Lounge directory · MEL · Last reviewed 5 June 2026
Melbourne Airport Lounges (MEL): Every Lounge and How to Get In
Melbourne Airport lists 15 lounges across four terminals, and nearly everything worth entering sits in international Terminal 2. Only three doors open without status or a premium cabin. Here is the full map.
- Lounge verdict
- Good in Terminal 2, thin everywhere else. International passengers pick from nine lounges including a genuinely world class Qantas First room. Domestic passengers get airline clubs only, with nothing open access in Terminals 1, 3 or 4.
- Best access play
- Priority Pass opens all three open access doors, every one of them in Terminal 2: Plaza Premium near gate 9, Marhaba between gates 9 and 11, and Aspire on the concourse level. Marhaba opens at 03:00 or 04:00 depending on the day, which makes it the early departure play.
- The one thing to know
- There is no airside transfer between terminals at MEL, so a lounge only helps if it sits in the terminal you depart from. Flying domestic without Qantas or Virgin Australia access means no lounge at all.
Orientation
How the Melbourne lounge map works
One terminal holds the cards. Terminal 2, the international terminal, contains all nine international lounges and all three doors that sell entry or take Priority Pass. The domestic terminals follow airline lines: Terminal 1 has the Qantas clubs, Terminal 3 has the Virgin Australia lounge, and Terminal 4 has a small Rex lounge and nothing else for the Jetstar crowd. Two famous names are gone: the Cathay Pacific lounge closed permanently in early 2023, and the original Etihad lounge has closed, with Etihad passengers now sent to Aspire.
Hours below were checked on 5 June 2026 against the airport's own listings and the operators. Melbourne is curfew free, so flights leave through the night, but lounge hours do not follow: most rooms close between 21:30 and 23:00, several track specific flight banks, and the Emirates lounge keeps two short windows a day. The other catch is renovation churn. Aspire is trading from a temporary room while its Level 3 home is rebuilt, and Singapore Airlines has an all new SilverKris lounge in the works. Treat anything that matters to your plan as worth a same day check.
Terminal 1
Terminal 1 lounges, Qantas domestic
| Lounge | Location | Hours | Access | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Qantas Domestic Business Lounge | After security, T1 | Airport lists Qantas domestic lounge hours as 05:45 to 21:45; per lounge split to be confirmed | Qantas domestic business class, Qantas Platinum and Platinum One, oneworld Emerald on Qantas flights | The better of the two Qantas rooms, with cooked breakfast and barista coffee at the morning peak |
| Qantas Club | After security, T1 | 05:45 to 21:45 per the airport listing; confirm on the day | Qantas Club members, Qantas Gold, oneworld Sapphire on Qantas flights, some partner elites | Reliable and busy; expect a hunt for seats between 07:00 and 09:00 on weekdays |
| Qantas Chairman's Lounge | Unmarked entrance, T1, exact location to be confirmed | To be confirmed | Invitation only | The invitation tier; if you need to ask whether you have access, you do not |
T1 is pure Qantas territory and the lounges hold no surprises. The practical note is that neither room sells entry or takes Priority Pass, so a paid Qantas Club membership or status is the only realistic way in. Connecting from a domestic Qantas flight to an international one, remember the lounges here do you no good once you walk the landside concourse to T2 and clear security again; save the lounge time for the international side.
Terminal 2
Terminal 2 lounges, international
| Lounge | Location | Hours | Access | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Qantas International First | Level 3, between gates 9 and 11 | 04:45 to 22:15, from 05:30 Wed | Qantas and oneworld first class, Qantas Platinum and Platinum One, oneworld Emerald | Table service dining and complimentary spa treatments; the best room at MEL by a distance |
| Qantas International Business | Level 1, after security | 04:45 to 22:15 Mon, Tue, Thu, Sat; 04:45 to 23:15 Fri, Sun; 05:30 to 23:15 Wed | Qantas and oneworld business class, Qantas Gold and above, oneworld Sapphire | Large and serviceable; rammed during the morning international bank |
| Emirates Lounge | Level 3, near gate 10 | 17:15 to 20:45 and 01:15 to 04:45 | Emirates first and business, Skywards Platinum and Gold | Two short windows tracking the Emirates banks, including the small hours session for the overnight A380s |
| Singapore Airlines SilverKris | Level 1, after security | Four windows: 02:55 to 05:30, 06:15 to 08:45, 12:30 to 18:00, 20:35 to 23:00 | Singapore Airlines premium cabins, PPS Club, Star Alliance Gold | Dated but functional; an all new SilverKris lounge is slated for late 2026 to early 2027 |
| Air New Zealand Lounge | Ground floor, after security | To be confirmed; opens around Air New Zealand departures | Air New Zealand premium cabins and elites, Star Alliance Gold | A solid Tasman standard; confirm it is open for your flight time |
| American Express Centurion | Level 1, escalator down near gate 9 | 06:00 to 22:00 | Amex Centurion and eligible Platinum cardholders | Reflagged as a Centurion Lounge in 2024; strong food and bar for a card lounge |
| Plaza Premium | Near gate 9 | 08:30 to 23:00 | Priority Pass, paid entry; DragonPass to be confirmed | The late start rules it out for dawn departures; fine from mid morning onward |
| Marhaba Lounge | Level 3, between gates 9 and 11 | 03:00 or 04:00 open, 00:00 or 01:00 close, varying by day | Priority Pass, DragonPass, paid entry | The longest hours of the open access trio and the answer for early and late flights |
| Aspire Lounge | Temporary room, concourse level, while the Level 3 lounge is rebuilt | 07:00 to 00:45 | Priority Pass, DragonPass, paid entry, Etihad premium passengers | A stopgap space during the refurbishment; set expectations accordingly |
T2 is where every access method works. Travelers with no status get three choices clustered around gate 9, and the pecking order is simple: Marhaba for early or late flights, Plaza Premium for daytime comfort, Aspire as the overflow while its renovation runs. Travelers with oneworld status get the Qantas pair, and the First lounge upstairs is the single best reason to arrive early at MEL. The Centurion lounge gives Amex Platinum holders a fourth quality option at no extra cost. The catch across all of them is the morning bank: between roughly 08:00 and 11:00 the big departures stack up and every door in the terminal feels it.
