The 10 best airport lounges: October 2026

All ten lounges in Lounge Frog's October 2026 selection were recorded at 4.9 out of 5. Their order therefore reflects the edition's alphabetical tie-break, not a measurable score advantage for the first lounge over the tenth. Use the list as a shortlist for the airports you already plan to visit.

This is the October edition, originally published on October 12. Its selections are preserved as a historical snapshot. Current hours, access rules and operating status should be checked separately before travel.

The October selection#

The scores below are the ratings recorded in this edition. They are editorial assessments, not passenger-survey results or guarantees of the experience on a particular visit. The linked lounge records provide more detail.

Six places belong to airline-branded lounges. The remaining four are Blossom, Encalm Privé, Marhaba and No1. That distinction helps explain the range of options, but it does not establish whether a particular ticket or card qualifies for admission.

Three changes from September#

The September edition included Cathay Pacific at Seoul Incheon and Emirates lounges in Munich and Rome. The October selection replaces those three with ITA's Piazza di Spagna Lounge, Melbourne's Marhaba Lounge and Gatwick South's No1 Lounge.

The original October article attributed the changes to Cathay's Incheon closure and missing photographs for the two Emirates lounges. Photo availability was an eligibility condition for that edition; dropping out did not, by itself, mean a lounge's score had fallen.

For current Incheon planning, Cathay's own lounge page lists the oneworld Lounge in Terminal 1 near gate 28. Check Cathay's admission rules for your itinerary rather than relying on a former lounge's appearance in September's list.

Closure information also needs a date. During this November 12 review, Qantas's Los Angeles First Lounge page still listed the lounge as temporarily closed. That does not change the frozen October selection, and reopening would not automatically insert a lounge into this historical edition.

Compare the facilities and access#

The lounge records reviewed for this update list about 500 places and ten showers for Air France Hall L, versus about 400 places and four showers for Emirates at Heathrow. The earlier article incorrectly called both the largest airline lounge in the selection; that contradiction has been removed. These are recorded capacities, not a count of seats available when you arrive.

Blossom, Marhaba and No1 have Priority Pass, LoungeKey and DragonPass associations in the directory. Encalm Privé has a DragonPass association. Confirm the benefit through your own membership provider, including guest charges, visit limits and any reservation requirement. A directory listing alone does not establish that every card issued through a network includes the same access.

For airline lounges, check the operating carrier, fare and status rules together. Do not assume that an airline-branded room admits every passenger flying that airline, or that an eligible traveler can bring a companion without charge.

What the ratings mean#

The Lounge Frog methodology describes the editorial measures used for the overall rating. This edition averaged the available scores across measures such as food, drinks, showers, quiet and workspace. A shared rounded score can conceal differences that matter to an individual trip.

Choose within your departure area first. Then compare the facilities you will use and the time left before boarding. A nearby lounge with suitable access can be more useful than a higher-profile room that requires a long detour. For current directory standings, consult the live ranking; it serves a different purpose from this dated monthly selection.