Star Alliance opens new Guangzhou business travel lounge with outdoor garden

6 May

Star Alliance has opened a new premium business travel lounge at Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport’s Terminal 3, featuring one of the most distinctive additions seen in a modern airport lounge – a 700-square-metre outdoor garden space designed to give travellers fresh air and a more relaxing pre-flight environment.

The new facility will be of particular interest to Global Travel Management customers travelling on business between the UK and Asia, as premium lounge facilities continue to play an increasingly important role in improving the overall business travel experience on long-haul international journeys. While many airport lounges focus purely on indoor seating, food and workspace provision, the addition of an open-air garden offers business travellers a rare opportunity to step away from the busy terminal atmosphere before boarding.

Star Alliance officially opened the new lounge in Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport’s newly launched Terminal 3, further strengthening the airport’s growing position as a major international gateway within China and the wider Asia-Pacific region.

The standout feature of the lounge is its outdoor garden terrace, which covers approximately half of the lounge’s overall footprint. Outdoor spaces of this scale remain highly unusual within airport lounges globally, particularly in large international hub airports where space is at a premium. The garden has been designed to provide a calmer and more restorative environment for travellers, combining greenery, open space and natural light with views across the airport environment.

For business travellers spending long hours in transit, particularly on multi-sector journeys or overnight itineraries, access to outdoor space can significantly improve comfort and wellbeing. Many traditional airport lounges can feel enclosed and crowded during peak periods, whereas Guangzhou’s new Star Alliance lounge has been designed to create a more balanced and relaxing passenger experience.

Ambar Franco, Vice President – Customer Experience at Star Alliance, said:

“Lounges are a critical part of the customer experience for Star Alliance member airline passengers, supporting our vision for more seamless and effortless journeys.”

Ms Franco added:

“As Guangzhou continues to grow as an important international gateway in China, this new space reflects the evolution of our lounge offering. It is bigger and better, and will deliver enhanced comfort and functionality for Star Alliance member airline customers.”

Alongside the outdoor garden, the 1,400-square-metre lounge includes seating for approximately 245 guests and operates 24 hours a day. Facilities include dedicated workspaces, reading areas, private rooms, rest areas and sleep pods, allowing travellers to work, relax or recharge depending on their schedule and travel requirements.

The lounge also incorporates elements of Lingnan culture and Guangzhou’s natural landscape, including a sculptural installation inspired by the city’s kapok flower. Guests can additionally experience traditional Chinese tea culture through a dedicated tea service hosted by professional tea artists.

Dining within the lounge has been developed in partnership with the five-star chef team from the Pullman Hotel, offering a blend of Chinese and Western cuisine aimed at international travellers.

The facility is available to First and Business Class passengers, as well as Star Alliance Gold members travelling on Star Alliance member airlines from Terminal 3. Ten Star Alliance airlines currently operate from Guangzhou, including Air China, ANA, Asiana Airlines, EGYPTAIR, Ethiopian Airlines, EVA Air, Shenzhen Airlines, Singapore Airlines, THAI and Turkish Airlines.

Qi Yaoming, Deputy General Manager of Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport, said:

“Going forward, we will continue to strengthen strategic coordination with Star Alliance and major airlines, carrying out deeper cooperation in route network expansion, transfer facilitation, and smart travel, to jointly build a better international aviation ecosystem.”

Paul Baker, Sales Director of Global Travel Management, said:

“Frequent business travellers are increasingly looking for airport lounges that offer more than simply somewhere to sit before a flight. The addition of a large outdoor garden space at Guangzhou is a genuinely impressive feature that helps create a more relaxing and comfortable airport experience, particularly for long-haul corporate travellers spending extended periods in transit. Facilities like this can make a meaningful difference to traveller wellbeing during demanding international business travel schedules.”

The lounge is operated by Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport Business Travel Service Co. Ltd, which manages premium passenger services across the airport and serves more than 2.2 million premium travellers annually.

For further information about business travel to China or premium airport lounge access for corporate travellers, please contact your Global Travel Management Account Manager.