I’m an airline product geek, and I like to keep an updated list of some of the best products out there, ranging from the best first class airlines, to the best business class airlines, to the best business class lounges, to the best business class seats. In this post I wanted to share my updated ranking of the world’s best first class lounges, to reflect the changes we’ve seen over time.
First, I wanted to talk briefly about my method for ranking first class airline lounges, and then I’ll get into my rankings, with an explanation of each.
In this post:
Why you should trust OMAAT lounge reviews
Hopefully I don’t have to explain this to regular OMAAT readers, but I feel like this is worth mentioning for those who aren’t regular readers…
All the time I see media outlets ranking first class lounges, though they’re almost always just going off stock media images and how airlines describe their lounges, rather than actual firsthand experience.
Why should you trust OMAAT lounge reviews?
- I pay for all of my own flights, either with cash or miles
- I’ve visited virtually every first class lounge in the world, most several times, so have lots of context for what makes a great lounge (there’s one exception at the moment, as I’ll note below)
- I don’t have any sort of financial relationship with any airline
- This is my passion, I’ve been reviewing airlines for over 16 years, I’ve written hundreds of airport lounge reviews, and have logged millions of miles
There aren’t many sites that can say all of the above, and in the case of some other rating agencies (like Skytrax), I certainly wish we’d see a bit more transparency regarding the financial relationship they have with the airlines they rank.
My method for ranking first class lounges
Let me emphasize that my rankings are entirely subjective, and that’s by design. One of the challenges with reviewing airline lounges is that everyone is looking for different things.
Some airline lounges have bedrooms that are almost like hotel rooms. That’s valuable if you have a long layover, but worthless if you have a short layover. Meanwhile other lounges have top notch food, but that’s of limited use if you’re between long haul flights and aren’t hungry. Other lounges can save you time getting through security and to the plane, but it depends on the circumstances.
I’m going to try and balance the above amenities, though you can shift around which lounge is best based on what you value the most. I’m not saying anyone’s rankings should be in the same order as mine, though I think most people can at least agree with my general list of the top lounges.
Let me also note that I’m only putting one lounge from each airline on the list, even if that carrier has multiple great lounges.
The world’s 10 best first class airline lounges
With the above out of the way, below are what I consider to be the 10 best first class airport lounges, starting with the best (and you can click each headline to read a review of that lounge).
1. Air France First Class Lounge Paris (CDG)
The Air France First Class Lounge Paris is the best first class ground experience in the world, in my opinion. Air France’s first class really is the whole package, because the inflight experience is spectacular as well.
If you’re connecting in Paris, you’ll be picked up at your plane and driven to the first class lounge, and then later on will be driven from the first class lounge to your connecting flight.
There’s so much to love about the Air France first class lounge, though my favorite thing is probably the restaurant, which has an Alain Ducasse menu. In my experience it’s the best food offered in any airline lounge in the world. It’s not just that the food quality is excellent, but the service and presentation are equally good.
There’s not a first class ground experience in the world that’s as seamless and has as much attention to detail. It doesn’t matter whether you’re originating in Paris or connecting, Air France has thought of all the details.
How to access this lounge: You must be flying Air France first class same day, or select business class passengers can buy access to the lounge for €650.
2. Lufthansa First Class Terminal Frankfurt (FRA)
Rather than just offering a great first class lounge, Lufthansa has taken it to the next level with its First Class Terminal. This allows you to skip the main terminal at Frankfurt Airport altogether, and instead drive right up to the First Class Terminal, and then be driven to your plane when your flight is ready to board. All formalities, including check-in, security, and immigration, are handled in the lounge.
The lounge itself is beautiful, with attentive service, a great restaurant with a buffet and a la carte dining, a cigar bar, nap rooms, and collectible rubber duckies.
As an aviation geek my favorite part is being driven across the apron to the plane. This is one of the few situations where I hope my plane is parked as far from the terminal as possible. 😉
Why doesn’t Lufthansa get the number one spot? Because the experience is inconsistent. It’s fantastic if you’re originating in Frankfurt, but if you’re just in transit, the experience isn’t nearly as seamless.
