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.
Unfortunately, the food did not look fresh and the restrooms did not feel clean.
Fumes from the smoking room also poured out into the lounge.
The internet also functioned slowly, so it was a quick exit for us (though Augustine did appreciate the kid’s room).
We made our way over the Plaza Premium Lounge and it was like night and day compared to the Garuda Lounge.
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.
The lounge decor is also very nice and although the lounge was crowded, I had no trouble finding a seat. Internet worked well.
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.
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.
While both lounges are acceptable, your better choice is the Plaza Premium Lounge in CGK T3.
I can’t see any Nasi Goreng or Gado Gado in the pictures.
That first one actually looks a little better than the awful lounge used by Garuda in Bali.
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
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.
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.
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.
Definitely a new lounge – such a big improvement.