Especially at international airports, where the need to show up early for your flight is a given, airport lounges are a god-send. To make up for this potential "waste" of precious time, airlines have opened up posh lounges for card-carrying frequent flyers. Definitely one of the best perks that smooths the travel experience!

The London Lounge is a new joint passenger lounge at Heathrow between Air Canada and Scandinavian Airlines (SAS). Premium passengers flying Lufthansa, United, Singapore Airlines and other Star Alliance carriers can use the facility. Bright greens and reds decorate the distinctly Scandinavian style of the lounge, with tasteful use of pine wood and white. The architects designed a second level to create different atmosphers for passengers to relax: personal shower rooms, sleeping chairs, and even a movie room complete with 42-inch flat screen. There is a business center with Internet access, telephones, faxes and printers. The Lounge serves light snacks and a wide assortment of (free) alcohol -- like Canadian Sleeman's -- and other drinks, anytime of day or night. So far, it's one of my favorite lounges in the Star Alliance system, right up there with United's Red Carpet Club at Tokyo's Narita airport.