The only time you’ll be picked up from your flight by car is if you’re arriving at a remote stand. Otherwise you’ll potentially have to walk thousands of steps and navigate your own way through the maze which is Frankfurt Airport. The horror. 😉 If connecting, I actually prefer the Lufthansa First Class Lounge Munich.
How to access this lounge: You must be flying Lufthansa first class or SWISS first class same day, or Miles & More HON Circle members can use the lounge when flying a Lufthansa Group airline same day, regardless of the class of service.
3. SWISS First Class Lounge Zurich (ZRH)
The SWISS First Class Lounge Zurich is spectacular, and features a gorgeous design.
In addition to service throughout the lounge, the SWISS First Lounge has an excellent restaurant, and after the Air France La Premiere Lounge, I’d say it’s probably my favorite restaurant in an airport lounge.
But there are two other features that make this lounge exceptional. The first is that the lounge has private bedrooms for those with long layovers. The beds are as comfortable as the ones you’d find in top hotels, not to mention the bedroom has a view of the apron and runways, which made me not want to sleep.
Furthermore, the lounge has a large terrace with views of the gates. In summer they’ll even have ice cream out there for guests to enjoy.
Note that there are two SWISS First Lounges at Zurich Airport. The SWISS First Lounge in the Schengen area of the terminal is great as well.
How to access this lounge: You must be flying Lufthansa or SWISS first class same day, or Miles & More HON Circle members can use the lounge when flying a Lufthansa Group airline same day, regardless of the class of service.
4. Cathay Pacific The Pier First Class Lounge Hong Kong (HKG)
In terms of design, Cathay Pacific’s The Pier First Class Lounge in Hong Kong is one of my favorite lounges in the world. The lounge is designed in a way that makes you feel like you’re in a really swanky hotel or even home, rather than at an airport.
The Pier also has a good restaurant with a la carte dining.
On top of that, the lounge has private rooms where you can relax, or just watch planes pass by outside.
Guests also receive a complimentary 15-minute spa treatment, with the choice of foot reflexology, a head massage, a neck and shoulder massage, or an eye revitalizer.
While Cathay Pacific’s The Wing First Class Lounge is also excellent, The Pier is definitely my preferred of the two great first class lounges at the airport.
How to access this lounge: You must be flying oneworld first class same day, or oneworld Emerald members can use the lounge in conjunction with a same day oneworld ticket, regardless of destination or class.
5. Qantas First Lounge Sydney (SYD)
The Qantas First Lounge Sydney nails all the basics. The lounge is physically stunning and spacious, with lots of natural light and panoramic views.
I love the food in Qantas first class lounges. The menu is designed by Neil Perry of Rockpool Bar & Grill, and my favorite is the salt & pepper squid (though nothing on the menu will disappoint).
On top of that, passengers receive a complimentary 20-minute spa treatment, with several choices, including a facial, a foot massage, a hot stone back massage, and a neck, shoulder, and scalp massage.
How to access this lounge: You must be flying oneworld first class same day, or oneworld Emerald members can use the lounge in conjunction with a same day oneworld ticket.
6. Qatar Airways Al Safwa First Class Lounge Doha (DOH)
The Qatar Airways Al Safwa Lounge feels sort of like a museum. The ceilings are probably 40 feet tall, and there’s so much space. Not everyone will love the minimalist and industrial design, but personally I do. While many other lounges feel crowded, this one feels empty no matter how full it actually is, due to the sheer size of the space.
The lounge also has a restaurant with solid food, though not quite to the level you’d find in the Air France or SWISS lounges. One other feature I love about the lounge is that it offers private bedrooms for passengers with long layovers, and I’d say these are the second best airport bedrooms after those in the SWISS lounge.
The lounge also has a spa including a jacuzzi. While use of the jacuzzi is free, spa treatments come at an extra cost.
