How To Gain Airport Lounge Access Without Flying First or Business Class

Most people dread waiting out a long layover. But waiting at the airport when you have lounge access can be one of the most enjoyable parts of air travel. Lounges are refuges of calm, quiet and comfort, where food and drink are free, the seating is comfortable and glossy magazines are complimentary.

For those travelling in First Class or Business Class, lounge access is usually included. But for those stuck at the back of the plane, access can seem unattainable. However, there are several hacks that will help you to gain access to a lounge regardless of whether you’re flying at the pointy end of the plane. This guide explains six ways to gain airport lounge access without flying in First Class or Business Class.

1. Buy an Airline Lounge Pass

Some airlines sell day passes for their lounges, allowing you to gain access without a long-term commitment.

Virgin Australia offers paid lounge passes that allow you to access its Domestic Business Lounges. You can purchase passes either from the Velocity Rewards Store for 10,000 Velocity Points or at the door for $65. I would not recommend using points, as the offer is very poor value. I would instead recommend using your points to upgrade or redeem a business class flight (upgrades start at just 4,900 points) or placing an UpgradeMe Bid using cash. This way you will have the full business class experience, which includes lounge access.

Qantas occasionally offers paid lounge passes to Silver Frequent Flyer members booked on Qantas-operated flights. If eligible, Qantas will send you an email with a link to purchase a pass. Normally passes cost $49 for domestic Qantas Club Lounges and $69 for Qantas International Business Lounges.

As for International airlines, Etihad Airways offers lounge passes at the door from $70, and so does Cathay Pacific, with prices starting at $110. Emirates also offers paid access although it is relatively expensive starting at $180 for Skywards members (free to join).

This is best for: Casual travellers who don’t want to make a long-term commitment.

The Qantas Club at Melbourne Airport is popular among frequent flyers

2. Join an Airline Lounge Club

A good option for those who are travelling a lot is to join either the Qantas Club or Virgin Australia lounge clubs. This enables you to have lounge access for yourself and one companion at the respective airline’s domestic lounges and affiliated international lounges.

Joining the Qantas Club will set you back $399 to join, with an annual fee of $540. Virgin Australia charges $330 to join with an annual fee of $420 (Silver Velocity members can join free and receive a discounted annual fee of $300).

This is best for: Frequent travellers who often fly with the same airline.

3. Priority Pass

Priority Pass is the world’s largest independent airport lounge access program with more than 1,300 lounges in more than 400 cities worldwide. Priority Pass membership ranges from US$99 ($146) to US$429 ($643), depending on the membership level selected. Participating lounges include a mix of airline, airport, and independent locations, mostly in international departure areas.

You can sign up here.

This is best for: Frequent travellers who fly with different airlines.

Stay a while at the Qantas Club domestic lounge, Brisbane Airport

4. Pay-for-use lounges

For occasional travellers, pay-for-use lounges are a good option.

Plaza Premium operates more than 140 lounges at 35 airports, including Melbourne, Brisbane, Hong Kong, Dubai and Singapore. Entry fees differ for each lounge but, as an example, Plaza Premium Hong Kong costs US$75 ($109) for two hours, and Melbourne US$45 ($65) for two hours.

No.1 Lounges are another excellent lounge operator, with lounges throughout Australia and the United Kingdom. Three hours at the My Lounge Brisbane costs $60, while three hours at The House Sydney is $80. You can save $5 on lounge access here.

Marhaba is another independent lounge operator with just five lounges in Melbourne, Dubai and Switzerland. Again, entry fees differ for each lounge, but Melbourne costs $65 for four hours. You can book a Marhaba lounge here.

This is best for: Casual travellers who don’t want to make a long-term commitment.

Pay to use the lounge at Istanbul Ataturk Airport

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5. Achieve Elite Status

Most airlines offer airport lounge access to elite status customers. Qantas Frequent Flyer and Virgin Australia Velocity members with Gold or higher status have access to selected lounges across the network, Including some partner airline lounges.

This is best for: Frequent travellers who fly almost exclusively on one airline.

6. Credit Card Access

Some frequent flyer credit cards allow entry to airline lounges. Here are some examples of credit cards that feature lounge access:

–Qantas Premier Platinum and Qantas Premier Titanium
-Most American Express Cards
–Virgin Australia Velocity High Flyer Card
–ANZ Frequent Flyer Black
–ANZ Rewards Travel Adventures

This is best for: Those who can meet income/spend requirements and don’t mind paying annual fees for perks.

Wellbeing means different things to different travellers. Here’s how to pick a hotel that gets it right for you.

The best wellness holidays aren’t necessarily spent wrapped in a spa robe. Sometimes they’re found around a dinner table in Cambodia, on a hiking trail in New Zealand or after finally beating jet lag on the other side of the world. The hotel you choose is what makes them happen.

1. Easy access to good food

meals from Novotel Bangkok Sukhumvit 20 — Taste delicious meals at Novotel Bangkok Sukhumvit 20.

One of the quickest ways to derail healthy habits on holiday is to spend half of it working out where to eat instead of digging into the culture around you. Thankfully, Novotel has done much of the hard work already, with chefs building menus that lean into the flavours, ingredients and traditions of each destination.

