In this article, we’ll explore some of the best airport lounges around the world that feature saunas. Yes, saunas – in an airport lounge!
I never knew airport lounges could have saunas, until one day several years ago I stumbled upon the Air France Sauna in the Air France Salon lounge in the L Concourse at Paris Charles De Gaulle airport.
I was in awe that the lounge even offers a sauna, as most Air France lounges at CDG are pretty pathetic honestly.
However, the Air France Salon in CDG Terminal 2E, L Concourse is absolutely exceptional.
Writing this article, I came extra early to CDG at 10:00am, for an Air France flight that departs at 4:25pm, just so I could visit their lounge and use the Sauna before my flight.
Imagine unwinding in the soothing heat of a sauna after a long-haul flight during a layover, or before you step on a plane for a long intercontinental journey. The therapeutic benefits of a sauna session can help alleviate muscle tension, promote better sleep, and even boost your overall sense of well-being. For frequent flyers and those seeking a touch of indulgence during travels, a sauna provides a unique opportunity to rejuvenate and recharge.
I think that saunas allowing you to step on a plane feeling refreshed and revitalized, before the flight even begins! Suffice to say, I love spending time in a sauna in a lounge before a flight, and sometimes specifically seek out these lounges for this experience.
Here’s the ones I know about so far.
Finnair Platinum Wing Lounge in Helsinki, Finland
- Location: Helsinki Airport, Helsinki, Finland
- Lounge: Finnair Platinum Wing Lounge Helsinki, near Gate 52 (non-Schengen)
- Hours: Monday-Friday 5:00am to 11:00pm; Saturday 6:00am to 11:00pm; Sunday 6:00am to 11:30 pm
Sauna lovers can experience an authentic Finnish sauna at the Finnair Platinum Wing Lounge in Helsinki Airport, which is situated in the non-Schengen area near gate 52.
The sauna is located within the Platinum Wing, which is Finnair’s exclusive lounge for its top-tier Oneworld elite members and Finnair elite passengers.
You’ll find the sauna inside the Dressing Room area on the left side. Many frequent Finnair flyers make it a point to arrive at the airport early just to experience this sauna before their flight.
There’s a dressing room with lockers showers and toilets.
Another door leads to a communal cooling area…
…and finally a separate door to the sauna room. The Finnish Sauna is shared between men and women, and is not private. This is a complete contrast to the Air France Sauna below, which is both separated and also private.
The sauna itself is a traditional wood-burning sauna, meticulously constructed with Finnish spruce wood.
It adheres to the classic Finnish sauna design, with a wood-burning stove that heats up the rocks to create a dry heat.
There’s a bucket available to fill with water, and a large spoon you can use to pour on the wood burning stove and create massive amounts of steam and heat. Suffice to say, this small sauna can get insanely hot quickly!
Adjacent to the sauna room is a cool-down lounge area with a place to refill the water bucket.
Guests can fully embrace the Finnish sauna ritual of heating up in the sauna and then cooling down, either with a quick rinse or by spending time in the relaxation area.
The shower facilities are in the locker rooms. The sauna changing area is separate for men and women to provide privacy; however, the sauna itself appears shared.
The changing area features two showers, and only three lockers, plus an amenities rack. Towels, slippers, and other necessities are provided for sauna users.
This lounge has many other great features, including a special exclusive fine dining area, an upscale bar, seats with AC and USB power, private phone booth, printing facilities, free internet access, and lockers. I’ll post a review separately.
How To Access
Finnair Platinum Wing is available exclusively for:
- Finnair Plus Platinum Lumo members (+ four guests)
- Platinum members (+ one guest)
- oneworld Emerald members (+ one guest)
Access is available when the flight leaves from the non-Schengen area during the same day and is operated and marketed by a oneworld airline.
As a Finnair Plus Platinum Lumo or Platinum member, you can bring your children under the age of 18 with you.
The Finnair Platinum Wing is effectively an exclusive first class lounge. As you can see, access isn’t easy unless you’re a oneworld or Finnair elite – even if you’re flying Business Class! This is definitely one of my favorite perks of transferring my elite loyalty to Alaska and oneworld earlier this year.
Air France Salon in Paris CDG, Terminal 2E, L Concourse, France
- Location: CDG Charles De Gaulle International Airport, Paris, France
- Lounge: Air France Salon Lounge, Terminal 2E, L Concourse
- Hours: 5:30am to 11:30pm
This is one of my favorites. Most Air France lounges at CDG are pretty pathetic honestly. However, the Air France Salon in CDG Terminal 2E, L Concourse is absolutely exceptional.
To get here, you’ll turn left past security, and take an elevator upstairs to the Air France Salon.
Granted entry, you’ll follow signage for the sauna.
It’s located within the showers area, off a side corridor. There separate entries and facilities for men and for women.
The sauna is located off the other shower rooms in the Air France Salon at Paris CDG. The first experience entering this room was the extreme heat and humidity emanating from the sauna, past the shower area and right to the entry changing area.
