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The amazing new lounge at Qatar’s Hamad International Airport

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Hamad International, the new airport in Qatar, opened for business on May 1st after long delays.  Even then, though, the main Qatar Airways lounge complex was not ready.

It is now, though, having opened on August 6th.  And it certainly looks as though it was worth the wait.  Take a look at these pictures of what is officially called the Al Mourjan Business Lounge:

Qatar Hamad lounge 1

and

Qatar Hamad lounge 2

and

Qatar Hamad lounge 3

In total, the lounge covers 10,000 square metres, making it one of the largest airline lounges in the world.

This page of the Qatar Airways website describes it in more detail.

The amazing thing is that this is NOT the official First Class lounge.  This facility, to be called the Al Safwa First Class Lounge, is still under development.

An acquaintance of mine was in the Al Mourjan lounge over the weekend.  He said that they were offering Krug champagne in the restaurant (try asking for that in Galleries Club at Terminal 5 …..) and actually used the word ‘beautiful’ to describe the place.

In the old Qatar airport, premium Qatar Airways passengers used a different part of the terminal and the lounge was therefore only accessible to people flying on Qatar.  At Hamad International, the Al Mourjan lounge can be accessed by oneworld First and Business Class passengers plus, I think, oneworld elite status cardholders.

It is not clear if this will remain the case when the airport and the other lounge options are fully open.  At Heathrow Terminal 4, for example, Qatar economy passengers with status may not use the well regarded Premium Lounge at Heathrow and are instead asked to use the Skyteam lounge.

I have a Qatar Airways business class flight in the diary for October.  I look forward to reporting back first hand on the Al Mourjan lounge and, indeed, the Premium Lounge at Heathrow.

Getting airport lounge access for free from a credit card

How to get FREE airport lounge access via UK credit cards (April 2024)

Here are the four options to get FREE airport lounge access via a UK credit card.

The Platinum Card from American Express comes with two free Priority Pass cards, one for you and one for a supplementary cardholder. Each card admits two so a family of four gets in free. You get access to all 1,300 lounges in the Priority Pass network – search it here.

You also get access to Eurostar, Lufthansa and Delta Air Lines lounges.  Our American Express Platinum review is here. You can apply here.

The Platinum Card from American Express

40,000 bonus points and a huge range of valuable benefits – for a fee Read our full review

If you have a small business, consider American Express Business Platinum instead.

American Express Business Platinum

40,000 points sign-up bonus and an annual £200 Amex Travel credit Read our full review

American Express Preferred Rewards Gold is FREE for the first year. It comes with a Priority Pass card loaded with four free visits to any Priority Pass lounge – see the list here.

Additional lounge visits are charged at £24.  You get four more free visits for every year you keep the card.  

There is no annual fee for Amex Gold in Year 1 and you get a 20,000 points sign-up bonus.  Full details are in our American Express Preferred Rewards Gold review here.

American Express Preferred Rewards Gold

Your best beginner’s card – 20,000 points, FREE for a year & four airport lounge passes Read our full review

HSBC Premier World Elite Mastercard gets you get a free Priority Pass card, allowing you access to the Priority Pass network.  Guests are charged at £24 although it may be cheaper to pay £60 for a supplementary credit card for your partner.

The card has a fee of £195 and there are strict financial requirements to become a HSBC Premier customer.  Full details are in my HSBC Premier World Elite Mastercard review.

HSBC Premier World Elite Mastercard

A huge bonus, but only available to HSBC Premier clients Read our full review

PS. You can find all of HfP’s UK airport lounge reviews – and we’ve been to most of them – indexed here.

Category

oneworld alliance partners, Qatar Airways and Privilege Club

Comments (39)

This article is closed to new comments. Feel free to ask your question in the HfP forums.

  • James67 says:
    15 Aug15 August 06:49

    Almost a year ago I booked QR from GLA-LHR-BKK for late October on spec for their a380. Looks like I will be missing that. I doubt there will even be much wrong with aircraft, likely just Qatar flexing its muscles with airbus. From what you say it now looks like I will probably miss first class lounge too. I have been trying to change to a more convenient 1 stop itinerary as a result but so far nothing available.

    • Chris says:
      15 Aug15 August 07:04

      @James67 my return flight on the 27th of October DOH-LHR was updated from a340 to A380 this week. I was on QR9; now on QR3. It just might stick this time …

      • James67 says:
        15 Aug15 August 07:30

        Thanks, will check. I need to call for a seat assignment too, forgot to do that. Tbh though I expected more fro QR F on a380. Seems like Etihad should be airline of choice these days.

        • Chris says:
          15 Aug15 August 09:10

          For the first time yesterday I was able to update a seat online and not have to call… was quite disappointed that the business seats on the 380 are mostly over the wing. Umming about paying to upgrade to F

      • Rob says:
        15 Aug15 August 08:36

        I am QR3 in the first week of October … who knows if that will stick?! I have a 787 outbound which should be OK.

        • James67 says:
          15 Aug15 August 09:55

          IMO Qatar are being too ambitious for timescale delivery-normal service when compared to what other airlines did. You might still be lucky Raffles but if I were Chris I would not part with hard cash uograding to F until he sees Qatar wkth the bird in the air. I wrongly bet on QR 1 and 2. Now myvonly hope is that they will receive and put both aircraft in service about same time. Key date for me is 29th October but I expect now November or December for 2nd a380.

    • Erico1875 says:
      15 Aug15 August 07:18

      Can you not fly via Edinburgh?

