A New Survey Reveals What’s Really Drawing Travelers Into Airport Lounges, and It’s Not What You’d Expect

Airport lounges have become a more competitive part of the travel business as airlines, airports and credit card companies use them to attract and retain customers. New research from Sodexo Live! and YouGov shows that food and beverage are now a significant reason travelers seek out lounge access, not just a quieter place to sit before boarding. The findings add to a broader shift in which lounge experiences increasingly function as a visible part of a travel brand.

Food quality is emerging as a measurable part of the lounge experience

Sodexo Live! announced the survey findings on September 10, 2026, saying the online study covered 2,166 air travelers in the U.S. and U.K. who had flown first or business class or visited an airport lounge within the previous year. According to the company, more than 45% of respondents still ranked a comfortable, uncrowded space as their top priority, but more than 30% cited attentive service and more than 28% pointed to culinary excellence as markers of a premium lounge experience.

The food findings were more detailed than a typical lounge comfort survey. Sodexo Live! said more than half of travelers want self-service buffets with quality choices throughout the day, while evening expectations shift toward table service and made-to-order dining. Restaurant Business, which reported on the study on September 18, said respondents associated premium lounge dining with features such as award-winning chefs, fresh food and tableside service.

The research also found that traveler preferences change by daypart and by traveler type. Breakfast demand was described as relatively consistent, with morning guests seeking light, fresh and healthy items that are easy to access quickly. That matters for lounge operators because the survey suggests food service now influences how guests evaluate the overall lounge, not just the meal itself.

The survey points to a broad traveler base, including many lounge users outside premium cabins

The study did not focus on one airport or one airline, and Sodexo Live! presented it as a snapshot of lounge expectations across the U.S. and U.K. That broader framing matters for American travelers because the company said lounge access is no longer limited mainly to traditional elite or premium-cabin flyers. In the U.S., 63% of lounge guests in the survey were not traveling in business or first class, according to the company.

That finding helps explain why food variety and service style are getting more attention. Among economy-cabin lounge patrons in the U.S., 36% said they want local foods and flavors at lunch and dinner, according to Restaurant Business’s summary of the survey. Sodexo Live! said those localized menus can help create a stronger connection to the destination while made-to-order dishes give travelers more choice.

What remains unclear is how those preferences will translate airport by airport. The survey did not release a breakdown by individual U.S. state, metropolitan area or lounge brand, and the company has not published a comprehensive list of which airports may adjust menus or service standards in response. Even so, the data indicates that lounge operators are serving a wider mix of travelers with expectations that increasingly resemble those of full-service hospitality venues.

Operators are responding to crowding, brand competition and changing spending habits

Sodexo Live! framed the results as evidence that lounges are now an extension of an airline’s or card issuer’s brand, with food and beverage helping shape customer perception. In the company’s statement, CEO Global Airport Lounges Suzy Kitcher said lounges have become much more than a place to wait for a flight and that every part of the experience influences how travelers see the brand. That places culinary strategy closer to the center of lounge design and operations.

Outside this survey, broader industry data supports the idea that lounges carry growing weight in travel decisions. J.D. Power said in its 2025 U.S. Airport Lounge Benchmark that 47% of lounge customers plan route selections based on access to a preferred lounge and 82% said airline choice is influenced by lounge access. The same benchmark also found 38% visited a lounge because of high food and beverage prices in the terminal, adding another practical reason dining matters.

For travelers, the immediate takeaway is that lounge food may keep getting more differentiated rather than remaining a standard buffet-only offering. Based on the survey, guests can expect continued emphasis on fresh, high-quality selections during the day, more local flavor cues at lunch and dinner, and stronger beverage programming including signature cocktails, local beers, specialty coffee and alcohol-free options. The research points to a lounge market where hospitality and dining are becoming part of the product, not just an amenity.