Lounge directory · KTM · Last reviewed 27 June 2026
Kathmandu Tribhuvan Lounges KTM: every lounge and how to get in
Tribhuvan keeps it simple. Two lounges, both airside in the international terminal, both on Priority Pass, both selling entry at the door. The domestic terminal has no verifiable lounge, so the choice is between the Executive Lounge and the Horizon Lounge by Soaltee.
- Lounge verdict
- Limited but workable. The international terminal has two lounges that take Priority Pass and sell pay in entry: the long running Executive Lounge by the Radisson, with recliners and hot food, and the newer Horizon Lounge by Soaltee. Either beats the gate benches, which are the only alternative.
- Best access play
- Priority Pass opens both lounges. The Executive Lounge also takes DragonPass and LoungeKey and sells walk up entry for about 30 US dollars. Both are airside in international departures, so they only help once you are past passport control on an international flight.
- The one thing to know
- Both lounges sit in the international terminal, and there is no verifiable lounge in the separate domestic terminal. If your departure is a domestic mountain flight, plan around gate seating, not a lounge. Confirm the door in your lounge app on the day.
Orientation
How the Tribhuvan lounge map works
The terminal decides everything at KTM. International and domestic are two separate buildings about 500 metres apart with no airside link, and both verifiable lounges are in the international terminal. There is no lounge we can confirm in the domestic terminal, so a domestic mountain departure means gate seating rather than a recliner.
On the international side, both lounges sit upstairs past passport control. The Executive Lounge, run by the Radisson Hotel Kathmandu and serving the airport since 2009, is reached by a stairway and escalator on the right after immigration. The Horizon Lounge by Soaltee is the newer second option, listed with hours of 06:00 to 01:00. Both take Priority Pass and both sell entry to any passenger, which matters because each can fill during the morning and evening departure banks. Walk up prices and hours move around, so treat the figures below as verify in your lounge app on the day.
The lounges
Every KTM lounge by terminal
| Lounge | Terminal and location | Access | Walk up | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Executive Lounge (by Radisson) | International, second floor airside, stairway and escalator on the right after passport control | Priority Pass, DragonPass, LoungeKey, international Business and elite frequent flyers, pay in | From about 30 US dollars | The established choice, with recliners, hot food and a bar |
| Horizon Lounge by Soaltee | International, airside in departures | Priority Pass, eligible cards, pay in | Sold to any passenger, price to be confirmed | The newer second room, open 06:00 to 01:00, useful when the Executive fills |
| Domestic terminal lounge | Domestic terminal, about 500 metres north | None verifiable | Not available | No lounge we can confirm; plan around gate seating for mountain flights |
Two things from the table. Both real lounges are international and airside, so they do nothing for a domestic departure or for a passenger still landside. And the Executive Lounge is the one with the fuller picture of amenities, while the Horizon Lounge by Soaltee is newer and its detailed facilities are still settling, so check your app for the current listing before you rely on either.
Inside the lounges
What each room actually gives you
The Executive Lounge is the one most travelers know. It runs a buffet with hot dishes, a bar with wines and complimentary cocktails, free wifi, reading materials, televisions and a nap area with recliner seats, which matters at an airport with no other quiet corner. There is also a smoking room and conference rooms. It is reached upstairs on the right after passport control, and it admits Priority Pass, DragonPass and LoungeKey members, international Business class and elite frequent flyers on most airlines, and walk up guests for about 30 US dollars.
The Horizon Lounge by Soaltee is the newer addition, also airside in international departures and listed with hours of 06:00 to 01:00. It takes Priority Pass and is listed by major card lounge programs, and it sells entry to passengers without a membership. Its full amenity list is still settling at this review, so confirm food, showers and seating in your lounge app rather than assuming they match the Executive Lounge.
Neither lounge is a substitute for a hotel on a long overnight, and neither is in the domestic terminal. For an international wait, though, either room is a clear upgrade on the gate benches and the small duty free run beyond them.
Access decoder
What actually opens these doors
Priority Pass covers both lounges in the international terminal, which makes it the cleanest single key at KTM. The Executive Lounge also accepts DragonPass and LoungeKey.
Paying at the door works at both. The Executive Lounge sells walk up entry for about 30 US dollars per head, and the Horizon Lounge admits any passenger for a fee, with the current rate to be confirmed. Either is worth it on a wait longer than an hour or two, given the lack of any other quiet seating.
Airline and cabin cover the Executive Lounge for international Business class passengers and elite frequent flyers on the majority of airlines flying out of Kathmandu, so a premium ticket may route you in without a card. American Express has no dedicated Centurion lounge here, but Platinum cardholders may have access through the card lounge programs that list these rooms; confirm your specific card terms before relying on it.
The single most useful rule at KTM is that lounges only help on the international side. If you fly domestic, or have not yet cleared passport control, plan around the gate areas instead and confirm the lounge door on the day.
Get lounge offers for KTM
Lounge access at Tribhuvan shifts as the airport rebuilds and operators change. Get the current door list and offers in your inbox before you fly.
Free. No spam. Unsubscribe any time.
FAQ
Kathmandu lounge questions
Which KTM lounges take Priority Pass?
Both verifiable lounges, and both are airside in the international terminal. The Executive Lounge on the second floor, run by the Radisson Hotel Kathmandu, takes Priority Pass, DragonPass and LoungeKey, and the Horizon Lounge by Soaltee takes Priority Pass too. There is no lounge we can confirm in the domestic terminal.
Can I pay to get into a Kathmandu lounge without status?
Yes. The Executive Lounge sells walk up entry for about 30 US dollars per head regardless of airline or cabin, and the Horizon Lounge by Soaltee also admits any passenger for a fee, with the current rate to be confirmed. Both are airside in international departures, so you need to be past passport control to use them.
How many lounges does Tribhuvan have?
Two that we can verify, both in the international terminal: the Executive Lounge by the Radisson and the Horizon Lounge by Soaltee. The domestic terminal, about 500 metres north, has no lounge we can confirm, so a domestic mountain departure means gate seating rather than a recliner.
What is inside the Executive Lounge at KTM?
A buffet with hot dishes, a bar with wines and complimentary cocktails, free wifi, reading materials, televisions and a nap area with recliner seats, plus a smoking room and conference rooms. It is reached upstairs on the right after passport control and is the fuller of the two rooms at the airport.
Is there a lounge in the domestic terminal at Kathmandu?
Not one we can verify. Both confirmed lounges are airside in the international terminal, which is a separate building about 500 metres from the domestic one with no airside link. If your departure is a domestic flight to Lukla, Pokhara or elsewhere, plan around the gate seating.
Does an Amex card get me into a KTM lounge?
There is no dedicated Amex Centurion lounge at Kathmandu, but the two international lounges are listed by major card lounge programs, so some Platinum cardholders may have access that way. Card terms vary, so confirm your specific card before relying on it, and have Priority Pass or the walk up fee as a backup.
More KTM guides