Craft beer and USB ports: Airlines upgrade clubs to lure customers

The exclusive feel of domestic airline clubs has taken a hit over the last decade. They are more crowded, and the free premium cocktails have been disappearing. Free Wi-Fi is no longer even a draw because it is available in many airport terminals. But with bankruptcies and mergers in their rear-view mirrors and low fuel prices helping profits, airline clubs in the US are getting an upgrade. Domestic airlines are reinvesting in the customer experience, especially for their biggest spenders, who are willing to pay extra to escape terminals for their own power outlets and comfy chairs. Catering to high-end customers is a major goal for airlines, said a hospitality management professor. He noted that airlines have already restructured rewards programs to benefit their biggest spenders and have improved the seating in the front of planes. <br/>