Lounges of U.S. carriers in U.S. airports serving international flights that are about as busy as overseas counterparts have a nearly universally poor showing when compared to those overseas lounges. I’ve read this comes down to the financialization of those U.S. carriers who dilute lounge exclusivity chasing those sweet credit card profit centers while overseas carriers are not under those dynamics; U.S. carriers don’t usually get to have a hand in the design and layout of airports so their lounges are less spacious and amenity-filled; overseas international hubs tend to cater more to long-haul multi-hour layover itineraries than the short turnaround domestic traffic that is more common in U.S. airports; and U.S. cost structures against wage stagnation trends are more prohibitive to the more lavish splash outs in overseas lounges.