In Sihanoukville, Cambodia, Korkor soup – often dubbed ‘Cambodian ratatouille’ – sits alongside raw blue crab dressed with lime and chilli, best enjoyed with views across the Gulf of Thailand.

In the lovingly chaotic city of Bangkok, the presence of food cranks up the sociability. At Novotel Bangkok Sukhumvit 20, you can settle in with mango sticky rice and stranger-turned-friends beside the pool at Sky on 20 rooftop bar, or bring them along to tackle river prawns and stir-fried crab with holy basil at the buzzing Crab Paradise Dinner Buffet.

Then Novotel Dubai Al Barsha welcomes you with a laidback twist on the level of indulgence the Middle Eastern city is best known for up on Deck Se7en. Looking towards Burj Al Arab, the rooftop lounge has everything from Mediterranean-style dishes like seabass ceviche to Italian prosecco sundowners.

At the other end of the scale, in the hills that surround the Novotel Bali Ubud Resort, calm comes from nature. At Siralada restaurant, Balinese traditions shape the menu while thunder rumbles over the surrounding jungle – proving the setting is as nourishing as the food itself.

While at Novotel Nha Trang, chef Kieu Thi My Hanh and her team showcase Vietnam’s knack for balancing freshness, texture and fragrant herbs. Pho remains a favourite, while seafood salad with pomelo and mango brings those flavours together in one bright dish.

It’s all an approach backed by partnerships with expert food creators such as Alfie Steiner, whose plant-forward recipes prove healthy food should never taste plain.

2. Better sleep options

Novotel Bali Ubud Resort room — Sleep deeply with Novotel.

There are few travel experiences more disappointing than arriving in a new country, determined to seize the day, only to fall asleep fully clothed by 3pm.

For Australian travellers, jet lag is often an unavoidable part of the journey. That’s one reason Novotel runs sleep-focused initiatives that help guests adjust quickly without compromising on health. We’re talking partnerships with Sydney-based sleep specialist Olivia Arezzolo, known for her advice on everything from better sleep habits to beating jet lag, alongside features like pillow menus, in-room yoga content and tailored sleep guidance.

The sooner you’re operating on local time, the sooner you can get back to more pressing matters – like deciding which spa treatment to book.

3. More ways to move

woman hiking around queenstown new zealand — Stay at Novotel Queenstown Lakeside and explore local hiking trails. (Credit: GettyI mages/ naruedom)

Every place in the world has its own way of getting you moving: whether that’s hiking up ice-bitten mountains before a sauna or gentle stretching by the pool before a facial. From fitness centres to spas, Novotel recognises that wellbeing rarely looks the same.

At Novotel Queenstown Lakeside, activity is inescapable. Here, hiking trails, ski fields, bungee jumps, and white-water rafting have made the region famous. The hotel’s location on the shores of Lake Wakatipu means less time spent organising yourself and more time out there experiencing them. To top it all off, you can book a private hot tub for the evening before heading back into the wilderness tomorrow.

Bali, of course, takes a softer approach. At Novotel Bali Ubud Resort or Novotel Bali Nusa Dua, movement is less about conquering a mountain and more about a dance class between the tropical gardens and lagoon pools. Afterwards, the spa takes over, with traditional treatments like a Lulur body scrub: a combination of rice, turmeric, sandalwood, ginger and jasmine that’ll soothe muscles already relaxed by the Balinese heat.

4. Better connections

Kids will love a stay at Novotel Sharm El Sheikh.

One of the best things about travel is that it gives your family stories you’ll be telling for years. Novotel helps create them with activities that bring everyone together, whether that’s trying something new, learning a local skill, or simply spending more time together.

Go for a distinctly Thai twist at Novotel Phuket Vintage Park, where many of the family activities draw on local culture. Kids can try everything from beginner Thai boxing and language lessons to umbrella painting and – a pastime beloved by children the world over – pool foam parties. Everyone is welcome to join in, whether that’s getting splashed, covered in paint, or simply watching their children discover a new side of Thailand during the dedicated Family & Kids Day.

A different adventure awaits at Novotel Sharm El Sheikh. Kids could be perfectly content with discos, drawing classes and new holiday friends, but the Red Sea has other ideas. Sitting on the edge of Naama Bay, days here might involve snorkelling colourful reefs, taking a boat trip to Ras Mohammed National Park or heading into the desert by quad bike or camel for a Bedouin-style dinner beneath the stars.

5. Location is everything

Surin Beach, Choeng Thale, Thalang District, Phuket, Thaiföld — Explore Phuket’s gorgeous beaches. (Credit: Bence Biczo)

Everyone’s idea of wellness looks a little different. With more than 600 hotels across 65 countries, Novotel gives guests the freedom to choose the destination that suits them best. Whether that’s a beachside escape in Phuket, an alpine expedition in Queenstown or a city break in Bangkok, there’s a good chance a Novotel isn’t far away.

All that’s left? Choosing your version of wellbeing.

Discover stays to inspire your everyday at novotel.accor.com.

How to access premium lounges without the boarding pass