Bank Lounges Dominate Airport Experience with Better Food and Amenities

Airport lounges in the US have undergone significant improvements over the past 15 years. Banks and credit cards have played a substantial role in this development, particularly after major airlines started merging.

As American Express lost lounge partnerships with airlines like American Airlines, US Airways, and Continental Airlines, they began building their own network of lounges. These were more stylish than airline offerings and featured better food programs.

The competition led airlines to improve their own lounges and cater to premium customers who were buying business and first-class tickets as well as taking cobranded credit cards.