Travelers wary of crowded airport lounges will be getting more options including sleep pods, spas and possibly gym access as Collinson International, the operator of Priority Pass and LoungeKey clubs accessed by millions of credit card users, looks to increase its offerings.

London-based Collinson, which operates more than 750 lounges and airport experiences in Asia, is expanding in the region to add to its pre-departure offerings that include manicures, craft beer bars and dining discounts. The privately-held company plans to build out its inventory of lounges and experiences by more than 10 percent this year as its Asia network sees the biggest growth in demand worldwide, said Global Chief Commercial Officer Todd Handcock in an interview.

Demand for airport lounges has skyrocketed since the end of the COVID-19 pandemic as people have resumed traveling with enthusiasm, leaving airports and members-only spaces busier than ever. Premium programs, which provide free food, drinks and seating before flights, now often attract long lines and crowds. Collinson, airlines and other operators are adding locations as well as new services and experiences in an effort to alleviate the overcrowding.

“People want experiences,” said Handcock, who also heads the company’s Asia Pacific operations. “We’re putting in a new digital platform that will open up additional doors for different types of experiences beyond the airport ecosystem.”

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The group aims to add to its offerings to give travelers more options beyond airport clubs, such as sleep pods and more food and beverage options at restaurants. It’s also looking at ways to allow members to use their perks after they’ve reached their destinations and is working with banks and credit card issuers to provide new services such as access to gyms and wellness classes, said Handcock.

As well as expanding their offerings, providers are also looking at other ways of reducing the overcrowding. United Airlines Holdings Inc will begin charging its members more for access to airport lounges in a bid to address crowded clubs. Collinson said it’s also exploring options such as new tiers or categories of memberships, pre-booking of activities and adding other perks involving health and wellness to bolster the exclusivity of its programs.

Travelers with lounge memberships provided by their credit-card companies can now access manicures at Singapore’s Changi Airport, a brewery and beer hall at Melbourne airport, sleep pods in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia and a Japanese onsen-style hot bath at an airport near Nagoya, all part of the Collinson network.

And while lounges and experiences are in high demand all around the world, Asia’s leading the growth. Visits by global travelers to Collinson’s international lounges in Asia Pacific increased 46 percent last year compared to 2023, double the growth outside the region.

“Southeast Asia is going through a significant boom,” said Handcock. “When you take a look at the growth markets across the world, the top growth markets right now for travel are in Southeast Asia.”

Asia is the company’s fastest-growing region, aided by a boom in new airport construction, he said. Cities from Mumbai to Taipei to Singapore are building new aviation hubs or terminals to keep up with the region’s rising demand for air travel.

Last month, Collinson unit Airport Dimensions acquired a 45 percent stake in an Indonesian lounge operator, adding nearly a dozen clubs in major airports throughout the country. That comes after partnerships to increase its lounge network in Vietnam. All told, the company expanded its inventory in Asia by 17 percent last year, Handcock said.

Many of the changes the company and others are considering reflect the demographic shifts impacting the travel industry, he added, with younger travelers valuing experiences over material goods and demanding more personalized, tailored benefits from loyalty programs.