Summary:
- BLR Airport redefines the airport lounge experience with Gate Z, a first-of-its-kind Gen Z-inspired social lounge that positions dwell time as an integral part of the passenger journey.
- Designed around mindset rather than age, Gate Z blends community-driven spaces, lifestyle-led design, sustainability and AI-enabled personalisation to meet the expectations of modern travellers.
- From co-creation to experience-led innovation, the concept showcases how airports can evolve lounges into social, cultural and digital hubs that enhance engagement and differentiate the terminal experience.
As airport lounges evolve beyond waiting spaces, Kempegowda International Airport Bengaluru (BLR Airport) has introduced Gate Z, a first-of-its-kind Gen Z–inspired social lounge designed to reflect the evolving expectations of today’s travellers.
As travel patterns shift and dwell time increasingly become part of the journey, passengers are seeking environments that feel intuitive, social, and relevant to their lifestyles. Gate Z has been designed in response to this change, moving beyond the conventional lounge model to create a shared space that blends comfort, culture, and community.
The airport explains that Gate Z is not defined by age, but by mindset. It aims to represent authenticity, ease, sustainability, and seamless integration of technology. Positioned next to the 080 International Lounge in Terminal 2, Gate Z draws inspiration from the evolving mindset of travellers for whom travel is part of a broader lifestyle. Inspired by the energy of a modern high street, Gate Z features fluid pathways, social-first zones and intuitive layouts that balance interaction and pause. Curved seating, ambient lighting and interactive zones support working, unwinding, socialising or moments of solitude. Global influences blend seamlessly with local touches across design, food and art, while a warm palette of cyan and burnt orange, streetlamp-inspired lighting and sustainable materials create a contemporary, welcoming atmosphere. Artificial intelligence (AI)-led features are seamlessly integrated to enable intuitive navigation, personalisation, and enhanced passenger convenience.
Designed as a social-first, experience-led space, the lounge features:
- Bubble & Brew: A café-bar to kickstart travellers’ pre-flight state of mind.
- The Sipping Lounge: A relaxed space that offers laid-back comfort for downtime or conversation.
- Subway Diner: A playful, retro-inspired eatery with live counters and high-energy design.
- The Amphizone: A modern amphitheatre for screenings, pop-ups and spontaneous gatherings.
The name Gate Z itself was born from a nationwide naming contest, inviting India’s young creative voices to shape an experience curated for them. The contest drew entries from students, designers and professionals across the country, capturing the spirit of inclusivity and co-creation at the heart of the concept.
“Gate Z reflects BLR Airport’s intent to design spaces that respond to how travel is experienced today, as part of a broader lifestyle rather than a moment in transit,” said Bangalore Airport Services Limited Chief Executive Officer George Bennet Kuruvilla. “Inspired by values of inclusivity, authenticity and connection, the lounge brings together comfort, culture and community in a way that feels intuitive and welcoming across age groups. By inviting young Indians to name Gate Z, we extended this philosophy of co-creation, ensuring the space is shaped by the mindset it represents and remains relevant, expressive and people-first.”
Gate Z reinforces BLR Airport’s approach to experience design at Terminal 2, which blends architecture, culture, sustainability, and passenger comfort. The concept complements the terminal’s broader vision of offering spaces that feel distinctly Bengaluru while meeting global standards of service and design. With this new lounge, BLR Airport continues to reimagine the passenger journey by creating spaces that go beyond transit, responding to the evolving expectations of modern travellers and reinforcing its commitment to inclusive, people-first airport experiences.
You may also be interested in
12 technology and CX trends that can enhance airline and airport operations in 2026
