Addis Ababa layover lounges: Ethiopian or Plaza Premium

The Ethiopian lounges are divided by travel class and by status level, and those who fall into neither category must turn to the independent lounge in Terminal 2. Before deciding, then, it is worth clarifying which route you really have available: the ticket, status or a lounge card.Those travelling in Business with Ethiopian or with a Star Alliance airline go to the Ethiopian Airlines Cloud Nine Lounge, in Terminal 2 near gate A13. It stays open day and night and has showers, a rest area, a conference room and a children's area. Its most recognisable feature is the Ethiopian traditional coffee ceremony, offered to the lounge's guests. For members with status the novelty is the Ethiopian Airlines Premium Lounge, opened in December 2025 and described by the airline as the largest at the airport. ShebaMiles Platinum and Gold members, Star Alliance Gold members and eligible members of partner programmes get in. Besides showers and a bar it has a corner dedicated to Ethiopian coffee, a beauty room and a luggage storage, useful for those with a long layover who want to move around light. The Cloud Nine, meanwhile, remains in service: those with both a Business ticket and status can choose which they prefer. Those with neither still have an open door. The Plaza Premium Lounge, just past security in Terminal 2, is open all night and can be reached with Priority Pass, LoungeKey or DragonPass, or by paying for a timed day pass. It also welcomes Qatar Airways Business passengers, has a business centre and offers showers, which make a difference during a long overnight wait. The day pass covers a limited number of hours: those facing a very long layover do well not to go in as soon as they land, but to save it for the moment when a shower and a little rest are really needed. Those who need to work find the Plaza Premium business centre, while those travelling in Business can count on the Cloud Nine conference room.

In practice, in Addis Ababa the ticket decides. In Business with Ethiopian or Star Alliance you go to the Cloud Nine, open at every hour and with the coffee ceremony; with a ShebaMiles or Star Alliance Gold status you can try the new Premium Lounge, larger and with luggage storage. Everyone else, with a lounge card or by paying the entry, has in the Plaza Premium in Terminal 2 a base that is open at night too, with showers and space to work.