{"id":23684,"date":"2026-05-07T15:51:19","date_gmt":"2026-05-07T11:51:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pressreleasenetwork.com\/site\/?p=23684"},"modified":"2026-05-07T15:51:19","modified_gmt":"2026-05-07T11:51:19","slug":"priority-pass-reveals-worlds-best-airport-experiences-for-2026","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/pressreleasenetwork.com\/site\/2026\/05\/07\/priority-pass-reveals-worlds-best-airport-experiences-for-2026\/","title":{"rendered":"Priority Pass Reveals World\u2019s Best Airport Experiences For 2026"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Priority Pass, the original and market-leading airport lounge and experiences programme, owned and operated by Collinson International, has today announced the winners of the <strong>Lounge of the Year<\/strong> and <strong>One to Watch <\/strong>categories for the Priority Pass Excellence Awards 2026, based on over 700,000 member ratings and reviews. The Escape Lounge at Portland International Airport was named Global Lounge of the Year.<\/p>\n<p>The results highlight how expectations continue to evolve, with today\u2019s travellers placing greater value on experiences that go beyond the functional. Increasingly, the highest-rated lounges are those that feel less like standardised airport spaces and more like an extension of the destination itself, combining local design, regionally-inspired food and beverages, and thoughtfully designed environments that prioritise comfort and calm. In doing so, they are redefining the role of the airport within the overall travel experience.<\/p>\n<p>Regional Lounge of the Year winners included Lounge Fukuoka in Japan (Asia Pacific), Vienna Lounge in Austria (Europe), Club Kingston in Jamaica (Latin America and the Caribbean), and Bidvest Premier Lounge in Johannesburg, South Africa (Middle East and Africa).<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><strong>LOUNGE OF THE YEAR\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>The Lounge of the Year award celebrates the highest-rated lounges across the global Priority Pass network, as rated by Priority Pass members. Member ratings and reviews across a range of criteria are assessed, including the quality of facilities, standard of customer service, food and beverage selection, comfort, ambience and overall member satisfaction.<\/p>\n<p><strong>\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>Overall Global Winner:<\/strong>\u00a0<strong>Escape Lounges, Portland International, United States<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Blending contemporary design with a strong sense of local identity, the Escape Lounge at Portland International Airport stood out for delivering an experience that feels distinctly rooted in its surroundings. Drawing on Portland\u2019s creative and cultural character, the space incorporates locally inspired food and beverages, regional materials and artwork, and a layout designed to offer both relaxation and focus. Set within one of North America\u2019s most design-led airport environments, the lounge reflects a broader shift towards more thoughtful, place-driven experiences that resonate more deeply with travellers.<\/p>\n<p>Commenting on the win, <strong>Tom <\/strong><strong>Waldron<\/strong><strong>, Chief Experiences Officer at the Escape Lounge \u2013 Portland<\/strong>, said: <em>\u201cWinning Global Lounge of the Year with Priority Pass is an incredibly proud moment for our Portland team. This recognition reflects our commitment to creating spaces that feel more than just part of the airport journey &#8211; they\u2019re vibrant, welcoming environments shaped by a true sense of place. From locally inspired food and drink to the energy our teams bring every day, we\u2019re focused on delivering a personalised experience that travellers genuinely look forward to. We\u2019re grateful to Priority Pass and, most importantly, to our guests for making this possible.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><strong>Middle East and Africa &#8211; Regional Lounge of the Year Winner: Bidvest Premier Lounge &#8211; Johannesburg, South Africa<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>Airport:<\/strong> O. R. Tambo International<\/p>\n<p><strong>Partner Quote: <\/strong>Bonga Mhlongo- Lounge Operations Executive. \u201cWinning this Priority Pass Excellence Award is a very proud moment for our entire team at Bidvest Premier Lounge. It reflects our commitment to delivering a world class guest experience. What sets us apart is our genuine hospitality and a strong passion for what we do.\u00a0 Thank you to our valued guests and our incredible team for making this award possible.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><strong>Europe &#8211; Regional Lounge of the Year Winner &#8211; Vienna Lounge, Austria.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>Airport: <\/strong>Vienna Schwechat<\/p>\n<p><strong>Partner Quote: <\/strong>Mr. Julian J\u00e4ger, Joint CEO and COO of Vienna Airport. &#8220;As the defending title holder, this recognition is a great honour for our team and a strong endorsement from international travellers. The Vienna Lounge is designed to fully reflect the destination Vienna \u2013 from its elegance and hospitality to its renowned culinary standards \u2013 and to translate this into a premium travel experience. This award motivates us to continue raising the bar for our guests from all over the world every day and we sincerely thank Priority Pass for the many years of excellent cooperation and for this valued recognition\u201d<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><strong>Europe &#8211; Highly Commended Regional Lounge &#8211; Jersey<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>Airport: <\/strong>Jersey<\/p>\n<p><strong>Partner Quote: <\/strong>Sharon Jevans, Managing Director, No1 Lounges. &#8220;We are absolutely thrilled that No1 Lounge at Jersey Airport has been Highly Commended in the EMEA Region for Lounge of the Year at the 2026 Priority Pass Excellence Awards. This recognition is a true reflection of the passion and dedication our team brings to work every single day. At No1 Lounges, we believe that every guest deserves a premium airside experience, and to be acknowledged on a global scale, in the 18th edition of these prestigious awards, means the world to us. A huge thank you to our dedicated team who deliver No1 experiences every day!