#1 - Qatar First Class Lounge "Al Safwa" - DohaGreat airport lounges are sanctuaries in mad houses
I've had some amazing trips over the last few years and visited some amazing airport lounges. They really do make the airport experience better. For a few different reasons, I've missed out on visiting some of the best lounges in the world. Here are my plans that - fingers crossed - will take me to some incredible lounges before the end of 2024.
#1 - Qatar First Class Lounge "Al Safwa" - Doha
If I could only visit one lounge this year, it would be the Qatar First Class lounge in Doha.
This is not an easy lounge to get into. I hoped to upgrade to it during a trip to Doha last year, but the lounge guardian gave me a firm no. I'd read that it was possible to pay to enter the lounge on a business class ticket - it possibly is, but not on the day that I was there.
A few months later I booked a first-class flight with Qatar from Doha to Male to use this lounge, but then the aircraft we were due to fly on was switched to one without first class, and I was downgraded to business and foiled twice.
The challenge with this lounge is that to enter, you either have to have a really high Qatar status and be travelling in business class or travel first class. Qatar only operates two plane types that have first class: the A380, of which they have just 10, and a 777-300ER, which isn't even a Qatar jet - it's a former Cathay Pacific plane with a completely different (but IMHO still very nice) seats.
Qatar also has a habit of swapping planes out, so that first class ticket you buy may end up being swapped to business class.
However, there's a cost-effective, almost guaranteed way to get into the First Class lounge at Doha.
If you fly from somewhere in the Middle East to Doha in a regional business class seat, Qatar class it as First Class. You can pick up these flights for as little as 21,000 Avios one-way per person.
There is also close to zero chance of an aircraft swap affecting your seat. So, I will finally get access to this lounge, and I'm excited.
Why is the Al Safwa lounge so great?
- It looks stunning; it's been described as "like a museum" (but in a good way)
- It has a spa with a full treatment menu, and you get use of a jacuzzi
- Two restaurants (including a Sushi station, which my wife is excited about)
- Private bedrooms (first come, first served)
#2 - Aether (Formerly PremAir)
PremAir was Manchester Airport's private terminal. It closed at the start of the pandemic and then lay empty while the airport focused on the main passenger terminals. This terminal was not for private jets; it was for almost anyone travelling on a regular flight from MAN who wanted to avoid the main terminal.
Early in 2024, Manchester Airport announced that Aether would reopen in the same space as PremAir, with a revamp and a repricing.
The launch date was confirmed as the 4th of November, and I'm planning to fly to Europe for a weekend later in November, so I'm looking forward to trying it out. Aether is not cheap—£600 for two people to cover the outbound and inbound flight—but it's an experience.
Why is Aether so great?
- Get dropped off at a private terminal and avoid the stress of the airport
- Sail through a private security channel for your bag screening
- There are great views of the jetways from the lounge
- Get driven to your aircraft when it's time to depart
- When you return to Manchester, do the above in reverse
#3 - Etihad Lounge - Heathrow
We're due to fly London Heathrow to Abu Dhabi with Etihad in First Class later this year, so we're excited about using their lounge at Terminal 4.
This lounge has an interesting history. It was opened by Etihad in 2009, then in 2018 it was managed by a third party lounge company, not Etihad. Post-pandemic, and once Etihad restarted their daily A380 flights, the lounge is back under their control.
Third-party reviews are positive about the lounge. It looks big, has a nice sit-down dining area and a bar, and the bathrooms look spacious and modern. This will be my first flight on Etihad and my first time in one of their lounges.
Why is the Etihad Lounge at Heathrow so great?
- Great use of a small space with multiple rooms and zones.
- Two dining options: a buffet or sit-down dining.
- A private lounge within a lounge for The Residence passengers.
- A high standard of service.
#4 - The Garden Lounge - Doha
I passed (ran) through the newly built wing of Doha airport a few months ago, and I wished I had time to visit the brand new Qatar lounge there. Officially called "Al Mourjan Business Lounge – The Garden", it's huge at 7,400 square feet. Parts of the lounge overlook The Orchard, an indoor tropical garden surrounded by cafes and high-end shops.
The Orchard borrows from the stunning Jewel shopping centre at Changi Airport in Singapore. However, whereas that development is outside of the main terminals, The Orchard is post-security and between the original airport gates and the new ones. Still, I've had some great experiences at The Jewel—drop your bags off, cross the road to access a beautiful shopping centre, and head back in an hour before your flight.
Why is Qatar's The Garden Lounge so great?
- An entrance that looks like a five-star hotel
- Beautiful views into The Garden
- Two spas and a gym
- "Quiet rooms" (Not quite bedrooms) that you can use
- A Louis Vuitton restaurant inside the lounge (at a cost)
#5 - BA, Cathay Pacific, Qantas Terminal 3 Lounges- Heathrow
We were due to fly from Terminal 5 later this year and were looking forward to revisiting the Concorde room, but sadly, our flight has been switched to Terminal 3. Whilst I'll miss my favourite BA lounge, it's a chance to lounge hop and experience some spaces I haven't been to before.
We plan to go to the Cathay Pacific First Class Lounge, Qantas International Lounge, and the BA Galleries First and First Class Lounge. The latter may not be the most exciting, but it's one more BA lounge at Heathrow that I can say I've been to.
Why are the BA, Cathay Pacific, and Qantas lounges so great?
- Cathay Pacific: Cosy, attractive-looking lounge with a la carte dining
- Qantas: A stunning split-floor lounge, plus a dining room and private pods.
- BA Galleries First & First Class Lounge: Interesting views - maybe - and a lounge within a lounge.
