Top 10 Airport Lounges:

Treat yourself to one of these executive airport lounges and relax in 1st class comfort:

The Wing; Cathay Pacific, Hong Kong International Airport

Zen is the word at this 43,000-square-foot, wood-and-granite, open-air facility overlooking the terminal. Spread out at the 80-foot, aptly named Long Bar, or dine at one of four restaurants, including the Haven (strictly for first-class passengers) and a Japanese noodle bar. The Spa offers a complete line of services, but nothing tops the private cabanas, complete with personal showers, beds and oversized tubs. True road warriors, however, can spend their time on the wireless Web from anywhere in The Wing.

Clubhouse; Virgin Atlantic, San Francisco International Airport
Shortly after SFO’s International Terminal opened its doors last year, Virgin’s $3.2 million Clubhouse followed suit. Most striking are the multicolored, floor-to-ceiling windows with sweeping views of the San Francisco Bay and the city’s skyline. A rotating digital-art exhibit showcases local artists, and in an extension of the Upper Class “Freedom” menu, where you’re free to eat whatever and whenever you want, the Clubhouse serves light snacks and entrees at any time of the day or night.

Terraces Lounge; British Airways, JFK International Airport
Dubbed “an air travel environment for the 21st century,” Terraces is indeed more backyard than board room, with trickling water fountains, the sounds of birds chirping, fully reclining lounge chairs under white umbrellas, and–no joke–the subtle scent of cut grass. A Molton Brown Travel Spa has hydrotherapy showers, reflexology treatments and specially designed pre- and post-flight massages.

Silver Kris; Singapore Airlines, Singapore Changi Airport
Service-conscious Singapore’s 30,000-square-foot lounge accommodates 200 first-class and 450 business-class passengers. Tropical plants and aquariums abound, walls are covered with works by local artists, and 42-inch plasma screens show news and sports continuously.

Extra Travel Tip
No time for down time? London’s Heathrow recently opened the “Island,” a pay-as-you-go airport lounge in Terminal 3. Open daily from 5 AM to 2 PM, admission is $36 per person and allows access to one of 29 showers, steam cleaning and shoe shining, satellite television, and Internet connections.

President’s Club; Continental Airlines, Ronald Reagan National Airport, Washington D.C.
Back when National Airport was first built in the 1940s, the space that is now occupied by the President’s Club was the airport’s dining hall, a place where senators, generals and other VIPs would have dinner and watch as the world’s first airliners skimmed in and off the runway. Over the years, the space has been everything from administrative offices to a disco in the 1970s, but now it has been returned to its proper use: the care and feeding of important people. And boy does it ever. After a $3 million renovation, this sleek, wood-paneled club today is reminiscent of a first-class lounge on a Cunard ocean liner. The super-sleek décor is a mix of vintage aviation tchotchkes and other retro touches, including soft leather chairs and sofas, that make this as pleasant a place to kill a few hours as can be found in the capital. There is also a small bar, a separate TV area and a section of cubbies with desks, as well as a private conference room.

Smoker’s Lounge; Swissair, Zurich International Airport
Not that Swissair’s other lounges aren’t worth the trip, but the airline’s Smoker’s Lounge wins out for its Cuban-style cigar bar where you can go Bacchic with cigars, whiskey and cognac, all sold at duty-free prices.

Star Alliance Lounge; Zurich International Airport
The first of what Star Alliance members hope will be many such lounges–namely, in Brussels, Buenos Aires, Manila and Los Angeles–opened in August. Premium passengers flying Lufthansa, SAS, Thai Airways, Austrian Airlines and others can use the facility, which was designed by Toronto architects Kuwabara, Payne, McKenna and Blumberg, and offers a dedicated check-in and sales counter.

VIP Lounge; LanChile, Santiago International Airport

Charging ahead of its South American competitors, LanChile opened a new lounge last month to rival any other on the continent. At 7,500 square feet, the lounge is not huge but it’s comfortable, with ample work space, baths and showers, and a good selection of Chilean wines.

