Credit card-branded U.S. airport lounges led the ratings in the latest JD Power U.S. Airport Lounge Satisfaction Study, released Wednesday.
American Express Centurion Lounge and Capital One Lounge tied for the top-ranked U.S. airport lounges in customer satisfaction among 2,991 U.S. travelers polled by JD Power from April-June 2026 who had visited a U.S. airport lounge in the past year. Each scored 771 out of a possible 1,000 points. Chase Sapphire Lounge rounded out the top three with a score of 764.
Delta Air Lines' Sky Club, including the Delta One Lounge, had the top score among airline lounges, at 763. The average score was 732.
JD Power this year slightly changed its methodology and weighting of the data to include the size of the lounge network in the U.S., meaning how many locations there were at large and mega-sized airports. That change resulted in some foreign carrier lounges making the rankings, JD Power hospitality practice lead Andrea Stokes told BTN.
The study measured customer satisfaction with airport lounges in the United States across eight factors, in order of importance: value of experience, staff, food and beverage, cleanliness and upkeep, amenities, ease of accessing the lounge, ambiance and Wi-Fi service.
About 39 percent of travelers surveyed said they go to airport lounges as a respite from high-priced food and beverage options in the airport terminal, while 45 percent use the lounges to escape crowds.
Overcrowding of airport lounges, however, also is a problem. Nearly half (46 percent) of respondents said the lounge they use most often is usually moderately or severely crowded, according to JD Power. The overall satisfaction score for respondents who said their selected airport lounge was "not at all crowded" was 833. That score falls to 589 when respondents said the airport lounge was "severely crowded."
"The airport lounge has become an oasis for travelers, but that oasis can sometimes become a mirage when lounges are overcrowded and people need to wait in line to gain access," Stokes said in a statement.
For food-and-beverage quality at U.S. airport lounges, more than half (52 percent) of respondents said it was better than expected, while 44 percent said it was in line with what they expected.
About 13 percent of respondents said their most frequent travel purpose when visiting a U.S. airport lounge was for business only, while 35 percent said it was for both business and leisure, according to JD Power. Of those in either category, when asked to identify their top three amenities used in lounges, 73 percent said food and drink, 57 percent said rest and relaxation, while 38 percent said business services like Wi-Fi and private areas for phone calls. About 14 percent included using the shower in their top three picks.
Of the respondents who used lounges primarily for business or for both business and leisure, 27 percent were granted access through elite frequent flyer status, 18 percent via a credit card perk and 17 percent through ticket access, such as first or business class, according to the findings.