Review: Cardiff Airport Executive Lounge (Lolfa Foethus)

This is our review of the Executive Lounge at Cardiff Airport.

It is part of our almost-complete collection of UK airport lounge reviews – see them all here.

As we don’t often fly from regional UK airports we asked you to help us fill in the gaps.  Reader Lewis very kindly sent in this review of the Executive Lounge at Cardiff Airport, which we haven’t covered for 18 months or so.  Over to Lewis:

“Cardiff Airport upgraded its Executive Lounge offering in 2018 as part of a wider £4 million terminal upgrade.  This coincided with the launch of Qatar Airways direct flights to Doha from the airport.

Business class passengers with KLM and Qatar Airways plus Flybe all-in ticket holders benefit from fast track security at Cardiff Airport. Economy passengers are unable to purchase this separately and it does not come inclusive with lounge access. Security at Cardiff Airport does not get huge amounts of traffic all year round but it can save you 15 – 20 minutes when there are a number of early morning departures such as the morning of my flight.

As part of the terminal upgrade the departure lounge was extended and given a new entrance to the Lolfa Foethus (Executive Lounge in Welsh) tucked around the back.

Accessing the Executive Lounge at Cardiff Airport

Most airlines (including KLM and Qatar) use the Executive Lounge for those travelling in business class.

If you do not have lounge access included in your ticket you can book it on the airport website here. It is £23 per person.

Unfortunately the rules for Priority Pass, Lounge Pass, LoungeKey have recently changed. As of 1st October 2019 they are no longer valid for entry, which is a shame. You can still use your DragonPass to get access to the Executive Lounge. Access is subject to availability, as is standard.

Pre booking isn’t necessary but recommend for early morning departures in the summer season.

The Executive Lounge

The lounge is open from 5am every morning and shuts at 9pm except for Saturday’s where it closes at 5pm.

On arrival you enter the main Executive Lounge area for all passengers. There is plenty of seating available, a dedicated work area, a TV and an information board. Usually there are newspapers but I didn’t see any this morning.

One of the first things you will notice is the lack of windows in this lounge, there is one small window facing the car park. There are no runway views.

Food and drinks

For the breakfast buffet there is a cold only offering of pastries, Welsh cakes, fruit, cereal, crisps, peanuts, biscuits and pretzels. Clotted cream and jams are also available.

Hot and soft drinks are dispensed from a self service machine.

There is a separate manned bar area with numerous beers on offer from the Glamorgan Brewery company (I recommend them!). You will also find other beers such as Becks, wine on tap and numerous spirits including Penderyn Whiskey.

The terms and conditions of the lounge do state that there is a two drink per person limit but in reality I have never seen this enforced.

It’s worth noting that there are no exclusive use toilets for the main Executive Lounge area. The toilets have been moved to cater for the second area of the lounge, the 51 Degree Business Lounge…

51 Degree Business Lounge

This area is exclusive to business class ticket holders for Qatar Airways and KLM. This area isn’t particularly large, I counted around 25 seats but it’s a pleasant space with window views of the front of the terminal plus its own TV, information board and buffet station.

This space with the exclusive toilets will be mostly beneficial in the summer when the main executive lounge is busy with families. Given the school term has started when I was there, there were more passengers in the 51 Degree Lounge than the main Executive Lounge.

Disappointingly the food offering is similar, if not almost identical, to the main Executive Lounge area. The main difference is that one of the fridges is stocked with beer and some spirits in the corner. It’s worth noting that I have seen pictures of hot cawl (Welsh stew) and fresh bread being served to business passengers outside of breakfast hours.

Conclusion

The lounge is a nice area to relax and to get away from a busy departure area.  The lack of hot food and runway views does let this lounge down although I do think this is fairly reflected in the £23 charge.

Today I was on a KLM business ticket with a 6.05am departure and I was absolutely fine with a hot tea and some fruit. If I had paid good money to fly business class with Qatar Airways and was presented with this would I be happy? Probably not.”

Thanks Lewis. For more UK lounge reviews you can check out our directory here.

You can book the lounge for cash via the Lounge Pass website here.

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How to get FREE airport lounge access via UK credit cards (January 2025)

Here are the five 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 1,500 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

50,000 bonus points and great travel benefits – for a large fee 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 £290 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 good package, but only available to HSBC Premier clients Read our full review

Got a small business?

If you have a small business, consider American Express Business Platinum which has the same lounge benefits as the personal Platinum card:

American Express Business Platinum

50,000 points when you sign-up and an annual £200 Amex Travel credit Read our full review

You should also consider the Capital on Tap Pro Visa credit card which has a lower fee and, as well as a Priority Pass for airport lounge access, also comes with Radison Rewards VIP hotel status:

Capital on Tap Pro Visa

10,500 points (=10,500 Avios) plus good benefits 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.