Most Loved Airport Brands
Travelers embrace premium experiences, with Vino Volo, The Centurion Lounge, and Delta Sky Club leading the way
May 19, 2025
With evolving travel dynamics in 2024, passengers are making more discerning choices about how and where they spend their time within airports. They’re increasingly looking to brands that offer reliable quality and appealing amenities, turning necessary transit time into a more comfortable and valued part of their trip. Yelp analyzed millions of reviews and ratings from travelers across the U.S. to determine the definitive list of airport brands and membership lounges that earned a loyal following among travelers. We focused on brands that drew strong consumer interest and high ratings in 2024 to identify the businesses that travelers don’t just visit—but truly love.
What we found was a clear shift in traveler expectations. Contrary to the recently popularized “airport theory” of arriving just before the gate closes, many travelers are actually making the airport part of their journey. They're arriving early to make use of their lounge membership or enjoy a wine flight near their gate. Today’s airport experience is no longer just about convenience—it’s about quality, wellness, and premium service.
Restaurant chains dominate the list, led by Vino Volo
When it comes to what travelers love most in airports, food and beverage brands clearly take the lead. Vino Volo tops the list with its wine bar concept that offers a calm, upscale alternative to typical airport dining. Meanwhile, Shake Shack (no. 3) and Potbelly Sandwich Shop (no. 4), both featured in Yelp’s 2023 Most Loved Brands list, have hungry travelers lining up to grab a bite before boarding. Only one retail brand, Hudson News (no. 22), earned a spot on the top 25 list, indicating it’s the preferred place for grabbing a book, last-minute souvenir, or snack before a flight. Yelp data also shows that one wellness brand broke through—XpresSpa (no. 10), which offers travelers a chance to recharge during long layovers.
With locations in popular airports across the U.S., Vino Volo offers travelers a curated selection of wines by the glass, gourmet small plates, and a lounge-like atmosphere that feels miles away from the hustle of the terminal. Yelpers rave about the knowledgeable staff who are trained to educate guests about regional wines, offering travelers a memorable experience before even boarding their flight.
The new rules of airport loyalty: Wellness and speed
The line between fast food and fast casual is blurring. Fast casual brands like Shake Shack, Smashburger (no. 14), Potbelly, and QDOBA (no. 7) are embracing quick-serve operations in their airport locations, delivering high-quality meals with the speed and convenience of traditional quick-service restaurants. Shake Shack reviewers cite restaurant-quality burgers and kitchen efficiency as major reasons why they love the brand, specifically at airport locations like LaGuardia’s Terminal B. Travelers don’t want to choose between quality and convenience—they expect both.
Among grab-and-go favorites, beverage brands stand out as go-to spots for a little pick-me-up—a sign that the “little treat” economy is alive and well. Whether it’s a specialty latte, fresh juice, or their favorite smoothie, people are more likely to indulge while at the airport. Beverage-focused brands made up a significant portion of the top airport brands list, with Starbucks (no. 5), Dunkin’ (no. 8), The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf (no. 9), Jamba (no. 17), and Peet’s Coffee (no. 19) all earning high marks for consistency, speed, and mobile ordering. Starbucks is especially noted for its seamless digital ordering experience, opening several locations that cater exclusively to mobile order customers, while Jamba appeals to wellness-minded travelers.
Airports are some of the most crowded, high-stress environments, so the brands that stand out understand the modern traveler’s mindset—prioritizing speed without sacrificing experience, and delivering memorable moments. Whether it’s a glass of wine before boarding or a protein smoothie between connections, these most loved airport brands are redefining what it means to travel well, and Yelp is proud to help travelers discover them.
— Kadecia Ber, Senior Director, Campaign Strategy for National Brands at Yelp
From wine bars to airport lounges, travelers flock to premium experiences
Whether it’s sipping wine at Vino Volo or unwinding with a massage at XpresSpa, premium airport experiences that offer an elevated ambiance, friendly service, and high-quality ingredients are increasingly in demand. The most coveted of these experiences are found in the members-only airport lounges, such as American Express’ Centurion Lounge or Delta Sky Club. In fact, Yelp data shows a 18% increase in searches for airport lounges year over year, when comparing 2024 vs. 2023.
Tied at the top of the rankings, American Express’ Centurion Lounge, the only credit card-based brand among the top airport lounges, offers the aesthetics and comfort travelers have come to expect from members-only lounges. Where Centurion truly stands out, according to Yelp reviews, is in its regional, Michelin-starred chef-driven food and drink menus that highlight local flavors and rotate by location, giving travelers a unique gourmet bite in each lounge. It’s also noted as one of the most spacious lounge experiences, so travelers have more space to unwind before boarding. Similarly, Delta Sky Club’s new Delta One Lounges at JFK, LAX, and BOS aim to set a new standard for airport hospitality for passengers, featuring elevated dining experiences that pair local ingredients with reserve wines and spirits.
Airport lounges are evolving rapidly to meet the changing expectations of modern travelers, but certain amenities have become standard across the top-tier offerings: full-service bars, high-speed Wi-Fi, dedicated workspaces, and private call rooms. Many lounges also now incorporate tech-enabled features like real-time capacity updates and mobile check-in to streamline entry. Minute Suites stands out for prioritizing rest and recovery, offering private nap pods that give travelers a quiet space to recharge between flights.
The most loved airport brands of 2025 reflect a broader transformation in how we travel. From Vino Volo’s up-scale wine bars to Shake Shack’s comfort classics, travelers are rewarding brands that deliver quality, consistency, and convenience. Coffee and smoothie brands are fueling the journey, while lounges and wellness spaces are redefining what it means to rest while on the road. As airports continue to evolve, these brands are setting the standard for what travelers expect.
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Methodology
Most Loved Airport Brands Ranking
The most loved airport brands and lounges were determined by evaluating restaurant, food, retail, and services brands located in airports across the United States. To rank the most loved brands, we assigned each brand a score, which consists of the total pageviews, searches, photo uploads, reviews, and average star rating. Each metric was weighted equally in the final calculation. Brands had to meet a threshold of at least five airport locations to be considered.
Change in searches
Yelp analyzed search increases by measuring the frequency of phrases mentioned per million searches, comparing 2024 vs. 2023.
Downloadable static graphics can be found here.
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