How to access Etihad’s new premium Melbourne lounge
Escape the cramped public waiting areas and wait for your flight in style with Etihad's new premium lounge in Melbourne.
Etihad Airways officially opens its largest Premium Lounge outside of Abu Dhabi yesterday, and, lucky for us Aussies, it’s located in Melbourne Airport’s international terminal. Capable of hosting up to 133 guests, this impressive airport lounge is a picture of understated modern elegance and plush frequent flyer luxury.
Beautifully fitted with the finest of custom furnishings and the richest of upholstery, the lounge guarantees its guests a truly pampering pre-flight experience. Hotel-styled private shower suites with quality body and skincare products will ensure you’re nice and refreshed before boarding the plane.
The highlight of the lounge, however, is its chic dining and bar area. With only 26 seats, the exclusive restaurant-slash-cocktail bar section offers a cosy selection of the world’s finest culinary creations and bespoke beverages. If fancy custom cocktails don’t quite do it for you, something else in the exquisitely stocked bar will—be it a fine Victorian wine or premium liquor, the celebratory bubbly or a stimulating aperitif.
The lounge is located in Terminal 2 adjacent to gate 10, and it operates 3 hours before each Melbourne-Abu Dhabi direct flight. So, the key question is: how do you get there?
How can I get an Etihad Airways lounge pass?
Apart from being open to airline guests flying in "The Residence", "First Apartments" and "Business Studios" classes, the new Melbourne premium lounge is also open to Silver, Gold and Platinum members of the Etihad Guest Frequent Flyer program. Virgin Australia's Velocity Gold, Platinum and The Club members booked on Etihad Airways flights are also welcome to use the lounge before their flights.
As a Silver, Gold or Platinum member of the Etihad Guest Frequent Flyer program, you enjoy lounge privileges even when flying Economy class. Gold and Platinum members are even entitled to bring a guest to the lounge. Here’s a summary of your lounge benefits at each tier:
| Tier | Lounge perks |
|---|---|
| Etihad Guest Silver | Lounge access at the Abu Dhabi International Airport Al Reem lounge and every Business Class lounge in the EY Network. |
| Etihad Guest Gold | Lounge access for you and a guest at the Abu Dhabi International Airport Al Reem lounge and every Business Class lounge in the EY Network. |
| Etihad Guest Platinum | Lounge access at the Abu Dhabi International Airport First Class lounge and every First class lounge in the EY Network, or lounge access for you and a guest at every Business Class lounge in the EY Network. |
How many Etihad Guest Miles do I need to get a lounge pass?
This table shows the number of points needed to get to each Etihad Guest tier, and the number of Tier Miles you’ll subsequently need each year to maintain your status in that tier.
| Tiers | Attaining a Tier | Maintaining a Tier | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tier Miles | Tier Segments | Tier Miles | Tier Segments | |
| Etihad Guest Silver | 25,000 | 20 | 20,000 | 15 |
| Etihad Guest Gold | 50,000 | 40 | 40,000 | 30 |
| Etihad Guest Platinum | 125,000 | 60 | 100,000 | 48 |
You earn Etihad Guest Tier Miles at a rate of one Tier Mile for every mile you fly with Etihad Airways, and any Class Bonus Miles earned also count towards your Etihad Guest Tier. Use the table below to see how many Tier Miles and Tier Segments you could earn flying from Abu Dhabi to London, which is a distance of 3,409 miles.
| Cabin | Tier Miles earned per mile | Total Tier Miles earned on a one-way flight from Abu Dhabi to London | Tier segments earned per sector flown |
|---|---|---|---|
| Economy Class | 1 | 3,409 | 1 |
| Business Class | 1.5 | 5,114 | 2 |
| First Class | 2 | 6,818 | 3 |
| Residence | 4 | 13,636 | 5 |
If you’re ready to jet-set in style to the heart of the UAE, you may as well do it in style with Etihad Airways’ new premium lounge in Melbourne. If you don’t have a flight booked with Etihad in the near future, see where else you can enjoy free VIP airline lounge access with your credit cards.
Pictures: Etihad Airways.