How to access this lounge: You must be flying Qatar Airways first class same day (regional first class flights are eligible), or be a Qatar Airways Privilege Club Platinum member traveling in business class. It’s also possible to buy access to the lounge for 600QAR (~165USD) per person when flying Qatar Airways business class.
7. Singapore Airlines The Private Room Singapore (SIN)
Singapore Airlines’ The Private Room is the carrier’s most exclusive lounge, as it’s more exclusive than the Singapore Airlines First Class Lounge. The Private Room feels incredibly intimate and elegant. The lounge has a bunch of semi-private seating, so it’s easy to get comfortable.
The lounge also has a large dining area with restaurant quality food and service, plus an excellent selection of drinks, including champagne comparable to what you’ll find onboard. It’s easy to have a great meal in The Private Room.
The lounge also has a couple of other unique features, like private nap rooms, which are much appreciated if you’re looking to get some rest. However, there are some quirks to these nap rooms that you should be aware of.
Unfortunately Singapore Airlines’ ground service otherwise leaves a bit to be desired, as there’s nothing more to it. Given that security is at each individual gate, it sure would be nice if Singapore Airlines escorted first class passengers to the gate and allowed them to jump the queue, as you’ll find with some other top first class ground experiences.
How to access this lounge: You must be flying Singapore Airlines Suites or Singapore Airlines first class same day.
8. Emirates First Class Lounge Dubai (DXB)
Th Emirates First Class Lounge Dubai is more of a concourse than a lounge. That’s because the lounge literally spans the entire length of the terminal. On one hand that’s super impressive. You have a lounge that’s tens of thousands of square feet, and at times there will only be a few guests.
The lounge also has a restaurant with a la carte dining, a cigar bar, a spa with complimentary 15-minute treatments, and more. One other awesome feature is that you can board your flight directly through the lounge, assuming your flight departs from the “A” Concourse.
The problem? The lounge is so big that it actually feels incredibly sterile and unwelcoming. You feel like you’re sitting in a terminal rather than in a top first class lounge. The lounge doesn’t have an intimate and residential-feeling design, like you’d find in Cathay Pacific’s lounge, for example. Also, the design of the lounge perhaps isn’t the most cutting edge or modern, to put it politely.
This is probably the first time in history that a lounge being too big has been a complaint.
How to access this lounge: You must be flying Emirates first class same day, or be an Emirates Skywards Platinum member. Furthermore, you can buy access to this lounge, at the cost of $250 if traveling in economy or at the cost of $150 if traveling in business class.
9. Etihad First Class Lounge Abu Dhabi (AUH)
Etihad recently moved to Abu Dhabi Terminal A, which represents a huge improvement for the airline. This also means that the carrier has all-new lounges. While the new Etihad Business Class Lounge is a huge improvement, I’m not sure the same is true of the new Etihad First Class Lounge.
On the plus side, the lounge has stunning design, and is consistently very quiet, so it’s an oasis of calm.
The lounge also has proper a la carte dining, with very good quality food and drinks. This is one of the better dining experiences that you’ll find in any first class lounge.
Another nice feature is that you can board select flights directly from the adjacent business class section of the lounge, so you don’t even have to go to the gate, which is great.
The only real downside to this lounge is that it lacks other amenities. It doesn’t have nap rooms, a bar, a gym, or even a smoking room. Still, it’s a very nice lounge for passing some time.
How to access this lounge: You must be flying Etihad first class same day, or be an Etihad Guest Platinum member traveling same day on Etihad. Furthermore, it’s possible to buy access to this lounge if you’re traveling in Etihad business class, at the cost of $215.
10. Oman Air First Class Lounge Muscat (MCT)
The Oman Air First Class Lounge Muscat has to be one of the best “boutique” first class lounges in the world. The carrier only has a couple of aircraft with first class, so this is truly a very exclusive lounge.
