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Skytrax Names The World’s Best Airport Lounges For 2026, With Chase Sapphire Lounge At LaGuardia Taking Top Spot

by THEFUTURE.TEAM
The world’s best airport lounges have been named by Skytrax, with the Chase Sapphire Lounge at New York’s LaGuardia Airport taking the No. 1 position in the 2026 World Airline Awards.

Based on votes from travellers around the world, the annual ranking draws on passenger satisfaction across key measures including facilities, service quality and staff hospitality. This year’s list highlights how independent airport lounges have evolved from simple waiting areas into premium spaces that can materially shape the traveller experience.

European Lounges Make Their Presence Felt

In Europe, the top-performing lounge is Plaza Premium at Rome Fiumicino Airport, which ranked second overall. Another Plaza Premium Lounge at London Heathrow Terminal 4 placed fourth, making Plaza Premium the only operator with multiple lounges in the global top five.

Europe had just two lounges in the top 10, underscoring the competitive gap between regional hubs and the most highly rated global premium lounges. Still, the continent maintained a meaningful presence further down the list, with entries from Vienna, Istanbul and Munich.

Where The Top 20 Lounges Are Located

Beyond the top ranks, Vienna Lounge at Vienna International Airport finished 12th, iGA Lounge at Istanbul Airport came 17th, and Airport Lounge World at Munich Airport’s Terminal 1 also secured a place in the global top 20.

The full ranking reflects a market in which major credit card brands, premium lounge specialists and airport hospitality groups are all competing for traveller loyalty. Chase Sapphire, Capital One, American Express and Plaza Premium are among the names repeatedly appearing near the top.

Plaza Premium Extends Its Global Lead

Plaza Premium Group was also named the world’s best independent airport lounge group, marking a tenth consecutive year at No. 1. The company, which has three lounges in the top 20, continues to set the standard for the category.

“Being named world’s best airport lounge group for a tenth consecutive year is an incredible honour,” said Song Hoi See, Founder and CEO of Plaza Premium Group. “When we pioneered the concept of the independent airport lounge 28 years ago, our dream was to change how people experience airport transit.

“This award is far more than a trophy, it reflects the trust our travellers place in us and the dedication our teams bring to their work every single day.”

The World’s 20 Best Independent Airport Lounges 2026

1. Chase Sapphire Lounge – LaGuardia Airport (LGA)

2. Plaza Premium – Rome Fiumicino Airport (FCO)

3. Chase Sapphire Lounge – Hong Kong International Airport (HKG)

4. Plaza Premium – London Heathrow Airport (LHR) T4

5. Capital One – John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK)

6. American Express Centurion – John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK)

7. Coral Cosmo Lounge – Suvarnabhumi Airport (BKK)

8. The Pearl – Bahrain International Airport (BAH)

9. Primeclass Lounge – Muscat International Airport (MCT)

10. Plaza Premium – Dubai International (DXB)

11. American Express Centurion – LaGuardia Airport (LGA)

12. Vienna Lounge – Vienna International Airport (VIE)

13. Capital One – Washington Dulles International Airport (IAD)

14. Chase Sapphire Lounge – Philadelphia International Airport (PHL)

15. 080 Lounge – Kempegowda International Airport Bengaluru (BLR) T2

16. Plaza Premium First – Hong Kong International Airport (HKG)

17. iGA Lounge – Istanbul Airport (IST)

18. Airport Lounge World – Munich Airport (MUC) T1

19. American Express Centurion – Haneda Airport (HND)

20. Strata Lounge – Auckland Airport (AKL)

The World’s Best Independent Airport Lounge Groups

1. Plaza Premium Group

2. TAV Primeclass

3. Chase Sapphire Lounges

4. Capital One Lounges

5. Coral Lounge Group

6. American Express Centurion Lounges

7. Aspire Lounges

8. Escape Lounges

9. Araya Lounges

10. CATRION Lounges

EU Agrees On Major Overhaul Of Financial Market Supervision

by THEFUTURE.TEAM

European Union finance ministers have reached agreement on a sweeping package designed to strengthen oversight of the bloc’s financial markets, in a move aimed at reducing fragmentation and improving the flow of capital across borders.

A Push To Deepen Capital Markets

The Market Integration and Supervision Package, or MISP, would grant the European Securities and Markets Authority direct supervision over major market operators that are currently regulated by national authorities. The reforms are intended to make Europe’s capital markets more integrated, more efficient and better able to channel savings into productive investment.

According to the Irish presidency, the package is meant to help savings and investments move more freely across the European Union, improving access to finance for companies while giving households broader opportunities to earn returns on their savings.

What The Reform Would Change

Under the new framework, ESMA would take direct oversight of key trading venues, clearing houses, securities settlement bodies and crypto-asset service providers. The package would also establish a permanent, independent executive board within the regulator, strengthening its institutional capacity.

Market operators would be able to opt into a new EU-wide operating framework. In parallel, the reforms would seek to make national supervision more consistent and update rules governing trading, transaction completion, investment management and the use of blockchain technology.

Why The Agreement Matters

Supporters of deeper capital markets argue that Europe has long paid a price for regulatory inconsistency. While many rules are harmonised across the bloc, differences in enforcement and supervision have contributed to a patchwork system that can make cross-border investment slower and more costly.

A more integrated framework, proponents say, could lower costs for companies seeking funding and broaden the menu of investment options available to savers and institutional investors alike.

Outstanding Questions Remain

Despite the broad agreement, some important details remain unresolved. Trading venues operated by Deutsche Börse, the company behind the Frankfurt stock exchange, may remain outside ESMA’s direct supervision.

Euronews previously reported that Germany had secured an exemption for Deutsche Börse’s domestically focused trading venues, leaving part of the system under regional supervision. The latest announcement did not clarify whether that arrangement will stand.

A Step Forward For The Savings And Investments Union

Dutch Finance Minister Eelco Heinen welcomed the deal, calling it a major advance for the Capital Markets Union and saying Europe had made more progress in 10 months than in the previous 10 years.

The agreement is an important milestone in the Savings and Investments Union, the EU’s broader effort to channel more of Europeans’ savings into investments that can support growth, innovation and competitiveness across the bloc.

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