Best Lounge Awards 2024 (World Travel Awards)
The 31st 2024 Annual World Travel Awards have released their winners for the best in travel. The winners were announced at the gala held in Funchal, Madeira, Portugal on 24 November 2024. For the purpose of this blog, we will focus on over 100 lounges across 20 categories, below are the highlights and winners in each category.
World Category Winners
- Best World Airline Lounge (First Class): Etihad Airways - First Class Lounge & Spa - Abu Dhabi (AUH)
- Best World Airline Lounge (Business Class): Qatar Airways Al Mourjan Business Lounge - Doha (DOH)
- Best World Airport Lounge: Club Aspire Lounge (T3) - London (LHR)
- Best World Airport Lounge (First Class): ADANI Lounge International - Mumbai (BOM)
Africa (Indian Ocean)
- Best Airline Lounge: Air Mauritius - Amédée Maingard Lounge at Mauritius (MRU)
- Best Airport Lounge: JetPrime Lounge (Business Aviation) at Mauritius (MRU)
Asia
- Best Airline Lounge (Business Class): Cathay Pacific Lounge (The Pier) at Hong Kong (HKG)
- Best Airline Lounge (First Class): JAL Sakura Lounge (First Class) at Tokyo (NRT)
- Best Airport Lounge: The Centurion Lounge at Hong Kong (HKG)
- Best Airport Lounge (Domestic): ADANI Lounge (T2, Domestic) at Mumbai (BOM)
Caribbean
- Best Lounge: Club Mobay at Montego Bay (MBJ)
Europe
- Best Airline Lounge: THE LOFT by Brussels Airlines & Lexus at Brussels (BRU)
- Best Airport Lounge: Club Aspire Lounge (T3) at London (LHR)
Middle East
- Best Airline Lounge (Business Class): Qatar Airways Al Mourjan Business Lounge at Doha (DOH)
- Best Airline Lounge (First Class): Etihad Airways - First Class Lounge & Spa at Abu Dhabi (AUH)
- Best Airport Lounge: Plaza Premium Lounge at Dubai (DXB)
North America
- Best Airline Lounge: Delta Sky Club at Minneapolis (MSP)
- Best Airport Lounge: Star Alliance Lounge at Los Angeles (LAX)
Oceania
- Best Airline Lounge: Fiji Airways Premier Lounge at Nadi (NAN)
- Best Airport Lounge: Aspire Lounge at Perth (PER)
Summary of Top Nominees
Several lounges consistently appeared as top nominees across multiple regional and global categories.
- Cathay Pacific: This popular Hong Kong airline performed at the top with its The Pier and The Wing lounges in Hong Kong being nominated for both Asian and World-level Business and First Class lounges. Its lounge in San Francisco was also a top nominee in North America.
- Emirates: The airline's facilities in Dubai (DXB) were major contenders, earning nominations for Middle East and World titles in both Business and First Class categories.
- Singapore Airlines: The SilverKris Lounge was a recurring nominee in the Asian, Oceania (Melbourne), and World Business Class lounge categories.
- Delta Air Lines: In North America, Delta dominated the nominations with multiple Sky Club locations in Los Angeles, Chicago, and Seattle, in addition to their win in Minneapolis.
- Star Alliance & Plaza Premium: These independent lounge operators were highly competitive; the Star Alliance Lounge (LAX) was a nominee for Best World Airport Lounge and Best World First Class Airport Lounge, while Plaza Premium saw nominations across Hong Kong, Dubai, Sydney, and Orlando.
Related
Closing Thoughts
Qatar Airways and Etihad consistently achieve the "Gold Medal" status on both their home continent and the global stage. I have only been to three of these lounges on the list, but seeing such a vast array of lounges around the globe really makes me want to go explore.