Cathay Pacific’s First Class Lounge “The Pier” (Source)

In this post, we thought it would be fun to be a bit lighthearted and share some of our favorite airline lounge amenities. We are focusing specifically on unique or over-the-top offerings that are in a league of their own. We’re avoiding things like complimentary lounge spa treatments, which are awesome, but which we’ve kept on a separate list. Rather, we’re talking about features that stand out from the competition, no matter how major or minor.

With that in mind, below are some of our picks, in no particular order. We invite others to share their favorites as well.

Cathay Pacific First Class Lounge Hong Kong Shower Suites

Cathay Pacific The Wing’s shower suites (Source)

Many airline lounges have shower suites, but none are quite as nice as those you’ll find in Cathay Pacific’s The Wing First Class Lounge Hong Kong. The airline has shower suites known as “cabanas,” which will make you forget you’re at an airport.

These suites feature a shower, a tub, a place to relax, a vanity, and a private toilet. It’s worth showering in this lounge even if you don’t feel it’s necessary!

Finnair Platinum Wing Helsinki Sauna

We love when airlines integrate their local culture into the passenger experience, and that’s something Finnair very much does in Helsinki. Finnair’s Platinum Wing Helsinki, along with a couple of other lounges at the airport, offer a sauna that passengers can use prior to their flight.

That sure is a unique amenity, though admittedly it’s not going to be everyone’s vibe for a pre-flight activity. Note that one of the Air France lounges in Paris also has a sauna, though it seems like Finnair deserves the mention here, given the extent to which it’s part of Finnish culture.

SWISS First Class Lounge Zurich Bedrooms

While several airport lounges have nap rooms, SWISS’ First Class Lounge Zurich takes it to the next level, with its two private bedrooms. The bedrooms feature heavenly beds from Hästens, a TV, a private bathroom and shower, and views of the apron.

Not only will you not find a more comfortable bed at any other airport, but you might not find a more comfortable bed anywhere! It’s like sleeping on a cloud. The only problem with sleeping is that you can’t enjoy the plane views from bed.

Qatar Airways First Class Lounge Doha Hot Tub

Qatar Airways Al Safwa’s hot tub (Source)

Qatar Airways’ Al Safwa First Lounge Doha has a spa with treatments that are chargeable. However, one feature that’s included is the hot tub, which guests can enjoy on a first come, first served basis. This is a fun amenity, though for us germaphobes, it’s perhaps a bit less fun when you consider how many have sat in the same spot here.

Qatar Airways Business Class Lounge Doha Gym

Qatar Airways Al Mourjan’s gym room (Source)

Qatar Airways’ Al Mourjan Garden Business Lounge Doha has several impressive amenities. Personally, our favorite unique amenity is the lounge’s small gym, which has cardio equipment and a limited selection of free weights. There’s even a locker room next to it, so that you can easily shower and change.

Given what an amazing facility Hamad International Airport is, our preferred cardio is just roaming the terminal, at least during non-rush hour periods.

Lufthansa First Class Lounge Ducks

Lufthansa First Class Lounge’s rubber ducks (Source)

Over the years, Lufthansa has developed a unique tradition of offering a rotating selection of rubber ducks at its First Class Lounges in Frankfurt and Munich, as well as at the First Class Terminal Frankfurt. This started innocently enough back in the day, when the airline just put rubber ducks next to its lounge bathtubs. However, over the years they’ve become a collector's item, and the airline has really embraced it.

Emirates First Class Lounge Dubai Direct Boarding

Emirates First Class Lounge’s direct boarding (Source)

For many people, boarding can be the most stressful part of a flight. Even if you have lounge access, you typically have to leave the lounge to get to your gate. Emirates has redefined that concept, as the Emirates First Lounge Dubai in Terminal A (as well as the Emirates Business Lounge) span the entire length of the concourse and offer direct boarding from the lounge to the aircraft. The scale of these lounges is simply unrivaled.

Emirates also offers boarding directly from the lounge at several of its outstation lounges, like in Milan and New York. However, it’s not quite to the level of what you’ll find in Dubai.

Bottom Line

There are lots of exceptional airport lounges out there, and we wanted to call out some of the airlines that have raised the bar when it comes to unique lounge features. These aren’t necessarily our favorite lounge amenities in the world, but they stand out for how they’re different or better than others.

We’re sure there are some others we’re missing, so we’d love to hear what you think the most memorable lounge amenities are. Admittedly, we’ve seen some cool amenities cut over the years, ranging from the Etihad First Lounge Abu Dhabi’s gym to the Etihad First Lounge Abu Dhabi’s barber shop to the Virgin Atlantic Clubhouse London’s hair salon.

This opinion piece was first shared on onemileatatime.com.

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