O'Hare's Swissport lounge is gone, SWISS sets bigger Zurich lounges, and Sydney's Centurion reopens
November lounge updates include Chicago’s Swissport closure and two reopenings, while SWISS’s announced Zurich move is scheduled for 2027.
The Swissport lounge in Terminal 5 at Chicago O'Hare closed on Oct. 31 with no replacement announced. Other T5 lounges have different admission rules; a former Swissport entitlement does not automatically transfer. Elsewhere, SWISS has set the first quarter of 2027 for larger Business and Senator lounges in Zurich. Amex and Air New Zealand have reopened refurbished lounges in Sydney and Wellington.
Chicago O'Hare: the Swissport lounge has closed#
The windowless Swissport lounge in O'Hare's international Terminal 5 closed as of Oct. 31, One Mile at a Time reported. It was a contract lounge, so several premium airlines without their own club in T5 sent business-class passengers there. The article names Etihad and Qatar Airways passengers as examples.
Nothing has been announced for the space. In April 2025, Swissport's head of North American lounges said the company had submitted a proposal to the Chicago Department of Aviation to renovate and expand it. The Nov. 6 report did not identify a later decision on that proposal.
If your airline used the Swissport lounge, ask it where you will be sent instead. These T5 lounges remain open:
| Lounge | Opened | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Delta Sky Club | 2022 | Airline and membership conditions apply |
| LOT Polish Airlines lounge | 2024 | Used by Star Alliance and some other airlines |
| Air France lounge | 2025 | Priority Pass at select hours |
| Wingtips Lounge | Former SAS lounge | Priority Pass |
Source: One Mile at a Time. Priority Pass hours change often, so check the app before you go. Our O'Hare lounge guide lists every option by terminal.
Zurich: SWISS moves its lounges in 2027#
SWISS plans to open new Business and Senator lounges in a new building south of Dock B in the first quarter of 2027, SWISS announced on Aug. 27. SWISS says the existing Business and Senator lounges and the Alpine Lounge in Dock A will close when the new facilities open.
The new space covers about 2,600 square meters, about 20% more than today. It adds around 20 soundproof work booths and views over the runways toward the Alps. The Senator Lounge gets a bar with a wine humidor and a room for aging cheese and cured meats. Bus gates sit directly below the building, which shortens the walk for flights that board by bus.
The First Class Lounge and HON Circle Lounge stay in Dock A for now. SWISS plans to move them to Dock B in 2028 and says more details will follow.
Sydney and Wellington: two reopenings#
American Express reopened its Centurion Lounge in Sydney's international Terminal 1 after an interior refurbishment, and Air New Zealand reopened its domestic Koru Lounge in Wellington after fire repairs and a refresh, the Moodie Davitt Report noted on Nov. 11. The roundup does not establish a new admission entitlement. Check the operator’s current entry rules rather than treating a refurbishment as an access expansion.
What to do before your trip#
A ticket’s old lounge name can become unhelpful after a closure. Do not assume the booking confirmation identifies the airline’s latest arrangement. If your ticket includes a lounge, check the airline's own lounge page a day before you fly. If you rely on a card membership, check its app on the day you travel. For any airport, our lounge finder shows what is open by terminal and who can get in.
Photo: Zurich Airport arrivals area, September 2005. Historical representative image, not the new SWISS facilities. Siqbal / Wikimedia Commons; worldwide public-domain release. Cropped and badged.
Cite this article
Patrick Karsh. “O'Hare's Swissport lounge is gone, SWISS sets bigger Zurich lounges, and Sydney's Centurion reopens.” Lounge Frog. Published 2026-11-15. https://www.loungefrog.com/news/lounge-openings-closures-ohare-swissport-swiss-zurich-sydney-centurion-november-2026
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