Lounge directory · KIX · Last reviewed 27 June 2026
Osaka Kansai Lounges KIX: every lounge and how to get in
The Kansai lounge map changed completely between 2025 and 2026. The old airline and card lounges are gone, replaced by two large shared rooms airside and a 24 hour walk in lounge by the train station. Here is the new map and how to get in.
- Lounge verdict
- Smaller in number, better in quality. Five lounges survive the consolidation: two big shared rooms in the international gate area, one card lounge that opened in April 2026, the domestic Lounge KANSAI, and the 24 hour NODOKA walk in lounge in the Aeroplaza. There is no Amex Centurion lounge here.
- Best access play
- Priority Pass holders should head for NODOKA in the Aeroplaza: landside, open 24 hours, seven shower rooms, and you can bring your own food in. Business and first class passengers get the new airside KIX Lounge Kansai with 658 seats and a buffet.
- The one thing to know
- Any guide written before 2025 points you at doors that no longer exist. The ANA, JAL Sakura and KAL lounges are gone, and the old Rokko, Annex Rokko and Kongo card lounges closed for good on 31 March 2026. Check the current map before you fly.
Orientation
How the Kansai lounge map works
Location decides everything at KIX. The two flagship lounges sit airside in the international gate area of Terminal 1 on the third floor, reached only after you clear the centralized security checkpoint and passport control. The card lounge and the domestic lounge also live inside Terminal 1. The one lounge open to anyone with a card and no boarding pass, NODOKA, sits landside in the Aeroplaza next to the terminal, so you can use it before security or even on a long Terminal 2 layover if you ride the shuttle over.
The shared airside rooms replaced the seven separate international lounges of the old Kansai. Access to them comes through your airline as business or first class carriage or top tier status, and neither sells walk up entry. NODOKA is the workhorse for everyone else, and the new NORTH LOUNGE serves qualifying credit card holders. Hours follow the flight schedule and the figures below should be confirmed at booking.
The lounges
Every KIX lounge by area
| Lounge | Area and location | Access | Walk up | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| KIX Airport Cafe Lounge NODOKA | Aeroplaza 2F, landside, before security | Priority Pass, several gold tier credit cards to 2 hours, pay in to anyone | Yes, paid entry; current price to be confirmed | The 24 hour walk in lounge with seven showers; bring your own food in |
| KIX Lounge Kansai | Terminal 1, 3F, international gate area airside | Business or first class carriage, top tier status | Not available | The big shared room, 658 seats, a buffet with hot food and halal options, showers |
| KIX Lounge Premium | Terminal 1, 3F, international gate area airside | Paid first or intercontinental business, top tier status | Not available | The quieter first class product, 143 seats, meals cooked to order |
| NORTH LOUNGE | Terminal 1, 3F, north side of the international gate area airside | Qualifying credit cards; Priority Pass to be confirmed | To be confirmed | The card lounge that opened 1 April 2026, free soft drinks for cardholders |
| Lounge KANSAI | Terminal 1, domestic gate area airside | Qualifying credit cards and eligible domestic passengers | To be confirmed | The shared domestic room that replaced the separate ANA and JAL lounges in 2022 |
Two things to note from the table. NODOKA is the only lounge most travelers without status will actually use, and it is the strongest walk in airport lounge in the Kansai region because it runs around the clock and includes showers. And Priority Pass also lists a dining credit at the Japan Travelling Restaurant by BOTEJYU in Terminal 1, a sit down meal rather than a lounge, with the current credit amount to be confirmed in the app.
Access decoder
What actually opens these doors
Priority Pass covers NODOKA in the Aeroplaza, where the card gets you two of a meal from the menu, two cans of beer or 40 minutes of shower use. It also lists a dining credit at the Japan Travelling Restaurant by BOTEJYU in Terminal 1. Whether the new NORTH LOUNGE admits Priority Pass holders is to be confirmed, so check the app before you fly.
Paying at the door works at NODOKA, which admits anyone for a fee whether or not you hold a card, and you may bring your own food inside. The two airside KIX Lounges do not sell walk up entry at all, so without status or a premium ticket they are off limits.
Status and class of travel open the two airside rooms. KIX Lounge Kansai takes business and first class carriage and top tier frequent flyers, and KIX Lounge Premium is the first class product with meals cooked to order. The domestic Lounge KANSAI runs on qualifying credit cards and eligible passengers. Credit cards are the route into the new NORTH LOUNGE, which consolidated several scattered card lounges into one room on 1 April 2026.
The single most useful rule at Kansai is to use NODOKA if you lack status, because it is landside, open all night, and reachable from either terminal. Confirm the airside lounge hours on the day, since they open and close with the flight schedule.
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FAQ
Kansai lounge questions
Which KIX lounges accept Priority Pass?
KIX Airport Cafe Lounge NODOKA in the Aeroplaza, landside and open 24 hours, with seven shower rooms. Priority Pass also lists a dining credit at the Japan Travelling Restaurant by BOTEJYU in Terminal 1. Whether the new NORTH LOUNGE admits Priority Pass holders is to be confirmed, so check the app before you fly.
Can I pay to get into a Kansai lounge without status?
Yes, at NODOKA in the Aeroplaza, which admits anyone for a fee and lets you bring your own food inside. The two airside KIX Lounges in the international gate area do not sell walk up entry, so without a premium ticket or top tier status they are not an option.
How many lounges does KIX have?
Five since the 2025 consolidation: KIX Lounge Kansai and KIX Lounge Premium in the Terminal 1 international gate area, Lounge KANSAI on the domestic side, the NORTH LOUNGE card lounge that opened in April 2026, and the 24 hour NODOKA walk in lounge in the Aeroplaza. The former ANA, JAL Sakura and KAL lounges closed in 2025.
Which is the best lounge at Kansai?
For business or first class passengers, KIX Lounge Kansai is the big draw with 658 seats, a buffet including halal options and showers, while KIX Lounge Premium is the quieter first class room with meals cooked to order. Without status, NODOKA is the best by a distance because it runs 24 hours and has seven showers.
Do the Kansai lounges have showers?
Yes. NODOKA in the Aeroplaza has seven shower rooms, three for men, three for women and one accessible, and Priority Pass covers 40 minutes of shower use as one of its two included items. KIX Lounge Kansai airside also has showers for eligible passengers.
What happened to the old ANA and JAL lounges at KIX?
They closed in the 2025 consolidation. The seven separate international lounges, including the ANA, JAL Sakura and KAL rooms, were replaced by the two shared KIX Lounges. The old Rokko, Annex Rokko and Kongo card lounges closed on 31 March 2026, replaced by the single NORTH LOUNGE on 1 April 2026.
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