The best Qantas and Oneworld lounges at Bangkok

With multiple lounges to choose from, which should be your pre-flight pick?

By David Flynn, January 11 2024
The best Qantas and Oneworld lounges at Bangkok

Like many other airports, Bangkok offers Qantas and Oneworld passengers a choice of lounges – although the airlines themselves won’t always admit that.

A case in point is Qantas, which directs its business class travellers and Platinum and Gold frequent flyers to the airport’s independent and quite uninspiring Miracle Lounge ahead of the evening departure of QF24.

Yet those passengers are fully entitled to skip the Miracle Lounge – in fact, we strongly advise this course of action – and instead, visit the excellent Bangkok lounges of Oneworld members Cathay Pacific, Japan Airlines or Qatar Airways, with the additional none-Oneworld option of the Emirates Lounge (under the Qantas-Emirates partnership).

Here are your options coveting the Bangkok lounges of all four airlines.

As the operating hours of each lounge is based around the schedule of its parent airline, some lounges might not be open ahead of your own flight’s departure.

Cathay Pacific lounge, Bangkok 

We’d rate Cathay Pacific’s lounge as Bangkok’s best for Oneworld frequent flyers who aren’t in business or first class – specifically Oneworld Emerald and Sapphire tiers (including the Platinum and Gold levels of Finnair, Malaysia Airlines, Qantas and Qatar Airways).

Cathay’s Bangkok lounge is of course also open to business and first class passengers, but we suspect many of those will be drawn to the restaurant-style menu of the Qatar Airways lounge just a few minutes’ walk away.

Not that the Cathay Pacific lounge is any slouch in the dining department: the Noodle Bar serves freshly-prepared Asian dishes such as wonton noodles and tom yam soup, with salads, pastries, desserts and even a Thai breakfast available at the self-serve deli.

Cathay Pacific's Bangkok lounge.
Cathay Pacific's Bangkok lounge.

Ask at the bar for your choice of drink, spanning from delicious Jing teas to wine, spirits and Champagne (Charles de Cazanove was recently being served).

With seating for around 140 travellers, the sophisticated space is broken into clearly-differentiated sections. The contemporary design is rooted in a warm residential aesthetic, resulting in a vibe that’s more ‘living room’ than airport lounge.

Cathay Pacific’s Bangkok lounge is located at the top of Concourse G (near the intersection with the E and F concourses) and open between 5am and 6.30pm daily.

Emirates Lounge, Bangkok

If you’re heading from Bangkok to Sydney on Qantas flight QF24 as a business class passenger, Qantas Platinum One, Qantas Platinum or Qantas Gold frequent flyer, the Emirates Lounge is an easy and reliable option.

Located on Concourse G, towards the D gates wing, this is your typical Emirates lounge – and that’s not a bad thing by any stretch.

Emirates' Bangkok Lounge.
Emirates' Bangkok Lounge.

It means you’ll find the same familiar armchairs, couches and other fixtures as pretty much every Emirates lounge anywhere else in the world.

You’ll also see a self-serve buffet with an appealing array of hot and cold dishes and a self-pour bar featuring fine spirits and Moet champagnes.

And fortunately for travellers on the 6pm Qantas flight QF24 from Bangkok to Sydney, they’ll find Emirates’ Bangkok lounge open from around 2pm, so there’s plenty of time to relax or even include this in your lounge-hoping plan.

Qatar Airways Premium Lounge, Bangkok

The Qatar Airways Premium Lounge is the go-to if you’re jetting out of Bangkok in business or first class with any Oneworld airline – although it’s out of bounds if you’re only in premium economy or economy class, despite your Oneworld frequent flyers status.

That’s because all Qatar Airways Premium Lounges are exclusive to business class and first class passengers: a policy which enhances the upmarket boutique appeal of these chic lounges.

And stepping into the Qatar Airways Premium Lounge at Bangkok’s Concourse D (across from gate D8) certainly boasts that ‘private club’ vibe.

Qatar Airways' Premium Lounge at Bangkok.
Qatar Airways' Premium Lounge at Bangkok.

Visitors will love the quiet relaxed environment and comfortable furnishings, where dining options include a restaurant-style Brasserie with à la carte menu complemented by an extensive self-serve deli buffet and cocktail bar.

At the time of writing, the Qatar Airways Premium Lounge at Bangkok is open daily from 5am to 9am, 4pm to 8.40pm and then 10.30pm to 2am.

Japan Airlines Sakura Lounge, Bangkok

JAL’s Sakura business class lounge is like a calming slice of Japan amidst the concrete chaos of Bangkok airport.