In addition to the cool design, the lounge has attentive service, a la carte dining, and a spa in the business class section where you can get a complimentary treatment.
How to access this lounge: You must be flying Oman Air first class same day.
Bottom line
Most people dread having time to kill time at the airport, though the above lounges make spending time at an airport a pleasure. From enjoying a restaurant quality meal, to being driven to your plane in a luxury car, to getting a private bedroom that makes you feel like you’re in a hotel, to enjoying a pampering spa treatment, these lounges have it all.
I’d like to emphasize that I think anyone would be reasonable to think that the above lounges should be in a different order, but hopefully this is at least a useful list in terms of the 10 all-around best first class airline lounges.
I’m curious to hear what OMAAT readers make of my rankings! Are there any other lounges that should have been on the list?
"I’ve visited virtually every first class lounge in the world, most several times, so have lots of context for what makes a great lounge (there’s one exception at the moment, as I’ll note below)"
Did I miss what the exception is? Not sure I'm following where this was followed up on.
I always love reading your best of lists. I can't really compare as I have only been to the Air France LP lounge (which I love), but I have two issues with this lounge that I think could be easily remedied:
-Seating; there are a few groupings of what I would consider to be normal lounge seating, but then everything else is either a dining table or a banquette. I find the banquettes to...
I always love reading your best of lists. I can't really compare as I have only been to the Air France LP lounge (which I love), but I have two issues with this lounge that I think could be easily remedied:
-Seating; there are a few groupings of what I would consider to be normal lounge seating, but then everything else is either a dining table or a banquette. I find the banquettes to be very uncomfortable and awkward.
-Foot traffic; this is a funny one because obviously the ground experience is what makes AF LP so great, but at the same time, offering that level of service requires a really large staff (essentially one agent per passenger), and during peak times the lounge can feel quite busy with the agents walking back and forth, picking up passengers, dropping them off, giving them updates, etc.
It is because of these two items that I don't really enjoy spending more than an hour or two in this lounge. I try to keep my connections as short as possible (even with only an hour, I have managed a shower and full meal), and/or arrive as close to boarding time as possible. I don't understand the people who like to spend hours and hours and hours in that lounge LOL but to each their own! :-)
One of those times that it shows you are a blogger and in search for content. Most don't choose an airline or routing because of the lounges!
Do you think he’s pretending he isn’t a blogger? Are you retarded? Why are you even here?
F*cking loser.
6. Qatar Airways Al Safwa First Class Lounge Doha (DOH)
ahahahaahahahahahahahaaha
Yes, in the top 10 BUSINESS CLASS LOUNGES. Top 10 First Class? NO WAY!
Indeed, the statement above that “this one feels empty no matter how full it actually is” shows that Ben clearly hasn’t been through during the peak midnight or morning bank of departures recently - sometimes it’s so busy you have to hunt around to find a seat these days!
I’d swap Oman Air and Al Safwa here but otherwise it’s a pretty accurate list. I might even bump Al Safwa off the list entirely and put the BA Concorde Room in 10th.
The Qantas lounge may have a great menu, but the design of it I find kind of...meh. Too late 90s cruise ship looking.
One thing about Air France is their ground services for First Class passengers overseas. Gotta love their escorting passengers to the front of the security and immigration lines.
I am a little surprised that the LHR Concorde Room got snubbed.
I'm not.
Really? The bathrooms are beyond pale, no space to nap. The restaurant food is basic. The Concorde Rooms aren’t great, like the airline’s first class isn’t great. Considering the price point of many of their tickets it’s perfectly acceptable, but does it belong in the top 10? Probably not.
Actually, there are spaces to nap.
Not surprised at all it's not on there. There are better biz class lounges than BA's first and concorde lounges
Unfortunately the BA Concorde Room at LHR is just not at the level it needs to be to make Bens list. And it won’t for the next 2-3 years until the the huge reworking and refurbishment of the lounges is complete. BA will be starting work on the Arrivals lounge at T5 in the coming months then the very disruptive work starts on the lounges including the CCR after which I hope it at least gets a mention but I won’t hold my breath!
