Review: Abu Dhabi Pearl Lounge Terminal A – used by British Airways and Priority Pass

This is our review of the Pearl Lounge in Abu Dhabi’s new Terminal A, used by British Airways passengers.

A longer layover in Abu Dhabi on my way back from the Seychelles meant I had plenty of time to explore the new Terminal A – also called Midfield Terminal – that opened in late 2023 after years of delay.

You may know this terminal as the building that Tom Cruise scales in the latest Mission Impossible film and indeed its scale is impressive: 742,000 square metres, with a cavernous roof resting on gigantic arches:

Abu Dhabi’s new premier terminal has become the base for home carrier Etihad, but there is also sufficient capacity for 15 other international airlines to join, including British Airways. Whilst Etihad operates its own family of lounges, everyone else has just one choice: Pearl Lounge.

That means anyone flying home in business class or with status on British Airways uses the Pearl Lounge, and you can also gain entry via Priority Pass. If accessing via Priority Pass, you can only enter up to three hours before departure.

Where is the Pearl Lounge in Abu Dhabi airport?

The lounge is located in the main concourse of the new terminal, before you get to the pier for D gates. Signage for the lounge is relatively clear and easy to follow:

After 50m or so you turn left:

The entrance to the lounge is situated underneath one of the colossal trunks for the roof, behind which is an escalator and elevator taking you up to the first floor:

The check-in area was relatively busy when I arrived: mostly, it seemed, with people faffing around as one of the attendants quickly waved me over once I told her I was using Priority Pass.

The lounge is open 24 hours a day.

Inside the Pearl Lounge in Abu Dhabi Terminal A

First impressions were of a relatively cramped space thanks to the shockingly low ceilings, despite the cavernous architecture of Terminal A.

There are a lot of winding corridors and separate rooms which made this feel more like converted office space than a purpose-built lounge. It makes you wonder what the architects had originally planned for this space when they designed Terminal A more than a decade ago.

A small number of luggage lockers were available:

The busiest zone was the first buffet area, closest to the entrance. This was heaving with people but I spotted signage pointed to a second dining area round the back, down a narrow corridor:

…. where I duly found a less crowded but identical buffet and dining area:

and

The food offering seems to be ‘quantity over quality’ with plenty of choice. Hot options included American mini pancakes, scrambled egg, chicken sausages, baked beans roasted potatos and peanut poha as well as the best, crispiest hash browns I’ve had in a long while.

You also had cereals, bread, muffins and pastries:

Cut fruit, salads, yoghurt and cold cuts:

Hot and cold soft drinks were also available, including this soda fountain:

The lounge bar was tucked around the back of this space in a long, thin room – perhaps to make it less obvious? House beers and wines were complimentary, as were bottom-shelf spirits: Absolut Vodka, Gordon’s Gin, Famous Grouse whisky and Bacardi Carta Blanca.

Also in this area of the lounge were what appeared to be bookable meeting rooms.

There was another bar out on the terrace, accessible by these very functional firedoors:

The terrace was a much more pleasant space, far less crowded thanks to the additional seating and distance from the buffet. The poor signage probably didn’t help!

The central bar serves the same drinks as inside. There’s no buffet but they do have a few different sweet treats out on display:

and

The seating here was much more spread out and, together with the natural light and Sonos-powered ambient music, it was a very pleasant way to while away the time. Some of the fixed furniture had USB charging ports but the vast majority of armchairs clearly didn’t:

Four identical departure boards were in the centre of the lounge, although I don’t know why there were mounted opposite each other!

The lounge also featured shower facilities, toilets, breast-feeding rooms, prayer rooms and a smoking room, which I didn’t look at.

Conclusion

The Pearl Lounge is the only game in town if you are flying with any airline other than Etihad or have Priority Pass membership.

Overall, the lounge feels pleasant and new, although there’s a pervading sense that this space was not originally intended as a lounge and was a late addition to the plans.

The good news is that it feels modern and the outdoor terrace is quite good. The bad news is that the rest of the lounge is a winding maze with ceilings that feel like they’re about to fall down on you. Whilst it’s doesn’t leave a lasting impression, it does offer somewhere to sit and drink a coffee away from the terminal floor.

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How to get FREE airport lounge access via UK credit cards (September 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 1,500 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.

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

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.

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.

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