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Home » Garuda Indonesia » CGK T3: Garuda Lounge (Thumbs Down), Plaza Premium Lounge (Thumbs Up)
Garuda IndonesiaIndonesiaSAS Million Mile Challenge

CGK T3: Garuda Lounge (Thumbs Down), Plaza Premium Lounge (Thumbs Up)

Matthew Klint Posted onDecember 2, 2024December 7, 2024 7 Comments

I’m live-blogging my SAS EuroBonus SkyTeam Million Mile challenge this week. Click here for background and route information.


Jakarta Airport (CGK) has two lounges in Terminal 3, a Garuda Indonesia Executive Lounge and a Plaza Premium Lounge. I visited both and if you have a choice, definitely go with the Plaza Premium Lounge.

A Tale Of Two Lounges In Jakarta Airport T3…Which One Is Best?

We stopped at the Garuda Lounge first and I was surprised at how dated it was…some lounges age well, but I felt this lounge has not. But decor and color scheme are far less important to me than food and clean restrooms.

a sign in front of a wall

a room with tables and chairs

a group of people sitting in chairs in a room

Unfortunately, the food did not look fresh and the restrooms did not feel clean.

a display of pastries on a counter

a counter with food on it

a plate of fried food on a table

food on the counter

a buffet table with food items on it

a bathroom with urinals and sink

Fumes from the smoking room also poured out into the lounge.

a glass ashtray on a table

The internet also functioned slowly, so it was a quick exit for us (though Augustine did appreciate the kid’s room).

a child playing with toys

We made our way over the Plaza Premium Lounge and it was like night and day compared to the Garuda Lounge.

a group of people standing in front of a sign

First thing that catches your eye as you enter the lounge: a coffee bar with barista. Yay! After enjoying excellent coffee on my Saudia flight, it had been many hours since I had enjoyed a cup and I was ready for one.

a restaurant with a bar and chairs

a coffee machine with many white mugs

a glass of coffee on a counter

a cup of coffee on a saucer

The lounge decor is also very nice and although the lounge was crowded, I had no trouble finding a seat. Internet worked well.

a room with tables and chairs

With a flat white and a power plug, I was able to be productive.

This lounge also had a kid’s play room and Augustine enjoyed playing in it. No ice cream, here.

a child running on a rug in a room with a television

I wasn’t hungry, but the lounge also had a nice selection of food and drink including all of the stuff available in the Garuda Lounge, but more Western and Asian hot dishes, a nice salad bar, and plenty of fresh fruit.

a display case with different fruits and vegetables

a chef in a kitchen

While both lounges are acceptable, your better choice is the Plaza Premium Lounge in CGK T3.

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Previous Article Come On Indonesia, Our Jakarta Transit Was Needlessly Painful…
Next Article Augustine Nursed Back To Health On Xiamen Airlines 737 Business Class!

About Author

Matthew Klint

Matthew is an avid traveler who calls Los Angeles home. Each year he travels more than 200,000 miles by air and has visited more than 135 countries. Working both in the aviation industry and as a travel consultant, Matthew has been featured in major media outlets around the world and uses his Live and Let's Fly blog to share the latest news in the airline industry, commentary on frequent flyer programs, and detailed reports of his worldwide travel.

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7 Comments

  1. JoeMart Reply
    December 2, 2024 at 9:00 am

    I can’t see any Nasi Goreng or Gado Gado in the pictures.

  2. Chi Hsuan Reply
    December 2, 2024 at 9:09 am

    That first one actually looks a little better than the awful lounge used by Garuda in Bali.

  3. Julien Reply
    December 2, 2024 at 4:37 pm

    I passed there earlier today with our toddler and it was indeed a very nice experience. I wished that more lounges had some kids zones

  4. Jason Reply
    December 4, 2024 at 5:52 am

    How did you access that part of the Plaza Premium lounge? The section you were in is not open to Priority Pass according to the agents working now (and the Proority Pass area is even more grim than Garuda.) Also, apparently KLM sells business fares on this route that do NOT include lounge access. (Check-in agent said the only way to upgrade is at the check-in counter which probably why you couldn’t do it in transit.

    • Matthew Klint Reply
      December 4, 2024 at 9:36 am

      I had access to the main room because I was flying in Xiamen Business Class, which directs its premium cabin passengers to this lounge, not the Garuda Lounge.

  5. FNT Delta Diamond Reply
    December 5, 2024 at 10:57 am

    Looks like nothing has changed in a good way since I spent some time at Garuda’s flagship lounge in 2019. It was just awful. The food was barely edible. They didn’t even have wine, despite KLM sending passengers in business-class to the lounge. I don’t remember Plaza Premium being an option. Maybe that’s new since 2019.

    • Matthew Klint Reply
      December 5, 2024 at 11:26 am

      Definitely a new lounge – such a big improvement.

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