JAL First Class Haneda , probably because Ben is too young to appreciate the art work and the library full of aviation history .
At least Ben eats Japanese food though. Matthew Klint literally refuses to eat sushi or any kind of basic Japanese cuisine, yet flies Japanese airlines and destinations all the time.
I don’t eat sushi, but I do drive a Toyota.
"Matthew Klint literally refuses to eat sushi or any kind of basic Japanese cuisine, yet flies Japanese airlines and destinations all the time."
That guy has a ton of issues...
@ D3kingg -- It's a great lounge as well, and I do appreciate many of the amenities there. However, the lounge gets very crowded during peak hours, and I just don't think it's as exclusive as any of the lounges on this list. But hey, to each their own, and I can see how for some, that would be among the best lounges out there. :-)
I’m surprised you’re not triggered by all the Japanese people there you worthless bigot.
God it’s going to be so great when you die so you don’t pollute the comments here with your buffoonery. Can’t wait.
Question: I’m transiting through FRA connecting to a flight in F and I’ll probably need to walk over to the F terminal myself. If I were to buy duty free wine on arrival in FRA, would I be able to take it through security at the F terminal?
@ Sonny -- Someone correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe they'll typically pack your duty free items in a tamper-free bag, so that you can clear security with them again. So I think that should be fine. Also keep in mind that the FCT has a small duty free shop as well.
Thanks. Much appreciated.
no way you can import your duty free landside and go back to security to be in the safe zone again.
They will tell you to check in your booze.
To answer Edgar's question regarding whether we can trust Ben's reviews . . . Ben has written many reviews expressing mediocre or negative experiences. Oman is listed in this "best of" list. But, Ben recently reamed Oman regarding a flight. If Ben were looking for favors, why would he ream Oman? Then, there's Mongolian regional business class. The list goes on. Edgar, your question does not seem well-founded.
One counterpoint is the laziness in editorializing his reviews. There's a littany of typos and factual errors across so many articles. Not sure how much weight or trust you can give to someone who doesn't care to spell or fact check really simple things.
In general, I like the content due to the volume that he puts out, but the quality needs to step up in some areas.
@ yoloswag420 -- Maybe you could try to view this from my perspective a bit? I publish an average of about 10 posts per day. Clearly you appreciate that, because you like the volume of posts I put out.
As I'm sure you can understand, that's different than a traditional journalist who might have one or two stories to publish a week, and can put endless hours into that. We all have the same...
@ yoloswag420 -- Maybe you could try to view this from my perspective a bit? I publish an average of about 10 posts per day. Clearly you appreciate that, because you like the volume of posts I put out.
As I'm sure you can understand, that's different than a traditional journalist who might have one or two stories to publish a week, and can put endless hours into that. We all have the same number of hours in the day, so I can't write 60-70 stories a week while putting as much time into the editing process as others might.
So your feedback is totally fair, but what I don't understand is why that means you can't trust my review? How does a typo here or there, because of the volume I'm writing, impact whether my airline content is unbiased and trustworthy?
You're right, it probably doesn't speak to that much in terms of unbiasedness, but it does give off an impression that your articles and reviews could be of higher quality.
I equate consistency and reliability to trust. Take an analogy that we're all familiar, in-flight service. Let's say you have bad service on one flight w/ Emirates. Ok, no big deal, they're still offering one of the best products out there. But then a few...
You're right, it probably doesn't speak to that much in terms of unbiasedness, but it does give off an impression that your articles and reviews could be of higher quality.
I equate consistency and reliability to trust. Take an analogy that we're all familiar, in-flight service. Let's say you have bad service on one flight w/ Emirates. Ok, no big deal, they're still offering one of the best products out there. But then a few flights later, you get another flight with poor service. And the cycle continues, every fourth flight this now happens.
