Lounge directory · NBO · Last reviewed 19 May 2026
Nairobi Jomo Kenyatta Lounges (NBO): Every Lounge and How to Get In
Nairobi runs nine lounges across the five units of Terminal 1 and the separate Terminal 2, and six of them never close. Five take Priority Pass. Here is the full map and an honest ranking.
- Lounge verdict
- Strong for an airport this size. The gate areas at NBO are cramped and short on seats, so a lounge buys you more here than at most hubs, and the overnight flight banks mean six of the nine doors run 24 hours.
- Best access play
- Priority Pass opens five doors: Aspire in 1B, Plaza Premium in 1D, the Turkish Airlines Star Alliance lounge in 1E, and Mara and Mount Kenya in Terminal 2. Plaza Premium admits international passengers departing from any terminal, which makes it the most flexible card to play.
- The one thing to know
- Terminal 2 is a separate building and its two lounges only admit Terminal 2 passengers. Likewise, Terminal 1 flyers cannot walk over. Match the lounge to the terminal on your boarding pass before you commit to the walk.
Orientation
How the NBO lounge map works
Terminal 1 is one curved 1970s building sliced into units 1A through 1E, all connected by corridor on foot. 1A is the Kenya Airways and SkyTeam house and holds the two KQ flagship lounges upstairs from the gates. 1B and 1C take most other international departures, with Aspire and the revamped KQ Asante lounge between them. 1D mixes Kenya Airways domestic flying with the Plaza Premium lounge, and 1E at the far end past Gate 3 hides the Turkish Airlines Star Alliance lounge. Terminal 2 stands apart across the apron with its own pair of 24 hour lounges.
Hours below were checked on 19 May 2026. NBO peaks when most airports sleep: the Europe departures push back around midnight and the regional wave starts before dawn, which is why the independent lounges run around the clock while Kenya Airways shuts its own doors from just past midnight until 5 am. The terminal itself offers little reason to skip a lounge. Seating at the gates is scarce, the corridors get warm, and a quiet chair with food is a real upgrade rather than a luxury.
Terminal 1A
Terminal 1A lounges
| Lounge | Location | Hours | Access | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kenya Airways Pride Lounge | Level 2, near Gate 17 | 05:00 to 00:01 | KQ and eligible SkyTeam partner business class, SkyTeam Elite Plus, paid from USD 40 for 3 hours | The flagship: live cooking, showers, a napping area and apron views; the best room in the airport |
| Kenya Airways Simba Lounge | Level 2, near Gate 15 | 05:00 to 00:01 | Same access as Pride; private VIP room rents by the hour on top of entry | Around 60 seats; the quieter fallback when Pride fills before the midnight bank |
Both 1A lounges sit one level above the gates and share an access list. Paid entry is real but restricted: Kenya Airways sells passes only to passengers flying KQ, KLM, Air France, Saudia, China Southern, Ethiopian Airlines, British Airways or RwandAir, subject to space. The pricing ladder runs USD 40 for up to 3 hours, USD 75 for 6, USD 110 for 9 and USD 140 for 12, with children aged 2 to 12 at half rate. Pride is the better room and the one to aim for. Use Simba when Pride queues, or rent its private room if you need a closed door for a call.
Terminals 1B and 1C
Terminal 1B and 1C lounges
| Lounge | Location | Hours | Access | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aspire Lounge | Terminal 1B, airside, opposite Gate 11 | 24 hours | Priority Pass with a 3 hour cap; paid entry at the door, current price to be confirmed | The default Priority Pass door for non SkyTeam internationals; compact and busy at night |
| Kenya Airways Asante Lounge | Terminal 1C, airside | 24 hours | KQ business class, SkyTeam Elite Plus, paid from USD 40 for 3 hours | Revamped and now the only KQ lounge that never closes; showers, full buffet and live cooking |
Asante is the sleeper here. It reopened after a refit, runs 24 hours when Pride and Simba do not, and the USD 75 pass for 6 hours with a shower is the best overnight value on the Kenya Airways side of the airport. Aspire does its job, but the 3 hour Priority Pass cap is enforced and the room is small, so on a long overnight treat it as a meal stop rather than a camp.
Terminals 1D and 1E
Terminal 1D and 1E lounges
| Lounge | Location | Hours | Access | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Plaza Premium Lounge | Terminal 1D, Level 2 near Gate 4, after security | 24 hours | Priority Pass with a 2 hour cap, paid entry at the door; open to international departures from all terminals | The most flexible door at NBO; showers cost extra and the walk back to far gates takes time |
| Kenya Airways Msafiri Lounge | Terminal 1D, domestic | 05:00 to 00:01 | KQ domestic business class, SkyTeam Elite Plus since April 2025, paid USD 25 for 3 hours, USD 10 for Elite Plus | Domestic flights only; plain but the cheapest lounge entry in Nairobi |
| Turkish Airlines Star Alliance Lounge | Terminal 1E, past Gate 3 | 24 hours | Turkish Airlines business class, Star Alliance Gold, Priority Pass; paid passes sold online, price to be confirmed | The best food among the independents, with made to order coffee; rammed during the overnight bank |
Plaza Premium earns its keep on its admission rule alone: any international departure from any terminal gets in, which no other NBO lounge offers. The 2 hour Priority Pass cap stings, but pay at the door rates extend the stay. The Turkish lounge is the room frequent flyers talk about, and on a quiet afternoon it deserves the praise. At 2 am, when three widebodies board within an hour, finding a seat is a contact sport. Budget 10 to 15 minutes for the walk from the 1A gates and the same to get back.