\u201d<\/p>\n<p><strong>Europe &#8211; One To Watch award &#8211; VIP Lounge &#8216;Angelo D&#8217;Arrigo&#8217;<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>Airport: <\/strong>Catania Fontanarossa<\/p>\n<p><strong>Partner Quote:<\/strong> \u201cSiamo orgogliosi di questoriconoscimento, chevalorizza il percorsointrapreso con la nuova Lounge e conferma il nostro impegnonelrafforzarel\u2019offertaaeroportuale. Puntiamosuinfrastrutturechemigliorinoconcretamentel\u2019esperienzadeipasseggeri e rendano lo scalo sempre pi\u00f9competitivo e attrattivo. Questospazio \u00e8 statopensato per rispondere alle esigenze di un\u2019utenza sempre pi\u00f9attenta a comfort, efficienza e qualit\u00e0deiservizi. \u00c8 un segnalechiarodella nostra visione di crescita e modernizzazione continua\u201d hannodichiarato Anna Quattrone, Presidente di SAC e Nico Torrisi, amministratoredelegato di SAC.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe are proud of this recognition, which highlights the path undertaken with the new Lounge and confirms our commitment to strengthening the airport offering. We focus on infrastructure that can concretely improve the passenger experience and make the airport increasingly competitive and attractive. This space has been designed to meet the needs of a clientele that is ever more attentive to comfort, efficiency, and quality of services. It is a clear sign of our vision for continuous growth and modernization,\u201d said Anna Quattrone, President of SAC, and Nico Torrisi, CEO of SAC.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p><strong>Regional Winners <\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>North America\u00a0\u00a0<\/strong><\/li>\n<li>Winner:\u00a0Escape Lounges- Portland<\/li>\n<li>Highly Commended:\u00a0Escape Lounges, Kansas City<\/li>\n<li><strong>Asia Pacific\u00a0\u00a0<\/strong><\/li>\n<li>Winner:\u00a0Lounge Fukuoka- Japan<\/li>\n<li>Highly Commended:\u00a0Kyra Lounge- Hong Kong<\/li>\n<li><strong>Europe\u00a0\u00a0<\/strong><\/li>\n<li>Winner:\u00a0Vienna Lounge- Austria<\/li>\n<li>Highly Commended:\u00a0No.1 Lounge- Jersey, United Kingdom<\/li>\n<li><strong>Latin America and\u00a0the\u00a0Caribbean\u00a0\u00a0<\/strong><\/li>\n<li>Winner:\u00a0Club Kingston-Jamaica<\/li>\n<li>Highly Commended:\u00a0Advantage VIP Lounge -Campinas, Brazil<\/li>\n<li><strong>Middle East and Africa\u00a0\u00a0<\/strong><\/li>\n<li>Winner:\u00a0Bidvest Premier Lounge-Johannesburg, South Africa<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>ONE TO WATCH <\/strong><\/p>\n<p>New for 2026, the One to Watch category shines a spotlight on the lounges that have significantly raised their game over the past 12 months, as reflected in Priority Pass member ratings and reviews. These standout spaces show a clear, ongoing commitment to enhancing the overall experience and quickly establishing themselves as future leaders within the category.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>EMEA\u00a0\u00a0<\/strong><\/li>\n<li>Winner:\u00a0VIP Lounge Angelo D\u2019Arrigo- Catania, Italy<\/li>\n<li><strong>APAC\u00a0<\/strong><\/li>\n<li>Winner:\u00a0I.A.S.S Superior Lounge -Kocoo- &#8211; Tokyo, Japan<\/li>\n<li><strong>AMERICAS<\/strong><\/li>\n<li>Winner: Advantage VIP Lounge &#8211; Sao Paulo, Brazil<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>This year\u2019s awards reflect a clear shift in what defines excellence in the airport experience.In 2026, travellers are placing greater value on experiences that feel genuinely considered rather than simply convenient.<\/p>\n<p><em>\u201cNow in its 18<sup>th <\/sup>year, the Priority Pass Excellence Awards continue to showcase the very best of our global network, and each year, our partners raise the bar even higher,\u201d <\/em><strong>says Christopher Evans, CEO of Collinson International.<\/strong><em> \u201cWith demand for premium travel experiences at an all-time high, travellers are increasingly looking to make every moment of their journey more meaningful and memorable. What stands out to me is the high number of partners from across the globe delivering leading, flagship lounges that are redefining what a true sense of place means. Travellers today expect versatility, quality, and genuine local experience<\/em><em>, and our partners are delivering on all three. The Lounge of the Year and One to Watch categories recognise the partners who consistently go above and beyond to deliver exceptional moments that truly enhance the journey for our members. Congratulations to this year\u2019s winners.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n<p>For more details about our awards, winners and highly commended, please <a href=\"https:\/\/campaign.prioritypass.com\/en-GB\">click here<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Priority Pass, the original and market-leading airport lounge and experiences programme, owned and operated by Collinson International, has today announced the winners of the Lounge of the Year and One to Watch categories for the Priority Pass Excellence Awards 2026, based on over 700,000 member ratings and reviews. The Escape Lounge at Portland International Airport [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":23687,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_seopress_robots_primary_cat":"none","_seopress_titles_title":"","_seopress_titles_desc":"","_seopress_robots_index":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-23684","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/pressreleasenetwork.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/23684","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/pressreleasenetwork.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/pressreleasenetwork.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pressreleasenetwork.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pressreleasenetwork.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=23684"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/pressreleasenetwork.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/23684\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":23688,"href":"https:\/\/pressreleasenetwork.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/23684\/revisions\/23688"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pressreleasenetwork.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/23687"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/pressreleasenetwork.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=23684"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pressreleasenetwork.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=23684"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pressreleasenetwork.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=23684"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}