Which lounge to choose at Sydney Airport by departure time
At Sydney's international terminal the right lounge depends more on the time of the flight than on your card. Several airline lounges operate in time slots or close early, and those with only Priority Pass have a specific address: the Plaza Premium in departures. For domestic flights in Terminal 2 the offering is much smaller.
Sydney concentrates almost all of its lounges in Terminal 1, the international one, after customs and security checks; in Terminal 2, dedicated to domestic flights, you find the Virgin Australia and Rex lounges. Before choosing it is worth looking at the departure time, because here several airline lounges do not stay open all day.
The only lounge in the terminal dedicated to those arriving rather than departing.
Hours
06:00-20:00
Open to all arriving passengers, with paid entry; booking online gets better rates.
IndependentT1Priority Pass
Plaza Premium Lounge (Departures)
Level 2, opposite gates 25-26
Barista-made coffee and alcoholic drinks are included in the entry fee.
Hours
06:00-22:00
Open to all passengers: entry with Priority Pass, LoungeKey, American Express or Citi Prestige cards, or for a fee.
Bar
IndependentT1
The House
Independent lounge run by Executive Lounges.
Hours
05:00-22:00
Paid entry, bookable on executivelounges.com or purchasable on the spot.
AirlineT1
Air New Zealand Lounge
Level 3, after customs, near gate 59
Next to the SilverKris, but also usable for evening departures.
Hours
06:00-21:00
Hours may vary depending on Air New Zealand flights.
AirlineT1
Emirates Lounge
Level 1, after customs, near gate 58
It stays closed during the middle hours of the day: it is designed for early-morning and evening Emirates departures.
Hours
04:00-07:20 and 16:10-20:15
AirlineT1
Qantas International Business Lounge
Mezzanine, level 3, after customs
It shares its floor and hours with the First Lounge.
Hours
05:00-22:00
Entry for Business passengers and for members with eligible frequent flyer status.
AirlineT1
Qantas International First Lounge
Mezzanine, level 3, after customs
Qantas brings First and Business together on the same floor of the international terminal, with the same opening hours.
Hours
05:00-22:00
Entry for First passengers and for members with eligible frequent flyer status.
AirlineT1
SilverKris Lounge
Level 3, after customs, near gate 59
It closes earlier than the other lounges in the terminal: for evening departures you need to choose another one.
Hours
05:00-18:00
From 4 to 25 October 2026 the hours change to 06:00-19:00.
AllianceT1
SkyTeam Lounge
Departures level, next to gate 24
Shared lounge of the SkyTeam airlines in the international terminal.
Paid entry even without an eligible SkyTeam ticket. Hours change depending on the day.
Showers
AirlineT2
Rex Lounge
Gate G2, after the security checks
A small lounge for domestic flights which, according to the specialist press, also welcomes passengers of airlines other than Qantas.
AirlineT2
Virgin Australia Lounge
After the security checks: on the right, or take the escalator from the food court to the departures level
Lounge for Virgin Australia domestic flights.
Hours
From 60 minutes before the first Virgin Australia flight to the last departure
Credit cardT1Temporarily closed
The Centurion Lounge
Level 1, near gates 50-63
The renovation of October 2026 keeps it closed for two weeks: during that period Amex cardholders must fall back on another lounge.
Hours
06:00-22:00
Entry with an eligible American Express card and a boarding pass. Closed for renovation from 6 to 19 October 2026.
No lounges match this filter.
Those flying Qantas in First or business, or holding an eligible frequent flyer status, go up to the mezzanine of level 3, where the Qantas International First Lounge and the Qantas International Business Lounge share a floor and opening hours. They are the simplest solution for evening departures too, since they close among the last in the terminal.
The other airlines demand more attention to the clock. Singapore Airlines' SilverKris Lounge closes earlier than the other lounges in the terminal, so those leaving in the evening must look elsewhere; the neighbouring Air New Zealand Lounge, on the other hand, remains usable for evening departures too, with hours that may vary according to the airline's flights. The Emirates Lounge works in two time slots, one at dawn and one in the evening, and stays closed during the middle hours: it is tuned to Emirates departures.
With Priority Pass the address is the Plaza Premium Lounge (Departures), on level 2, open to everyone: you can also enter with LoungeKey, American Express or Citi Prestige cards, or by paying. The barista-made coffee and alcoholic drinks are included in the entry. Those who simply want to buy an entry have other options: The House by Executive Lounges, bookable online or purchasable on the spot, and the SkyTeam Lounge, which accepts paid entry even without an eligible SkyTeam ticket, with hours that change depending on the day.
American Express cardholders have their own The Centurion Lounge on level 1, and when it is closed the most immediate alternative is the Plaza Premium in departures, which accepts Amex cards.
Those who instead land in Sydney can stop at the Plaza Premium Lounge (Arrivals), inside the Aerotel and before the checks: it is the only lounge in the terminal dedicated to arriving passengers, entry is paid and booking online improves the rate. For domestic flights in Terminal 2 the Virgin Australia Lounge opens shortly before the airline's first flight and stays open until the last departure, while the small Rex Lounge is at gate G2.
To choose at Sydney it pays to start from the clock. With a premium Qantas ticket the answer is the mezzanine of level 3, which also covers evening departures well. With Singapore Airlines the lounge is no use to those leaving in the evening, while the Emirates one works only at dawn and in the evening; the Air New Zealand Lounge is the evening option in the area. With Priority Pass or an Amex card the Plaza Premium in departures is the safest choice, especially while the Centurion is closed for works; those who prefer to pay can also consider The House and the SkyTeam Lounge.
