18 CONCESSIONS July | August 2026 AirportImprovement.com DFW The company has operated a Plaza Premium Lounge in Terminal E since 2020, but the opportunity to expand into Terminal D and introduce the company’s top-tier option in the United States aligned with the airport’s international growth. “It came with the advantage of being here as a group,” says Bélanger. “The airport’s growing, and we want to be able to grow with them and help them accommodate the guests and the airlines that come from all around the world to fly to Dallas.” Two Distinct Experiences Although physically adjacent, the new lounges offer notably different experiences. Bélanger describes the traditional Plaza Premium Lounge as the company’s foundational product, with the amenities and services travelers have come to expect over nearly three decades of operation. The Plaza Premium First concept, however, focuses on offering more individualized service in a more exclusive atmosphere. “The main difference between [the two options] comes down to the details,” he explains. “[In the Plaza Premium First Lounge,] you’re ushered to your seat and basically presented the menu and shown that what the lounge offers…so more personalization.” Dining also plays a central role in differentiating the experience. The Plaza Premium First lounge features made-to-order menu options made onsite. “We do have a full kitchen in Dallas, so we can actually make everything fresh in our kitchen and present it to our guests in the lounge,” Bélanger explains. The culinary program is paired with elevated beverage offerings, including a full-service premium bar staffed by a mixologist. Guests also have access to showers, private restrooms and a prayer room designed to accommodate international travelers from a variety of cultural backgrounds. Despite their different tiers of amenities, both lounges focus on hospitable service. To that end, Plaza Premium recruits multilingual staff members—especially those conversationally fluent in Turkish, French, German or Korean because those languages correspond to major international carriers serving DFW. “Sometimes the guests may speak English, but if they can be served in their native tongue, it just goes a long way,” notes Bélanger. Open Access Model Unlike many airline-operated lounges, both new facilities at DFW are accessible to travelers regardless of airline affiliation. “The Plaza Premium Group was founded and predicated on being able to offer anyone in the airport access to a lounge,” Bélanger explains. “That was sort of the whole concept at the beginning.” While Plaza Premium Group maintains agreements with airlines, financial institutions and loyalty programs, its lounges also welcome walk-in travelers willing to purchase day passes. That model introduces operational complexity because guest expectations vary significantly. Bélanger describes two potential customers as an example: The first a walk-in passenger going to Los Angeles on domestic carrier, the next a high-point loyalty program member flying first class on a Gulf or Asian carrier to Europe. As a result, the company focuses heavily on flexibility in both food offerings and service delivery. PHOTO: PLAZA PREMIUM GROUP Complimentary beverages are perennially popular with lounge guests.
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