At the new terminal 1 of Jeddah airport (JED) in Saudi Arabia, the Plaza Premium Lounge is an airline-independent waiting lounge accessible to all international travelers.
I visited this lounge on the evening of Wednesday 31 January 2024, during a long stopover between two Saudia flights in economy class thanks to my Priority Pass card.
Location, opening hours and entry rules
Plaza Premium Lounge Jeddah is located in terminal 1, where local airlines Saudia, Flynas and Flyadeal operate, as well as carriers from Arab countries for their scheduled flights. It is inside the restricted area, on the surroundings of the rotunda where the restaurants and duty-free stores are concentrated, towards gate 39. It is open 24 hours a day.
The lounge is open to all passengers, regardless of airline or class of travel, for a fee of SAR 198 for 2 hours or SAR 360 for 5 hours.
Gulf Air offers entry to the lounge to its business class passengers, as well as to eligible members of its Falcon Flyer frequent flyer program.
The lounge is also open to members of the Priority Pass and DragonPass networks.
Facilities and catering
Jeddah’s Plaza Premium Lounge is divided into two rooms. Neither is exposed to natural light.
The main room is the one to the left of the reception desk. Arabic coffee (gahwa) and dates are served at the entrance.
The center of the room is the dining area, with dedicated chairs and tables. Buffets offer a choice of salads, hummus, pasta or rice dishes in chicken or vegetarian sauces, yoghurts, cakes and fruits. Drinks include coffee, tea, hot chocolate, orange juice, various soft drinks and water.
The sides of the room are mainly equipped with club armchairs adjoining a coffee table, with british electrical outlets nearby. A two-position work area is also provided.
The second room extends the lounge’s seating capacity. It too features a buffet, but with a more limited range of drinks and snacks.
You can come and go freely from one room to the other.
The Wi-Fi Internet connection works well.
Both rooms are equipped with toilets, which were kept clean.
There aren’t enough staff, and tables are not cleared and cleaned quickly enough when customers have left to leave a clean place for subsequent users.
Opinion
Travelers boarding at Jeddah’s terminal 1, wishing to wait for their flight in the comfort of a lounge without being invited by their airline, can choose between the Wellcome Lounge and the Plaza Premium Lounge.
In view of the disappointing service experienced in the Wellcome Lounge, I recommend opting for this Plaza Premium Lounge, which is not exceptional but has the merit of maintaining a bit better-stocked buffet throughout the night.
What is your experience of the Plaza Premium Lounge in terminal 1 at Jeddah airport?