Terminal 2
Terminal 2 lounges
| Lounge | Location | Hours | Access | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mara Lounge | Level 1, after passport control | 24 hours | Priority Pass with a 3 hour cap; Terminal 2 international departures only | Simple and serviceable; the only comfortable seating on the T2 international side |
| Mount Kenya Lounge | Level 1, domestic departures | 24 hours | Priority Pass with a 3 hour cap; Terminal 2 domestic departures only | Mirrors Mara on the domestic side; take it, the alternative is a plastic chair |
Terminal 2 is a basic building and its two Tradewinds Aviation lounges are graded on that curve. Neither will impress anyone who has seen the Pride Lounge, but both run 24 hours, both take Priority Pass, and both beat the departure hall by a wide margin. The access rule is the trap: Priority Pass explicitly bars Terminal 1 passengers from both rooms, so do not plan a Terminal 2 lounge stop unless your flight actually leaves from Terminal 2.
Access decoder
What actually opens these doors
Priority Pass is the widest key in Nairobi: Aspire in 1B, Plaza Premium in 1D, the Turkish Airlines Star Alliance lounge in 1E, and Mara and Mount Kenya in Terminal 2. Watch the clocks. Plaza Premium caps visits at 2 hours and the other four at 3, and the Terminal 2 pair admit Terminal 2 passengers only. For the full strategy, including which door to pick at each hour of the night, see the NBO Priority Pass guide.
Paying at the door works almost everywhere. Kenya Airways sells tiered passes at Pride, Simba and Asante from USD 40 for 3 hours up to USD 140 for 12, limited to passengers on KQ and its listed partner airlines. Msafiri on the domestic side costs USD 25, or USD 10 with SkyTeam Elite Plus status. Aspire and Plaza Premium sell walk up entry too; their current prices are to be confirmed, so carry a card and ask.
Class of travel and status follows alliance lines. SkyTeam business class and Elite Plus open Pride, Simba and Asante, and since April 2025 Elite Plus also opens the KQ domestic lounges. Star Alliance business class and Gold open the Turkish lounge in 1E regardless of which Star carrier you fly.
DragonPass coverage at NBO is to be confirmed. Do not count on it without checking the app against your departure terminal on the day.
American Express has no Centurion lounge here. Platinum cardholders get in through the Priority Pass membership the card includes, which covers the same five doors listed above.
Operators and rules at NBO shift more often than at bigger hubs, and the airport has a major expansion on the drawing board. Treat the tables as the map and confirm the one door you are counting on before you fly.
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FAQ
Nairobi lounge questions
Which lounges at NBO take Priority Pass?
Five: the Aspire Lounge in Terminal 1B, the Plaza Premium Lounge in Terminal 1D, the Turkish Airlines Star Alliance Lounge in Terminal 1E, and the Mara and Mount Kenya lounges in Terminal 2. Plaza Premium caps visits at 2 hours and the others at 3, and the Terminal 2 pair only admit Terminal 2 passengers.
Are the lounges at Nairobi airport open 24 hours?
Six are. Aspire, Asante, Plaza Premium, the Turkish Airlines Star Alliance Lounge, Mara and Mount Kenya all run around the clock. The Kenya Airways Pride, Simba and Msafiri lounges close from just past midnight until 05:00.
Can I pay to enter a lounge at NBO without flying business class?
Yes. Kenya Airways sells passes at Pride, Simba and Asante from USD 40 for up to 3 hours, rising to USD 140 for 12 hours, and the Msafiri domestic lounge costs USD 25. Aspire and Plaza Premium also sell entry at the door, with current prices to be confirmed.
What is the best lounge at Jomo Kenyatta airport?
On a Kenya Airways or SkyTeam ticket, the Pride Lounge in Terminal 1A, with live cooking, showers and a napping area. On Priority Pass, the Turkish Airlines Star Alliance Lounge in Terminal 1E has the best food, though it fills during the overnight departure bank.
Which NBO lounge works for an overnight layover?
The 24 hour doors: Asante in Terminal 1C on a Kenya Airways itinerary, or Plaza Premium in Terminal 1D, which admits international passengers departing from any terminal. A Kenya Airways pass at USD 75 buys 6 hours at Pride, Simba or Asante, long enough to shower and sleep.
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