It’s one private and large space with an entry changing area, an incredibly massive shower, and a large multi-level and multi-person sauna.
Slippers and three sets of towels are provided. There’s a stool for changing. There’s also a large mirror.
This sauna is past the shower, and has it’s own glass door.
Inside, during my visit, the room was insanely hot! It has two levels and three different spaces to lay down., Be sure to lay a towel down first and keep this clean!
The sauna appears extraordinarily clean, and still seems to be well maintained (much better than the Finnair sauna).
There’s a small timer clock at the entry, which you can turn to 15 minutes.
The rain shower is awesome and so refreshing, both before and after sauna use.
Note that because this is a completely private sauna, and it also has it’s own shower, this one gets filled quickly and takes some time to clean as well.
That said, there’s nothing quite like this experience in an airport lounge – a private sauna, and a massive shower, right at the airport.
Time limit for access is 15 minutes in the sauna, plus time to shower and change.
How To Access
Guests can enjoy complimentary access to Air France lounges:
- For yourself and a guest, if you are traveling in the La Première cabin (Air France First Class)
- For yourself, if you are traveling in the Business cabin with a Standard or Flex fare
You may also enjoy complimentary access:
- For yourself and a guest, if you have Flying Blue Platinum status**
- For yourself and a guest, if you have Flying Blue Gold status
- For yourself and a guest if you have SkyTeam Elite Plus status
In some circumstances you can bring guests. Your guests must be with you at the lounge reception desk. They will be allowed in depending on availability, and must also be traveling on an Air France, KLM, or SkyTeam flight departing on the same day.
Guests can also purchase access to an Air France Salon Lounge and get paid lounge access from 3 hours before your flight’s departure. Use this link up until the day before your departure – and depending on availability, you can purchase the Lounge option:
- When you purchase your ticket
- In My Bookings
- At Check-In
You can also purchase the Lounge option on the day of departure:
- At the lounge reception desk
- At an Air France kiosk in CDG
Flying Blue members get 25% off.
Bonus: The Onsen At Tokyo Haneda Airport
- Location: HND Tokyo Haneda International Airport, Tokyo, Japan
- Lounge: Villa Fontaine Onsen Spa at Haneda Airport Village, near Terminal 3
- Hours: Open 24 hours a day; however, the baths+sauna are unavailable 10:00am to 12:30pm for cleaning.
This onsen spa provides a reasonably authentic Japanese onsen hot spring experience right within the airport premises, for travelers to rejuvenate before or after their flights at Haneda Airport.
I’ve written an extensive article about this awesome airport facility here. Note that this spa/onsen is outside the secure airport zone (not after security). It is roughly a ten minute walk from Terminal 3 at Haneda (this is the International Terminal). To get here, you’ll walk ten minutes from Haneda’s Terminal 3 to the Haneda Airport Garden shopping concourse…
…follow the signs for the Villa Fontaine…
…then enter the special elevator for the Villa Fontaine Onsen Spa on the top level.
The outdoor baths offer views west of the airport runways to the industrial megastructures in Tokyo Japan, and planes taking off/landing from the indoor areas.
Effectively the facility is a surreal experience of enjoying an onsen, spa, steam rooms and saunas, while watching Haneda airport activity.
In addition to the hot spring baths, the facility has a sauna, steam rooms, massage services, relaxation lounges, and dressing areas. There’s also a restaurant available to eat after your sauna visit.
I also love the hot stones section:
- Lava Stones
- Rock Salt
- Black Geranium
- Cool Room
I love visiting this facility, and go frequently on my trips to and from Japan when using Haneda Airport.
How To Access
The good news about the Villa Fontaine Onsen at Haneda is that it’s available to everyone!
The onsen is open to both hotel guests and outside visitors with a paid entry fee. Airline passengers in transit can visit for a few hours as well.
- Adult: ¥4,800
- Adult Late Night (1:00am to 5:00am): ¥4,000
- Children: ¥2,000
- Special Rate for Villa Fontaine Guests: ¥2,000 (Adult) and ¥1,000 (Child)
- Use of the bedrock sauna requires a separate fee of ¥800
Walk-ins are accepted, but making reservations in advance is recommended, especially for international travelers. Although it only opened last year, I’ve noticed this Onsen has become insanely popular with both Japanese and foreign visitors alike!
Final Thoughts
Visiting a sauna at an airport lounge is one of my favorite ways to spend a long layover at an airport, before a transcontinental flight.
Even better than a shower, there’s nothing quite like the airy refreshing feeling of stepping on a plane feeling refreshed and revitalized, before the flight even begins!
Suffice to say, I love spending time in a sauna in a lounge before a flight, and sometimes specifically seek out these lounges specifically for this experience.
The therapeutic benefits of a sauna session can help alleviate muscle tension, promote better sleep, and even boost your overall sense of well-being.
I may have missed some other famous world lounges that have saunas – I’m almost certain there’s a First Class lounge (or three?) that feature it. I’ll be sure to update this article as I find more, or send me an email and let me know of others!
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