Disclaimer: This lounge has been refurbished. I am publishing this review for historical purposes — to make my South Africa trip report complete — but note that the lounge now looks quite different. Check out Lucky’s review for what this lounge now looks like.
South African Airways is a Star Alliance member and offers a nice lounge in the domestic terminal at O. R. Tambo International Airport in Johannesburg. The newly refurbished lounge is even nicer, but even the old lounge pictured below outdid many domestic U.S. lounges and the food and amenities in the old and new lounge are nearly indetical.
Star Alliance Gold members and business class passengers have access and the lounge easily sits 400. It is divided into sections including:
- Bar (where coffee and drinks are made to order)
- Food Area (we were there around 8:30a where hot and cold breakfast items were served)
- Restrooms and Showers
- Work Areas (with Samsung devices available)
- Sitting Areas
- Smoking Area
Wireless internet is available via individually coded cards available at check-in and at various points in the lounge. The speed was not great, but sufficient for me to book a car in CapeTown. No boarding announcements are made. Hours of operation are 4:30 AM to 9:00 PM daily.
CONCLUSION
Cut me some slack here — I know this is not the most helpful review since the lounge has been remodeled, but this is also a scrapbook I am creating documenting one of the best trips of my life. The bottom line remains true: SA has a surprisingly good domestic lounge and it is worth a visit. That has not changed.
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