JetsetterGuide.com Names the 10 Worst Airport Lounges in the United States for 2025

Sub‑par cleanliness, threadbare amenities and uninspired food push contract and airline‑run facilities to the bottom of the rankings

INCLINE VILLAGE, NV, UNITED STATES, July 25, 2025 /EINPresswire.com/ -- JetsetterGuide.com has released its first‑ever “Worst Airport Lounges in the United States” report, shining a spotlight on ten facilities where premium‑class travellers routinely encounter conditions more befitting a budget food court than an upscale retreat.

“Our goal isn’t to shame operators; it’s to remind them what business‑ and first‑class passengers were promised—clean spaces, a decent bite, and reliable service,” said Robert Vidra, News Editor at JetsetterGuide.com. “When travellers describe a lounge as worse than waiting at the gate, the industry has a problem.”

How We Ranked Them – Extended Methodology
JetsetterGuide analysts compiled 2,564 user reviews from Google Reviews, Yelp, and TripAdvisor, written between January 2023 and July 2025. Duplicate and non‑English entries were removed.

Reviews were machine‑tagged (GPT‑4o) for sentiment concerning cleanliness, services/staff, and food & beverage (F&B).

Humans audited borderline cases.

Each lounge received a 1–5 score in the three categories; scores were combined with a 0.4 (Cleanliness) / 0.3 (Services) / 0.3 (F&B) weighting to yield a composite (lower = worse).

Lounges with fewer than 20 reviews were excluded unless two independent expert blogs corroborated poor quality.

2025 Worst Lounge Top 10
Rank Lounge Airport Composite Score*
1 Swissport Lounge (T5) Chicago O’Hare (ORD) 1.0
2 IASS Hawaii Lounge Honolulu (HNL) 1.4
3 United Club near C17 Washington Dulles (IAD) 1.4
4 Club SEA A Seattle–Tacoma (SEA) 1.4
5 The Club DFW (T‑D) Dallas/Fort Worth (DFW) 1.4
6 United Club (T‑C) Newark (EWR) 1.7
7 Admirals Club (B/C) Charlotte (CLT) 1.7
8 Hawaiian Premier Club Lihue (LIH) 1.7
9 Admirals Club (Gate A21) Phoenix (PHX) 2.0
10 Air India Lounge (T4) New York JFK (JFK) 2.4

*Composite = 0.4×Cleanliness + 0.3×Services + 0.3×F&B (1 = worst).

What Travellers Said
Swissport ORD was labelled a “dark, dingy pit of windowless sadness” with no in‑lounge restrooms and only packaged snacks .

Club SEA A drew ire for “terrible food selection, no electrical outlets [and] rude personnel” .

At The Club DFW, one guest found “no sockets, no shower…don’t waste your passes here” .

United Club Dulles reviewers called it an “old, crusty lounge” with cracked bathroom tiles and refused water at the bar .

Jetsetter Tips: Surviving—or Skipping—a Bad Lounge
Check live star ratings before entering; anything below 3.0 is a red flag.

Inspect first, swipe later—Priority Pass doesn’t scan you in until the desk.

Have a plan B: a high‑capacity power bank and collapsible phone stand solve two of the most common complaints (dead outlets, dirty tables).

Seek terminal alternatives. A reputable local eatery or quiet gate area may be cleaner and cheaper.

Key Findings
Cleanliness is the top gripe. All ten lounges scored ≤ 2 in basic upkeep.

Food quality lags. 82 % of negative comments referenced limited or unpalatable food—some lounges offered nothing but instant noodles or muffins.

Overcrowding drives poor service. Guests cited 20- to 30-minute entry queues and staff being unable to keep pace at peak times.

Contract lounges suffer most. Five of the bottom ten are third-party or Priority Pass venues, rather than airline-flagship clubs.

You can learn more about Jetsetter Guide's Findings on the Worst Airport Lounges at JetsetterGuide.com

About JetsetterGuide.com
JetsetterGuide.com is an independent travel news and lifestyle platform covering airlines, cruises, hotels, and culinary experiences. By blending on‑the‑ground reporting with data‑driven analysis, JetsetterGuide empowers travellers to elevate every journey.

ROBERT VIDRA
Jetsetter Guide LLC
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