Golden Lounge; Malaysian Airlines, Kuala Lumpur International Airport
The only airport in the world with a glass-enclosed rain forest in the middle of it, Kuala Lumpur’s home airline lounge has a literal river running through it, along with a gym, bedrooms, a computer-games corner and a nursery with babysitting services.

SAS Lounge; Copenhagen International Airport
Bright, open and airy, SAS’ two-tiered Copenhagen lounge makes use of local Scandinavian design and materials, including blonde birch, maple, oak, limestone, wool and leather. In a nod to Scandinavian culture, Danish-Icelandic artist Olafur Eliasson designed the giant kaleidoscope sculpture suspended from the ceiling, and the airline published Scandinavian Words, a series of 18 short novels, many only now translated into English, for the lounge library.

Steak frites at JFK. Classic macarons in Charles de Gaulle. Authentic barbecue at the Austin airport. Let’s take a look at a list of frequent-flyers’ favourite pre-flight bites at terminals around the globe:

YA KUN KAYA TOAST, CHANGI AIRPORT, SINGAPORE:

The meal of choice among local businessmen en route to international meetings? This cult chain’s toasted, crust-free bread comes liberally smeared with coconut jam and butter; accompanied with soft-boiled eggs; and coffee with condensed milk. Breakfast for two $10.

DOUGHNUT PLANT, INCHEON INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT, SEOUL:

Forget powdered sugar, the doughnut flavours here run from banana pecan to Valrhona chocolate to crème brûlée. The shop is one of the newest outposts of the lower Manhattan original—they’re all the rage in the Far East right now. Doughnuts from $1.75.

ENCOUNTER RESTAURANT, LOS ANGELES INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT:

The 70-foot-high, Jetsonsesque restaurant serves simple bistro fare with unobstructed, 360-degree views of the runways below. Some Angelenos even make a special trek out to the airport just to sip martinis in the round, lava lamp–filled interior. Dinner for two $75.

HARTSFIELD-JACKSON ATLANTA INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT:

Southern classics with an Asian flair (grilled shrimp shio yaki; braised-pork sandwich) make up the menu here, but the real draw is the spirits selection, which includes hard-to-find bourbons such as Pappy Rip Van Winkle Family Reserve. Dinner for two $80.

MOCHICREAM, NARITA INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT, TOYKO:

This polished shop puts a twist on traditional Japanese mochi (glutinous rice cakes) by injecting them with fluffy cream, along with the standard red bean paste. Try offbeat flavours such as blueberry or caramel pudding. Mochi $2

EL RINCÓN DEL PISCO, JORGE CHÁVEZ INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT, LIMA:

Peru turns out the world’s best pisco—a grape-based liquor—and this pocket-sized store stocks excellent bottles such as La Blanco Mostoverde Gran Herencia ($60), arguably the country’s finest.

SALT LICK BAR-B-QUE, AUSTIN-BERGSTROM INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT:

You can eat like a true Texan without leaving the airport, thanks to the sauce-smothered sandwiches of Austin’s venerable barbecue franchise. Be sure to order the knockout sides, which include coleslaw, beans, and potato salad. Lunch for two $20.

LADURÉE, CHARLES DE GAULLE AND PARIS-ORLY AIRPORTS:

The city’s most famous macarons, made of delicate almond meringue domes, come in delicious flavours such as chocolate, lemon, and caramel with salted butter. Look for the Ladurée store at Charles de Gaulle; at Orly, a petite cart sells a kaleidoscopic array of the pastries. Box of 18: $50.

LA VIE, JFK INTERNATIONAL, NEW YORK CITY:

Co-chefs Riad Nasr and Lee Hanson of New York City’s famed Balthazar, Pastis, and Minetta Tavern restaurants created the menu at this intimate bistro, which serves classics such as salade niçoise and steak frites at its 11-seater bar. There’s no better place to wait to board your flight. Lunch for two $82.