Star Alliance’s First Lounge in Asia: A Look Inside

Star Alliance lounges are open to travelers with Star Alliance Gold status or passengers in premium cabins.
Indoors, Interior Design, Lamp

Many or all of the products on this page are from partners who compensate us when you click to or take an action on their website, but this does not influence our evaluations or ratings. Our opinions are our own.

Published · 1 min read
Profile photo of Harlan Vaughn
Written by Harlan Vaughn
Writer
Profile photo of Meghan Coyle
Edited by Meghan Coyle
Assistant Assigning Editor
Fact Checked

Star Alliance, one of the three big airline alliances, announced its first branded lounge in Asia, located at Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport (CAN), a major hub for international travel in southern China.

The new lounge, which opened on Nov. 21, 2024, is located in Terminal 1. It’s available to first and business class passengers on flights operated by Star Alliance airlines and those with Star Alliance Gold status. The lounge is open 24/7 and has showers — two features that will make it stand out as particularly useful for international travelers.

Currently, 10 Star Alliance airlines operate from Guangzhou’s airport, including Air China, ANA, Asiana Airlines, EVA Air, Egyptair, Ethiopian Airlines and Turkish Airlines. The Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport is the 12th busiest airport in the world in 2023 by number of passengers, according to data from the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey. It saw a 141% increase in passengers from 2022 to 2023, as Asia travel rebounded after the COVID-19 pandemic. Among the 15 busiest airports in the world, it’s now the fastest-growing one by number of travelers.

Because anyone with Star Alliance Gold status can enter, you can access the new lounge if you have United Premier Gold, Platinum or 1K status, or equivalent status with any other Star Alliance member airline.

Asia’s first Star Alliance lounge

The new lounge features amenities designed for modern travelers, including:

  • Workstations and comfortable seating.

  • Shower suites.

  • VIP room for private group meetings, available on request.

These are all standard lounge amenities in line with what’s currently available in Terminal 1 at CAN, including a Priority Pass lounge and several airline lounges.

The Star Alliance lounge reflects the Pearl River Delta region's culture with local art. There’s a Tea Appreciation Corner, which will be open on special occasions.

Guests can choose from a variety of food options, from light bites to regional specialties. A dedicated bar counter serves curated drinks.

If you aren’t traveling through China any time soon, you can check to see if your next destination has another Star Alliance lounge. There are other Star Alliance lounge locations in Amsterdam, Bueno Aires, Los Angeles, Paris and Rio de Janeiro.

Why this location and what’s next?

Floor, Cafeteria, Indoors

(Photo courtesy of Star Alliance)

As Guangzhou continues to grow as a significant hub for international travel, Star Alliance plans to open another branded lounge in the upcoming Terminal 3 at the same airport. Construction is expected to be complete sometime in 2025.

Top photo courtesy of Star Alliance.


How to maximize your rewards

You want a travel credit card that prioritizes what’s important to you. Here are some of the best travel credit cards of 2024:

Airport Lounge Cards from our Partners
Citibank Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite™ MasterCard® Credit Card

on Citibank's application

Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard®
4.6
NerdWallet Rating
Rewards rate

1x

Earn 1 Loyalty Point for every 1 eligible AAdvantage® mile earned from purchases.

Miles

Intro offer

70,000

Earn 70,000 American Airlines AAdvantage® bonus miles after spending $7,000 within the first 3 months of account opening.

Miles
Chase Sapphire Reserve Credit Card

on Chase's website

Chase Sapphire Reserve®
5.0
NerdWallet Rating
Rewards rate

1x-10x

Earn 5x total points on flights and 10x total points on hotels and car rentals when you purchase travel through Chase Travel℠ immediately after the first $300 is spent on travel purchases annually. Earn 3x points on other travel and dining & 1 point per $1 spent on all other purchases.

Points

Intro offer

60,000

Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.

Points
See more Airport Lounge cards
MORE LIKE THISTravel
Get more smart money moves – straight to your inbox
Sign up and we’ll send you Nerdy articles about the money topics that matter most to you along with other ways to help you get more from your money.