Review: La Valette Club lounge, Malta (used by BA, KM and Priority Pass)

This is our review of the La Valette Club lounge in Malta International Airport.

Malta International Airport is not big. In fact, it’s so small that it doesn’t have any jetbridges. It does, however, have a lounge – La Valette Club – that is operated as a third party lounge.

Any airline, including the new national carrier KM Malta, that wants to offer lounge access to its passengers at Malta must use it. It is also accessible with Priority Pass.

I was in Malta to see KM Malta Airlines. I will be reviewing their business class cabin but we are holding it back for a couple of weeks to link with an upcoming promotion.

The lounge is open 24 hours a day.

Inside La Valette Club

The good news is that the lounge is relatively large, with a big outdoor terrace. Whilst it was fairly busy when I arrived, just before the Emirates flight departed, it was never full and quickly emptied out once boarding began.

It’s quite a deep space and away from the windows relatively dark. The interior features an open floor plan with lots of low-backed seating:

In the windows you have a series of sofas grouped in horseshoes:

To the left is a dining area with sit down tables as well as bar tables.

On the right hand side you’ll find a row of pretty new iMacs, although the days of desktops in lounges is a thing of the past, I suspect:

Also in this area is a separate space for High Altitude members, I believe part of La Valette Club’s membership program.

The aforementioned terrace is large with half shaded and half open to the sun. It offered views across the runway and would be a nice place to hang out in warmer weather.

and

Food and drink in La Valette Club

A buffet offers a selection of hot and cold food options as well as a self-service bar. Drinks include beers, Maltese wines and Italian prosecco. Spirits and other alcoholic drinks are also on offer.

When it comes to food the hot items are largely meat skewers:

There’s also a salad bar and cold cuts:

Muffins, lamingtons and other deserts were also available.

Conclusion

La Valette Club is the only lounge at Malta International Airport, so it’s this or bust. Fortunately, the lounge is decent with comfortable seating and a fantastic terrace overlooking the airport.

Alcohol is self-pour and includes prosecco, which is a step above most third party lounges, although the food leaves a lot to be desired as there’s no real hot food, just once-hot meat skewers.

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

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

Your best value option (but no points):

The cheapest route to a Priority Pass airport lounge card is via the Lloyds Bank World Elite Mastercard.

The credit card has a fee of £15 per month, and comes with a Priority Pass which gives unlimited free access for the cardholder. If you add a free supplementary cardholder, they will also receive unlimited free access.

Unlike the version of Priority Pass you receive with American Express, the Lloyds Bank version also lets you access £18 airport restaurant credits.

Even better, the credit card has 0% FX fees and comes with 0.5% cashback. Full details are in my Lloyds Bank World Elite Mastercard review.

Lounge access via American Express cards:

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 in-depth review of The Platinum Card from American Express is here.

You can apply here.

The American Express Preferred Rewards Gold Credit Card 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 Credit Card review here.

Lounge access via HSBC Premier credit cards (Premier account holders only):

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.

Got a small business?

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

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:

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