Asia.”

Asia is the company’s fastest-growing region, aided by a boom in new airport construction, he noted. Cities from Mumbai to Taipei to Singapore are building aviation hubs or terminals. 

In March, Collinson unit Airport Dimensions acquired a 45 per cent stake in an Indonesian lounge operator, adding nearly a dozen clubs in major airports throughout the country.

That comes after partnerships to increase its lounge network in Vietnam.

All told, the company expanded its inventory in Asia by 17 per cent in 2024, Mr Handcock said. 

Many of the changes the company and others are considering reflect the demographic shifts impacting the travel industry, he added, with younger travellers valuing experiences over material goods and demanding more personalised, tailored benefits from loyalty programmes. BLOOMBERG