Opening of the new Star Alliance Lounge at Paris CDG T1

On this Friday, October 13, 2023, Star Alliance opens its new Star Alliance Lounge at Paris-Charles de Gaulle airport, designed to give visitors an immersive local experience.

For the occasion, Star Alliance invited Milesopedia to visit the new Lounge, inaugurated by Star Alliance President Theo Panagiotoulias.

The new Star Alliance lounge at Paris-Charles de Gaulle is located in Terminal 1, on the side of the terminal serving Gates 10 to 38.

To access the Star Alliance lounge at Paris-Charles de Gaulle, you must pass through security and immigration. The entrance is next to the Ladurée and Yves Saint Laurent stores. You’ll need to take the elevator and cross a corridor to get there. A lovely terrace and garden can already be seen on the left before we enter.

This Star Alliance lounge is dedicated to passengers travelling outside the Schengen zone.

If you’re travelling within the Schengen area, you’ll need to visit the other Star Alliance lounge – renovated in 2019 – before security and serving flights departing from gates 50 to 78.

This Star Alliance Lounge was designed by the renowned architectural firm Gensler, who was also behind the Star Alliance Lounge at Los Angeles Airport (LAX), inaugurated in 2013.

With a spectacular view of the runways and control tower, the Star Alliance lounge at Paris-Charles de Gaulle is illuminated by an abundance of pleasant natural light, thanks to its all-glass façade, reinforcing the perception of an open, airy space. This light is an excellent asset for any jet-lagged traveller.

The venue’s design is based on conventional Star Alliance lounge principles, skilfully combining the ever-changing demands of contemporary travellers with an atmosphere imbued with the local essence of the destination.

The space in the Star Alliance lounge at Paris-Charles de Gaulle has been styled in collaboration with local brands and artists, creating a distinctively French atmosphere where charm meets sophistication. The conceptual approach to design is rooted in “framing the past while looking to the future.”

The idea was to blend Paris’s historical and modern architecture, integrating aesthetic elements and local art while respecting the Star Alliance image.

Nearly 10 million euros have been invested in fitting out this lounge to satisfy Star Alliance customers visiting worldwide.

The Star Alliance lounge at Paris-Charles de Gaulle echoes timeless Parisian elegance, with its wall mouldings and arches, its impressive monochrome photographs of the Eiffel Tower, and is furnished with meticulously selected works by local artists, promising a purely enchanting visual experience.

These include magnificent sculptures by Franco-American artist and sculptor Gabriel Sobin, including several monolith pieces, some in onyx stone.

In the Star Alliance lounge at Paris-Charles de Gaulle, once you’ve passed the kiosks, you’ll find an open welcome bar with a captivating, minimalist design offering a variety of beverages.

The central room is large and bright, so you can enjoy a drink at the bar or sit back and watch the slopes.

On the left-hand side of the lounge, you’ll find several different atmospheres: if you wish, you can relax in the Winter Garden, flooded with natural light. It’s an internal space that offers a wide choice of seating.

Or enjoy the vast outdoor courtyard.

Opposite the Winter Garden, other facilities face the tarmac. The room is still bathed in natural light and decorated with photographs of Paris. A circular structure houses the refreshment station we’ll see next.

For business travellers looking for a more tranquil setting, the Star Alliance Paris-Charles de Gaulle lounge offers four private working cabins, convenient for working in peace or attending a video conference. Charging outlets can be found in every room and every installation.

The workspace is enlivened by eight comfortable tall armchairs in bright yellow. An extended counter offers eight seating stations with electrical outlets for those who prefer to be seated.

On the other side, there’s a counter with refreshments and a coffee machine, as well as several facilities for relaxing.

A relaxation area is available if you’re looking for privacy. But that’s as far as the piece goes. A reclining seat could have been placed there.

Finally, before heading to your departure gate, you can enjoy one of the four showers in one of the well-appointed suites. The latter is very vast.

The centrepiece is the Wine Bar, featuring wines from the South of France by renowned winemaker Gérard Bertrand and a lounge offering a range of international selections. You’d think you were in a Parisian café. Armchairs in alcoves give this area a hushed, intimate ambience.

The food court is extensive, with three counters, one of which is located in a more enclosed room. This area offers a variety of seating options.

The buffet is varied. Star Alliance offered petits fours, fruit brochettes, and appetizers for the occasion.

A final room is available to meet the needs of ambassador members or public figures, offering them an intimate space.

The new Star Alliance lounge at Paris-Charles de Gaulle covers an area of around 1,300m² and can seat over 300 passengers.

You can access the new Star Alliance lounge at Paris-Charles de Gaulle if:

• You travel in First Class on a Star Alliance airline (and may be accompanied by a guest).
• Travelling in Business Class on a Star Alliance airline
• You are a Star Alliance Gold member (and may be accompanied by a guest)
• You are a member of Air Canada’s Maple Leaf or United Club programs

At the lounge’s inauguration, I had the opportunity to talk with Theo Panagiotoulias, President and CEO of Star Alliance. It’s a warm-hearted person motivated to connect with people and inspire them to travel while considering the current challenges surrounding us. There is no clear answer about what new Star Alliance credit card might be on the way and in which market.

That’s where the interest lies. Initial feedback from users in Australia is promising. However, the company’s cautious approach aims to ensure that any future product expansion is aligned with the expectations and needs of its diverse customer base worldwide. Without overshadowing the credit cards already issued by Star Alliance airlines in various markets.

Theo Panagiotoulias emphasized that innovation and adaptation are essential to the company’s future in an ever-changing travel world.

Star Alliance values collaborations that offer mutual benefits. While the alliance cannot provide technology solutions at this time, it could create an ecosystem for partner carriers to leverage to improve technology implementations.

Here is his official statement about this new Star Alliance Lounge at Paris-Charles de Gaulle:

Star Alliance aims to enhance the passenger experience of its member airlines, and airport lounges play an essential role. We are very proud to present our new Paris lounge, designed not only to offer an exceptional experience but also to meet the needs of the modern frequent flyer.

Theo Panagiotoulias - PDG de Star Alliance

This lounge is a magnificent addition to the range of lounges already available at Paris CDG Terminal 1. This new lounge, with its Parisian ambience, aims to meet the needs of every traveller and offer them an authentic local experience.