Terminal 3
Terminal 3 lounges, Virgin Australia
| Lounge | Location | Hours | Access | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Virgin Australia Lounge | After security, mezzanine level | 05:00 to 21:30 | Virgin Australia business class, Velocity Platinum and Gold, Virgin lounge members, entry passes on some Australian Amex Velocity cards | Bright, well run and the only door in the terminal; coffee from the barista cart beats anything at the gates |
One lounge, one operator, no open access. If you fly Virgin without status, the realistic plays are a lounge membership, a Velocity points redemption for single entry when offered, or one of the Amex cards that bundle Virgin lounge passes. Otherwise T3 is cafes and gate seating, and on a long wait you are better off walking to the T2 food court landside than paying for a second average meal here.
Terminal 4
Terminal 4 lounges, budget domestic
| Lounge | Location | Hours | Access | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rex Lounge | After security, ground floor | Listed as 06:00 to 19:00 weekdays with shorter weekend hours; confirm before relying on it | Rex Lounge members and eligible Rex passengers; details to be confirmed given the airline's restructuring | A small regional room; useful if you qualify, invisible if you do not |
T4 collects Jetstar and the other budget operators, and the lounge situation matches the ticket prices: the Rex room is the only door, and Jetstar passengers have no lounge at all. Priority Pass holders flying out of T4 get nothing in the terminal either. If you have hours to kill before a T4 departure, the honest move is to stay landside in the main building, where the food options run deeper, and make the 10 to 15 minute walk once you are ready to clear security.
Access decoder
What actually opens these doors
Priority Pass covers exactly three lounges at Melbourne, all in Terminal 2: Plaza Premium near gate 9, Marhaba between gates 9 and 11, and Aspire in its temporary concourse location. There is no Priority Pass door in any domestic terminal. Entry is subject to space, and the morning international bank is when refusals happen.
DragonPass is confirmed at Marhaba and Aspire. Coverage at Plaza Premium is to be confirmed; check your app before counting on it.
American Express runs the Centurion lounge on Level 1 of Terminal 2, open 06:00 to 22:00 for Centurion and eligible Platinum cardholders. Separately, some Australian Amex Velocity cards include Virgin Australia lounge passes that work at the T3 lounge. Card terms shift, so verify yours before you fly.
Paying at the door works at the three open access lounges in T2: Plaza Premium, Marhaba and Aspire all sell entry online and at reception, with current prices to be confirmed at booking. Prebooking online is the only way to guarantee space at the morning peak. No domestic lounge at MEL sells walk up entry.
Class of travel and status opens the rest: Qantas First and Business plus Emirates, Singapore Airlines and Air New Zealand in T2, the Qantas clubs in T1, and Virgin Australia in T3. oneworld status goes furthest here thanks to the Qantas footprint; Star Alliance Gold gets the SilverKris and Air New Zealand rooms; SkyTeam status currently opens nothing dedicated at MEL.
Rules move and renovations reshuffle the map, so confirm the door you are counting on the day you fly. For the full strategy on the three open access lounges, see the MEL Priority Pass guide.
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FAQ
Melbourne Airport lounge questions
Which Melbourne Airport lounges take Priority Pass?
Three, all in Terminal 2: Plaza Premium near gate 9, Marhaba on Level 3 between gates 9 and 11, and Aspire, currently in a temporary concourse location during renovation. DragonPass is confirmed at Marhaba and Aspire. There is no Priority Pass lounge in the domestic terminals.
Can I pay for a lounge at MEL without flying business class?
Yes, but only in Terminal 2. Plaza Premium, Marhaba and Aspire all sell entry online and at the door, with current prices confirmed at booking. Prebooking is the safe move around the morning international bank. The domestic terminals have no paid entry lounges at all.
What is the best lounge at Melbourne Airport?
The Qantas International First Lounge on Level 3 of Terminal 2, with table service dining and complimentary spa treatments. It needs Qantas or oneworld first class travel, Qantas Platinum status or oneworld Emerald. Without status, Plaza Premium is the most comfortable of the three pay in options.
Is there an Amex Centurion lounge at Melbourne Airport?
Yes, on Level 1 of Terminal 2, down the escalator near gate 9, open 06:00 to 22:00 daily for Centurion and eligible Platinum cardholders. The former Amex lounge was reflagged under the Centurion brand in 2024.
Are there lounges in the domestic terminals at MEL?
Airline lounges only. Terminal 1 has the Qantas Domestic Business Lounge, the Qantas Club and the invitation only Chairman's Lounge, Terminal 3 has the Virgin Australia Lounge, and Terminal 4 has a small Rex lounge. None of them take Priority Pass or sell walk up entry.
Did the Cathay Pacific and Etihad lounges at Melbourne close?
Yes. The Cathay Pacific lounge closed permanently in early 2023, and the original Etihad lounge has also closed. Etihad premium passengers are now directed to the Aspire Lounge in Terminal 2, and Cathay premium passengers generally use the Qantas international lounges.
More MEL guides
The rest of the Melbourne cluster
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