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Airports aren’t just a utilitarian pit stop in a traveler’s journey from point A to point B. They’re part of the experience. As leisure travel rises, so does the demand for an experiential airport. Leisure travelers often arrive earlier and stay longer, needing environments that create welcoming and memorable experiences.
The lounge experience is tiered with a push for more accessible lounges and a push for more indulgent luxury experiences, allowing travelers choice in how they want to recharge. The journey is becoming the destination, as airports strive to provide experiences travelers want to linger for.
Henderson has deep experience in creating luxury customer experiences, delivering unparalleled attention to detail, which is instrumental in creating memorable luxury lounges travelers want to stay for. Here are the top three design trends we’re seeing in airport luxury lounges striving to create exclusive, elevated experiences.
Curating a Personalized Experience
Similar to what we see in luxury retail boutiques, lounge offerings continue to build an experience that amplifies the traveler and shopping experience, creating a space travelers plan ahead for and look forward to going to. They want to go from “where do I sit” to “I never want to leave”. Menus are chef curated. There’s diverse programming beyond just a space to work or eat/drink in, with experiences catering to repeat customers.
It’s not just the experience of customers airport lounges are looking at, it’s also the experience of the staff. In a lot of the luxury retail spaces we’ve designed, the back of house has the same level of finishes as the front of house. Happy employees equal happier customer experiences. As lounges are added or renovated, many are looking at improving the ergonomics of their kitchen spaces to improve the experience for their employees, while balancing the challenges of fixed square footage. Henderson’s design work places a heavy emphasis on operational efficiency and finding creative ways to maximize usable floor space.
Designing to New Heights–Literally
Airports have limited leasable space. Airlines are trying to keep up with market demand for delivering premium lounge experiences. Less space, more demand means we need to look upward. Literally. Traditionally, most lounges were tenant improvements within existing core/shell terminal spaces. Lounges are no longer confined to that.
Similar to our luxury retail clients, the overall lounge size continues to scale as demand increases and new amenities are incorporated. We’re seeing a lot of lounges look to building out and up to maximize the overall site footprint. When expanding an existing terminal square footage, unless the terminal made plans for it, the utility infrastructure (electrical, chilled water, plumbing connections) may not be sized to support the expansion. It’s critical to understand this during due diligence and budgeting as new infrastructure drives up costs and extends schedules.
When lounges look to build upward, we need to factor in vertical and horizontal transportation (VHT) systems such as elevators. VHT systems impact every aspect of your building, from fire and life safety to electrical infrastructure, HVAC, plumbing, and security. With so many interconnected parts and trades involved, even small missteps can lead to costly delays or overlooked requirements.
Asset Management and Data Driven Decisions
As lounges scale rapidly, owners and operators are tasked with how to effectively operate, maintain, and keep lounge spaces relevant with their customers. Traveler expectations continue to evolve and data feedback loops are needed to inform real-time decisions and to manage assets. We leverage data to help optimize procurement, preventative maintenance schedules, and even predictive analysis of how spaces will be utilized.
Cleared for Landing
Building systems should be seamlessly integrated, so they enhance, rather than distract, from someone’s experience in a lounge. We’re here for you throughout the entire life of your lounge to plan, design, build, and continually optimize for travelers’ needs and wants. Henderson creates airport lounge experiences customers don’t want to take off from, but where they want to land in.
