Brisbane’s pay-per-entry Aspire Lounge shuts down

Brisbane Airport is losing its second international lounge this month, with the Aspire Lounge permanently closing as of May 31.

That’s the same date Brisbane’s Plaza Premium Lounge will lock its doors, leaving international jet-setters without any pay-to-visit lounge options if they don’t have access to the lounges of Air New Zealand, Emirates, Qantas or Singapore Airlines.

Aspire Lounge operator Swissport, which ran Brisbane’s Aspire Lounge under the same Executive Lounges portfolio as The House in Sydney and Melbourne and the Aspire Lounge at Perth, confirmed the imminent closure of its Brisbane outpost, saying “on the 31st May 2024, our Aspire Lounge in Brisbane Airport will permanently close.” 

Existing bookings for the Aspire Lounge are being cancelled and refunded to the original payment card “within the next 7 days.”

Aspire at Brisbane Airport's international terminal.

Brisbane’s Aspire Lounge – which in our Executive Traveller review noted as having limited opening hours (4:30am to noon) and dining, while also suffering from high noise level from adjacent departure gates – opened in 2019 as the oddly-named My Lounge, a collaboration between Virgin Australia and UK operator No1 Lounges.

Bathed in natural light, the lounge adopted a decidedly casual atmosphere with a relaxed residential-inspired vibe and open layout.

Aspire at Brisbane Airport's international terminal.

Along with barista-pulled coffee and a self-pour bar, visitors could graze on a mostly breakfast-centric spread of hot and cold dishes; the bar list includes a range of complimentary craft beers and wines, as well as a basic cocktail station.

Aspire Lounge at Brisbane Airport's international terminal.

Following a lengthy closure during and indeed well after the pandemic, the space by Gate 77 was reborn in 2023 as an Aspire Lounge.

And in keeping with what Swissport described as “loft apartment styling”, entry fees were a relatively lofty $54 for adults and $35 for children.

Aspire Lounge at Brisbane Airport's international terminal.

There’s no word on if another lounge operator or even another airline might take over the Aspire Lounge space.

However, the Plaza Premium Lounge will return in some form, Brisbane Airport tells Executive Traveller, with the space to undergo renovations and re-open under another operator

“While it is sad to see the closure of the lounge in this current format, we are excited the area is about to undergo renovation,” confirms Brisbane Airport spokesperson Peter Doherty.

“With its prime location and view of the tarmac, we’re confident that it will remain a cherished spot for travellers once it returns.”