      • James67 says:
        15 Aug15 August 07:37

        I booked the routing a year out only for chance of a380. Generally I try for shortest duratiin itineraries. EDI wasn’t launched at time of reservation, and even if it was I was afraid to fly 787 (although I am now satisfied the aircraft is safe enough and will fly it).

  • flibbly says:
    15 Aug15 August 06:54

    I’m due to be going through here next weekend, but only have a fairly short connection (but will have a couple of hours in there on the way back the weekend after), so am very much looking forward to having a look at this.

  • Oliver Bennett says:
    15 Aug15 August 07:11

    I have an 8 hour connection here next summer! Can smell the Krug already

    • squills says:
      15 Aug15 August 07:28

      Could be worth establishing in advance how they treat boozers 😉

      Qatar not exactly known for showing any tolerance in this respect, with any luck being airside would mean not really being in Qatar itself. Used to work out of Doha and after taking off, the minute the green light went off the women would all troop to the loo to change into mini skirts and the men would immediately order something to give you a bit of backbone!

      • squills says:
        15 Aug15 August 17:38

        Here’s how to pronounce Qatar.

        You’ve probably heard a few people saying Hamas more or less right on TV (as in Gaza Strip conflict) with a bit of a Spanish ‘J’.

        Jota. Joder. Juan. That kind of thing. Huh with a big puff of air.

        It’s dead similar.

        So Qatar is correctly pronounced sort of ‘J’utur! with the J being the Spanish J.

    • Rob says:
      15 Aug15 August 08:34

      The Krug might go when the First Class lounge opens!

  • Nigel says:
    15 Aug15 August 07:18

    I was there two weeks ago waiting for the Y flight back to LHR having spent a week of work in the airport.
    I used my Cathay Pacific Gold card to get access (Thnaks Amex Plat)
    The place was virtually empty and is HUGE.
    I have photos but have not uploaded them yet.
    Biggest lounge I’ve ever been in.
    There’s a table service food area up those big steps which also has a bar with alcohol.
    At the exact opposite end is a dining area with chef on hand to cook food.
    There are several areas where self service breakfast was available and at least two dedicated smoking areas.

    • Nigel says:
      15 Aug15 August 07:22

      Edit
      I was in there on 30th July…

    • M says:
      15 Aug15 August 11:53

      According to Business Traveller:
      “Oneworld Sapphire and Emerald travellers who normally enjoy business and first class lounge access – including Gold and Platinum members of Qantas Frequent Flyer – can’t visit either the Al Mourjan or the Al Safwa lounges if travelling in economy with Qatar or a Oneworld airline.
      Instead, Emerald members can visit the ‘Qatar Airways First Class Lounge’ at Hamad International Airport, while both Emerald and Sapphire travellers can make use of the ‘Qatar Airways Business Class Lounge’ and the Oryx Lounge.
      That mirrors the access rules at Qatar Airways’ lounge at London Heathrow Airport (pictured below), where economy-class travellers are instead shepherded to the SkyTeam lounge at the other end of the terminal.”

    • Amanda says:
      17 Aug17 August 15:43

      Hi, can you tell me if there is anywhere to ‘lie-down’ in the new biz lounge. We have a 6 hour transit here in Sept, arriving at midnight. Your pics are lovely but only show un comfy looking seats.
      Thanks

      • Nigel says:
        17 Aug17 August 16:54

        I walked the entire lounge and did not see any cabanas or such like where one can lie down.

  • Evan says:
    15 Aug15 August 07:20

    Glad to see this finally open to the public. I’ve been in there multiple times but always had a hard hat on! The entire airport is truly amazing. Curious to see the reviews and what people think of the really low level lighting throughout the main terminal areas. It’s so unlike most airports (it doesn’t have bright fluorescent lighting) and it really makes it feel more ‘special’ I guess.

    • Nigel says:
      15 Aug15 August 07:22

      What’s with the giant Teddy bear 🙂

      • Evan says:
        15 Aug15 August 07:44

        It’s ungodly isn’t it?? It’s some famous French artist (not famous to me obviously, because I forgot his name!) and that’s what he came up with. It was created in France (I think it was France), broken down, shipped, and then put back together. It’s a total non-sequitor within the airport and I think it looks stupid, but hey, it’s unique! And cost over 10 million gbp.

  • DeltaCharlie says:
    15 Aug15 August 08:25

    Any more rumours as to when the Al Safwa First lounge is to open? (not that I need a great deal more from a lounge!) Departing late November, BA First.

  • Heather says:
    15 Aug15 August 09:08

    Currently sat in the Escape Lounge as we will be in upper on VA today. What a disappointment. It’s about time offered their UC passengers a choice of this or the V room for Manchester departures. Glad I didn’t pay cash for ithe Qatar lounge looks fantastic.

  • Thywillbedone says:
    15 Aug15 August 09:08

    Trust this means that the interminable bus transfers around Doha airport are a thing of the past! Pass through late last year and although the premium terminal was great (if a little busy) the 20 minute bus journeys from plane to terminal were ridiculous especially when the driver forgot to turn on the aircon!

    • Paul says:
      15 Aug15 August 09:18

      You sure you weren’t on a BA arrival into T3? LOL. The transfer is just as bad and never with aircon

    • CV3V says:
      15 Aug15 August 10:12

      Dubai transfers can be just as bad, even with the new concourse. The worst one was when they redirected all transfer passengers along a different route from the signage, which meant walking from the new terminal (where the bus dropped us) down to the old terminal to then clear security, before then walking back up to the new terminal for connecting flight.

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