{"id":8018,"date":"2025-08-07T09:03:23","date_gmt":"2025-08-07T09:03:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/demo5.dedicatedhost247.com\/zexo\/living-the-high-life-before-taking-off\/"},"modified":"2025-08-07T09:03:23","modified_gmt":"2025-08-07T09:03:23","slug":"living-the-high-life-before-taking-off","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/demo5.dedicatedhost247.com\/zexo\/living-the-high-life-before-taking-off\/","title":{"rendered":"Living the high life before taking off"},"content":{"rendered":"


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Pittsburghers are so excited to see the new $1.7 billion airport terminal opening this fall that 18,000 of them applied for 2,000 test day slots even before the date was set.<\/p>\n

The lucky volunteers chosen to drive to the airport and fly nowhere will be among the first \u201cpassengers\u201d to pass under the soaring wood ceiling dotted with more than 4,000 constellation lights and grab some fresh air while enjoying a snack on one of the four outdoor green terraces.<\/p>\n

They\u2019ll be greeted by Alexander Calder\u2019s reinstalled 28-foot-long hanging mobile, which is named for the city. Then they will make their way through a facility powered by the airport\u2019s own microgrid and staffed by some employees whose kids spend their days playing at the airport\u2019s on-property day care.<\/p>\n

<\/picture>
The new Terminal Modernization Program at Pittsburgh International Airport.<\/span>Courtesy of Allegheny County Airport Authority<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

In addition to being more efficient and high-tech, the new terminal is designed to \u201celevate the passenger experience,\u201d said airport CEO Christina Cassotis. <\/p>\n

Airports everywhere are undergoing makeovers, amplifying VIP-style services and other amenities that offer travelers expanded options. Airlines are installing premium cabin upgrades<\/a>, and lounge spaces are getting larger and snazzier. <\/p>\n

Portland International Airport\u2019s<\/a> (PDX) new main terminal opened in late 2024 with a speakeasy, regular visits from therapy llamas and a soaring 9-acre wood-beamed ceiling that inspired a rap song<\/a>. The $19 billion makeover underway at John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York includes two new terminals and modernizations of the two existing terminals. New Terminal One,<\/a> which will be JFK\u2019s largest terminal, will open in phases beginning in 2026 and include more than 300,000 square feet of dining, retail, lounge and recreational space. <\/p>\n

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The “walk in the forest” at Portland International Airport.<\/span>Ema Peter<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The partners building JFK\u2019s $4.2 billion Terminal 6, also set to open in phases starting in 2026, say travelers will find a \u201cdigital-first, boutique guest experience<\/a>.\u201d<\/p>\n

The recent $1.5 billion transformation of JFK Terminal 4, currently the airport\u2019s largest terminal, is \u201cdistinctive, personalized and not cookie-cutter,\u201d said Belinda Jain, vice president of customer experience and commercial at the terminal’s operator, JFK International Air Terminal. Its commercial offerings are intended to reflect life in New York, with regular pop-ups and eight lounges, including Capital One\u2019s largest lounge to date. <\/p>\n

While many airport upgrades reflect expected growth in passenger traffic<\/a> and some long-delayed infrastructure investments, the \u201cpremiumization\u201d of many services and the flurry of new lounges may be a response to airports being \u2014 or feeling \u2014 more crowded. Travelers have been willing to open their wallets to improve their experience and feel \u201cspecial.\u201d<\/p>\n

At many airports, the experience on the concourse is nice enough that you don\u2019t need to access a lounge to have robust Wi-Fi, power outlets, comfortable seating, pleasant surroundings and plentiful concessions, said travel analyst Henry Harteveldt, president and founder of Atmosphere Research. <\/p>\n

\"Capital<\/picture>
Guests at the Capital One flagship lounge opening at JFK airport in New York on June 17.<\/span>Bryan Bedder \/ Getty Images for Capital One file<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Yet 14% of the 5,000 U.S. airline passengers his group surveyed earlier this year said they have access to airport lounges through paid memberships, qualifying credit cards or flights, and spend status with an airline, said Harteveldt.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe all want something that not everybody else has. And these lounges also appeal to the innate snob in all of us,” Harteveldt said. “In some cases, the lounges are above the general concourse area, meaning you are literally looking down on the people in the main terminal area.”<\/p>\n