Sure, the majority (75%) of your Emirates flights continue to be great, but the repeat situations of terrible service is what stays on your mind. You now longer can expect (and therefore trust) to get consistently good service on Emirates. You're now going to enter every flight wondering, is everything going to be ok this flight, or will it be another bad experience?
I guarantee with the amount of content you put out, you can afford to pass/delay on one or two articles a week to polish up the remaining dozens. Ultimately, I'm still here because I derive value from the content that you share, so I hope you acknowledge this feedback comes from a genuine place as opposed to hate.
Am I the only one who thinks the Lufthansa First Class Terminal is totally over rated?
I mean it's 'nice'. Nothing to get excited about.
And these private car transfers that I always read about in reviews continues to elude me! Three out of three times departing the FCT from FRA I have had a shared van with other First Class passengers on the same flight.
I know that Ben has long had a soft spot for all things LH, but I agree that the LH FCT is overrated and undeserving of this ranking. Unlike the SWISS First lounges in Zurich, the restaurant in the LH FCT is often crowded. The service throughout the FCT is variable. I have also never had a proper car transfer in Frankfurt.
@ Duck Ling -- I actually largely agree with you, while also being the person who ranked the lounge the way that I did. I don't actually think the FCT is that exciting anymore in terms of the incremental enjoyment of spending time there. But I also think the convenience factor can't be understated, and that's why I rank it so highly.
It's the only lounge where you can originate at an airport and completely...
@ Duck Ling -- I actually largely agree with you, while also being the person who ranked the lounge the way that I did. I don't actually think the FCT is that exciting anymore in terms of the incremental enjoyment of spending time there. But I also think the convenience factor can't be understated, and that's why I rank it so highly.
It's the only lounge where you can originate at an airport and completely skip the terminal. As much as I like a lounge with nap rooms, or showers, or other fancy amenities, it's hard to deny the extent to which this makes the travel experience seamless for those originating at the airport.
I absolutely agree with you - at the current time.
Due to the double HON Circle Miles promotion during the COVID pandemic there is still an increased number of HON Circle Members who get access to the First Class Lounges. And, naturally, in Frankfurt they visit the FCT. To an extend that multiple times I did not get a seat in the restaurant for a pre-flight lunch.
Let's see how the situation is a year...
I absolutely agree with you - at the current time.
Due to the double HON Circle Miles promotion during the COVID pandemic there is still an increased number of HON Circle Members who get access to the First Class Lounges. And, naturally, in Frankfurt they visit the FCT. To an extend that multiple times I did not get a seat in the restaurant for a pre-flight lunch.
Let's see how the situation is a year from now.
And as for the transportation: that's true as well - when boarding an international flight. Flying from FRA to BRU quite a bit, I usually get the private transfer.
Didn’t you do a whole post explaining why you prefer the LH First terminal at MUC to FRA? Or did I just dream that?
@ Frog -- Indeed, sort of, I wrote about that here:
https://onemileatatime.com/insights/lufthansa-first-class-terminal-overrated/
Long story short, I prefer the MUC FCL to the FRA FCT when connecting. However, I think what makes the FCT special (and the reason I rank it so highly) is that it's the only facility in the world that lets you completely skip the main terminal.
Somehow omitted the "First Class Lounge" at Ningbo Liche International. It has first class right in the name!
Why should you trust OMAAT lounge reviews?
"I don’t have any sort of financial relationship with any airline"
This I seriously doubt......
Who are you and why should anyone care what you doubt?
Real question, answer it.
Based on what? There's really no indication otherwise that I've noticed as a longtime reader.
@ Edgar -- You're welcome to doubt or think what you'd like, but that's simply a fact. Is your skepticism regarding me writing about credit cards? I do earn commissions on some credit cards, but those are all linked to banks, and my coverage of airlines in no way impacts those relationships.
Thanks for that overview.
One slight correction: QATAR Privilege Club Platinum plus Business Class on QR works too for Al Safwa
@ Mike -- Thanks for pointing that out, I added it to the post.