The best airport lounges in each continent

[Mattg]

I spent a few months of this year in South America, and during that time got to visit a lot of different airport lounges - including the flagship hub airport lounges of LATAM, avianca, Copa Airlines and Gol. The LATAM Signature lounge in Santiago (SCL) was easily the best of the lot, by some margin. But was it better than, say, the Qantas First Lounge in Sydney? Well, no.

The standard of airport lounges varies hugely between different continents. There are some great lounges in Australia and some excellent ones in Asia, for example, but in North and South America they tend to be a bit more underwhelming in comparison. For this reason it's a bit hard to compare, say, the Air New Zealand lounges in Auckland with the EgyptAir lounges in Cairo.

It got me thinking about my favourite lounges of the ones I've visited in each region/continent. This is the list I've come up with:

• Oceania - Qantas First Lounge, SYD
• Asia - Cathay Pacific First Pier, HKG
• Middle East - Qatar Al Mourjan Lounge, DOH (I haven't been into the First Class lounge there)
• Europe - Swiss Alpine Lounge, ZRH (or the Turkish Airlines Lounge in Istanbul if that counts as part of Europe)
• Africa - SLOW Lounge, JNB
• North America - Qantas First Lounge, LAX
• South America - LATAM Signature Lounge, SCL

I wouldn't say the above is a definitive list of the best lounges in most of those continents, as there are still many airports and lounges I haven't been to.

I'd be interested to see what other AFF members consider to be the best lounges in each continent/region! What does your list look like?

 

[RooFlyer]

I'd agree with all of those (as far as the ones I've been in - not SLOW), except the Al Safwa First lounge at DOH, which is a large step-up from Al Mourjan.

Would love to try out the new Oman Air lounges at their new terminal.

 

[levelnine]

Europe - Swiss Alpine Lounge, ZRH (or the Turkish Airlines Lounge in Istanbul if that counts as part of Europe)

AF CDG First & LH FRA FCT are better imo.

 

[SYD]

I’d rate EK F DXB A Gates above QR Al Mourjan (old). If only for the direct gate access (but also for space, dining etc). Although, I’ve not been there for a while. I hope to check out the new Al Mourjan next week. I’ve not been to the Al Safwa nor the new EY F Lounge AUH.

Yes, the SLOW Lounge in JNB is relatively good.

I would have picked CX F Pier also, but there’s a bit more competition in Asia. TG F BKK (only been there once), JL F HND, QF SIN (just a bit too small) and probably the QR Lounges. I can’t comment on the SQ SIN F/PR (not been there) but I was under whelmed by the refurbed SQ J lounge but I was there towards the backend of the refurb and it was a zoo.

 

[Mattg]

AF CDG First & LH FRA FCT are better imo.

I’m sure they are! I haven’t been to these yet but would love to one day

(The above is my personal list)

 

[MEL_Traveller]

AF CDG First & LH FRA FCT are better imo.

Agree! Although i don’t like the FCT… I’d substitute the FCT for the FCLs A and B! (unless you like looking at a brick wall and a car park!)

 

[boblee]

love your list! the qantas first lounge in sydney is definitely top-notch.