In a recent survey<\/a> of more than 10,000 global travelers who take two or more trips a year, airport lounge operator Airport Dimensions found that 66% of U.S. travelers said they\u2019d be willing to purchase premium services such as priority check in, fast-track lanes, paid waiting areas and lounge access to improve their airport experience.<\/p>\n

The survey found that so-called affluent leisure travelers were significantly more willing to pay for those premium services than others. These travelers, also known as ALTs, are defined in part as taking three or more trips a year.<\/p>\n

\"Over<\/picture>
Over 4,000 constellation lights in the ceiling illuminate the new Terminal Modernization Program at Pittsburgh International Airport.<\/span>Courtesy of Allegheny County Airport Authority<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\u201cThese are people traveling by choice, not just necessity,\u201d said Chris Gwilliam, Airport Dimensions\u2019 senior vice president of global business. \u201cAnd they are willing to spend when the experience feels worth it.\u201d<\/p>\n

Those with big budgets who want an even more premium experience can access luxury terminals when flying commercial from some airports.<\/p>\n

PS<\/a>, which opened a private, gated terminal for affluent travelers at Los Angeles International Airport in 2017, opened a second one at Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport in Georgia in 2023. It plans openings for airports in Dallas\/Fort Worth and Miami in 2026.<\/p>\n

\"Terminal<\/picture>
Terminal 4 at JFK International Airport, operated by JFKIAT.<\/span>JFKIAT<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Services include private security screening, on-site customs and immigration facilities, spa services, chef-prepared meals, private suites or shared private lounge access and chauffeur service to the airplane. Fees range from $1,295 for individual access to close to $5,000 for a private suite for up to four travelers.<\/p>\n

Demand for private travel experiences has skyrocketed since the pandemic along with a general desire to splurge on travel, said Amina Belouizdad Porter, CEO of PS. \u201cIt\u2019s a trend that we have benefited from.\u201d<\/p>\n

Even less than affluent flyers are ponying up.<\/p>\n

SkySquad is a service that expedites check-in and escorts travelers from the curb to the gate, with prices from $79 (walk-up) to $149 (prebooked) for up to six people at a growing number of airports<\/a>, The Bethesda, Maryland-based company had its busiest month ever in December at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport (FLL), where the company can only service customers of Spirit Airlines, an ultra-low-cost carrier.<\/p>\n

\"Departure<\/picture>
Departure Hall at Terminal 4 at JFK International Airport, operated by JFKIAT.<\/span>JFKIAT<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\u201cWe helped over 2,900 groups at FLL that month, which shows that travelers across all price points value a VIP experience,\u201d said company founder Julie Melnick.<\/p>\n

There are other widely available ways to get preferential treatment. The expedited screening lane accessible with TSA Precheck<\/a> is available at more than 200 airports. Pricing varies by enrollment provider but can be around $85. For $209 a year, travelers can join CLEAR+ and cut to the front of the security checkpoint line at more than 59 airports.<\/p>\n

\u201cTravel is hard, and it\u2019s only getting harder,\u201d said Annabel Walsh, CLEAR\u2019s senior vice president for marketing. Services like CLEAR\u2019s, she said, give travelers \u201ca faster, more predictable, premium experience when they need it most.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Pittsburghers are so excited to see the new $1.7 billion airport terminal opening this fall that 18,000 of them applied for 2,000 test day slots even before the date was set. The lucky volunteers chosen to drive to the airport and fly nowhere will be among the first \u201cpassengers\u201d to pass under the soaring wood […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":8019,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"spay_email":""},"categories":[51],"tags":[208,155,1032],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/media-cldnry.s-nbcnews.com\/image\/upload\/t_nbcnews-fp-1200-630,f_auto,q_auto:best\/rockcms\/2025-08\/250801-Capital-One-lounge-Dulles-Airport-ew-251p-001aac.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/demo5.dedicatedhost247.com\/zexo\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8018"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/demo5.dedicatedhost247.com\/zexo\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/demo5.dedicatedhost247.com\/zexo\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/demo5.dedicatedhost247.com\/zexo\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/demo5.dedicatedhost247.com\/zexo\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=8018"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/demo5.dedicatedhost247.com\/zexo\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8018\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/demo5.dedicatedhost247.com\/zexo\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/8019"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/demo5.dedicatedhost247.com\/zexo\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=8018"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/demo5.dedicatedhost247.com\/zexo\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=8018"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/demo5.dedicatedhost247.com\/zexo\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=8018"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}