I had a roughly three hour transit in Guangzhou, with my flight from Los Angeles arriving around 5:30AM, and my flight to Singapore leaving around 8:30AM. Upon landing in Guangzhou it was a long walk to the transit and immigration checkpoint. My first thought was that the airport was freezing. It was just above freezing outside, and the airport doesn’t have heat, so I imagine it must have been a similar temperature inside. It was so unpleasantly cold, especially since I didn’t have the proper clothes for this kind of weather (I was only going to Sydney, where it was warm).
Eventually I arrived at the immigration and international transit checkpoint. Fortunately the international transit process at Guangzhou Airport is pretty straightforward. There was a simple document check, and then I had to go through security. Within about 20 minutes of landing I was through all of that.
I then took the escalator up a level, and then the entrance to the China Southern lounge was immediately to the right.
Guangzhou Airport transit
Guangzhou Airport terminal
Guangzhou Airport terminal
I reviewed this lounge back in 2014, so since it has been four years, I figured it was time for an updated review. The China Southern lounge has two levels. The bottom level features mostly cafe-style seating, with a large buffet.
China Southern Lounge seating Guangzhou Airport
China Southern Lounge seating Guangzhou Airport
Then there’s a staircase leading up to the second floor of the lounge, which is where the more comfortable seating is located.
China Southern Lounge staircase Guangzhou Airport
China Southern Lounge Guangzhou Airport
This area features a few different zones. Along the main hallway are rows of seats facing one another.
China Southern Lounge Guangzhou Airport
China Southern Lounge Guangzhou Airport
Then along the side of the lounge are some computers and printers.
China Southern Lounge business center Guangzhou Airport
Past that is a larger area with plenty of couches and seats.
China Southern Lounge Guangzhou Airport
China Southern Lounge seating Guangzhou Airport
China Southern Lounge seating Guangzhou Airport
China Southern Lounge Guangzhou Airport
Along the side of the lounge are daybeds of sorts.
China Southern Lounge seating Guangzhou Airport
Then there are a couple of massage chairs in the back corner of the lounge.
China Southern Lounge massage chairs Guangzhou Airport
Along the other wall is a buffet. This one isn’t nearly as substantial as the one downstairs, though it has a decent selection of drinks, as well as cereal, packaged snacks, and fruit.
China Southern Lounge buffet Guangzhou Airport
China Southern Lounge buffet Guangzhou Airport
China Southern Lounge buffet Guangzhou Airport
China Southern Lounge buffet Guangzhou Airport
China Southern Lounge buffet Guangzhou Airport
China Southern Lounge buffet Guangzhou Airport
China Southern Lounge buffet Guangzhou Airport
China Southern Lounge buffet Guangzhou Airport
I headed back downstairs to grab some pictures of the main buffet, though as I did so I was approached by a member of the staff and told no photos were allowed in the lounge. I pressed him on this (and asked if that was the case even if no people were in the pictures), and he stayed firm. Interestingly I’ve heard this from other people as well, so I guess this might just be one of the only lounges out there with a strict no photography policy.
I connected to the Wi-Fi to get some work done. It was reasonably fast, though they blocked the use of VPNs, which was annoying, but not surprising. I had a hard time typing because I felt like my fingers were freezing due to how cold it was. So I got a hot cup of water just so I could touch it and try to warm my fingers.
Trying to stay warm in the China Southern Lounge
My flight was scheduled to board at 7:50AM at gate A2, which was just a short walk from the lounge.
Heading to China Southern departure gate
Gates A1-6 are remote gates, so the area was congested, as you’d expect, with virtually no open seating. I arrived there at around 7:45AM, and a few minutes later boarding began.
Remote gates Guangzhou Airport
As I tried to board I was told that I should wait because there was a separate business class bus that would leave once all business class passengers arrived. However, I insisted on taking the economy bus, since it was so cold and I just wanted to get on the plane.
Here’s the temperature during my layover, per my iPhone:
Temperature in Guangzhou
China Southern Lounge bottom line
The transit experience in Guangzhou was fairly easy, and the lounge is decent enough. I’m not a fan of the no photography policy, but otherwise the lounge is alright.
My major issue with the experience was the temperature in the airport. I get it rarely gets this cold in Guangzhou, so that’s why they don’t have heat. However, I’d point out that the two times I’ve transited through Guangzhou I had exactly the same experience when it comes to the temperature. So personally I’d avoid transiting Guangzhou Airport with anything more than a quick connection in the future, assuming I’m traveling in winter. Nothing here ranks anywhere near the top of the best airport lounges, for me.
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