LOUNGES: New Plaza Premium Lounge for International Adelaide Airport, South Australia

This new lounge will be the only lounge available to passengers travelling on international departures out of Adelaide (ADL), or in transit.

At 532 square meters, the lounge located in the international wing of T will cater for 137 people at any one time and will service morning flights between 7 am to 10 am, 7 days a week.

Four international airlines including Air New Zealand, Malaysia Airlines, Qatar Airways and Singapore Airlines currently service Adelaide. Fiji Airways has provided a service in the past and VietJet has Adelaide in its planning.

Wine corridor

Plaza Premium lounges often use some inspiration from the region they are located in, and appropriately, they are looking at ‘wine’ as their theme for Adelaide. Provided by Accolade Wines, guests will enter the space through a wine corridor. Decor will use marble, granite and timber with gentle curves and soft surfaces across the bar, dining, work booths and lounge areas. Featured in the lounge are works by Miranda Lloyd and Julie Perri MA.

How to get in

There are basically three ways to use the lounge. Some airlines will include passenger entry as part of the perks of frequent flyer status for their premium passengers. You will also have a right of entry with certain credit cards, like the American Express Platinum charge card. You can also just pay to enter. A one-hour entry online costs $39, or two hours $71. Plaza Premium also has other offers including the Australia Pass for access to all Plaza Premium Lounges in Australia (Adelaide, Brisbane, Melbourne, and Sydney). Alternatively, you can get a multi-country pass with access to lounges in Australia, Southeast Asia and the United Kingdom. Passes last for 12 months from activation and are shareable with family and friends.

What you get

You can get a cocktail at the bar and barista coffee and a selection of local and international dishes including vegan and vegetarian options. You also get access to high-speed WiFi, power outlets to recharge your devices pre-flight, and shower facilities – for an additional fee including amenities.

2PAXfly Takeout

Adelaide Airport has been spending about AU$ 200 million on changes and expansions to the airport. It’s not quite complete, but already they have increased food & beverage and retail facilities and Virgin Australia has built a great new lounge. Qantas will refurbish and expand its lounge facilities including adding a business lounge to the Qantas Club and Chairman’s lounges in late 2023.

Although I visit Adelaide, my old home town regularly, I’m not sure I will get to use this lounge, as I have so far never used its international departure facilities. Still, sometimes the fares out of Adelaide can be pretty competitive.