The Wellcome Lounge is an independant waiting lounge accessible to all passengers departing from the new terminal 1 at Jeddah airport (JED) in Saudi Arabia to an international destination.
I visited this lounge on the evening of Wednesday 31 January 2024, during a long layover between two Saudia economy class flights thanks to my Priority Pass card.
Location, opening hours and entry rules
The Wellcome Lounge 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 mezzanine floor overlooking the rotunda where the restaurants and duty-free stores are concentrated. The lounge is open 24 hours a day.
With the notable exception of Saudia, which has its own Alfursan Lounge, most airlines invite to the Wellcome Lounge their business class customers and eligible members of their frequent flyer programs.
All other passengers have access to the Wellcome Lounge through the Priority Pass and DragonPass networks, regardless of the airline and class of travel.
Facilities and catering
The Wellcome Lounge is a vast rectangular room with no natural light.
The left side of the room is dedicated to catering, with tables and chairs provided for this purpose. When I arrive at the lounge at 23:30, I discover an almost empty buffet. The offer is limited to leftover rice, pasta and grilled zucchini that have not found takers, as well as bread wrapped in plastic. The fridges are stocked with the last few bowls of corn. Coffee, tea, a few soft drinks and water are available. When I leave the lounge two hours later, the buffet has not been refilled.
The rest of the room is furnished with rows and bunches of club armchairs or straight chairs with adjacent coffee tables. There are few british power outlets. An area is reserved for women and families.
The Wi-Fi Internet connection works well.
There are toilets in the lounge, which were reasonably clean when I visited.
Opinion
I am very disappointed by the Wellcome Lounge. The catering offer is non-existent during the night.
In light of this experience, I advise travelers free to choose their lounge to go to the neighboring Plaza Premium Lounge, where the buffet is a bit better stocked.
What is your experience of the Wellcome Lounge in terminal 1 at Jeddah airport?
