Melbourne Airport, also known as Tullamarine Airport, has four terminals. Terminals 1 and 3 have domestic flights, Terminal 4 is for domestic budget airlines, and international flights depart from Terminal 2. Most of the best airport lounges in Melbourne can be found in the international terminal. We review the best airport lounges if you are flying in First or Business Class or if you have a Priority Pass or relevant credit card.
If you don’t want to use a Priority Pass lounge, you can spend some time in one of the Priority Pass restaurants or bars, including Bar Pulpo by MoVida in Terminal 2, Cafe Vue in Terminal 2, or Urban Provodore in Terminal 2.
In terms of Priority Pass lounges, you can choose between the Plaza Premium Lounge in Terminal 2, The House in Terminal 2 (additional fee applies) and the REX Lounge in Terminal 4.
If you are staying in Melbourne, we have reviewed the best executive club lounges at hotels in Melbourne.
Free Airport Lounge Access
If you have not paid for Business Class or First Class, you can access airport lounges for free if you have an unlimited Priority Pass or an Amex Platinum card. To get extra bonus referral points and advice on the Platinum American Express and other free lounge access credit cards, have a read of our best credit cards for luxury travel.
1. Plaza Premium Lounge, Terminal 2
Right next door to the American Express lounge (reviewed below), you will find the Plaza Premium Lounge, which can be accessed by anyone who wants to pay for their lounge access. It is free for travelers holding a Priority Pass and American Express Platinum cardholders and is the best Priority Pass lounge at Melbourne Airport.
This lounge is about double the size of the adjacent American Express Lounge, and I have selected this lounge as one of the best in Melbourne airport because of the live chef station, although it lacks great views.
Inside the lounge, there are lots of funny little private booths to work in, along with a cafe area for when you want to eat. The food seems to be better than the Amex lounge next door because you have live cooks cooking up pasta, seafood laksa, and fresh eggs in the morning.
That said, I prefer the stylish look of the American Express lounge, so if you have access to both, you might want to pop into this lounge for a bite to eat and then sit in the other lounge for the marginally more stylish atmosphere. On the other hand, this lounge is more extensive, so it can be easier to get a good seat in the Plaza Premium Lounge than the American Express lounge.
Beyond the live cooking, there is a hot and cold buffet that includes bread and fillings to make sandwiches and then toast them in the toasters provided. There are plenty of sodas, juices, and a barista for hot drinks. There are also all the usual beers, spirits, and wines. This lounge shares bathrooms and showers with the American Express Lounge, and these are modern and smart.
2. The House, Terminal 2
I cannot understand why you would pay to access “The House”, Terminal 2, when you can get free access to Plaza Premium Lounge, Terminal 2, which has much better food. In mid-September 2019, The House lounge joined the Priority Pass network, but members have to pay a discounted fee of around $20 USD per person to enter.
You can’t miss this lounge as the entrance to the lounge is a wall of gold with Etihad branding on it. Inside, this lounge is slick and feels more like a luxury hotel than a room in an airport. The restaurant part of the lounge offers white tablecloths and waiter service. The rest of the lounge has sofa seats to relax on set on a chocolate-colored carpet.
The a la carte has six menu items; soup, warm goats, cheese crostini, porcini gnocchi, chicken, burger, and a cheese plate. The buffet isn’t great in this lounge, but it has salad, chicken, and stir-fried beef with rice but no vegetable sides and no vegetarian main dish. For dessert, the only choice is a chocolate caramel slice. On the bright side, there’s a full-service bar with spirits, beer, wine, smoothies, and barista-made coffees. Shower facilities are also available.
While this lounge looks great, the choice of food lets it down.
3. The REX Lounge, Terminal 4
The REX Lounge is the best priority pass lounge in Terminal 4 and is accessed by passengers flying with Regional Express as well as Priority Pass, LoungeKey, and Lounge Club members. The lounge has a cold buffet, self-serve beer and wine, a business center, and a couple of massage chairs. There’s a coffee machine but no Barista coffee like many of the airport lounges in Melbourne. It doesn’t have toilets or showers either, so guests have to use the main terminal toilets.
4. American Express lounge, Terminal 2
There are two American Express Lounges in Australia, the American Express Lounge Sydney, which is one of the best airport lounges in Sydney, and the American Express lounge, Terminal 2 in Melbourne. This lounge is small but very smart with a boutique feel and is free for Amex Platinum Card Members.
If your Priority Pass comes with your Amex Platinum card, it is worth considering this lounge as an alternative to the Plaza Premium lounge, as they are next door to each other. Just to be clear, you can’t access this lounge with your Priority Pass, but you can access this lounge with a Platinum American Express card.
This American Express lounge has a dining area and a relaxation area. The dining area has cafe tables and chairs, booths by the wall, and some communal tables. The second room has more comfortable chairs and couches. The single seats along the wall are a bit strange as they are private and all face the same way (they do not face each other, so you can’t socialize from these seats). Some even have a screen side to give you privacy. This is great if you want privacy, but the screen may block your view if you enjoy people-watching.
Unlike a Centurion Lounge, the food quality is OK but nothing special. Expect a fridge with cans of fizzy drinks and bottles of still and sparkling water. There’s also a soda fountain and a coffee machine, as well as alcoholic beverages in a self-serve area with spirits, wine, and beer. There is a barista who makes coffee, which many say is the best at Melbourne airport.
For breakfast, there are cereals, processed sliced bread to go in a toaster, cheese, yogurt, fruit, and veggies. There’s a pancake machine, and hot options include scrambled eggs, fried potatoes, sausages, and bacon. The Plaza Premium Lounge is adjacent, and the American Express Lounge shares bathrooms with the Plaza lounge. These bathrooms are modern and smart.
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