The Al Dhabi Lounge in Abu Dhabi Airport Terminal 1 has reopened after a long-overdue and much-needed refresh.
This is the lounge used by first and business class passengers as well frequent flyers departing Abu Dhabi on British Airways, Royal Jordanian and Sri Lankan amongst others. The lounge had long looked rather dated and a little rough around the edges.
The bigger issue was the serious lack of space. During the early morning peak when most European departures are scheduled to depart the lounge would be crammed to the rafters with few if any spare seats are available.
The one redeeming feature of the lounge was the consistently excellent biryani. A plate (or two) of which became something of a pre-departure ritual. Unfortunately, the limited seating meant the biryani was typically consumed while standing before heading back out to wander the terminal until departure. Not a very premium experience.
What’s new in the Al Dhabi lounge?
The lounge is now nearly 50% bigger with space for 300 passengers. There is a variety of seating available from bar stools to dining tables and comfy armchairs.
The extra space is noticeable. While waiting for the British Airways early morning departure for London a few weeks ago there were plenty of free seats and tables. Although the lounge did begin to fill up around 1 am there was still plenty of space available for new arrivals.
The lounge design now features the signature Plaza Premium colour palette of soothing browns and creams. It also incorporates mashrabiya screens at various points in the lounge giving an elegant acknowledgement of the location.
The food and drink offering appears to be unchanged. However, on my last visit, the staff were very attentive and proactively offering to bring beverage and food orders directly to the seat. Admittedly, this was during the afternoon lull. The guest to staff ratio appeared to be close to 2-to-1. I am not sure the same sort of service would or could be offered during the early morning peak.
Who can access?
The Al Dhabi lounge is available to first and business class passengers as well as oneworld Sapphire and Emerald Tier frequent flyers on British Airways, Royal Jordanian and Sri Lankan. A number of other airlines also use the lounge.
The lounge is part of the LoungeKey network. If you hold an ADCB Etihad Guest Above Infinite or Platinum cards you plus one guest can access the lounge for free. Priority Pass members can also access the lounge as well as selected Diners Club International and American Express cardholders.
It is possible to pay at the door. A two-hour package costs AED 210 while five hours is AED 367.50. It looks like you can save up to $5 USD by making an online reservation in advance with Plaza Premium.
Verdict
The refreshed Al Dhabi lounge is a solid lounge and a comfortable place to spend a little time before departure. However, definitely no need to head to the airport early, just long enough to devour a plate (or two) of biryani.