That applies to not only the clean crisp lines and pared-back aesthetic with light-coloured wood accents but the delectable Japanese meals and snacks.

The dining area is managed by Nippon-Tei, one of Bangkok’s longest-running and most popular Japanese restaurants; the beef or chicken curry rice is the lounge’s most popular dishes.

JAL's Bangkok business class lounge is like a little slice of Japan.
JAL's Bangkok business class lounge is like a little slice of Japan.

As you’d expect, the bar selection extends to Japanese whiskey and sake.

There’s plenty of space to relax and spread out, with views over the airfield and AC/USB power outlets always close at hand (as is also the case at the Cathay Pacific lounge).

Located in Concourse D near Gate D8A, opposite the international transit counter and near the corner of the E and F wings, Japan Airlines’s Sakura Lounge is open to business and first class travellers alongside Oneworld Emerald and Sapphire cardholders.

Opening hours for the JAL Sakura Lounge are as follows:

  • mornings: 2½ hours before the departure of JL708, through to the departure of JL32
  • evenings: 3 hours before the departure of JL34, through to the very last JAL departure

(With JL34 being wheels up at 10pm, this means the Sakura lounge opens around 7pm, which is sadly too late for QF24.)

If you’re bound for Bangkok, don’t miss our selection of the best hotels in Bangkok and the city’s amazing ‘modern Thai’ restaurants.

Tks for this article.  I am one of Qantas's long suffering Perth based customers - and Plat FF. They don't fly direct to Bkk from Perth, obliging us to fly QF to Sing. then Jetstar to Bkk. Same on the return trip. Being a Jetstar passenger always gets suspicion when attempting to access a OW lounge......and they are usually far away from the Jetstar departure gate.

Hopefully the new CEO will care more about his customers generally, and Perth customers in particular.

Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer

14 Nov 2021

Total posts 9

Miss the days when Qantas had Business and First lounges at BKK, at the time servicing the flagship QF1/2 route and acting as the main Asian stopover port.

Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer

09 Mar 2019

Total posts 22

As a Perth-based passenger traveling to BKK with QF Platinum I have ditched the QF / JQ route via SIN as CX via Hong Kong puts me in the Wing First Class or (from next month) Pier First Class lounge, and from BKK in the Cathay lounge, one of the best Oneworld lounges. 

Joe
Joe

03 May 2013

Total posts 685

Qatar for food and classy/quiet ambience with amazing service and plush seating

Emirates for high end all round consistency

Cathay for Asian theme food and tarmac views with a homely feel.

JAL nothing really to write home about. Bland a little cold and food average but very friendly.

28 Aug 2019

Total posts 1

Qatar’s lounge was excellent yesterday - amazing service and excellent selection of food both buffet and a la carte plus the ambience is excellent with nice lounge seating. This is how an airport lounge should be

As an aside it opened at 3.30pm yesterday which worked well with the QF24 flight to Sydney and the walk to the gate isn’t too far

Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer

14 Oct 2012

Total posts 46

Have always found the 3 non Qantas lounges operated by Qatar, Cathay and Emirates deliver amazing service.  

Though I just did a price check from MEL and Thai offers 2 direct services a day direct to BKK for at least $1k less than Qantas or Singapore.  So why would you go via Sydney with Qantas?  Whilst I enjoy the First Lounge in Sydney, its not worth the hassle of transiting thru Sydney for a mid-morning flight.  Or flying direct to Singapore with Qantas and running to get a Jetstar connection to BKK from T4.   When the fare difference going with Thai covers most of the accommodation it's an easy choice to bypass Qantas.  I can understand why Thai are offering 2 services.   And no, I'm not even considering the Jetstar option even though that would get me into the First lounge in Mel as we dont have access in BKK to these premium lounges.    It's a rubbish service proposition by Qantas.

PG1
PG1

17 May 2017

Total posts 18

I've always used (suffered) Jetstar for MEL-BKK runs since, as you all know, there is no direct QF service.

Miracle lounges are pretty ordinary and as PFF, I would have thought there should be some give for better OW lounge access.

It's not our fault QF does not offer a direct service, so we take the cheapie no frills option.

Has anyone tried OW access in BKK on a Jetstar MEL-BKK biz ticket?

Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer

03 Jan 2013

Total posts 66

When checking in for QF296 BKK to SYD in biz today, check-in staff directed us to either Cathay or Emirates. 

We have been using both for years, to note, EK has showers, CX doesn’t but we prefer the ambiance of CX and the dim sum 🥟 shower do have fond memories of the former Q lounge.

QR opens at 430pm, so if people are wanting to experience that lounge you’ll need to cool your heels at CX or EK first. 


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